U.S. patent application number 11/544916 was filed with the patent office on 2007-02-08 for method and system for archiving and retrieving bibliography information and reference material.
Invention is credited to Srikrishna Talluri.
Application Number | 20070033208 11/544916 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24859549 |
Filed Date | 2007-02-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070033208 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Talluri; Srikrishna |
February 8, 2007 |
Method and system for archiving and retrieving bibliography
information and reference material
Abstract
A manuscript author uses a website on the Internet as a
manuscript reference. The author transmits the address of the
website to a database connected to the Internet. The database uses
the address to obtain a copy of the website from the Internet upon
receiving the address such that the website copy is the same as the
website as on the Internet at the time the author transmitted the
address. The database stores the website copy with a key. The
author lists the key in the manuscript. An audience obtains the key
from the manuscript and transmits a request for the website copy
along with the key to the database. The database transmits via the
Internet the website copy to the audience in response to the
request such that the audience receives a website copy as on the
Internet at the time the author transmitted the address.
Inventors: |
Talluri; Srikrishna;
(Southfield, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BROOKS KUSHMAN P.C.
1000 TOWN CENTER
TWENTY-SECOND FLOOR
SOUTHFIELD
MI
48075
US
|
Family ID: |
24859549 |
Appl. No.: |
11/544916 |
Filed: |
October 9, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09711791 |
Nov 13, 2000 |
|
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11544916 |
Oct 9, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 ;
707/999.001; 707/999.1; 707/E17.112 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 16/955 20190101;
G06F 16/958 20190101; G06Q 30/02 20130101; G06Q 10/00 20130101;
G06Q 30/06 20130101; G06F 16/95 20190101; G06F 16/951 20190101;
G06F 16/9554 20190101; G06Q 10/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
707/100 ;
707/001 |
International
Class: |
G06F 7/00 20060101
G06F007/00; G06F 17/30 20060101 G06F017/30 |
Claims
1. A system for archiving manuscript references, the system
comprising: a database in communication via the Internet with an
author of a manuscript and an audience of the manuscript; wherein
the database receives via the Internet the address of a web site
being used by the author as a reference for the manuscript, uses
the web site address to obtain a copy of the web site from the
Internet upon receiving the web site address such that the copy of
the web site is the same as the web site as on the Internet at the
time the author used the web site as a reference for the
manuscript, and stores the copy of the web site along with a
distinctive key; wherein the database transmits via the Internet
the copy of the web site to the audience in response to receiving
the key from the audience such that the audience receives a copy of
the web site as on the Internet at the time the author used the web
site as a reference for the manuscript.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein: the database transmits via the
Internet the key to the author.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein: the database stores the web site
address along with the copy of the web site and the key.
4. A method for archiving manuscript references, the method
comprising: an author of a manuscript using a web site on the
Internet as a reference for the manuscript; the author transmitting
via the Internet the address of the web site to a database
connected to the Internet; the database using the web site address
to obtain a copy of the web site from the Internet upon receiving
the web site address such that the copy of the web site is the same
as the web site as on the Internet at the time the author
transmitted the web site address; the database storing the copy of
the web site with a distinctive key; the author citing the web site
as being a reference for the manuscript by listing the key in the
manuscript; an audience of the manuscript obtaining the key from
the manuscript, the audience transmitting via the Internet the key
to the database to request the database for the copy of the web
site; and the database transmitting via the Internet the copy of
the web site to the audience in response to receiving the key from
the audience such that the audience receives a copy of the web site
as on the Internet at the time the author transmitted the web site
address.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein: the database associates the key
with the copy of the web site; the method further comprising the
database transmitting via the Internet the key to the author.
6. The method of claim 4 further comprising: the database storing
the web site address along with the copy of the web site and the
key.
7. The method of claim 4 wherein: the author associates the key
with the copy of the web site; the method further comprising the
author transmitting via the Internet the key to the database.
8. The method of claim 4 further comprising: the author using an
e-mail as a reference for the manuscript; the author transmitting
via the Internet a copy of the e-mail to the database for the
database to store; and the database transmitting via the Internet a
copy of the e-mail to the audience in response receiving a request
for a copy of the e-mail from the audience.
9. The method of claim 4 further comprising: the author using a
digital file as a reference for the manuscript; the author
transmitting via the Internet a copy of the digital file to the
database for the database to store; and the database transmitting
via the Internet a copy of the digital file to the audience in
response receiving a request for a copy of the digital file from
the audience.
