Abstract:
When a user of a mobile phone browses a document in a document management server via a network, the user can input information (sticker information) on the browsed document and send it to the document management server. The document management server relates the received information to the pertinent document file when storing the information. Thus, when a document is browsed from a mobile device, information on the document can be easily left and the information left can be browsed later.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a document management server, a mobile terminal and a document management system, and more particularly to a document management server, a mobile terminal and a document management system which allows a user to leave comments when the user reads a document on a mobile terminal and to read the comments. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Various items of information affluent in business enterprises are diversified including not only documents but also images and Web contents, and moreover are increasing day to day. Enterprise Content Management (ECM) solutions intended to place these contents in enterprises under unified management and thereby to vitalize and enhance the efficiency of business activities are coming into expanding use. However, though these ECM solutions can prove most effective in outward situations, such as making presentations or engaging in sales activities, there scarcely are solutions which are suitable for a mobile environment in which the user is out of office. 
         [0005]    Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-316677 discloses a technique by which data for mobile terminal use selected with an information processing device are distributed to mobile terminal devices via a communication network. This technique enables, when data for mobile terminal use are to be selected out of a plurality of sets of data, the data to be easily looked at and selected without requiring complex processing. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Although products embodying considerations for out-of-office sales activities using a mobile phone (mobile terminal) are becoming available, such as those using the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-316677, they permit browsing usually not updating out of office, and therefore fail to fully satisfy their users&#39; requirements. On the other hand, many users think what they want to do on a mobile phone is to leave a memo on a document, such as putting a sticker onto the page for later reference. The present invention, attempted in view of these circumstances, is intended to provide a document management server, a mobile terminal and a document management system which, when a user looks on a mobile phone at any of diverse documents (such as various formatted documents and images) under unified management, allows the user to write comments and read the written comments afterwards as if he or she were putting a sticker onto a page. 
         [0007]    In order to achieve the object stated above, according to a first aspect of the invention, a document management server for managing documents in various formats arbitrarily created, includes: a device which allows a mobile terminal connected to the document management server via a communication network to browse an arbitrary document in the document management server; a device which acquires sticker information on an electronic sticker attached to a document browsed by the mobile terminal; and a device which manages the browsed document and the acquired sticker information associated with each other. 
         [0008]    In this way, sticker information on an electronic sticker attached into a document can be managed easily. 
         [0009]    According to a second aspect of the invention, in the document management server according to the first aspect, the device which allows to browse documents comprises a device which enables the sticker information to be browsed together with the document. 
         [0010]    In this way, it becomes possible to browse sticker information on an electronic sticker attached to the document. 
         [0011]    According to a third aspect of the invention, in the document management server according to the first or second aspect, the sticker information includes at least one of a position, type, text information, name of creator, date and time of creation, and level of importance of the electronic sticker. 
         [0012]    In this way, necessary information can be left. 
         [0013]    According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in the document management server according to the third aspect, the device which enables the sticker information to be browsed comprises at least one of: a device for browsing sticker information items on electronic sticker attached in the same position, a device for browsing sticker information items on electronic sticker attached by the same creator, a device for browsing sticker information items on electronic sticker with respect to each creator, a device for browsing sticker information items on electronic sticker attached on the same date of creation, a device for browsing sticker information items on electronic sticker in the order of the date of creation, and a device for browsing sticker information items on electronic sticker with respect to each level of importance. 
         [0014]    In this way, it is possible to browse only the necessary sticker information. 
         [0015]    In order to achieve the object stated above, according to a fifth aspect of the invention, a mobile terminal which is connected via a communication network to the document management server according to any of the first to fourth aspects and can browse an arbitrary document in the document management server, the mobile terminal includes: a device which attaches an electronic sticker to a browsed document; and a device which outputs sticker information on the electronic sticker to the document management server. 
         [0016]    In this way, it is possible to easily leave sticker information on a document. 
