Method for distributing and collecting electronic worksheets via a network

• US 6,466,956 B1
• Filed: 01/21/1999
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Cho, Jeongyul, Kobayashi, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Maikhanh
• Application Number:
  US09/234,707
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 707/531, 707/503, 345/751, 345/753, 345/758
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

In a system where a subject management server, a requester client, and a plurality of replier clients are connected via a network, when the requester client sends a subject modification request to a worksheet already defined: in the subject management server, a subject modifying module of the subject management server modifies a part of a corresponding file and, by referencing a status management table containing information about whether or not each replier has already replied, modifies a corresponding part of a replied worksheet file of the replier. When accessed by one of the plurality of replier clients, a reply managing module of the subject management server references the status management table and, depending upon whether or not the replier has already replied, sends a not-yet-replied worksheet file or a replied worksheet file. The reply managing module also registers a file or overwrites an existing file depending upon whether or not the reply from the replier is the first reply.

Claims

1. A method for re-distributing and collecting modified electronic worksheets after distribution of unmodified electronic worksheets,

wherein an electronic worksheet, created and stored in first storage means by a requester, is distributed to a plurality of repliers, replied worksheets filled in by said repliers are stored in second storage means for reference by said requester, and said method comprises the steps of:

modifying a part of an unmodified electronic worksheet stored in said first storage means in response to a modification request from said requester, to create a modified electronic worksheet;

modifying each of said replied worksheets stored in said second storage means at a part corresponding to said part modified by said requester based on status information indicating whether or not each of said repliers have replied to said unmodified worksheet, said status information being stored in third storage means; and

re-distributing said replied worksheet thus modified and stored in said second storage means to respective repliers who have replied, while re-distributing said modified worksheets stored in said first storage means to repliers who have not replied, based on said status information.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of changing the status information of each of said repliers who have replied to said unmodified worksheets to an unread status, when re-distributing said replied worksheets thus modified.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein information already filled in by said repliers at the modified part of said replied worksheets thus modified are unfilled, while information at the other part remains unchanged, when said replied worksheets thus modified are re-distributed.

4. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable storage medium for re-distributing and collecting modified electronic worksheets after distribution of unmodified electronic worksheets,

wherein the electronic worksheet, created and stored in first storage means by a requester, is distributed to a plurality of repliers, replied worksheets filled in by said repliers are stored in second storage means for reference by said requester, and said program comprises the steps of:

(a) modifying a part of an unmodified electronic worksheet stored in said first storage means in response to a modification request from said requester, to create a modified electronic worksheet;

(b) modifying each of said replied worksheets stored in said second storage means at a part corresponding to said part modified by said requester based on status information indicating whether or not each of said repliers have replied to said unmodified worksheet, said status information being stored in third storage means; and

(c) re-distributing said replied worksheets thus modified and stored in said second storage means to respective repliers who have replied, while redistributing said modified worksheets stored in said first storage means to repliers who have not replied, based on said status information.

5. The computer program product according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

distributing the electronic worksheet by downloading onto a terminal of a replier; and

collecting replied worksheets by uploading from terminals of said repliers.

6. The computer program product according to claim 4, wherein said status information on each of said repliers indicates whether a corresponding electronic worksheet is in an unread, read, or replied status and whether the corresponding electronic worksheet has been downloaded (downloaded status/not-downloaded status), and said program further comprises the steps of:

when the corresponding electronic worksheet is downloaded, changing the download status of the replier to the downloaded status and changing the electronic worksheet status to the read status if the status is the unread status;

changing the electronic worksheet status from the read status to the replied status when the replier replies to the corresponding electronic worksheet; and

changing the download status of all associated repliers to the not-downloaded status when the corresponding electronic worksheet is modified regardless of whether the status is the unread, read, or replied status.

7. The computer program product according to claim 4, further comprising the step of, after an electronic worksheet is modified, sending an electronic worksheet modification message to a replier whose status is the replied status when the replier accesses a server for distributing the electronic worksheet.

8. The computer program product according to claim 4, wherein said program further comprises the step of changing said status information of each of said repliers who have replied to said unmodified worksheets to be an unread status, when re-distributing said replied worksheets thus modified.

9. The computer program product according to claim 4, wherein information already filled in by said repliers at the modified part of said replied worksheets thus modified are unfilled, while information at the other part remains unchanged, when said replied worksheets thus modified are re-distributed.