10. The method of claim 4 further comprising: the author using a
paper book as a reference for the manuscript; the author
transmitting via the Internet an electronic scanned copy of the
paper book to the database for the database to store; and the
database transmitting via the Internet a copy of the electronic
scanned copy of the paper book to the audience in response to
receiving a request for a copy of the electronic scanned copy of
the paper book from the audience.
11. A method comprising: transmitting to a database an identifier
of a web site cited as a reference in a manuscript prior to any
modifications to the web site as on the Internet after the web site
has been cited; upon the database receiving the identifier, using
by the database the identifier to obtain from the Internet a copy
of the web site such that the copy of the web site is the same as
the web site as on the Internet at the time the web site was cited;
assigning a unique key to the copy of the web site; storing in the
database the copy of the web site with the key; wherein citing the
web site includes listing the key in the manuscript; an audience
obtaining the key from the manuscript; and transmitting by the
database the copy of the web site to the audience in response to
the database receiving the key from the audience such that the
audience receives a copy of the web site as on the Internet at the
time the web site was cited.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising: accessing the
Internet to locate the web site prior to citing the web site.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein: assigning a unique key to the
copy of the web site includes the database assigning the key to the
copy of the web site.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising: transmitting by the
database the key to an author of the manuscript; wherein listing
the key in the manuscript includes the author listing the key in
the manuscript.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein: citing the web site includes
the author listing the web site address, the key, and the time at
which the web site was accessed in the manuscript.
16. The method of claim 11 further comprising: the audience
transmitting the key to the database after obtaining the key from
the manuscript.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 09/711,791, filed Nov. 13, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. ______.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates generally to publishing and,
more particularly, to a method and system for using a
communications network such as the Internet to archive and retrieve
bibliography information and reference material cited in a
manuscript.
[0004] 2. Background Art
[0005] Authors of manuscripts and documents such as books and
research papers frequently cite material such as articles and other
books in bibliography section. The bibliography section is usually
attached to the end of a manuscript. (The terms "Works Cited" and
"References" mean the same. Each is a list of works that have been
cited by an author, or works to which an author has made a
reference. However, the term "Bibliography" stands for a list of
all the material an author has consulted in preparing a manuscript
irrespective of whether or not it has been cited.) Herein, the term
"Bibliography" also represents the terms "Works Cited" and
"References".
[0006] The entire manuscript including the bibliography section is
then copied for distribution to an audience. The author uses the
cited reference material as a source of information for writing the
manuscript. Traditionally, the reference material has been limited
to physical media such as other books, research papers, newspaper
and magazine articles, and the like. Occasionally, personal
communications (regular mail), works-in-progress (interim reports,
confidential reports), are also cited by authors of
manuscripts.
[0007] However, information available on websites on the World Wide
Web, e.g, the Internet, has become an indispensable source for
research on several areas of interest and often makes a study more
comprehensive. Information can be retrieved instantly from the
Internet at any time from any location and may incorporate the most
current news. Web based information is not merely an electronic
version of a physical publication (such as newspapers and
magazines) but is rather a standalone medium with no physical
equivalents or limitations (i.e., page size).
[0008] Authors and researchers are now starting to cite information
from websites in their manuscripts. Various professional bodies
have issued protocols for citing web content. In the bibliography
section, authors generally include three pieces of information when
citing web content. The first piece of information is the address
of the website such as a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), for
instance, www.website.com. The second piece of information is the
date of access of the website (by the author) and the third piece
of information is the last modified date of the website.
[0009] A problem with citing websites as sources of information is
that 1) websites are subject to frequent, invisible modifications
and 2) may be moved to a new address or removed from the Internet
without notice. Moreover, material from a website once accessible
to everyone may now be limited to a select audience. Even hypertext
essays (published on the Internet itself) now often contain a list
of other websites used in that study.
[0010] An important reason for citing references from any source
including the Internet and traditional published material is to
enable verification of the material used from the references. The
bibliography section of a manuscript also becomes a resource of
information for other researchers in that field. Referees of
research papers, editors, other researchers and the audience of the
manuscript need to review/verify the information taken from the
cited references. Traditionally, the bibliography information is
either given in alphabetical order or the order in which the
material was used in the manuscript, with a description of the
journal or magazine from which it was taken (source), title of the
particular essay, editor or author name, volume number of the
journal or magazine, date of publication, and particular pages
where the content was assimilated. Such information enabled easy
review/verification of the bibliography information or reference
material.
