Patent ID: 7047492

Claim:
A method for managing documents, comprising: storing a first document having a first style in a document repository; creating an identification (ID) associated with the first document; providing a discernment information table, the discernment information table including the ID associated with the first document, wherein the discernment information table further includes a name of the first document; providing a related information table, the related information table including the ID and related information of the first document, the related information including at least an operational history of the first document; translating the first document to create a second document having a second style different from the first style, wherein the step of translating the first document to create the second document includes printing a copy of the first document onto a medium to create the second document; associating the ID with the second document and with related information of the second document, the related information including at least operational history of the second document, wherein the step of associating the ID with the second document includes printing the ID as an ID identifier onto the medium; modifying the medium of the second document; scanning the modified medium to translate the second document to create a third document having a third style different from the second style; reading the ID identifier; comparing the first document and the third document and determining that the medium has been modified; updating the discernment information table to include a name of the third document and to associate the ID with the third document; and modifying the related information table to include related information of the third document as associated with the ID, the related information including at least operational history of the third document and indicating that the third document is a modified version of the first document.