SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING BI-DIRECTIONAL DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT

• US 20130246901A1
• Filed: 03/19/2012
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Litera Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: Litera Technology LLC
• Inventors: MASSAND, Deepak
• Granted Patent: US 9,348,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/197 Version control for software G06F8/71
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Systems and methods consistent with various disclosed embodiments provide for collaborating information over a computer network. In one embodiment, a system is disclosed for collaborating information over a network. The system may include a storage device and one or more processors. The processor(s) may maintain documents in the storage device and publish content links to the documents in a workspace rendered by a collaboration platform. The processor(s) may provide content to the collaboration platform in response to a content link selection by a reviewer and receive the reviewer'"'"'s changes, with the collaboration platform temporarily storing the document in a virtual memory for rendering to the reviewer and deleting it after the communication session ends. The processor(s) may synchronize the changes bi-directionally from the workspace with the original document through a collaboration document, such that the original document remains unaltered, and by re-publishing an updated content link to the workspace.

Claims

1. A computer-based system for collaborating information over a network, comprising:

a storage device; and

one or more processors configured to;

maintain a document in the storage device, the document being a copy of an original document created by an owner and stored in a data storage separate from the storage device,

publish a content link to the document in a workspace that is configured by the owner with access rights for a first reviewer,

provide content of the document to a collaboration platform in response to a selection, by the first reviewer, of the content link in the workspace that is rendered by the collaboration platform to the first reviewer;

receive from the collaboration platform, an adjustment to the document made by the first reviewer through the collaboration platform during a communication session, wherein the collaboration platform temporarily stores the document content in a virtual memory for rendering the document to the first reviewer during the communication session with the collaboration platform, and the collaboration platform deletes the document content from the virtual memory in response to the first reviewer ending the communication session with the collaboration platform, and

synchronize the adjustment to the document with the data storage through a collaboration document created by the data storage that maintains the adjustment to the document made by the first reviewer such that the original document remains unadjusted.

2. The computer-based system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to create the collaboration document by converting the document from a first format to a second format based on the adjustment to the document.

3. The computer-based system of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to create access rights for the first reviewer based on input from the owner, the access rights providing permissions for the first reviewer to access and make adjustments to the first document through the collaboration platform.

4. The computer-based system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

create and maintain a second version of the document that includes the adjustments by the first reviewer, and

re-publish the content link to the document in the workspace such that the content link links to the second version of the document.

5. The computer-based system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to configure the workspace with the access rights created by the owner for the first reviewer.

6. The computer-based system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to configure the workspace with the access rights created by the owner for a second reviewer.

7. The computer-based system of claim 6, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to provide content of the document to the collaboration platform in response to a selection by the second reviewer of the content link in the workspace that is rendered by the collaboration platform to the second reviewer.

8. The computer-based system of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive from the collaboration platform, information reflecting adjustments to the document made by the second reviewer through the collaboration platform, wherein the collaboration platform temporarily stores the document content in the virtual memory for rendering to the second reviewer and the collaboration platform deletes the document content from the virtual memory in response to the second reviewer ending a communication session with the collaboration platform.

9. The computer-based system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to synchronize the adjustments to the document by the second reviewer with the data storage by creating a second collaboration document that includes the adjustments by the second reviewer.

10. The computer-based system of claim 6, wherein the second reviewer'"'"'s access rights permits the second reviewer to view the document through the collaboration platform and prevents the second reviewer from making adjustments to the document through the collaboration platform.

11. The computer-based system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to deny access by the first reviewer to at least one of the workspace and the document based on a geographic identifier of the first reviewer that matches a country-specific disqualifier for accessing at least one of the workspace and the document.

12. The computer-based system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to send a notification to the first reviewer when the content link is published.

13. The computer-based system of claim 12, wherein the notification is a link used by the first reviewer to access the workspace through the collaboration platform.

14. The computer-based system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to generate an activity log entry reflecting activities associated with the first reviewer'"'"'s access to the document during the communication session with the collaboration platform.

15. The computer-based system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to provide the document content to the collaboration platform for rendering to the first reviewer such that the first reviewer does not have access to the original document through the collaboration platform.

16. The computer-based system of claim 1, wherein the adjustment includes at least one of one or more changes, one or more annotations, and one or more comments to the document.

17. A computer-based system for collaborating information over a network, comprising:

a data storage storing an original document created by an owner;

an application executed by a processor, the application configured to provide a process for the owner to create a workspace and create a notification relating to the workspace; and

an agent server configured to;

create a second document that is a copy of the original document,

assign, for one or more reviewers, access rights to the second document,

publish a content link to the second document in the workspace,

provide content of the second document to a collaboration platform in response to a selection, by the one or more reviewers, of the content link in the workspace that is rendered by the collaboration platform to the one or more reviewers during respective communication sessions between the one or more reviewers and the collaboration platform,

receive from the collaboration platform, information reflecting at least one of a change, annotation, and comment, to the second document made by the one or more reviewers through the collaboration platform during the respective communication sessions, wherein, in response to the one or more reviewers ending the respective communication sessions with the collaboration platform, the collaboration platform deletes the second document content from a virtual memory that is used for rendering the second document to the one or more reviewers, and

synchronize the at least one of change, annotation, and comment to the second document with the original document stored in the data storage.

