Methods and systems for monitoring documents exchanged over email applications

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for monitoring and detecting changes in files attached to incoming emails. In one embodiment, if files are attached to an outgoing email, the change service uniquely tags each of the attached files and optionally stores local or remote copies of the tagged files. Additionally, in embodiments, the change service monitors and intercepts incoming emails. If files are attached to an incoming email, the change service identifies whether the files are tagged in a manner unique to the compare service. The change service then matches uniquely tagged files in the incoming email to corresponding files previously tagged by the change service. The change service then compares the two documents and generates reports that identify changes in the received document in relation to the transmitted document. Further, in embodiments, the change service provides visual indicators of the changes within the email application.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the field of digital document review. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and systems for monitoring documents exchanged over email applications.

BACKGROUND

Document collaboration is a way by which multiple document editors can make edits to a central copy of a document. The edits made by each contributing author is collectively captured. In some instances, a primary editor may then accept or reject edits or content contributed by the other authors. There is a variety of document collaboration software in the market that enables the functionality described above. However, as indicated, such document collaboration software is geared toward multiple authors working together. Often, a primary author has to be designated and contributing authors have to be identified.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not necessarily affect the scope or meaning of the claimed invention. In the drawings, the same reference numbers and any acronyms identify elements or acts with the same or similar structure or functionality for ease of understanding and convenience. To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the Figure number in which that element is first introduced (e.g., element101is first introduced and discussed with respect toFIG. 1).

In a more day-to-day occurrence, users create documents (e.g., Word® documents, PowerPoint® slide decks, etc.) that they distribute to one or more users for review. Often times, a recipient of the document may have contributions to the documents in the form of one or more edits. The receiving user may then return an edited form of the document back to the original user. Unless the original user installs document collaboration software, hassles with designating authors, and sends documents through the document collaboration software, the user will not be able to track changes made to the document. Such a process would be time consuming, expensive, and would also require the user to go completely out of his normal routine to get the process established. For an average user who sends out dozens of documents a day and returns quite a few back with edits, the document collaboration software is just not an option. In the normal scenario, when a user receives an edited version of a document from another user (that the user originally sent to the other user), the user may or may not know whether the document was actually edited by the other user. Also, even if the document was edited, the user may have no way of realizing what the changes were, and so would not be able to accept or ignore (or at the very least, acknowledge) the changes.

Overall, the examples herein of some prior or related systems and their associated limitations are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of existing or prior systems will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading the following Detailed Description.

SUMMARY OF THE DESCRIPTION

At least one embodiment of this invention pertains to a compare service for monitoring and detecting changes in files attached to an incoming email. In one embodiment, the change service monitors emails that a user intends to transmit using an email application. If files are attached to an outgoing email, the change service uniquely tags each of the attached files and optionally stores local or remote copies of the tagged files. Additionally, in embodiments, the change service monitors and intercepts incoming emails directed to the user. If files are attached to an incoming email, the change service identifies whether the files are tagged in a manner unique to the compare service. The change service then matches any such uniquely tagged files in the incoming email to corresponding files previously tagged by the change service. In embodiments, the change service compares the two documents and generates reports that identify changes in the received document in relation to the transmitted document.

Further, in embodiments, the change service provides visual indicators of the changes within the email application. For example, the change service may include a change indicator field within the email application (in addition to, for example, the conventional fields such as subject indicator, sender indicator, received time indicator, etc.) indicating that the received document includes at least one change. In another example, the change service may include a visual description of the amount of changes (e.g., in the form of a percentage difference in contents of the files) in the received file in relation to the transmitted file.

Other advantages and features will become apparent from the following description and claims. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

In the drawings, the same reference numbers and any acronyms identify elements or acts with the same or similar structure or functionality for ease of understanding and convenience. To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the Figure number in which that element is first introduced (e.g., element204is first introduced and discussed with respect toFIG. 2).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various examples of the invention will now be described. The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding and enabling description of these examples. One skilled in the relevant art will understand, however, that the invention may be practiced without many of these details. Likewise, one skilled in the relevant art will also understand that the invention can include many other features not described in detail herein. Additionally, some well-known structures or functions may not be shown or described in detail below, so as to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the relevant description. The terminology used below is to be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even though it is being used in conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific examples of the invention. Indeed, certain terms may even be emphasized below; however, any terminology intended to be interpreted in any restricted manner will be overtly and specifically defined as such in this Detailed Description section.