         [0017]    According to a sixth aspect of the invention, in the mobile terminal according to the fifth aspect, the sticker information includes at least one of a position, type, text information, name of creator, date and time of creation, and level of importance of the electronic sticker. 
         [0018]    In this way, necessary information can be left. 
         [0019]    In order to achieve the object stated above, according to a seventh aspect of the invention, a document management system includes a document management server for managing documents in various formats arbitrarily created, and a mobile terminal connected via a communication network to the document management server and browse an arbitrary document in the document management server. And, in the document management system, the document management server includes: a device which allows a mobile terminal connected to the document management server via a communication network to browse an arbitrary document in the document management server; a device which acquires sticker information on an electronic sticker attached to a document browsed by the mobile terminal; and a device which manages the browsed document and the acquired sticker information associated with each other. Meanwhile, in the document management system, the mobile terminal includes: a device which attaches an electronic sticker to a browsed document; and a device which outputs sticker information on the electronic sticker to the document management server. 
         [0020]    In this way, sticker information on electronic sticker attached into a document can be easily managed by a document management server, and sticker information on electronic sticker attached into a document can be browsed from a mobile terminal. 
         [0021]    A method which comprises steps and functions performed by the document management server or the mobile terminal according any of the aspects of the present invention may also achieve the object of the present invention. 
         [0022]    In addition, a program causing a computer to perform the functions performed by the document management server or the mobile terminal according to any of the aspects may also achieve the object of the present invention by causing the computer on which the program is installed to execute the program. The program may be recorded on a recording medium. 
         [0023]    According to the invention, when browsing various documents under integrated management on a mobile phone, a user of the mobile phone can leave a comment (electronic sticker) on the document as if the user were putting a sticker onto a paper document, and, afterwards, the user can browse the left the electronic sticker. Accordingly, a document management server, a mobile terminal and a document management system that can make ECM solutions more extensively useful, can be provided. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is a system diagram showing the overall configuration of a document management system to which the present invention is applicable; 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is a system diagram showing a processing device related to the registration of a document, browse of the registered document and preparation of marking; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  shows a typical data structure of a document management table  82 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  shows a typical data structure of a creator management table; 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  is a sequence chart showing in a time series processing of marking in a random position in a browsed document; 
           [0029]      FIG. 6  shows screens on the display device of a mobile phone  14  when marking is accomplished in a random position in a browsed document; 
           [0030]      FIG. 7  shows the data structure of a marking type management table  84 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 8  shows a typical data structure of a marking history management table  86 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 9  is a sequence chart showing in a time series processing of browsing marking in a document being browsed; 
           [0033]      FIG. 10  shows screens on the display device of the mobile phone  14  when marking is browsed in a document being browsed; and 
           [0034]      FIGS. 11A to 11C  show screens on the display device of the mobile phone  14  when the marking to be browsed is designated. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0035]    A document management system which is a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0036]      FIG. 1  is a system diagram showing the overall configuration of a document management system to which the present invention is applicable. The document management system illustrated here, which is a system for unified management of various kinds of information in an enterprise as an Enterprise Content Management (ECM) solution for instance, comprises an intra-enterprise network (intranet)  10  laid within an enterprise, a communication network  12  laid outside the enterprise such as the Internet, a mobile phone (mobile terminal)  14  connectable to the communication network  12  via a base station  13  and so forth. Although the invention also is applicable to another type of mobile terminal or personal computer such as a PDA or a laptop type personal computer instead of the mobile phone  14 , the description of this embodiment will presuppose the use of a mobile phone. 
         [0037]    The intra-enterprise network  10  comprises a document management server  22 , a database server  24 , a router  26  and personal computers (PCs)  28 ,  28 , . . . of individual employees arranged within the enterprise. These equipment items of the intra-enterprise network  10  can be connected to the communication network  12  outside the enterprise via the router  26 . 
