Abstract:
A method of generating electronic and/or paper versions of electronic and paper documents that represent the documents contained in a document set, by placing an identification on at least one document in a set of documents that uniquely identifies the set of documents; and placing an identification on each paper document that comprises the set of documents to uniquely identify each document in the set of documents so that one may determine whether or not the document or documents are complete, i.e., they contain all the verbiage and graphics that have been prepared, and no section of a document or document is missing.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to methods for managing documents, and more particularly, to methods for controlling versions of documents.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     From the invention of paper thousands of years ago to the present date, paper has been used as the preferred medium by individuals and societies for the recording, processing and storage of information. With the introduction of computers into society, many of the functions previously performed exclusively with paper are now being accomplished by typing information into the computer and printing the typed information on paper.  
         [0003]     In many business and legal situations, multiple individuals need to collaborate on the creation of a document, which may contain many sections that are prepared and reviewed by different people. The document goes through several cycles of revisions during which a draft is circulated and comments, changes, and other input are sought from the recipients. The recipients may return the document with their comments, or correct the document and create a new version of the document.  
         [0004]     Collections of documents or many sections of a document are assembled for purposes such as the submission of a proposal, the acquisition or sale of a business, the closing on large commercial properties, etc. The documents and sections of the documents are often assembled prior to the submission or finalization or closing on the document or documents. Because of the foregoing, the assembled document or documents may not be the final document or set of documents. Thus, someone must review the assembled document or documents to insure that the assembled document/documents are up-to-date. Typically, the paper version of the document or documents is compared with the latest version of the document that is stored in a computer. The foregoing process is a time consuming and error prone process.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a system and method that allows one accurately and quickly to determine if the paper document or documents one is viewing is the latest version of the document or documents. The invention also enables one to determine whether or not the document or documents are complete, i.e., they contain all the verbiage and graphics that have been prepared, and no section of a document or document is missing.  
         [0006]     This invention accomplishes the foregoing by generating electronic and/or paper versions of electronic and paper documents that represent the documents contained in a document set; by placing an identification on at least one document in a set of documents that uniquely identifies the set of documents; and placing a identification on each paper document that comprises the set of documents to uniquely identify each document in the set of documents so that one may determine whether or not the document or documents are complete, i.e., they contain all the verbiage and graphics that have been prepared and no section of a document or document is missing.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a drawing of a document;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a drawing of a display that displays the documents entered into the system of this invention;  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating the operation of this invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart that shows how a document is added to document set  20 ; and  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is a flow chart that shows how to verify a collection of documents in the document set  20  is complete, and document set  20  is the latest and valid document set. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0012]     Referring now to the drawings in detail and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , the reference character  11  represents a document in the form of an original equipment manufacturer agreement. A document identification code  12  is placed at a convenient location on document  11 . Identification code  12  may be contained in a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. Tag  12  may be the UPM RAFSEC EPC1 paper tag manufactured by UPM RAFSEC of 999 Oakmont Plaza Drive, Suite 200, Westmont, Ill. 60559-5563.  
         [0013]     Code  12  may also be represented by alphanumeric characters, a bar code, a two-dimensional bar code, glyphs, etc. Code  12  may be printed on document  11  with a black ink, colored ink, toner, invisible ink, black fluorescent ink, etc., or affixed to a label that is attached to document  11 . A black fluorescent ink is disclosed in the Auslander et, al U.S. Pat. No. 6,793,723 entitled “Homogeneous Photosensitive Optically Variable Ink Compositions For Ink Jet Printing” herein incorporated by reference.  