[0011] The problem with citing a website is that the fluid, ever
modifiable potential of the content of the website does not
guarantee availability and true verification of the material
actually used by the author.
[0012] Further, information given out by interacting members of
news groups (another Internet source) and through personal
communication methods such as e-mails that are cited by an author
as references cannot be verified by a third party unless the
information is reproduced verbatim by the author in the content of
the manuscript or in the bibliography section. Authors may also
cite works in progress (such as unpublished interim reports) and
information obtained through personal communication methods such as
regular mail. However, the problem of the inability to
review/verify such material also ails these sources.
[0013] While traditional publishers generally act as authenticators
for the material printed and circulated by them there exists no
credibility checking service or protocol for information available
over the Internet. Search engines used for selecting websites by
keywords give worthy, mediocre, and worthless websites equal
importance. So, while it can be considered safe to look up and use
content published in a magazine or journal, which are thus
authenticated, it might be risky to use content from most web sites
(that don't have any means of authentication) in a manuscript.
[0014] As such, in light of the affect the cited web based material
might have had on a given manuscript, it becomes important for
referees, editors, other researchers, and the audience of the
manuscript to ascertain the credibility of the cited information
available on those Internet websites (sources). The same can be
said of hitherto non-verifiable sources such as interim reports,
e-mails, communication on newsgroups/userforums, personal
communications (regular mail) and the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a method and system for using a communications network to
archive and retrieve bibliography information and reference
material cited in a manuscript.
[0016] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
method and system for using a communications network to archive and
retrieve bibliography information reference material from an
Internet source such as a website cited in a manuscript.
[0017] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
method and system for using a communications network to archive a
copy of information from an Internet source cited in a
manuscript.
[0018] It is still another object of the present invention to
provide a method and system for using a communications network to
archive a copy of information from an Internet source cited in a
manuscript for retrieval by users of the manuscript to enable
verification of the cited Internet source information.
[0019] It is still a further object of the present invention to
provide a method and system for using a communications network to
archive and retrieve bibliography information and reference
material from personal communications such as e-mails and regular
mail cited in a manuscript.
[0020] It is still yet another object of the present invention to
provide a method and system for using a communications network to
archive and retrieve bibliography information and reference
material from a digital medium such as audio digital files, video
digital files, and graphics digital files cited in a
manuscript.
[0021] It is still yet a further object of the present invention to
provide a method and system for using a communications network to
archive and retrieve bibliography information and reference
material from traditional physical sources of information such as
books and magazines, interim reports, and works-in-progress cited
in a manuscript.
[0022] In carrying out the above objects and other objects, the
present invention provides a system for archiving manuscript
references. The system includes a database in communication via the
Internet with an author of a manuscript and an audience of the
manuscript. The database receives via the Internet the address of a
web site being used by the author as a reference for the
manuscript, uses the web site address to obtain a copy of the web
site from the Internet upon receiving the web site address such
that the copy of the web site is the same as the web site as on the
Internet at the time the author used the web site as a reference
for the manuscript, and stores the copy of the web site along with
a distinctive key. The database transmits via the Internet the copy
of the web site to the audience in response to receiving the key
from the audience such that the audience receives a copy of the web
site as on the Internet at the time the author used the web site as
a reference for the manuscript. The database may transmit via the
Internet the key to the author. The database may store the web site
address along with the copy of the web site and the key.
[0023] In carrying out the above objects and other objects, the
present invention provides a method for archiving manuscript
references. The method includes an author of a manuscript using a
web site on the Internet as a reference for the manuscript. The
author transmits via the Internet the address of the web site to a
database connected to the Internet. The database uses the web site
address to obtain a copy of the web site from the Internet upon
receiving the web site address such that the copy of the web site
is the same as the web site as on the Internet at the time the
author transmitted the web site address. The database stores the
copy of the web site with a distinctive key. The author cites the
web site as being a reference for the manuscript by listing the key
in the manuscript. An audience of the manuscript obtains the key
from the manuscript. The audience transmits via the Internet the
key to the database to request the database for the copy of the web
site. The database transmits via the Internet the copy of the web
site to the audience in response to receiving the key from the
audience such that the audience receives a copy of the web site as
on the Internet at the time the author transmitted the web site
address.
[0024] The database may associate the key with the copy of the web
site. In this case, the method may further include the database
transmitting via the Internet the key to the author.