Various examples of the invention will now be described. The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding and enabling description of these examples. One skilled in the relevant art will understand, however, that the invention may be practiced without many of these details. Likewise, one skilled in the relevant art will also understand that the invention can include many other obvious features not described in detail herein. Additionally, some well-known structures or functions may not be shown or described in detail below, so as to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the relevant description.

FIG. 1Aand the following discussion provide a brief, general description of a representative environment in which the invention can be implemented. Although not required, aspects of the invention may be described below in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as routines executed by a general-purpose data processing device (e.g., a server computer or a personal computer). Those skilled in the relevant art will appreciate that the invention can be practiced with other communications, data processing, or computer system configurations, including: wireless devices, Internet appliances, hand-held devices (including personal digital assistants (PDAs)), wearable computers, all manner of cellular or mobile phones, multi-processor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, set-top boxes, network PCs, mini-computers, mainframe computers, and the like. Indeed, the terms “computer,” “server,” and the like are used interchangeably herein, and may refer to any of the above devices and systems.

While aspects of the invention, such as certain functions, are described as being performed exclusively on a single device, the invention can also be practiced in distributed environments where functions or modules are shared among disparate processing devices. The disparate processing devices are linked through a communications network, such as a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), or the Internet. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.

Aspects of the invention may be stored or distributed on tangible computer-readable media, including magnetically or optically readable computer discs, hard-wired or preprogrammed chips (e.g., EEPROM semiconductor chips), nanotechnology memory, biological memory, or other data storage media. Alternatively, computer implemented instructions, data structures, screen displays, and other data related to the invention may be distributed over the Internet or over other networks (including wireless networks), on a propagated signal on a propagation medium (e.g., an electromagnetic wave(s), a sound wave, etc.) over a period of time. In some implementations, the data may be provided on any analog or digital network (packet switched, circuit switched, or other scheme).

As shown inFIG. 1A, a user may use a personal computing device (e.g., a mobile computing device104, a personal computer102, etc.) to execute functionalities for the techniques described herein. The user may also use the personal computing device to communicate with a network. The term “mobile computing device,” as used herein, may be a laptop, a netbook, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smart phone (e.g., a Blackberry®, an Iphone®, etc.), a portable media player (e.g., an IPod Touch®), or any other device having communication capability to connect to the network. In one example, the mobile computing device104connects to the network using one or more cellular transceivers or base station antennas (not shown inFIG. 1), access points, terminal adapters, routers or modems106(in IP-based telecommunications implementations), or combinations of the foregoing (in converged network embodiments).

In some instances, the network110is the Internet, allowing the personal computing device to access functionalities offered through, for example, the compare server120or various web servers. In some instances, the network is a local network maintained by a private entity or a wide area public network, or a combination of any of the above types of networks. In some instances, especially where the mobile computing device104is used to access web content through the network110(e.g., when a 3G or an LTE service of the phone102is used to connect to the network110), the network110may be any type of cellular, IP-based or converged telecommunications network, including but not limited to Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), etc.

As shown inFIG. 1A, in some instances, the personal computing device may have a compare service136installed locally. In such instances, and as will be explained in detail below, the compare service136locally monitors one or more email applications (e.g., Microsoft Outlook®) to detect attachments in incoming or outgoing emails. In some instances, the compare service136has an associated storage space in the personal computing device102or104to store local copies of documents and to be able to tag documents using unique tagging sequences. In some instances, while the compare service136may run on the personal computing device, it may use data storage capabilities of a remote server (e.g., compare server114) to perform the various functionalities described herein. In embodiments, the compare service is installed as a protect agent at egress points (e.g., the email application or the email server) with local lightweight or complete database structures. Detailed explanation of such egress points, protect agents, and local lightweight/complete databases is provided in detail in U.S. application Ser. No. 12/209,096, filed Sep. 11, 2008, entitled “METHODS AND SYSTEMS TO IMPLEMENT FINGERPRINT LOOKUPS ACROSS REMOTE AGENTS,” and further in U.S. application Ser. No. 12/209,082, filed Sep. 11, 2008, entitled “METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROTECT AGENTS USING DISTRIBUTED LIGHTWEIGHT FINGERPRINTS,” which are both incorporated herein in their entireties.