         [0038]    The mobile phone  14 , representing in the drawing any one of the mobile phones owned by the employees or the like, can be connected to the communication network  12  via the base station  13 . Its connection to the communication network  12  enables the mobile phone to access the document management server  22  of the intra-enterprise network  10  and to acquire and read information distributed from the document management server  22  in a file form readable by the mobile phone  14 , such as an html file or an image file (JPEG file or the like). 
         [0039]    In the intra-enterprise network  10 , information items including documents prepared in various formats (file forms) and images within the enterprise are placed under unified management by the document management server  22  and the database server  24 , and they are accumulated and stored in the database server  24 . 
         [0040]    The document management server  22  has a function to acquire from the database server  24 , for the mobile phone  14  having accessed from outside the intra-enterprise network  10  via the communication network  12 , the document requested by the mobile phone  14  and to convert that document into a format readable by the mobile phone  14 . In this way, the bearer of the mobile phone  14  out of office is enabled to read on the mobile phone  14  intra-enterprise documents and images kept by the database server  24  in various formats. 
         [0041]    Further, by accessing the document management server  22  from the mobile phone  14 , a user of the mobile phone  14  can attach marking or a comment to any pertinent position in the document as sticker information, as well as can browse a document kept by the database server  24 . This results in a substantially increased sphere of utilization of ECM solutions in sales activities, making them correspondingly more beneficial. 
         [0042]    Although documents to which marking or a comment is to be attached from the mobile phone  14  will be limited to literal documents in the description of this embodiment of the invention, this attachment is not limited to literal documents but also applicable to other documents such as images. 
         [0043]      FIG. 2  is a system diagram showing a processing device related to the registration of a document with the PCs  28  in the intra-enterprise network  10 , browse to the registered document and preparation of marking by the mobile phone  14 . 
         [0044]    First with reference to  FIG. 2 , particulars of processing by the processing device related to the registration of a document by a PC  28  in the intra-enterprise network  10  will be described. In this drawing, the PC  28  represents the personal computer used by a document browsing person who intends to register a document. The person actuates in the PC  28  a desired application for writing documents, writes a document and stores it in a desired format (file form). Then, in order to register that document with the database server  24 , the person connects the PC  28  to the document management server  22 , and takes a series of registration steps. 
         [0045]    On the other hand, the document management server  22  is provided with an information input/output device  40 , a document management table data preparation device  42  and so on, all related to the registration of documents. 
         [0046]    The information input/output device  40  provides the PC  28  having accessed the document management server  22  with various guide screens for giving guidance on registration of documents, and acquires data on (the file of) the document to be registered (registered document) and information inputted by the document browsing person on the guide screen as information necessary for document management. The information input/output device  40  also performs user authentication to check whether or not any user trying to access the document management server  22  is authorized to access by first urging the user to input his or her password and any other required information. Only the users recognized as being authorized to access are allowed to register documents. 
         [0047]    The document management table data preparation device  42 , on the basis of the information inputted from the PC  28  and acquired by the information input/output device  40 , prepares data for a document management table  82  to be described afterwards. The data for the document management table  82 , together with files of registered documents, are sent from the document management server  22  to the database server  24 , and each set of data is stored as a document management table  82  by the database server  24 . The files of registered documents are stored into a document database  80  of the database server  24 . 
         [0048]    Now, the data structure of the document management table  82  will be described.  FIG. 3  shows a typical data structure of the document management table  82 . As shown in this drawing, a set of records per registered document comprises “Document ID”, “File name”, “Type”, “Creation date” and “Creator”, which make up a set of data of each field. 
