JP2006277037A - Documentation management system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that, when a preparer of an electronic document file distributes a document, and the document is referenced and corrected by a plurality of persons, and the document is returned to an application, there are many cases that the document is stored for sure since whether the document is older or newer than one held by itself is not clear, and that the identical file overflows as a result in a conventional electronic document management system. <P>SOLUTION: A history management file is added to an electronic document management application, and an electronic document to be exported is embedded with a uniquely specifiable ID, and when an archived electronic document from the outside is imported to a document management application, the ID is extracted and collated with the history management file so that the identity of the file can be determined. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a document management system for creating, editing, printing, and saving electronic documents.

Conventionally, this kind of electronic document file is processed by a data creator who creates an electronic document file, distributes the electronic document file, and finally records it in the database by the electronic document file management department. It was. Within this processing flow, once an electronic document that has been taken out of the management application is distributed, it is difficult to specify which electronic document was created by the application itself, as it is stored or copied on multiple PCs (for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2001-344155 A

  Therefore, in the conventional electronic document management system, when the creator of the electronic document file distributes the document, and multiple people refer to and modify it, this document is returned to the application when the document is owned by itself. In many cases, it is stored as a precaution because it is unknown whether it is older or newer, and as a result, there is a problem that the same file is flooded.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above points, and allows a user to know whether or not an exported file has been edited, thereby preventing an increase in redundant electronic documents. The purpose is to provide.

The present invention has been made in view of the prior art, and includes a file archive unit that combines at least one file into one file, and an unarchive unit that restores the file combined into one file to the original file. Applying a hash by combining information such as history management means describing the method for managing the operation history of the electronic document, MAC address, date / time, hard disk number, file path name, login user, etc., and uniquely identifying the electronic document For generating a fixed-length ID for an electronic document, and if there is any operation on the electronic document, any electronic document file with a set of file operation types such as date, ID, login user name, creation, editing, deletion, copying, etc. Means for managing the history of documents, document headers and electronic text in archive files It has a management file and electronic document, and the document header has the number of files in the archive, the electronic document file size, the ID at the time of document creation, and the ID after editing the document. It has certain file management information, and the electronic document management file has information such as the file name and size of each file. The electronic document file has the ID at the time of document creation and the latest ID after document editing. Unlike the above-mentioned header, it can be assigned individually, and the document management application manages the electronic document as internal data, but this document is converted to the above-mentioned archive format when exported outside the management of the application And
On the other hand, when an electronic document archived by the above-mentioned means is imported into the document management application, the header information is analyzed, the ID at the time of document creation and the ID after document editing are extracted, and the history is recorded. The problem is solved by performing collation using a managing means and notifying the user whether the electronic document is managed by the document management application.

  According to the present invention, the user can know whether or not an exported file has been edited by determining whether or not editing is performed for each data recorded in the electronic document file. As a result, an increase in redundant electronic documents can be prevented.

  Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of an electronic document printing apparatus for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

  Reference numeral 1 denotes a system bus, and each component block described below is connected to the system bus. Reference numeral 2 denotes a CPU (Central Processing Unit). Reference numeral 3 denotes a program memory (hereinafter referred to as “PMEM”) which selects / edits programs for various processes such as editing / reading device control / print processing procedure description file analysis / print processing based on the analysis from the hard disk 15. Read and execute on 2 CPUs. The created data and data for print processing are stored in the PMEM which is also a data storage memory, and the PMEM is also used for temporarily storing text data and various instruction information input from the keyboard 9 by the user.

  A communication control unit 4 controls input / output data in 18 communication ports. The signal output from the communication port 18 is transmitted to the communication port of another device on the network via the communication line 19. Reference numeral 20 denotes another electronic document printing apparatus connected via the communication line 19. Electronic document file transmission / reception processing with a printer or other electronic document printing apparatus shared on the network is performed via the communication control unit 4.

  In this embodiment, a network such as a LAN is described. However, the present invention is applicable even if the communication port and the communication line connected to the communication control unit are other communication means such as a general public line. Needless to say.

  5 is a digital camera, 6 is an image input / output control unit, and 7 and 17 are printers. Image data read from the digital camera 5 is expanded on the PMEM 3 and then expanded on the VRAM 11 and displayed on the CRT 13. The An input control unit 8 is connected to an input device such as a keyboard 9 and a PD 10 (pointing device, hereinafter referred to as PD). An operator operates the keyboard 9 to give a system operation command or the like.