In some instances, the compare service136is configured by logic to run remotely on a compare server120. In one example, the compare service is run akin to a web or internet service in conjunction with a web server122. As explained above, a user may use a personal computing device to connect to the compare server114using the network (e.g., a local office network, the Internet, etc.). In such an embodiment, the compare server114may connect to an email server associated with the personal computing devices102,104to monitor incoming or outgoing email applications, and to perform other functions (such as, e.g., tagging functions, document compare functions, reporting functions, etc.) remotely on the compare server114. In one example, the compare service may operate both locally at the site of the personal computing device and remotely in conjunction with, for example, an email server. In embodiments, the web server116may function as the email server associated with email applications included in the personal computing devices. In such examples, the remote service may directly communicate with the email server to intercept and monitor incoming or outgoing emails from a user and perform corresponding tagging, comparing, and reporting functionalities. The local service may in turn operate in conjunction with the remote service to receive updates regarding changes in specific file attachments and perform operations to report the changes to the user. Other examples of installing the compare service136either locally at the site of the personal computing device or as a remote functionality, as may be contemplated by a person of ordinary skill in the art, may be substituted for the functionalities described herein.

In embodiments, the compare service136maybe customized by use of a “compare service” control panel within an email application used by a user on the personal computing device102,104. Such an email application may include a POPS or other push type email applications (such as, for example, Microsoft Outlook®, etc.) or may be web based email applications (such as, for example, Yahoo® email, etc.). In either case, the user may be presented with a set of control options to enable or disable features relating to the compare service. In one example, the user may be able to selectively enable or disable the compare service136functionalities. In one example, the user may be able to enable the compare service, but only for certain types of documents (e.g., only for word based documents, but not for image files or other document types, etc.). In one example, the user may be able to enable the compare service, but customize the type of reporting indicators (e.g., report only that a change is present in a document returned to the user, or report that a change is present and also report a percentage change in the received document in relation to the sent document, etc.). In one example, the user may be able to customize the type of reporting displays (e.g., receive the returned document and, in addition, receive a redline document identifying changes in received document in redline format; receive the returned document, and in addition, receive the redline version as embedded text within the email, etc.). Additional functionalities, as may be contemplated by a user of ordinary skill in the art, may also be utilized herein. The following sections describe the various functionalities of the compare service136in greater detail.

FIG. 1Bis a block diagram illustrating an exemplary architecture of a compare service136. In the illustrated embodiment, the compare service includes a plurality of functional modules, where each of the functional modules is configured by logic to perform a unique function of the compare service. The various functional modules can be implemented by using programmable circuitry programmed by software and/or firmware, or by using special-purpose hardwired circuitry, or by using a combination of such embodiments. In some instances, the functional modules are implemented as units in a processor of the deals server.

The functional modules include a receiving module1302. In embodiments, the receiving module1302is configured by logic to operate, for example, in tandem with an email server or directly with the email application to monitor incoming and outgoing emails.

In the case of an outgoing email (i.e., an email a user intends to transmit to another user using the email application), the reporting module1302first determines whether the email includes one or more attachments. If the receiving module1302detects such attachments, the receiving module uniquely tags each of the attachments. Tagging is performed by means of the tagging module1304of the compare service136. In some instances, the reporting module stores (either locally or remotely in the compare server114) metadata information relating to the document and the document tagging for use in further operations. In some instances, the reporting module1302may further establish an additional copy of the files (i.e., the attachments) and store it in conjunction with the tagging metadata information for use in subsequent comparison operations. By maintaining this additional local copy, the compare service136is able to compare a received (changed) version of the document with the original document the user sent out, even if the user makes interim changes to the user's copy of the documents. Additionally, in embodiments, maintaining these additional copies in the remote compare server114enables remote operation of the compare service136.

In the case of an incoming email (i.e., an email intended for the user that is transmitted by another person), the reporting module1302intercepts the email and performs one or more checks. For example, the reporting module first verifies whether the incoming email includes one or more attachments. If the reporting module identifies such attachments, the reporting module1302then determines whether the files (i.e., the attachments) are tagged in a manner consistent with the tagging performed by the tagging module1304. If such tagging is identified, the reporting module1302then submits the received files (i.e., the attachments) to the matching module1306.