         [0049]    The “Document ID” is an ID number datum for easy identification of a registered document; the “File name”, one representing the address on the memory in which the pertinent registered document is stored; and the “Type”, one indicating the file form (format) of the pertinent registered document. The “Creation date” is a datum indicating the day on which the pertinent registered document was created (or was registered) and the “Creator”, a datum of ID number (user ID) assigned in advance to the person having created the pertinent registered document. User IDs are created in advance to constitute a creator management table as shown in  FIG. 4  (dispensed with in  FIG. 2 ) and managed by the database server  24 , and for each individual user a set of data for the fields “User ID”, “Mobile terminal information” and “Creator&#39;s name” constitute a set of records. The “Mobile terminal information” datum, to be used as authenticating information for certifying the access authorization of the user when he or she accesses the document management server  22  from the mobile phone  14 , is registered in advance for each individual user and managed in the creator management table of  FIG. 4 . 
         [0050]    Data in each field of the document management table  82  are automatically created by the document management table data preparation device  42  of the document management server  22  when the document browsing person attempts to register a document from his or her PC  28  (as the “Creator”, for instance authenticating information is used), and added as records in the document management table  82 . 
         [0051]    On the other hand, the document management server  22  is provided with an information input/output device  50 , a browsed document acquiring device  52 , a marking processing device  54 , a format converting device  56  and so forth all related to browsing the registered documents and creation of marking from the mobile phone  14 . 
         [0052]    The information input/output device  50  provides the mobile phone  14  having been connected to the document management server  22  with guide screens for giving guidance on browsing and altering registered documents, and acquires information inputted by the document browsing person from the mobile phone  14  on the guide screen as information necessary for browsing or altering the document. The information input/output device  50  also performs user authentication to check whether or not the user having accessed the document management server  22  is authorized to access by first urging the user to input his or her password and any other required information. Only the users recognized as being authorized to access are allowed to browse and update the registered documents. 
         [0053]    Whereas processing particulars of the browsed document acquiring device  52  and the marking processing device  54  will be described in detail afterwards. The browsed document acquiring device  52  is a device which acquires a registered document designated for browsing by the document browsing person from the database server  24 , on the basis of the information inputted from the mobile phone  14  and acquired by the information input/output device  50 . The marking processing device  54  is a device which enables, on the basis of the information inputted from the mobile phone  14  and acquired by the information input/output device  50 , to create marking designated by the document browsing person on the registered document currently being browsed by the person. 
         [0054]    The format converting device  56 , when the registered document to be accessed acquired by the browsed document acquiring device  52  or the document or the like on which marking has been created by the marking processing device  54  is to be displayed on the mobile phone  14  (the display device of the mobile phone  14 ), converts the document that may be created in an arbitrary format (file form) into a format browsable by the mobile phone  14 , such as an html file or an image file (JPGE, GIF or the like). By transmitting this converted file to the mobile phone  14  via the information input/output device  50 , a document in an arbitrary format can be browsed on the mobile phone  14 . 
         [0055]      FIG. 5  is a sequence chart showing in a time series processing of marking in a random position in a browsed document from the mobile phone  14  manipulated by the document browsing person. 
         [0056]    First, the document browsing person establishes connection from his or her mobile phone  14  to the document management server  22  (step S 10 ). For connection to the document management server  22 , the mobile phone  14  transmits mobile terminal information to the document management server  22 . State A of  FIG. 6  shows the display screen on the display device of the mobile phone  14  then. 
         [0057]    The document management server  22  collates the mobile terminal information acquired by the information input/output device  40  and the creator management table of  FIG. 4  stored in the database server  24  with each other to perform user authentication to check whether or not the document browsing person having attempted access is duly authorized to access (step S 12 ). It then determines whether or not the user authentication has been properly accomplished (step S 14 ); if it is determined NO, the user will be prohibited from access or, if it is determined YES, will be allowed access, and a document list screen for selection of the document to be displayed is transmitted to the PC  28  (step S 16 ). 