[0025] The database may store the web site address along with the
copy of the web site and the key. The author may associate the key
with the copy of the web site. In this case, the author transmits
via the Internet the key to the database.
[0026] The author may use an e-mail as a reference for the
manuscript. In this case, the author transmits via the Internet a
copy of the e-mail to the database for the database to store; and
the database transmits via the Internet a copy of the e-mail to the
audience in response receiving a request for a copy of the e-mail
from the audience.
[0027] The author may use a digital file as a reference for the
manuscript. In this case, the author transmits via the Internet a
copy of the digital file to the database for the database to store;
and the database transmits via the Internet a copy of the digital
file to the audience in response receiving a request for a copy of
the digital file from the audience.
[0028] The author may use a paper book as a reference for the
manuscript. In this case, the author transmits via the Internet an
electronic scanned copy of the paper book to the database for the
database to store; and the database transmits via the Internet a
copy of the electronic scanned copy of the paper book to the
audience in response to receiving a request for a copy of the
electronic scanned copy of the paper book from the audience.
[0029] In carrying out the above objects and other objects, the
present invention provides a method. This method includes
transmitting to a database an identifier of a web site cited as a
reference in a manuscript prior to any modifications to the web
site as on the Internet after the web site has been cited. Upon the
database receiving the identifier, the database uses the identifier
to obtain from the Internet a copy of the web site such that the
copy of the web site is the same as the web site as on the Internet
at the time the web site was cited. A unique key is assigned to the
copy of the web site. The copy of the web site with the key are
stored in the database. Citing the web site includes listing the
key in the manuscript. An audience obtains the key from the
manuscript. The database transmits the copy of the web site to the
audience in response to the database receiving the key from the
audience such that the audience receives a copy of the web site as
on the Internet at the time the web site was cited.
[0030] This method may further include accessing the Internet to
locate the web site prior to citing the web site. Assigning a
unique key to the copy of the web site may include the database
assigning the key to the copy of the web site. This method may
further include transmitting by the database the key to an author
of the manuscript. In this case, listing the key in the manuscript
includes the author listing the key in the manuscript. This method
may further include citing the web site includes the author listing
the web site address, the key, and the time at which the web site
was accessed in the manuscript. This method may further include the
audience transmitting the key to the database after obtaining the
key from the manuscript.
[0031] The advantages associated with the method and system of the
present invention are numerous. The method and system of the
present invention advantageously fill the deficiency associated
with conventional bibliographic processes by identifying
traditionally non-verifiable reference material cited in a
manuscript with a distinctive key and then archiving a copy of the
reference material on a database connected to a communications
network such as the Internet. The audience of the manuscript may
then access the reference material from the database by using the
distinctive key for review and verification of the reference
material. As a result, the method and system of the present
invention protect the cited information from continuous
modification and removal of the reference material by providing an
avenue for the audience to gain access to an exact copy of the
reference material cited by the author of the manuscript. Further,
the method and system of the present invention provide a means of
verification of the reference material.
[0032] The above objects and other objects, features, and
advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the
following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out
the present invention when taken in connection with the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0033] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a system in accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0034] FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart describing operation of the
method and system in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0035] FIG. 3 illustrates a graphical user interface for use by the
author of a manuscript to transfer the address of a website cited
in the manuscript to the database of the system shown in FIG.
1;
[0036] FIG. 4 illustrates a graphical user interface for use by the
audience to receive a copy of a website cited in a manuscript from
the database of the system shown in FIG. 1; and
[0037] FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a bibliography section in
accordance with an embodiment of the method and system of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
[0038] In general, the present invention provides a method and
system for using a communications network such as the Internet,
wired and wireless data communications networks, and the like to
archive and retrieve bibliography information and reference
material cited in a manuscript. In operation, an author cites
material from an information source such as an Internet source in
the manuscript and then adds information identifying the Internet
source into the bibliography section of the manuscript. The
reference material from the Internet source may be from a website.
The Internet source identification information may include the
address of the website, i.e, the uniform resource locator (URL),
the date of access of the website by the author, and the last
modified date of the website. The website identification
information is then transferred to the Internet for storage on a
database associated with the manuscript. In addition to the website
identification information, a copy of the website information is
also transferred to the Internet for storage on the database. The
database assigns a permanent distinctive key (other than the URL
identifying the website) to the website identification information
and the copy of the website. The distinctive key can then be used
by readers of the manuscript to gain access to the website
information cited by the author of the manuscript as the website
stood on the date of submission by the author to the database.