The matching module1306compares the tagging information (or other such metadata) associated with the received files with the tagging information of the files the compare service136previously tagged (and in some instances, the files for which the compare service136made additional copies for subsequent comparison operations). If the matching module1306identifies such matching files, the matching module submits the received files and their “matched” counterparts to the compare module1308for comparison operations. The compare module1308compares the files to identify changes to the files.

The compare module1308may utilize any comparison mechanism, as may be contemplated by a person of ordinary skill in the art, for comparing the received files. As previously indicated, the files may be of any format-type that can be perused and compared by the compare service136. For example, the files may be textual documents created using word-processing software (e.g., MS Word® documents, Acrobat® documents, etc.), slide decks or presentation files, image files, audio files, video files, etc. In embodiments, the compare module1308may compare one or more of the textual information, the multimedia information, the formatting information, the image information, etc. of the two files that are compared.

Additionally, the compare module1308may also generate comparison reports for use by the reporting module. In one example, the compare module1308may generate a new redline document corresponding to the file contained in the incoming email. The redline document would provide a direct comparison, in redline format, of the file in the incoming email and a corresponding (counterpart) file that was previously transmitted by the user. In one example, the compare module may compute a percentage of difference between the received file and the transmitted file. In one example, the compare module1308generates a detailed analysis of the type of changes, in terms of the type of changes. In an illustrate example, detailed report may include the following details: “20% textual changes, 60% image changes, 20% formatting changes.”

The reporting module1310performs various reporting functionalities of the compare service136. In embodiments, the reporting module interacts with the email application to provide a visual indicator (in relation to the received email) to indicate that an attachment includes changes (as identified by, for example, the compare module1308). In embodiments, the reporting module1310may display information generated by the compare module1308(such as, e.g., difference values indicating percentage difference between received and transmitted files) in one or more formats based on prior control settings established by the user. Exemplary illustrations of such displays are discussed below with reference toFIGS. 2A-2C.

FIG. 1Cis a high-level block diagram showing an example of the architecture for a computer system170that can be utilized to implement a personal computing device (e.g.,102fromFIG. 1A) for running a comparison service, a compare server114, or a web server (e.g.,120fromFIG. 1A), etc. InFIG. 1C, the computer system170includes one or more processors1705and memory1710connected via an interconnect1725. The interconnect1725is an abstraction that represents any one or more separate physical buses, point to point connections, or both connected by appropriate bridges, adapters, or controllers. The interconnect1725, therefore, may include, for example, a system bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, a HyperTransport or industry standard architecture (ISA) bus, a small computer system interface (SCSI) bus, a universal serial bus (USB), IIC (I2C) bus, or an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 694 bus, sometimes referred to as “Firewire”.

The processor(s)1705may include central processing units (CPUs) to control the overall operation of, for example, the host computer. In certain embodiments, the processor(s)1705accomplish this by executing software or firmware stored in memory1710. The processor(s)1705may be, or may include, one or more programmable general-purpose or special-purpose microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), programmable controllers, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), or the like, or a combination of such devices.

The memory1710is or includes the main memory of the computer system170. The memory180represents any form of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory (as discussed above), or the like, or a combination of such devices. In use, the memory180may contain, among other things, a set of machine instructions which, when executed by processor1705, causes the processor1705to perform operations to implement embodiments of the present invention.

Also connected to the processor(s)1705through the interconnect1725is a network adapter1715. The network adapter1715provides the computer system170with the ability to communicate with remote devices, such as the storage clients, and/or other storage servers, and may be, for example, an Ethernet adapter or Fiber Channel adapter.FIG. 2Ais an illustration of an email application210depicting the functionalities of the compare service136. An example of an “inbox” view of email application210is provided. As may be readily perceived by a person of ordinary skill in the art, the “inbox” view (or any folder view within the email application) typically includes fields such as a “From” indicator216, a “Subject” indicator218, a “Received date/time” indicator220, an “Attachment” indicator210, etc. The attachment indicator210typically indicates whether a received email includes, as an attachment, at least one file. In connection with the compare service discussed herein, a new field of the compare service, a “compare” indicator212, is introduced to the inbox view. This compare indicator212represents whether at least one file attached to an email has changed in relation to a previously transmitted file (as determined by the compare service136).