         [0058]    The document browsing person designates the document to be browsed on the basis of the list of documents displayed on the display device of the mobile phone  14  (step S 18 ). State B of  FIG. 6  shows the list of documents displayed on the display device of the mobile phone  14 . The document management server  22  displays the designated document on the mobile phone  14  (step S 20 ), and the designated document is displayed on the display device of the mobile phone  14  as shown in State C of  FIG. 6  (step S 22 ). The document displayed hereupon is supposed to have no marking created on it. 
         [0059]    Then, the document browsing person designates from the mobile phone  14  whether or not marking is to be executed on the browsed document (step S 24 ). Designation to execute marking is accomplished by pressing an operation button matching “Marking” as shown in State C of  FIG. 6 . 
         [0060]    When the document browsing person presses the operation button matching “Marking”, a rectangle which is the object for marking in this embodiment is displayed overlapping the browsed document. The document browsing person, using the cross key of the mobile phone  14  or the like, shifts the rectangle for marking to the desired marking position (step S 26 ). Although the size of the rectangle is fixed here, it may be altered to any desired size. 
         [0061]    When the document browsing person presses an operation button matching “Enter” shown in State D of  FIG. 6  and thereby finalizes the position of the rectangle for marking, a screen for determining the type of marking is displayed next as shown in State E of  FIG. 6  (step S 28 ). 
         [0062]    Marking types will be described hereupon. Marking types indicate levels of importance of marking, and there are four levels of importance from very important, moderately important, updating required and deletion.  FIG. 7  shows the data structure of a marking type management table  84 . A set of “Marking ID” and “Level of importance” constitute a set of records. 
         [0063]    By aligning the cursor with a pull-down menu  100  by using the cross key and pressing a prescribed button on the screen shown in State E of  FIG. 6 , the marking type, namely the level of importance of marking can be selected. It is also possible to write a comment in by inputting text data to a blank  102  (step S 30 ). 
         [0064]    When designation of the marking type and the input of a comment have been completed, the marking is finalized by pressing an operation button matching “Enter” shown in State E of  FIG. 6 , and the mobile phone  14  transmits marking position information, marking type information and text information to the document management server  22  (step S 34 ). In the document management server  22 , marking history is automatically created by a marking history management table data creating device  58  on the basis of these items of information, and added as a record of a marking history management table  86  (step S 36 ). 
         [0065]    Hereupon, the data structure of the marking history management table  86  will be described.  FIG. 8  shows a typical data structure of the marking history management table  86 . As shown in this drawing, a set of data of fields “Document ID”, “Marking position X”, “Marking position Y”, “Marking ID”, “Text”, “Date and time of creation” and “User ID” constitute a set of records. 
         [0066]    “Document ID” here is the datum of the ID of the browsed document; “Marking position X” and “Marking position Y”, the data of the coordinate position of the marking in the browsed document; “Marking ID”, the datum of the ID matching the level of importance of the marking designated at step S 28 ; “Text”, the text data of the comment inputted at step  30 ; “Date and time of creation”, the date and time data of the creation of the marking; and “User ID”, the datum of the user ID based on the authenticating information used at step S 12 . Thus, the marking history is related to the browsed document to which the marking has applied when it is recorded. 
         [0067]    Next, browsing of marking on the browsed document will be described.  FIG. 9  is a sequence chart showing in a time series processing of browsing marking in a document being browsed from the mobile phone  14  operated by the document browsing person. Parts in common with the sequence chart of  FIG. 5  will be assigned respectively the same reference signs, and their detailed description will be dispensed with. 
         [0068]    First, the document browsing person connects his or her mobile phone  14  to the document management server  22  (step S 10 ). Connection to the document management server  22  is accomplished by transmitting mobile terminal information from the mobile phone  14  to the document management server  22 . State A of  FIG. 10  shows the display on the display device of the mobile phone  14  then. 
         [0069]    The document management server  22  performs user authentication (step S 12 ), determines whether or not the user authentication has been properly accomplished (step S 14 ); if it is determined NO, the user will be prohibited from access or, if it is determined YES, will be allowed access, and a document list screen for selection of the document to be displayed is transmitted to the PC  28  (step S 16 ). 