[0039] The database acts as the bibliography of the manuscript by
including a listing of information for each website cited in the
manuscript. However, the database is more than a bibliography in
that a copy in verbatim of each website used by the author is also
stored on the database. In effect, the database archives the
reference material for subsequent retrieval. Accordingly, if the
website is modified or removed from the Internet after the date of
access by the author or after the manuscript is distributed to an
audience, the audience may access the database to retrieve the
actual website information used by the author for review and
verification.
[0040] Additionally, the method and system in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention extend to the identification
and archival of other reference material such as works-in-progress,
e-mails, regular mail, digital files, and traditional physical
media by assigning a distinctive key to a copy of each such
material and storing the distinctive key and the copy in the
database for subsequent retrieval from the database.
[0041] Referring now to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a system 10 for
use with an embodiment of the present invention is shown. System 10
includes a communications network 12 such as the Internet. An
author 14 of a manuscript or document ("manuscript") and an
audience 16 of the manuscript are connected with Internet 12 for
transferring and receiving information from the Internet. A
database 18 is also connected to Internet 12 for transferring and
receiving information from the Internet. Author 14 uses Internet 12
to cite reference material from Internet sources in the manuscript.
The Internet sources may be websites on Internet 12. Author 14
includes a bibliography section within the manuscript for listing
the identification of the reference materials from the Internet
sources and other sources. The bibliography section is intended to
be reviewed by audience 16 for reviewing and verifying the
reference material cited by author 14 in the manuscript. It is
noted that the manuscript may be published or remain
unpublished.
[0042] When citing a website as reference material in the
manuscript, author 14 cites information identifying the website in
the bibliography section of the manuscript. The identification
information of the website in the bibliography section includes the
address of the website such as a URL, the date of access of the
website by the author, and the last modified date of the website.
Author 14 then transfers to Internet 12 information identifying the
website as shown in FIG. 1. The website identification information
transferred to Internet 12 includes the address of the website. In
response to author 14 transferring the website identification
information to Internet 12, database 18 receives from the Internet
the website identification information and a copy of the reference
material of the website, i.e., a copy of the website. The copy of
the website is verbatim to the website on Internet 12 when author
14 transferred the website identification information to the
Internet. Database 18 then stores or archives the website
identification information with the copy of the website.
[0043] Database 18 assigns a permanent distinctive key (other than
the URL identifying the website) to the website identification
information and the copy of the website. Author 14 includes the
distinctive key in the bibliography section with the website
identification information. Audience 16 of the manuscript may then
access Internet 12 to retrieve the copy of the website cited in the
manuscript and in the bibliography section. In response to a
request by audience 16 to Internet 12 for access to the copy of the
website, database 18 transfers the archived copy of the website to
the audience via the Internet. As part of the request, audience 16
transfers the distinctive key provided by author 14 in the
bibliography section of the manuscript to database 18 via Internet
12. Database 18 uses the distinctive key to understand what
reference material audience 16 is requesting. Audience 16 can then
review the reference material from the website cited in the
manuscript by author 14 for verification. The copy of the website
provided by database 18 to audience 16 is an exact copy of the
website when author 14 cited the website in the manuscript and
submitted to database 18.
[0044] In effect, database 18 acts as a partial bibliography of the
manuscript by including a listing of information for each website
cited in the manuscript, and further includes a copy in verbatim of
each website used by author 14. Database 18 archives the website
for subsequent retrieval such that if the website is modified or
removed from Internet 12 subsequent to the author citing the
website, audience 16 may access the database to retrieve the actual
website used by the author for review and verification.
[0045] Referring now to FIG. 2, a flow chart 20 describing
operation of the method and system in accordance with an embodiment
of the present invention is shown. Flow chart 20 begins with author
14 reviewing a website on Internet 12 for reference material as
shown in block 22. Upon finding reference material of interest,
author 14 transfers the website address to database 18 via Internet
12 as shown in block 24. A copy of the website referenced by author
14 is then also transferred to database 18 via Internet 12 as shown
in block 26. This copy may be sent from Internet 12 to database 18
in response to a request for such copy by the database. Database 18
stores and archives the website address and the copy of the website
for subsequent retrieval. Database 18 archives this information
because either the website address or the website itself may
possibly be removed or altered after being cited by author 14. By
archiving this information, database 18 ensures that a verbatim
copy of the website as cited by author 14 may be accessible for
later study and verification. As part of the archiving process,
database 18 associates a distinctive key (other than the URL) with
the website address and the copy of the website as shown in block
28.