18. The computer-based system of claim 17, wherein the data storage creates and stores a collaboration document that includes the at least one of change, annotation, and comment to the second document that is used to present the at least one change, annotation, and comment to the owner through the application.

19. The computer-based system of claim 17, wherein the access rights control whether the one or more reviewers can at least one of view and modify the second document when rendered by the collaboration platform during the respective communication sessions between the one or more reviewers and the collaboration platform.

20. The computer-based system of claim 17, wherein the notification is a link used by the one or more reviewers to access the workspace through the collaboration platform.

21. The computer-based system of claim 17, wherein the agent server is configured to deny access by the one or more reviewers to at least one of the workspace and the document based on a geographic identifier of the one or more reviewers that matches a country-specific disqualifier for accessing at least one of the workspace and the second document.

22. The computer-based system of claim 17, wherein the application includes an option to create the workspace that enables the owner to customize the workspace with areas for presenting information including the content link and at least one of tabs, fields, elements, and icons.

23. A computer-based system for collaborating information over a network, comprising:

a virtual memory; and

one or more processors configured to;

receive a workspace from an owner, the workspace including a content link to a document created by the owner,

receive a request from a first reviewer to access the workspace,

receive a selection of the content link from the reviewer during a communication session with the first reviewer over a network,

retrieve, based on the selection, content for the document from the owner,

store the document content in the virtual memory,

render the content from the document such that the first reviewer is able to access and make changes to the document over the network based on access rights to the document set by the owner,

receive input to the content from the reviewer corresponding to at least one of a change, annotation, and comment to the document,

provide the at least one of a change, annotation, and comment to the document to the owner such that the owner synchronizes the at least one of a change, annotation, and comment to the document through a collaboration document that is separate from an original version of the document stored at a data storage, and

delete the document content from the virtual memory when the communication session with the first reviewer ends.

24. The computer-based system of claim 23, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to render the document content in an online editor such that a computer system associated with the first reviewer does not obtain copy of the document during the communication session.

25. The computer-based system of claim 23, wherein the one or ore processors are further configured to deny workspace access to the first reviewer if the first reviewer has a geographic identifier that matches a country-specific disqualifier for accessing the workspace.

26. The computer-based system of claim 23, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to render the workspace with a republished content link to an updated version of the document that includes the at least one of a change, annotation, and comment to the document.

27. The computer-based system of claim 23, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to generate an activity log entry reflecting activities associated with the first reviewer'"'"'s access to the document during the communication session and provide the activity log entry to the owner.

28. The computer-based system of claim 23, wherein the first reviewer does not have access to the original version of the document.

29. A collaboration system for performing collaboration between an owner of a workspace and reviewers, comprising:

a virtual memory; and

one or more processors configured to;

generate, for each reviewer, a customized view of the workspace based on access rights set by the owner for the respective reviewer,

generate a content link to a document in the workspace that, when selected by a respective reviewer, retrieves content relating to the document from an agent server of the owner,

temporarily render, to the reviewers, the document using the virtual memory that prevents the reviewers from retrieving a copy of the document,

send, to the agent server, information relating to transactions performed on the document by authorized reviewers having access rights to perform the transactions, and

delete the document from the virtual memory after the transactions have been synchronized with an original version of the document created by the owner.

30. A computer-based method for collaborating information over a network, comprising:

maintaining a document in a storage device, the document being a copy of an original document created by an owner and stored in a data storage separate from the storage device,

publishing a content link to the document in a workspace that is configured by the owner with access rights for a first reviewer,

providing content of the document to a collaboration platform in response to a selection, by the first reviewer, of the content link in the workspace that is rendered by the collaboration platform to the first reviewer;

receiving from the collaboration platform, one or more changes to the document made by the first reviewer through the collaboration platform during a communication session, wherein the collaboration platform temporarily stores the document content in a virtual memory for rendering the document to the first reviewer during the communication session with the collaboration platform, and the collaboration platform deletes the document content from the virtual memory in response to the first reviewer ending the communication session with the collaboration platform, and

synchronizing the one or more changes to the document with the data storage through a collaboration document created by the data storage that maintains the one or more changes to the document made by the first reviewer such that the original document remains unchanged.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

converting the document from a first format to a second format based on the one or more changes to the document.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising creating access rights for the first reviewer, the access rights providing permissions for the first reviewer to access and make changes to the first document through the collaboration platform.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

creating a second version of the document that includes the one or more changes by the first reviewer, and

re-publishing the content link to the document in the workspace such that the content link links to the second version of the document.

