Document Version Tracking via Intermediary Log Server
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional document management systems lack the ability to track and display information about different versions of documents, including edits, comments, and user identities, especially when documents are stored across various locations such as local memory, networks, or document management systems, hindering efficient collaboration and version recognition during review processes.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a document log to track and store information about each version of a document, including user identity, timestamp, and changes, allowing for the display of this information in a user interface, enabling efficient collaboration and version management regardless of storage location.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional document management systems store documents in cloud-based or network locations, then remote access and sharing capability is improved, but the ability to track and display version information (edits, comments, user identity, timestamp) deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a document management server as an intermediary between clients and document storage locations. This server maintains a document log that tracks version information, user identities, timestamps, edits, and comments. The intermediary captures document metadata at each version change and provides it to clients upon request, enabling comprehensive version tracking without requiring changes to the underlying storage architecture.
2Adaptability or versatility
If documents are stored across multiple locations (local memory, network, DMS), then accessibility and collaboration flexibility is improved, but the ability to recognize and manage different versions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The document management server provides universal version tracking functionality that works regardless of where documents are stored. The system can track documents whether they reside in local memory, network storage, or external DMS locations. The server maintains a centralized document log that consolidates version information from multiple storage locations, providing a unified view of document evolution across the entire collaboration ecosystem.
3Productivity
If a system provides comprehensive document version tracking and display information, then collaboration efficiency is improved, but the system complexity and data management requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts version tracking functionality from the document storage system and places it in a separate document management server. This extraction allows the core storage systems to remain simple while the management server handles the complexity of tracking versions, user identities, timestamps, edits, and comments. The separation of concerns enables comprehensive version information management without increasing the complexity of the underlying storage infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods consistent with various disclosed embodiments provide for managing and collaborating information over a computer network. In one embodiment, a system is disclosed for managing documents over a network. The system may include a storage device and one or more processors. The processor(s) may receive a first version of a document from a client. The processor(s) may create, in a document log, an entry associated with the first version of the document. The processor(s) may receive a request from a remote computer that is displaying in an interface a second version of the document, and the request may include a request for information from one or more entries in the document log. The processor(s) may provide to the remote computer, for displaying in a display window in the interface, information from one or more entries in the document log.