In the illustration ofFIG. 2A, items252,254, and256are indicators of received emails. Email indicator252indicates that at least one file is attached to the email (as indicated in the attachment indicator field210). Furthermore, in this example, the compare service136has determined that at least one of the files has “changed” in relation to a version of the file previously transmitted by the user. Accordingly, the compare indicator field212of email indicator252is enabled. In this example, a visual indicator in the form of an icon is displayed in the compare indicator field212to provide an alert to the user that there is a change in at least one of the files attached to email252.

Email indicator254also has at least one file attached to it (as indicated by the attachment indicator field210). However, in this illustration, the file attached to email254is either a new file or does not include any changes in relation to files previously transmitted by the user. Accordingly, the compare indicator field212is empty (or otherwise disabled) in email indicator254. Similarly, as illustrated inFIG. 2A, the compare indicator field212is enabled for email256.

Additionally, in embodiments, the received emails may include redline (i.e., readily perceivable change) information. In one example, as illustrated in the preview pane (located below the incoming email listing), an email that has a “change indicator field”212turned on includes the original file attachment262(as sent by a sender), and a corresponding redline document (e.g., file1_redline264). As previously described, this redline document would represent changes to the received file262in redline format. In another example, as illustrated inFIG. 2B, the received email may also include the redline changes as an embedded portion of the email. As explained above, the user may change control settings to indicate the types of visual indicators and change summaries the user would like to receive. In the example ofFIG. 2B, the user has opted to receive both a redline file262and an embedded version of the redline changes in the body274of the email. Having this option (i.e., the option of embedded redline changes in the body of the email) would allow a user to easily view and comprehend the changes, even on a smartphone, without having to download or open the file attachments.

FIG. 2Cillustrates an embodiment where the reporting module1310provides visual indicators of “difference values.” As previously described, in some embodiments, the compare service136computes difference values that are indicative of the amount of changes in the received file relative to the transmitted file. This difference value may be reported directly through the email application in several manners. In a first example, as illustrated inFIG. 2C, a percentage value of the changes may be displayed as hovering text over the email indicator252. In a second example, a bar chart or any other type of pictorial representation may be displayed in the form of a hovering pop-up. In another example, a background color of the change indicator212corresponding to email indicator252may be changed in relation to the amount of change. For example, in an illustrative embodiment, the background color of change indicator212may be red if there is more than 75% change in the received file, orange if there is between 50% and 75% change in the received file, green if there is between 25% and 50% change in the received file, etc.

FIG. 3Ais a flow diagram illustrating an operation of the receiving module1302of the change service136. In embodiments, as indicated in block302, the receiving module1302receives a first email that a user wishes to transmit to another person. At block304, the receiving module1302verifies whether the first email has any files attached to it. If the receiving module1302detects the presence of at least one file, the process branches to block306, where the receiving module uniquely tags each file attached to the first email. Otherwise, if no file is attached to the first email, the process proceeds to the return step from block304. Subsequent to tagging the files at block304, the process proceeds to block308, where the receiving module optionally stores a copy of the tagged files for later usage in the matching/comparison operations. It is emphasized that the above process and all subsequent process descriptions merely illustrate exemplary embodiments of the functionalities of the compare service136and that variations of the process steps (in terms of varied sequences or omission of the indicated steps) are equally viable alternatives.

FIG. 3Bis a flow diagram illustrating a process for monitoring emails received by an email application. As depicted, at block352, the compare service136receives or intercepts an email that is intended to be delivered to the user. At block354, the compare service136determines whether the email has one or more file attachments. If files are identified, the process shifts to block356, where the compare service356further determines whether the files have tags that are unique to the compare service. If the process determines that the tags are indeed unique to the compare service, the process shifts to block358, where the compare service136identifies a file (that was previously transmitted in an email sent by the user) that matches the received file's tag. Subsequently, at block360, the process compares contents of the received file with contents of the file identified at block358. Block362determines whether any changes are detected. If changes are detected in the contents of the files, the process shifts to block362, where the compare service136performs a suitable reporting action (e.g., provide a visual indicator in relation to the email indicator, provide an indicator of a difference value representing percentage amount of difference in contents of the files, etc.).