34. The method of claim 30, further comprising configuring the workspace with the access rights created by the owner for the first reviewer.

35. The method of claim 30, further comprising creating access rights for a second reviewer.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising providing content of the document to the collaboration platform in response to a selection by the second reviewer of the content link in the workspace that is rendered by the collaboration platform to the second reviewer.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising, receiving from the collaboration platform, information reflecting one or more changes to the document made by the second reviewer through the collaboration platform, wherein the collaboration platform temporarily stores the document content in the virtual memory for rendering to the second reviewer and the collaboration platform deletes the document content from the virtual memory in response to the second reviewer ending a communication session with the collaboration platform.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising synchronizing the one or more changes to the document made by the second reviewer with the data storage by creating a second collaboration document that includes the one or more changes by the second reviewer.

39. The method of claim 30, further comprising denying access by the first reviewer to at least one of the workspace and the document based on a geographic identifier of the first reviewer that matches a country-specific disqualifier for accessing at least one of the workspace and the document.

40. The method of claim 30, further comprising sending a notification to the first reviewer when the content link is published, the notification being a link used by the first reviewer to access the workspace through the collaboration platform.

41. The method of claim 30, further comprising generating an activity log entry reflecting activities associated with the first reviewer'"'"'s access to the document during the communication session with the collaboration platform.

42. A method for collaborating information over a network, comprising:

receiving a workspace from an owner, the workspace including a content link to a document created by the owner,

receiving a request from a first reviewer to access the workspace,

receiving a selection of the content link from the first reviewer during a communication session with the first reviewer over a network,

retrieving, based on the selection, content for the document from the owner,

storing the document content in a virtual memory,

rendering the content from the document such that the first reviewer is able to access and make changes to the document over the network based on access rights to the document set by the owner,

receiving input to the content from the reviewer corresponding to at least one of a change, annotation, and comment to the document,

providing the at least one of a change, annotation, and comment to the document to the owner such that the owner synchronizes the at least one of a change, annotation, and comment to the document through a collaboration document that is separate from an original version of the document stored at a data storage, and

deleting the document content from the virtual memory when the communication session with the first reviewer ends.

43. A method for collaborating information over a network, comprising:

creating a workspace;

sending a notification relating to the workspace to one or more reviewers;

creating a second document that is a copy of an original document stored in a data storage,

assigning, for the one or more reviewers, access rights to the second document,

publishing a content link to the second document in the workspace,

providing content of the second document to a collaboration platform in response to a selection, by the one or more reviewers, of the content link in the workspace that is rendered by the collaboration platform to the one or more reviewers during respective communication sessions between the one or more reviewers and the collaboration platform,

receiving from the collaboration platform, information reflecting at least one of a change, annotation, and comment, to the second document made by the one or more reviewers through the collaboration platform during the respective communication sessions, wherein, in response to the one or more reviewers ending the respective communication sessions with the collaboration platform, the collaboration platform deletes the second document content from a virtual memory that is used for rendering the second document to the one or more reviewers, and

synchronizing the at least one of change, annotation, and comment to the second document with the original document stored in the data storage.

44. A computer-based system for collaborating information over a network, comprising:

a storage device; and

one or more processors configured to;

bi-directionally synchronize content included in an original document created by an owner and the document'"'"'s content rendered on a workspace provided by a collaboration platform using a copy of the original document that is stored in the storage device, the workspace being accessible by one or more reviewers over a network, wherein adjustments made to the document'"'"'s content in the workspace by each reviewer are synchronized with the content in the original document such that each reviewer can view the adjustments to the document'"'"'s content made by other reviewers through the workspace during respective communication sessions with the collaboration platform.

45. The computer-based system of claim 44, wherein the original documents is stored in a data storage separate from the storage device.

46. The computer-based system of claim 45, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to publish a content link to the copy of the original document in the workspace that is rendered by the collaboration platform for the one or more reviewers.

47. The computer-based system of claim 46, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to provide content of the copy of the original document to the collaboration platform in response to a selection by a first reviewer of the content link in the workspace that is rendered by the collaboration platform for the first reviewer.

48. The computer-based system of claim 47, wherein the collaboration platform temporarily stores the document'"'"'s content in a virtual memory for rendering the document to the first reviewer during a communication session with the collaboration platform, and the collaboration platform deletes the document content from the virtual memory in response to the first reviewer ending the communication session with the collaboration platform.

49. The computer-based system of claim 48, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to synchronize an adjustment by the first reviewer to the document rendered by the collaboration platform with the original document stored at the data storage through a collaboration document that maintains the adjustment to the document made by the first reviewer such that the original document remains unadjusted.

50. The computer-based system of claim 49, wherein one or more processors are further configured to synchronize an adjustment to the document made by the first reviewer by publishing a second content link to a second copy of the original document including the adjustment made by the first reviewer, wherein the second copy of the original document is stored in the storage device and the second content link replaces the content link included in the workspace rendered by the collaboration platform for the first reviewer.