Apparatus and method for digital filing
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- at least one processor;
a memory coupled to the at least one processor;
a labeling mechanism, the labeling mechanism providing an attachable label that includes a computer readable unique document identifier for identifying an attached paper-based document; and
a digital filing application residing in the memory and being executed by the at least one processor, the digital filing application parsing a scanned image of the paper-based document that includes the attachable label for the unique document identifier the digital filing application using the parsed unique document identifier to link the scanned image of the paper-based document to a previously created record for the paper based document in an image index database.
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Accused Products
Abstract
According to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, an apparatus and method for a digital filing system is disclosed. In this context, digital filing refers to the efficient management of paper-based information from its receipt at the desktop through an indexing, scanning, image storage and image retrieval process. The preferred embodiments of the present invention provide for easy and effective indexing, imaging, storing, retrieving and managing of paper-based documents, transforming them into electronic documents using a system which incorporates many existing office resources. The proposed system and method implements a desktop solution for digital filing, which can be made available to each worker. In one embodiment of the present invention, an individual has complete control over the electronic storage and retrieval of their documents from a standard desktop computer, using a standard web browser application. Uniquely, the digital filing system of the present invention also allows users to index and label documents prior to scanning/imaging by using a dedicated desktop labeling mechanism.
500 Citations
65 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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at least one processor;
a memory coupled to the at least one processor;
a labeling mechanism, the labeling mechanism providing an attachable label that includes a computer readable unique document identifier for identifying an attached paper-based document; and
a digital filing application residing in the memory and being executed by the at least one processor, the digital filing application parsing a scanned image of the paper-based document that includes the attachable label for the unique document identifier the digital filing application using the parsed unique document identifier to link the scanned image of the paper-based document to a previously created record for the paper based document in an image index database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus comprising:
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at least one processor;
a memory coupled to the at least one processor;
a labeling mechanism, the labeling mechanism providing an attachable label that includes a computer-readable unique document identifier for identifying an attached paper-based document;
an image indexer residing in the memory, the image indexer providing an interface for users to enter document index information for the paper-based document, the document index information including the unique document identifier;
an image repository residing on an image storage mechanism, the image repository storing a scanned digital image of the paper-based document, the scanned digital image of the paper-based document including a scanned image of the attachable label;
a digital filing application residing in the memory and being executed by the at least one processor, the digital filing application parsing the scanned digital image of the paper-based document that includes the attachable label for the unique document identifier, the digital filing application using the parsed unique document identifier to link the scanned digital image of the paper-based document to the document index information for the paper-based document. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
a main portion;
a plurality of repositionable side portions attached to the main portion;
a repositionable cover attached to the main portion;
a flat, two-sided hook-and-loop covered tab portion attached to the repositionable cover; and
a cooperating hook-and-loop attachment portion affixed to at least one of the plurality of repositionable side portions.
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16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the folding out basket further comprises at least one sleeve affixed to the repositionable cover.
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17. The folding out basket of claim 14 wherein the plurality of repositionable side portions and the repositionable cover are comprised of a flexible plastic material.
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18. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the label additionally comprises:
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an eye-legible information portion; and
wherein the computer-readable unique document identifier is implemented in a computer-readable bar code portion.
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19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the unique document identifier comprises:
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a software serial number field;
a security field;
a date field;
a UserID field; and
a document counter field.
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20. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the labeling mechanism provides the attachable labels by dispensing adhesive backed printed labels.
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21. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the labeling mechanism applies the attachable label to the paper based document.
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22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the labeling mechanism comprises a printer for printing the machine readable unique document identifier on the paper based document.
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23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the labeling mechanism comprises a printer, the printer providing the attachable labels by printing the machine readable unique document identifier on adhesive backed labels.
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24. An apparatus for digital filing, the apparatus comprising:
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at least one processor;
a memory coupled to the at least one processor;
a labeling mechanism, the labeling mechanism providing an attachable label that includes a computer-readable unique document identifier for identifying an attached paper-based document;
an image indexer residing in the memory, the image indexer providing an interface for users to enter document index information for the paper-based document, the document index information including the unique document identifier;
a document input mechanism, the document input mechanism creating a scanned digital image of the paper-based document, the scanned digital image of the paper-based document including a scanned image of the attachable label;
a communication link coupled to the at least one processor;
an image storage mechanism coupled to the communication link;
an image repository stored on the image storage mechanism, the image repository storing the scanned digital image of the paper-based document; and
a digital filing application residing in the memory and being executed by the processor;
wherein the digital filing application parses the scanned digital image of the paper-based document that includes the attachable label for the unique document identifier, the digital filing application using the parsed unique document identifier to link the scanned digital image of the paper-based document stored in the image repository to the document index information for the paper-based document.- View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
an eye-legible information portion; and
wherein the computer-readable unique document identifier is implemented in a computer-readable bar code portion.