The above Detailed Description of examples of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed above. While specific examples for the invention are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. While processes or blocks are presented in a given order in this application, alternative implementations may perform routines having steps performed in a different order, or employ systems having blocks in a different order. Some processes or blocks may be deleted, moved, added, subdivided, combined, and/or modified to provide alternative or sub-combinations. Also, while processes or blocks are at times shown as being performed in series, these processes or blocks may instead be performed or implemented in parallel, or may be performed at different times. Further any specific numbers noted herein are only examples. It is understood that alternative implementations may employ differing values or ranges.

The various illustrations and teachings provided herein can also be applied to systems other than the system described above. The elements and acts of the various examples described above can be combined to provide further implementations of the invention. Any patents and applications and other references noted above, including any that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions, and concepts included in such references to provide further implementations of the invention.

While certain aspects of the invention are presented below in certain claim forms, the applicant contemplates the various aspects of the invention in any number of claim forms. For example, while only one aspect of the invention is recited as a means-plus-function claim under 35 U.S.C. § 112, sixth paragraph, other aspects may likewise be embodied as a means-plus-function claim, or in other forms, such as being embodied in a computer-readable medium. (Any claims intended to be treated under 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶6 will begin with the words “means for.”) Accordingly, the applicant reserves the right to add additional claims after filing the application to pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects of the invention.

The system is typically comprised of a central server that is connected by a data network to a user's computer. The central server may be comprised of one or more computers connected to one or more mass storage devices. The precise architecture of the central server does not limit the claimed invention. Further, the user's computer may be a laptop or desktop type of personal computer. It can also be a cell phone, smart phone or other handheld device, including a tablet. The precise form factor of the user's computer does not limit the claimed invention. Examples of well-known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with the invention include, but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers, hand-held computers, laptop or mobile computer or communications devices such as cell phones, smart phones, and PDA's, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like. Indeed, the terms “computer,” “server,” and the like may be used interchangeably herein, and may refer to any of the above devices and systems.

The user environment may be housed in the central server or operatively connected to it. In one embodiment, the user's computer is omitted, and instead an equivalent computing functionality is provided that works on a server. In this case, a user would log into the server from another computer and access the system through a user environment, and thereby access the functionality that would in other embodiments, operate on the user's computer. Further, the user may receive from and transmit data to the central server by means of the Internet, whereby the user accesses an account using an Internet web-browser and browser displays an interactive web page operatively connected to the central server. The server transmits and receives data in response to data and commands transmitted from the browser in response to the customer's actuation of the browser user interface. Some steps of the invention may be performed on the user's computer and interim results transmitted to a server. These interim results may be processed at the server and final results passed back to the user.

The Internet is a computer network that permits customers operating a personal computer to interact with computer servers located remotely and to view content that is delivered from the servers to the personal computer as data files over the network. In one kind of protocol, the servers present webpages that are rendered on the customer's personal computer using a local program known as a browser. The browser receives one or more data files from the server that are displayed on the customer's personal computer screen. The browser seeks those data files from a specific address, which is represented by an alphanumeric string called a Universal Resource Locator (URL). However, the webpage may contain components that are downloaded from a variety of URL's or IP addresses. A website is a collection of related URL's, typically all sharing the same root address or under the control of some entity. In one embodiment different regions of the simulated space displayed by the browser have different URL's. That is, the webpage encoding the simulated space can be a unitary data structure, but different URL's reference different locations in the data structure. The user computer can operate a program that receives from a remote server a data file that is passed to a program that interprets the data in the data file and commands the display device to present particular text, images, video, audio and other objects. In some embodiments, the remote server delivers a data file that is comprised of computer code that the browser program interprets, for example, scripts. The program can detect the relative location of the cursor when the mouse button is actuated, and interpret a command to be executed based on location on the indicated relative location on the display when the button was pressed. The data file may be an HTML document, the program a web-browser program and the command a hyper-link that causes the browser to request a new HTML document from another remote data network address location. The HTML can also have references that result in other code modules being called up and executed, for example, Flash or other native code.

