EP0986010A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Self-contained documents management based on document properties
Assignee: Xerox Corp
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Filing: 1999-08-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2019-08-30
Abstract
Abstract A document management system is provided which organizes, stores and retrieves documents in accordance with document properties. A property attachment mechanism allows a user to define and attach static properties and/or active properties to a document. The active properties include executable code which control the behavior of the document contents. Upon transferring a document to another user, system, or environment, the document management system combines the document content and properties as a self-contained document which can interpret and manipulate its own contents. In this manner, a receiving user does not require additional applications in order to manipulate the document contents into a usable format. The self-contained document interprets and manipulates itself using its active properties to provide a useful document to the receiving user.
Inventors
- 👤 Karin Petersen
- 👤 James P. Dourish
- 👤 Warren K. Edwards
- 👤 Anthony G. Lamarca
- 👤 John O. Lamping
- 👤 Michael P. Salisbury
- 👤 Douglas B. Terry
- 👤 James D. Thornton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 18:48
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/93; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945; Y10S707/99948
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
In a document management system having a document stored at a first
location by a first user, a method of transferring the document to a second location
comprising the steps of: forming the document to include a content and a document reference being
distinguishable from each other, the document reference maintaining properties
attachable by a user which include static properties describing characteristics of the
content and active properties controlling behaviors of the content; attaching an active property to the document reference which is associated to
the document, the active property including executable code for interpreting and
manipulating the content of the document; and transferring the document to a second location, the transferring automatically
including the association between the content and the properties of the document such
that, upon directly opening the document without use of an application, the active
property associated to the document executes the executable code which interprets and
manipulates the content of the document into a useful format.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 further including storing and
retrieving the document based on properties associated to the document.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 further including, before the
transferring, modifying the content of the document in accordance with a function, and
incorporating executable code from the function in the active property.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 further including, before the
transferring, adding additional static properties to relate context information about the
document to the second location.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 further including, before transferring,
removing selected properties from the document reference to constrain access and
behaviors available to a receiving user at the second location.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the transferring includes
transferring the static and active properties such that the document is obtained and the
content is reconstructed at the second location based on the static and active properties.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
71 words
A method of managing a document during a transfer of the document to
a receiving user comprising the steps of: attaching properties to the document including static properties describing
characteristics of the document and active properties controlling behaviors of the
document; transferring selected properties of the static properties and active properties to
the receiving user; and reconstructing the document, by the receiving user, based on the transferred
static and active properties.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the selected properties cause
the document to be reconstructed having limited access and behaviors available to the
receiving user.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the document includes a
content which is separate from the properties, and the reconstructing includes locating
the content based on the transferred static and active properties
Claim 10
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of transferring a document to a destination in a document
management system comprising the steps of: defining a state and a behavior for the document by attaching properties to the
document, the properties including at least one of non-executable data and executable
code; transferring the document and the attached properties as a packed self-contained
unit to the destination; and unpacking, by the attached properties at the destination, the packed self-contained
unit such that the document is usable at the destination without use of
external applications.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the document includes
content, the content being separated from the attached properties.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method as set forth in claim 10 further including: controlling the behavior of the document with the executable code; and assigning a triggering event to the executable code such that, in response to the
triggering event, executing the executable code to control the behavior of the document.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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