         [0014]     It would be obvious to one skilled in the art that document  11  may be printed on an Anoto paper page with an Anoto pattern on the paper page that represents a unique map coordinate so that the Anoto pattern will be code  12 . Anoto systems use a digital pen that contains a camera and paper in a fashion that the pen&#39;s movement across the grid surface on the Anoto paper is stored as a series of map coordinates. The coordinates correspond to the exact location of the page and the exact location of the pen on the page that is being written on. When a mark is made on the send box on the paper with a digital pen, the pen is instructed to send the stored sequence of map coordinates which are translated into an image that will result in an exact copy of what is written on the paper with the pen, which may be stored and displayed in a computer. Anoto systems are sold by Anoto Inc. of 470 Totten Pond Road, Waltham, Mass. 02451  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a drawing of a display  14  that displays the documents that comprise a document set that are entered into the system of this invention. For instance, document  11  of  FIG. 1  is an OEM agreement that contains documents that represent Exhibits A-Z of the OEM agreement. Thus, a document set would be the OEM and the Exhibits A-Z that are going to be attached to the OEM Agreement. It would be obvious to one skilled in the art that each document in the set of documents may be placed in a container that holds the set of documents and identifies the document set. Display  14  has a screen  15  that displays the identification code  12  of  FIG. 1  in columns  16  and  17 , i.e., the document set and the document identification of a document. Column  18  displays the version of the document and the date and time the document was entered into computer  31 , and column  19  indicates the documents description.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating the operation of this invention. A user interface  30 , i.e., a keyboard, is used to enter information regarding the documents that comprise document set  20  into computer  31 . A user may enter the following information into computer  31 : the document set, the document identification, the document set version, the latest version of the document, missing documents (documents that have not been prepared), a description of the documents, notes, etc. The information contained in computer  31  will be stored in document database  32 , and the foregoing information may be seen on display  14 . Document scanner  33  scans paper documents that are stored in computer  31  and subsequently printed as documents of the document set  20  by printer and tagging system  33 . Computer  31  also causes printer and tagging system  33  to produce the codes  12  that are attached to the document set  20 . Preferably, each code  12  is an RFID tag that is encoded with a unique identifier associated with a document  11  in the document set  20 . The RFID tags may be either pre-encoded with a unique identification, or the printing and tagging system  33  may assign a unique identification. In the later case, the unique identification may include descriptive information concerning the document  11 . Alternatively, the codes  12  may be bar codes printed either on each document  11  in the document set  20  or on labels affixed to the document set  20 . Document set  20  includes document  11  with RFID tag attached hereto and the documents representing Exhibits A-Z (not shown) of the OEM Agreement with their respective RFID tag attached thereto (not shown). A RFID scanner  21  is utilized to read the RFID tags attached to the documents of document set  20 . The output of RFID scanner  21  is sent to computer  31  so that a user of this invention will be able to observe information about document set  20  and determine if they have the latest version of document set  20 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart that shows how a document is added to document set  20 . The program begins in block  100 , where a new document is received. The program then goes to decision block  101 . Block  101  determines whether or not the new document needs a RFID tag. If block  101  determines that the new document needs a RFID tag, the program goes to block  102  where a tag is placed on the document which uniquely identifies the document. Then the program goes to block  103  where the document is scanned. After the document is scanned in step  103  or decision block  101  determines that the new document does not need a RFID tag, the program goes to decision block  104 .  
         [0018]     At this point, the program goes to decision block  104 . Block  104  determines whether or not a physical version of the document is needed. If block  104  determines that a physical version of the document is needed, the program goes to block  105  to print a physical copy on the document and prepare a RFID tag for the document. Then the program goes to block  106  to associate the information in the RFID tag with the document. After the RFID identifier is associated with the document in step  106  or decision block  104  determines that a physical version of the document is not needed, the program goes to block  107 . Block  107  collects any automatically available information. Then in block  108 , the physical document is placed in document set  20 . Now in block  109 , the information from the document is presented to the user and manually available information is requested. The manually available information may include the origin of the document, information about the status of the document, or any other information relevant to the application. Then in block  110 , the record is confirmed and added to database  32 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a flow chart that shows how to verify that a collection of documents in the document set  20  is complete and that the documents in the document set  20  are the latest, valid versions for the document set. The program begins in block  150 , where a document set is identified. Then the program goes to block  151  to scan the document set for RFID identifiers. Now the program then goes to decision block  152 . Block  152  determines whether or not the another RFID tag has been found. If block  152  determines that another RFID tag has not been found, the program goes to block  153  to compare the list of identified documents in the set. Then the program goes to block  154  where the user is informed of missing documents. Then the program goes to block  155  to update database  32  with the document set status. If decision block  152  determines that another RFID tag is found, the program goes to block  156  to add information to the list of RFID tags found in the document set.  
         [0020]     At this point, the program goes to decision block  157 . Block  157  determines whether or not a document belongs in the document set. If block  157  determines that a document does not belong in the document set, the program goes to block  158  to inform the user to remove the document. After the document is removed in step  158  or decision block  157  determines that the document belongs in the document set, the program goes to decision block  159 . Block  159  determines whether or not the document is the latest version. If block  159  determines that a document is not the latest version, the program goes to block  160  to inform the user to update the document. If block  159  determines that a document is the latest version, the program goes back to decision block  152 .  
         [0021]     The above specification describes a new and improved system and method that allows one to accurately and quickly determine if the paper document or documents one is viewing is the latest version of the document or documents. It is realized that the above description may indicate to those skilled in the art additional ways in which the principles of this invention may be used without departing from the spirit. Therefore, it is intended that this invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.