         [0070]    The document browsing person designates the document desired to be browsed according to the list of documents displayed on the display device of the mobile phone  14  as shown in State B of  FIG. 10  (step S 18 ). The document management server  22  transmits the designated document to the mobile phone  14 , at the same time acquires from the marking history management table  86  position information on the marking created on this document, and transmits it to the mobile phone  14  (step S 20 ). On the basis of this information, the designated document is displayed on the display device of the mobile phone  14  as shown in State C of  FIG. 10  (step S 22 ). 
         [0071]    Then, the document browsing person designates whether or not marking on the browsed document is to be browsed by the mobile phone  14  (step S 40 ). Designation of execution of browsing of marking is accomplished by pressing an operation button matching “Browse marking” as shown in State C of  FIG. 10 . 
         [0072]    When the document browsing person presses the operation button matching “Browse marking”, rectangles which are objects for marking are displayed, overlapping the browsed document, on the positions of marking as shown in State D of  FIG. 10 . The document browsing person, using the cross key of the mobile phone  14  or the like, selects the rectangle for marking which he or she desires to browse (step S 42 ). The choice of the selected rectangle for marking is recognized by changes in the thickness of its lines and in its color and, when an operation button matching “Enter” shown in State D of  FIG. 10  is pressed in the state in which the desired marking has been chosen, the marking to be browsed is designated. 
         [0073]    When the marking to be browsed is designated, the mobile phone  14  makes an inquiry with the document management server  22  regarding the designated marking by using position information on the marking (step S 44 ). The document management server  22  acquires information on the pertinent marking from the marking history management table  86  of the database server  24  according to the document information and the marking position information acquired by the information input/output device  50  (step S 46 ). This marking information is transmitted to the mobile phone  14  by the information input/output device  50  (step S 48 ). 
         [0074]    The mobile phone  14  displays this transmitted information on its display device as shown in State E of  FIG. 10  (step S 50 ). In the illustration of this embodiment, a plurality of marking information items are displayed when a plurality of persons have attached markings in the same position of the browsed document, only the marking created by the currently browsing person may be displayed as well. 
         [0075]    It is also acceptable to select the marking to be displayed after designating execution of browsing of marking at step S 40 . For instance, the creator may be designated by making a pertinent display on the display device of the mobile phone  14  as shown in  FIG. 11A . In this case, only the marking created by the designated creator is displayed in the marking display shown in State D of  FIG. 10 . Similarly, the date of marking may be designated as shown in  FIG. 11B , or the level of importance of marking may be designated as shown in  FIG. 11C . In both cases, only the designated marking is displayed. 
         [0076]    When all the markings are to be displayed at the same time, the markings may be differentiated in color by the date or the creator. 
         [0077]    Further, the markings may as well be displayed in the order of date and time of creation. In this case, if the oldest marking is displayed first and one displayed marking is browsed at a time, the next oldest markings will be displayed in the forward order of date and time of creation. Conversely, the markings may as well be displayed in a backward order of creation. 
         [0078]    In this way, when various documents under unified management are to be browsed from a mobile phone, marking can be created and later referenced as easily as putting a sticker onto a page and looking at it some time later. Further by designating marking to be browsed by the creator or the date of creation as parameters, only the required markings can be browsed efficiently. 
         [0079]    While embodiments of the present invention have been explained in detail, the present invention is not limited to the above examples, needless to say, various improvements and modifications may be added without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
         [0080]    For example, by providing a program causing a computer to perform functions of the document management server according to any of the embodiments and causing a computer on which the program is installed to execute the program, it is possible to implement the document management server according to the embodiment using a general-purpose computer. Further, by providing a recording medium on which the program is recorded, installing the program on a computer using the recording medium and causing the computer to execute the program, it is possible to implement the document management server according to any of the embodiments.