10. An electronic worksheet management server comprising:

a worksheet defining module for registering an unmodified electronic worksheet, sent from a requester client via a network, in a first storage area;

a reply management module for allowing a plurality of replier clients to download said unmodified electronic worksheet via said network and for collecting replied worksheets from said replier clients and storing said replied worksheets in a second storage area; and

a worksheet modifying module for carrying out a modification requested by said requester client onto said unmodified worksheet in response to a modification request from said requester client to create a modified worksheet, modifying each of said replied worksheets by overwriting said modification onto each of said replied electronic worksheets, and re-distributing said replied worksheets thus modified to respective repliers who have replied, while re-distributing said modified worksheets to repliers who have not replied.

11. The electronic worksheet management server according to claim 10 wherein, when a replier client accesses said management server via said network after downloading said unmodified worksheet, said worksheet modifying module sends a modification message to the accessing replier client, said modification message indicating that there is a modification to said electronic worksheet.

12. The electronic worksheet management server according to claim 11, wherein said modification is on a content described on said unmodified electronic worksheet.

13. The electronic worksheet management server according to claim 12, wherein said modification includes a modification on a calculation formula created by said requester client to introduce the content contained in said electronic worksheet.

14. The electronic worksheet management server according to claim 10, wherein information already filled in by said repliers at a part of said modification of said replied worksheets thus modified are unfilled, while information at the other part remains unchanged, when said replied worksheets thus modified are re-distributed.

15. A method for re-distributing and collecting electronic worksheets for use in an electronic worksheet management server connected to a requester client and a plurality of replier clients over a network, said method comprising the steps of:

registering an unmodified electronic worksheet sent from said requester client via said network;

allowing said plurality of replier clients to download said unmodified electronic worksheet via said network and collecting replied electronic worksheets from said replier clients;

carrying out a modification requested by said requester client onto said unmodified worksheet in response to a modification request from said requester client to create a modified worksheet, and modifying each of said replied worksheets by overwriting said modification onto said replied electronic worksheets; and

re-distributing said replied worksheets thus modified to respective repliers who have replied, while re-distributing said modified worksheets to repliers who have not yet replied.

16. The method for re-distributing and collecting electronic worksheets according to claim 15, further comprising the step of, when a replier client accesses said management server via said network after downloading said unmodified worksheet, sending a modification message to the accessing replier client, said modification message indicating that there is a modification to said electronic worksheet.

17. The method for re-distributing and collecting electronic worksheets according to claim 15, wherein information already filled in by said repliers at a part of said modification of said replied worksheets thus modified are unfilled, while information at the other part remains unchanged, when said replied worksheets thus modified are re-distributed.

18. A computer program product for use in a system where an electronic worksheet management server, a requester client, and a plurality of replier clients are connected via a network, said program product causing a computer in said electronic worksheet management server to:

register an unmodified electronic worksheet sent from a requester client via said network;

allow said plurality of replier clients to download said unmodified electronic worksheet via said network and collect replied electronic worksheets from said replier clients;

carry out a modification requested by said requester client onto said unmodified worksheet in response to a modification request from said requester client to create a modified worksheet, and modifying each of said replied worksheets by overwriting said modification onto said replied electronic worksheets; and

re-distributing said replied worksheets thus modified to respective repliers who have replied, while re-distributing said modified worksheets to repliers who have not replied.

19. The computer program product according to claim 18 wherein, when a replier client accesses said management server via said network after downloading said unmodified worksheet, said computer program further causes the computer to send a modification message to the accessing replier client, said modification message indicating that there is a modification to said electronic worksheet.

20. A method for re-distributing and collecting electronic worksheets in a system constituted by an electronic worksheet management server, a requester client and plurality of replier clients, comprising the steps of:

registering an unmodified electronic sheet sent from a requester client in said electronic worksheet management server;

downloading, by replier clients, said unmodified electronic worksheet, and collecting, by said management server, replied electronic worksheets from said replier clients;

carrying out, by said management server, a modification requested by said requester client onto said unmodified worksheet in response to a modification request from said requester client to create a modified worksheet, and modifying each of said replied worksheets by overwriting said modification onto said replied electronic worksheets collected in said management server; and

re-distributing, by said management server, said replied worksheets thus modified to respective repliers who have replied, while re-distributing said modified worksheets to repliers who have not replied.