  The PD 10 is used to select and process image information, character data, and numerical data on 13 CRTs, and to set print parameters for an electronic document file. In this embodiment, the PD 10 is used. Thus, the mouse cursor on the CRT 13 is arbitrarily moved in the X and Y directions, and menu selection, image data, graphic data, character data, numerical data, and print parameter selection and editing are performed. 11 is a video image memory (hereinafter referred to as VRAM), 12 is a display output control unit, and 13 is a CRT. The data displayed on 13 CRTs is developed as bitmap data on 11 VRAMs. For example, in the case of graphic data, a graphic pattern corresponding to the position and drawing attribute information is developed on the VRAM, and a cursor can be directly generated and displayed in the display area of the VRAM by software control.

  14 is an external storage device control unit, 15 and 16 are data file disks for recording electronic document files, image data, graphic data, character data, numerical data, and the like. For example, 15 is a hard disk (hereinafter referred to as HD). 16 is a floppy (registered trademark) disk (hereinafter referred to as FD). In this embodiment, programs such as an archiving function for integrating a plurality of files into one file and a printing function for electronic document files are recorded in the HD 15. As recording media for storing these programs, ROM, floppy ( A device such as a registered trademark disk 16, a CD-ROM, a memory card, or a magneto-optical disk can be used.

  FIG. 2 is an external view of the electronic document printing apparatus of the present invention.

  Reference numeral 23 denotes a main body of an electronic document printing apparatus including the system bus 1, CPU 2, PMEM 3, and communication control unit 4. 13 is a CRT, 9 is a keyboard, 10 is a PD, 21 is an FD drive, and an FD 22 is set, and an electronic document file, image data, graphic data, character data, and numerical data are written to the FD 22 or recorded on the FD 22. Read electronic document files, graphic data, character data, and numerical data.

  Of course, the present invention is realized in an electronic document printing apparatus in which various programs are recorded in the HD 15. However, by supplying a recording medium in which a program capable of realizing the present invention is recorded to another system or an electronic document printing apparatus, a computer of the system or apparatus reads and executes the program code stored in the recording medium. The present invention is also achieved. For example, an FD 22 in which an archive function for integrating a plurality of files into one file and a function program for printing an electronic document file are recorded is set in the FD drive 21 of another electronic document printing apparatus, and the program is loaded onto the hard disk 15. Run the loaded program. By doing so, the present invention can be realized in other electronic document printing apparatuses.

  Hereinafter, a conventional example will be described in detail with reference to various drawings.

  First, in this conventional example, it is assumed that the electronic document file is composed of a plurality of files in which each information is recorded.

  The electronic document file is an archive file obtained by integrating a plurality of files into one file.

  FIG. 3 shows the flow of electronic documents and archive data related to this application.

  The document management application (35) is an application related to this claim.

  Usually, an electronic document is newly created on a document management application, so this case will be described below. First, when the electronic document (33) is newly created by the user, necessary information is generated in the history management table. This information includes date and time, ID, login user name, creation, editing, deletion, copying, and other file operation types. The ID is created in order to uniquely identify an electronic document by applying a hash by combining information such as a MAC address, date / time, hard disk number, file path name, and login user. When such information can be generated, it is stored in the history management table (34). There are other cases that resist the history management table, such as editing electronic documents, deleting and copying.

  When the electronic document export is selected by the user, ID information or the like is added, and the archive file is exported from the document management application (32). The exported archive data is saved by the user or sent to another PC (36) using communication means such as mail.

  On the other hand, the document management application instructs the user to import “an electronic document exported by its own PC” or an archive file created by another PC (32-> 33).

  At this time, the archive data is analyzed, the ID is extracted from the header file, and the extracted ID is collated with the ID registered in the history management table (34). As a result of the collation, if the corresponding ID is in the management table, the user is notified through the user interface of the document management application (35). At this time, if the ID at the time of document creation in the electronic document is different from the ID after the document change, it is edited by one of the applications, so that the user is notified.

  Description will be made using the data recording method of the history management table of FIG.

  The history management table (44) describes the number of operations for the electronic document in a column and the file name in a row.

  In each item, ID, date, user, and operation are described. The ID is a fixed-length ID for uniquely identifying an electronic document by applying a hash by combining information such as a MAC address, date / time, hard disk number, file path name, and login user. The date is year (year), month, day, but you can add time. The user enters the name of the user who logged in at that time, and describes editing, copying, deleting, etc., according to the type of operation.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of a file list constituting the electronic document file of the conventional example.

