Method and apparatus for automated document distribution in a data processing system

• US 5,247,661 A
• Filed: 09/10/1990
• Issued: 09/21/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rose, Curtis G., Hager, Dean J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LINTZ, PAUL R
• Application Number:
  US07/579,864
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 395/500, 395/100, 364/513, 364/419, 364/145, 380/25
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

The method and apparatus of the present invention permit the automated distribution of an electronic document to a preselected list of recipients. A selected document is identified and a document profile is selected or created, including an identification of the technical or functional area disclosed within that document. An examination of the document profile is then utilized to determine a preselected group of recipients and the document is automatically transmitted to those recipients. In one embodiment of the present invention, the creator of each document is prompted to select one or more functional areas from a predetermined list of functional areas during the creation of a document. In still another embodiment, the functional area of a document is automatically established in response to an examination of the department number, division, building, laboratory group, et cetera associated with the creator or creators of the document.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system having a plurality of users enrolled therein, each of said plurality of users having associated personnel information stored within said data processing system, for the automatic distribution of invention disclosure documents created by selected ones of said plurality of users and stored within said data processing system, said method comprising the steps of:

identifying at least one invention disclosure document within said data processing system;

automatically identifying at least one selected user among said plurality of users within said data processing system as a creator of said at least one invention disclosure document;

automatically accessing personnel information associated with said at least one selected user within said data processing system;

creating an invention disclosure document profile associated with said at least one invention disclosure document, said invention disclosure document profile including a characterization of said at least one invention disclosure document derived from a functional technical area associated with said at least one selected user in response to said accessing of said associated personnel information; and

automatically transmitting said at least one invention disclosure document to a preselected group of said plurality of users enrolled in said data processing system for evaluation in response to said associated invention disclosure document profile.

2. A data processing system having a plurality of users enrolled therein, each of said plurality of users having associated personnel information stored within said data processing system, for the automatic distribution of invention disclosure documents created by selected ones of said plurality of users and stored within said data processing system, said data processing system comprising:

means for identifying at least one invention disclosure document within aid data processing system;

means for automatically identifying at least one selected user among said plurality of users within said data processing system as a creator of said at least one invention disclosure document;

means for automatically accessing personnel information associated with said at least one selected user within said data processing system;

means for creating an invention disclosure document profile associated with said at least one invention disclosure document, said invention disclosure document profile including a characterization of said at least one invention disclosure document derived from a functional technical area associated with said at least one selected user in response to said accessing of said associated personnel information; and

means for automatically transmitting said at least one invention disclosure document to a preselected group of said plurality of users enrolled in said data processing system for evaluation in response to said associated invention disclosure document profile.

3. A method in a data processing system having a plurality of users enrolled therein, each of said plurality of users having associated personnel information stored within said data processing system, for the automatic distribution of suggestion documents created by selected ones of said plurality of users and stored within said data processing system, said method comprising the steps of:

identifying at least one invention disclosure document within said data processing system;

automatically identifying at least one selected user within said data processing system as a creator of said at least one suggestion document;

automatically accessing personnel information associated with said at least one selected user within said data processing system;

creating a suggestion document profile associated with said at least one suggestion document, said suggestion document profile including a characterization of said at least one suggestion document derived from a functional technical area associated with said at least one selected user in response to said accessing of said associated personnel information; and

automatically transmitting said at least one suggestion document to a preselected group of said plurality of users enrolled in said data processing system for evaluation in response to said suggestion document profile.