The invention may also be entirely executed on one or more servers. A server may be a computer comprised of a central processing unit with a mass storage device and a network connection. In addition a server can include multiple of such computers connected together with a data network or other data transfer connection, or, multiple computers on a network with network accessed storage, in a manner that provides such functionality as a group. Practitioners of ordinary skill will recognize that functions that are accomplished on one server may be partitioned and accomplished on multiple servers that are operatively connected by a computer network by means of appropriate inter process communication. In addition, the access of the website can be by means of an Internet browser accessing a secure or public page or by means of a client program running on a local computer that is connected over a computer network to the server. A data message and data upload or download can be delivered over the Internet using typical protocols, including TCP/IP, HTTP, TCP, UDP, SMTP, RPC, FTP or other kinds of data communication protocols that permit processes running on two respective remote computers to exchange information by means of digital network communication. As a result a data message can be one or more data packets transmitted from or received by a computer containing a destination network address, a destination process or application identifier, and data values that can be parsed at the destination computer located at the destination network address by the destination application in order that the relevant data values are extracted and used by the destination application. The precise architecture of the central server does not limit the claimed invention. In addition, the data network may operate with several levels, such that the user's computer is connected through a fire wall to one server, which routes communications to another server that executes the disclosed methods.

The invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices. Practitioners of ordinary skill will recognize that the invention may be executed on one or more computer processors that are linked using a data network, including, for example, the Internet. In another embodiment, different steps of the process can be executed by one or more computers and storage devices geographically separated by connected by a data network in a manner so that they operate together to execute the process steps. In one embodiment, a user's computer can run an application that causes the user's computer to transmit a stream of one or more data packets across a data network to a second computer, referred to here as a server. The server, in turn, may be connected to one or more mass data storage devices where the database is stored. The server can execute a program that receives the transmitted packet and interpret the transmitted data packets in order to extract database query information. The server can then execute the remaining steps of the invention by means of accessing the mass storage devices to derive the desired result of the query. Alternatively, the server can transmit the query information to another computer that is connected to the mass storage devices, and that computer can execute the invention to derive the desired result. The result can then be transmitted back to the user's computer by means of another stream of one or more data packets appropriately addressed to the user's computer. In one embodiment, a relational database may be housed in one or more operatively connected servers operatively connected to computer memory, for example, disk drives. In yet another embodiment, the initialization of the relational database may be prepared on the set of servers and the interaction with the user's computer occur at a different place in the overall process.

The method described herein can be executed on a computer system, generally comprised of a central processing unit (CPU) that is operatively connected to a memory device, data input and output circuitry (IO) and computer data network communication circuitry. Computer code executed by the CPU can take data received by the data communication circuitry and store it in the memory device. In addition, the CPU can take data from the I/O circuitry and store it in the memory device. Further, the CPU can take data from a memory device and output it through the IO circuitry or the data communication circuitry. The data stored in memory may be further recalled from the memory device, further processed or modified by the CPU in the manner described herein and restored in the same memory device or a different memory device operatively connected to the CPU including by means of the data network circuitry. The memory device can be any kind of data storage circuit or magnetic storage or optical device, including a hard disk, optical disk or solid state memory. The IO devices can include a display screen, loudspeakers, microphone and a movable mouse that indicate to the computer the relative location of a cursor position on the display and one or more buttons that can be actuated to indicate a command.

The computer can display on the display screen operatively connected to the I/O circuitry the appearance of a user interface. Various shapes, text and other graphical forms are displayed on the screen as a result of the computer generating data that causes the pixels comprising the display screen to take on various colors and shades or bightness. The user interface may also display a graphical object referred to in the art as a cursor. The object's location on the display indicates to the user a selection of another object on the screen. The cursor may be moved by the user by means of another device connected by I/O circuitry to the computer. This device detects certain physical motions of the user, for example, the position of the hand on a flat surface or the position of a finger on a flat surface. Such devices may be referred to in the art as a mouse or a track pad. In some embodiments, the display screen itself can act as a trackpad by sensing the presence and position of one or more fingers on the surface of the display screen. When the cursor is located over a graphical object that appears to be a button or switch, the user can actuate the button or switch by engaging a physical switch on the mouse or trackpad or computer device or tapping the trackpad or touch sensitive display. When the computer detects that the physical switch has been engaged (or that the tapping of the track pad or touch sensitive screen has occurred), it takes the apparent location of the cursor (or in the case of a touch sensitive screen, the detected position of the finger) on the screen and executes the process associated with that location. As an example, not intended to limit the breadth of the disclosed invention, a graphical object that appears to be a two dimensional box with the word “enter” within it may be displayed on the screen. If the computer detects that the switch has been engaged while the cursor location (or finger location for a touch sensitive screen) was within the boundaries of a graphical object, for example, the displayed box, the computer will execute the process associated with the “enter” command. In this way, graphical objects on the screen create a user interface that permits the user to control the processes operating on the computer.