  Reference numeral 51 denotes an electronic document management file in which information for managing what kind of file is recorded in the electronic document file is recorded. An electronic document file 52 is an arbitrary document format or an image file itself. The format of the image file may be a generally known BMP format, TIFF format, PDF format (PDF is a trademark of Adobe), or may be an original image format. realizable.

  FIG. 6 shows a configuration example in the case where various files are integrated into one document and an electronic document file is archived.

  62 is header information of the electronic document file, and information for managing the archived electronic document file when it is integrated into one document is recorded. By using the electronic document file header information, the integrated archive electronic document file can be restored to the original file state. Reference numeral 63 denotes a file constituting the electronic document file.

  FIG. 7 shows a detailed configuration example of the electronic document file header information 701.

  Reference numeral 702 denotes the total number of files, which indicates the total number of files recorded in the electronic document file. From this number of files, it can be determined how many files information is recorded in the electronic document file header information 701. Reference numeral 702 denotes an electronic document file size, which indicates the size of the archived electronic document file. Reference numeral 703 describes an ID assigned when the electronic document is first created as an ID at the time of document creation. This ID is not changed until the electronic document disappears. Reference numeral 704 describes an ID assigned when the electronic document was last edited, which is an ID at the time of document editing.

  Reference numeral 706 denotes an offset value from the beginning of the file to the first file information area, which indicates in which area the data area of 706 exists in the archive electronic document file. Reference numerals 706 to 709 denote information of each file recorded in the archive electronic document file. Reference numeral 707 denotes an example of recording a password for determining edit permission for each file recorded in the electronic document file. In this embodiment, it is possible to set a password for each file by recording the password in the electronic document file header information 51.

  The password information 707 is a password for determining permission to edit the file recorded in the electronic document file. If the information exists, editing such as update & deletion is not permitted unless the correct password is designated. If nothing is recorded in the password information, it indicates that editing such as update & deletion is free.

  Reference numeral 708 denotes a file name indicating a file name given when each file is extracted from the archived electronic document file. Reference numeral 709 denotes a file size indicating how much area is occupied in the archived electronic document file. Specifically, the size varies depending on whether the file is compressed or not. Reference numeral 710 denotes an offset value to the file entity, in which an offset value from the head of the file in the area occupied by the file in the archive electronic document file is recorded. A compression flag 711 indicates whether this file is compressed and recorded in the archive electronic document file or not compressed. Reference numeral 712 denotes a compression method, which is meaningful only when it is recorded that the image is compressed with the compression flag 711, and a compression method such as MMR is recorded. Since the details of the compression method are not related to the present invention, the description thereof is omitted.

  Reference numeral 713 denotes a file attribute, which records a file attribute such as Read Only that was originally owned by this file, and records what attribute is given when the file is restored by the unarchive function. Reference numeral 714 denotes an offset value for the next file information area, in which an offset value from the beginning of the archived electronic document file is recorded. Subsequent files are omitted in the figure, but items 708 to 714 are repeatedly recorded by the number of files.

  FIG. 8 shows a configuration example of the electronic document management file 51.

  The electronic document management file records information for managing individual files constituting the electronic document file when the archived electronic document file is restored to an individual file by the unarchive function.

  Reference numeral 601 denotes the total number of files, which indicates the number of files that are each element constituting the electronic document file. In the conventional embodiment, 31 electronic document files in FIG. Reference numeral 602 denotes an offset value to the first file information area, which is an offset value from the beginning of the electronic document management file to the area in which the first file information is recorded. In this conventional example, offset values from the beginning of the electronic document management file up to 603 items are recorded.

  From 603 to 607, information of individual files constituting the electronic document file is recorded. Reference numeral 603 denotes a file name indicating the name of the file as an element constituting the electronic document file. The name of the electronic document file 52 corresponds to this. Reference numeral 604 denotes a file size in which, for example, the size of 52 electronic document files is recorded. Reference numeral 605 denotes a path to the file, which indicates in which directory the file is created.

  Reference numeral 606 denotes a file group type, which can record 52 electronic document file types. For example, when there are a plurality of electronic document files, it is determined that these files are of the same type. it can. Reference numeral 607 denotes an offset value to the next file information area, which indicates an offset value from the beginning of the electronic document management file. Subsequent files are omitted in the figure, but items 603 to 607 are repeatedly recorded by the number of files.

  FIG. 9 shows a configuration example of the print document file 38.