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33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the unique document identifier comprises:
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a software serial number field;
a security field;
a date field;
a UserID field; and
a document counter field.
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34. A method comprising the steps of:
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affixing a label bearing a machine-readable document identifier to a paper-based document;
entering indexing information for the paper-based document, the indexing information including identification data corresponding to the machine-readable document identifier;
subsequently scanning the paper-based document and creating a digital image of the paper-based document, the digital image including a digital image of the machine-readable document identifier;
parsing the digital image of the paper-based document for the machine-readable document identifier;
storing the digital image in an image repository;
linking the stored digital image of the paper-based document to the indexing information using the parsed machine-readable document identifier. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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38. A computer-implemented method for the digital filing of paper-based documents, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a paper-based document;
creating a database record for the paper-based document;
storing a unique document identifier for the paper-based document in the database record;
affixing a label to the paper-based document, the label including the unique document identifier;
scanning the paper-based document to create a digital image of the paper-based document, the digital image including an image of the label;
extracting the unique document identifier from the digital image of the paper-based document; and
storing the digital image of the paper-based document in an image repository using a file name which that corresponds to the unique document identifier. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a paper-based document;
creating a record in an image index database for the paper-based document, the record having at least one field;
storing a unique document identifier for the paper-based document in the at least one field;
affixing a label to the paper-based document, the label bearing a bar code indicia which corresponds to the unique document identifier;
scanning the paper-based document and creating an image of the paper-based document and the affixed label; and
storing the image in an image repository;
parsing the image of the paper-based document for the unique document identifier;
linking the stored image of the paper-based document to the record in the image index database using the unique document identifier. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method for indexing, storing, and retrieving a digital image of a paper-based document, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving the paper-based document;
launching a web-based interface for indexing the paper-based document;
creating a record in an image index database for the paper-based document, the record having at least one field;
storing a unique document identifier for the paper-based document in the at least one field;
using a desktop labeling mechanism to provide a label, the label bearing a bar code indicia which includes the unique document identifier;
affixing the label to the paper-based document;
scanning the paper-based document and label affixed to the document, thereby creating a digital image of the paper-based document and the affixed label;
parsing the unique document number from the digital image of the paper-based document;
transferring the digital image to an image repository via the Internet;
storing the digital image in the image repository;
linking the stored digital image of the paper-based document to the record in the image index database using unique document identifier.
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51. A program product comprising:
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a digital filing application, the digital filing application receiving a scanned image of a paper-based document that includes an attached label having a unique document identifier, the digital filing application parsing the scanned image for the unique document identifier, the digital filing application using the parsed unique document identifier to link the scanned image of the paper-based document to a previously created record for the paper based document in an image index database; and
signal bearing media bearing the digital filing application. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A method comprising the steps of:
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providing a machine-readable label for a paper-based document at a first geographic location, the label containing a document identifier which will subsequently be used as a reference for a digital image of the paper-based document;
affixing the label to the paper-based document;
transporting the paper-based document to a second geographic location;
scanning the paper-based document, including the label, to create a document image which includes an image of the label;
parsing the document image of the paper-based document for the unique document identifier;
storing the document image in an image repository, the image repository being in a third geographic location; and
linking the stored image of the paper-based document to the record in the image index database using the unique document identifier. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61)
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62. A method comprising the steps of:
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using a desktop computer to index a paper-based document, thereby providing a unique document identifier for the paper-based document;
storing the unique document identifier in an image index database;
affixing a label containing the unique document identifier to the paper-based document;
transporting the paper-based document to a document input mechanism which is logically disconnected from the desktop computer;
creating a digital image of the paper-based document;
retrieving the unique document identifier from the digital image of the paper-based document;
incorporating the document identifier into a file name for the digital image to link the digital image to the image index database; and
storing the digital image of the paper-based document on an image storage mechanism which is logically disconnected from the desktop computer, the document input mechanism, and the image index database, using the file name. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65)
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Specification