In some instances, especially where the user computer is a mobile computing device used to access data through the network the network may be any type of cellular, IP-based or converged telecommunications network, including but not limited to Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), any form of 802.11.xx or Bluetooth.

Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types and when running, may generate in computer memory or store on disk, various data structures. A data structure may be represented in the disclosure as a manner of organizing data, but is implemented by storing data values in computer memory in an organized way. Data structures may be comprised of nodes, each of which may be comprised of one or more computer memory locations into which is stored one or more corresponding data values that are related to an item being represented by the node in the data structure. The collection of nodes may be organized in various ways, including by having one node in the data structure being comprised of a memory location wherein is stored the memory address value or other reference, or pointer, to another node in the same data structure. By means of the pointers, the relationship by and among the nodes in the data structure may be organized in a variety of topologies or forms, including, without limitation, lists, linked lists, trees and more generally, graphs. The relationship between nodes may be denoted in the specification by a line or arrow from a designated item or node to another designated item or node. A data structure may be stored on a mass storage device in the form of data records comprising a database, or as a flat, parsable file. In other embodiment, the data structure is one or more relational tables stored on the mass storage device and organized as a relational database.

The computer program and data may be fixed in any form (e.g., source code form, computer executable form, or an intermediate form) either permanently or transitorily in a tangible storage medium, such as a semiconductor memory device (e.g., a RAM, ROM, PROM, EEPROM, or Flash-Programmable RAM), a magnetic memory device (e.g., a diskette or fixed hard disk), an optical memory device (e.g., a CD-ROM or DVD), a PC card (e.g., PCMCIA card, SD Card), or other memory device, for example a USB key. The computer program and data may be fixed in any form in a signal that is transmittable to a computer using any of various communication technologies, including, but in no way limited to, analog technologies, digital technologies, optical technologies, wireless technologies, networking technologies, and internetworking technologies. The computer program and data may be distributed in any form as a removable storage medium with accompanying printed or electronic documentation (e.g., a disk in the form of shrink wrapped software product or a magnetic tape), preloaded with a computer system (e.g., on system ROM or fixed disk), or distributed from a server, website or electronic bulletin board or other the communication system (e.g., the Internet or World Wide Web.) It is appreciated that any of the software components of the present invention may, if desired, be implemented in ROM (read-only memory) form. The software components may, generally, be implemented in hardware, if desired, using conventional techniques.

It should be noted that the flow diagrams are used herein to demonstrate various aspects of the invention, and should not be construed to limit the present invention to any particular logic flow or logic implementation. The described logic may be partitioned into different logic blocks (e.g., programs, modules, functions, or subroutines) without changing the overall results or otherwise departing from the true scope of the invention. Oftentimes, logic elements may be added, modified, omitted, performed in a different order, or implemented using different logic constructs (e.g., logic gates, looping primitives, conditional logic, and other logic constructs) without changing the overall results or otherwise departing from the true scope of the invention. Where the disclosure refers to matching or comparisons of numbers, values, or their calculation, these may be implemented by program logic by storing the data values in computer memory and the program logic fetching the stored data values in order to process them in the CPU in accordance with the specified logical process so as to execute the matching, comparison or calculation and storing the result back into computer memory or otherwise branching into another part of the program logic in dependence on such logical process result. The locations of the stored data or values may be organized in the form of a data structure.

The described embodiments of the invention are intended to be exemplary and numerous variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. All such variations and modifications are intended to be within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only, and is not to be taken by way of limitation. It is appreciated that various features of the invention which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment may also be provided separately or in any suitable combination. It is appreciated that the particular embodiment described in the Appendices is intended only to provide an extremely detailed disclosure of the present invention and is not intended to be limiting.

The foregoing description discloses only exemplary embodiments of the invention. Modifications of the above disclosed apparatus and methods which fall within the scope of the invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, while the present invention has been disclosed in connection with exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood that other embodiments may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.