  The print document file is an electronic document itself to be printed as described above. In order to manage this, reference numeral 901 describes the ID assigned when the electronic document was first created as the ID at the time of document creation. This ID is not changed until the electronic document disappears. Reference numeral 902 describes an ID assigned when the electronic document was last edited, which is an ID at the time of document editing. Reference numeral 903 denotes an electronic document.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining an example of how recording processing is performed on an electronic document file and a history management file in the conventional embodiment.

  In step 1001, an electronic document file is selected using the keyboard 9 or PD10. In step 1002, the keyboard 9 or the PD 10 is instructed to open and edit the electronic document file selected in step 1001. The determination of whether or not data is instructed in step 1003 is repeated, and if instructed, the process proceeds to step 1004. In step 1004, file ID generation processing is performed.

  In step 1005, other information necessary for updating the history management file is collected and updated.

  FIG. 11 illustrates a processing flow when the electronic document file of this embodiment is exported.

  In step 1101, an electronic file to be exported is selected by the user.

  In step 1102, header information to be embedded in the export file is created. In step 1103, the document creation ID and the latest ID are collected from the history management information. In step 1104, the ID collected in 1103 is added to the header information. In step 1105, the header information and the electronic document are finally archived.

  FIG. 12 illustrates the import of the archive file of this embodiment into the document management application.

  In step 1201, header information is extracted from the archive file selected for import by the user and analyzed. In step 1202, the archive file is decompressed. In step 1203, the ID is extracted from the header information of each file. In step 1204, the extracted ID information is collated with the history management information. In step 1205, if the IDs match, the process proceeds to step 1207 to notify the user. In this case, there are a case where the IDs at the time of document creation match and a case where the latest IDs match. If only the IDs at the time of creation match, this indicates that the document has been edited externally. If the latest IDs also match, it indicates that the document has not been edited.

  On the other hand, if the IDs do not match, information such as an ID is registered in the history management table as a new file in step 1206.

System block diagram of electronic document printing apparatus for starting program in embodiment External view of electronic document printing apparatus for starting program in embodiment Diagram showing the flow of electronic document and archive file of document management application The figure which shows explanation about the structure of the history management table and the information to set List of files that make up an electronic document file Diagram explaining the format of an electronic document file Diagram explaining the format of the electronic document file header Diagram explaining the format of the electronic document management file Diagram explaining the format of an electronic document file Diagram explaining electronic document file and history management file Diagram explaining export processing of electronic document file Diagram explaining import of electronic document file

Explanation of symbols

1 System bus 2 CPU
3 PMEM
4 Communication control unit 5 Digital camera 6 Image input / output control unit 7, 17 Printer 8 Input control unit 9 Keyboard 10 Mouse 11 VRAM
12 Display output control unit 13 CRT
14 External storage control unit 15 Hard disk 16 Floppy (registered trademark) disk

Claims (5)

A means for archiving electronic document files, an unarchive means for restoring archived files, and applying a hash by combining information such as MAC address, date / time, hard disk number, file path name, login user, etc. A means for generating a fixed-length ID for identification, and if there is any operation on the electronic document, any electronic with a set of file operation types such as date, ID, login user name, creation, editing, deletion, copying, etc. Means for managing the history of document files, and the archive file has a document header, electronic document management file, and electronic document. The document header contains the number of files in the archive, the size of the electronic document file, the ID at the time of document creation, the document It has an ID after editing, and as each file information, It has file management information that is information related to passwords and compression, and the electronic document management file has information such as the file name and size of each file. The electronic document file contains the ID at the time of document creation, document editing Unlike the above-mentioned header, the latest latest ID can be assigned separately, and the document management application manages the electronic document as internal data, but when exporting this document out of the management of the application Convert to the archive format mentioned above,
On the other hand, when an electronic document archived by the above-mentioned means is imported into the document management application, the header information is analyzed, the ID at the time of document creation and the ID after document editing are extracted, and the history is recorded. A document management system which performs collation using a managing means and notifies a user whether an electronic document is managed by the document management application.   2. The document management system according to claim 1, wherein when the electronic document file is restored to the original file by the archive means and notified to the user, it can be confirmed that the archived electronic document is modified. Document management system.   2. The document management system according to claim 1, wherein hash processing conforming to a recommendation such as MD5 is used when creating an ID at the time of document creation and an ID after document editing.   2. The document management system according to claim 1, wherein a user can arbitrarily specify a creation method when creating an ID at the time of document creation and a latest ID after document editing.   2. The document management system according to claim 1, wherein the document management application is capable of prohibiting an electronic document stored in an archive file from being exported without being archived.

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