Patent ID: 8127217
Filing Date: 2012-02-28
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for managing a plurality of electronic documents in an associated plurality of data storage areas comprising the steps of: receiving user identification data representative of an identity of an associated user; displaying, on an associated data display, indicia corresponding to each of a plurality of displayed data storage areas; receiving, from an associated user, storage selection data representative of a user selected storage area, selected from the plurality of displayed data storage areas, for a plurality of incoming electronic documents; designating, in accordance with received storage selection data and user identification data, a data storage area from the selected displayed data storage area adapted for storage of the plurality of incoming electronic documents; creating a shadow data storage area associated with the designated data storage area; determining an access code associated with the designated storage area; associating an input of a plurality of incoming document systems with the shadow data storage area in accordance with the storage selection data wherein the document systems include at least two different systems selected from a group consisting of image generating devices, electronic mail servers, Internet servers, and document management systems; receiving a plurality of electronic documents, each in its native format, from the plurality of associated document systems into the created shadow data storage area after completion of the step of designating; associating the determined access code with each of the plurality of incoming electronic documents in the shadow data storage area in accordance with an output of the access code determining step; generating a log associated with each of the plurality of incoming electronic documents corresponding to a history associated therewith; and routing, into the designated data storage area from the shadow data storage area, the plurality of received electronic documents and each log associated therewith.