[0046] Author 14 then cites the reference material from the website
in a manuscript being written by the author as shown in block 30.
Author 14 then cites the address of the website such as the website
URL in the bibliography section of the manuscript as shown in block
32. Author 14 may also cite in the bibliography section the date of
access of the website and the last modified date of the
website.
[0047] Author 14 then cites the distinctive key associated with the
website in the bibliography section of the manuscript as shown in
block 34. After distribution of the manuscript to audience 16, the
audience reviews the manuscript and the bibliography section of the
manuscript as shown in block 36. In order to verify the reference
material of a website cited by author 14 in the manuscript,
audience transfers a request along with the distinctive key cited
in the bibliography section to database 18 via Internet 12 as shown
in block 38. In response to receiving the request and the
distinctive key from audience 16, database 18 transfers a copy of
the archived website along with the website address to the audience
via Internet 12 as shown in block 40. Audience 16 then reviews the
archived website for verification of the reference material cited
by author 14 in the manuscript as shown in block 42.
[0048] In addition to obtaining a copy of the archived website from
database 18 over Internet 12, audience 16 may directly obtain a
copy of the archived website from database 18 using traditional
communications means such as regular post mail, courier, facsimile,
and the like. Further, if the manuscript is a hypertext document,
then audience 16 may click a hypertext distinctive key link located
in the hypertext document. The hypertext distinctive key link is
associated with the archived reference material. Upon audience 16
clicking the hypertext distinctive key link database 18 transfers a
copy of the archived reference material to the audience via
Internet 12.
[0049] Referring now to FIG. 3, a graphical user interface 50 for
use by author 14 to transfer the address of a cited website to
database 18 is shown. Graphical user interface 50 is part of a
communications system enabling communication between author 14 and
database 18 via Internet 12. Graphical user interface 50 includes
an Internet source address entry 52 and a distinctive key entry 54.
Author 14 enters the address of a cited website in Internet source
address entry 52. For instance, the address is
"www.WebSiteChannel.com" as shown in FIG. 3. Author 14 then enters
a distinctive key to be associated with the cited website in
distinctive key entry 54. For instance, the distinctive key is
"WebSiteChannel A1" as shown in FIG. 3. (Alternatively, the
distinctive key may be assigned by database 18 and then given by
the database to author 14 as described above.) Upon entering the
required information, author 14 presses a submit button 56 to
transfer the entered information to database 18 via Internet 12.
Database 18 then accesses Internet 12 to receive a copy of the
website at the time of submission of the entered information by
author 14. Database 18 archives the entered information, i.e., the
website address and the distinctive key, with the copy of the
website.
[0050] Referring now to FIG. 4, a graphical user interface 60 for
use by audience 16 to receive a copy of the cited website from
database 18 is shown. Graphical user interface 60 is part of a
communications system enabling communication between audience 16
and database 18 via Internet 12. Graphical user interface 60
includes an Internet source retrieve entry 62. Audience 16 enters
the distinctive key associated with the cited website in Internet
source retrieve entry 62. Upon entering the requested distinctive
key information, audience 16 presses a submit button 64 to request
database 18 via Internet 12 to provide the audience with a copy of
the cited website. In response to the request, database 18
transfers a copy of the cited website to audience 16 via Internet
12. Audience 16 may then study and verify the cited website with
the manuscript.
[0051] In addition to archiving website information, database 18 is
further operable for archiving copies of other reference materials
cited in a manuscript such as works-in-progress, e-mails, regular
mail, digital files such as audio files, video files, and graphics
files, and traditional physical media such as paper books and
magazines. For example, the reference material cited by author 14
in a manuscript is an e-mail. In this case, author 14 transfers a
copy of the cited e-mail to database 18 via Internet 12. In
response to receiving the e-mail copy database 18 associates a
distinctive key with the e-mail copy and then stores the
distinctive key with the e-mail copy. Author 14 then cites the
e-mail with the distinctive key in the bibliography section of the
manuscript. In reviewing the manuscript, audience 16 then transfers
the distinctive key to database 18 via Internet 12 for requesting a
copy of the cited e-mail for verification. Database 18 then
transfers the e-mail copy to audience 16 in response to the request
from the audience. Audience 16 may then review the e-mail copy for
verification.
[0052] As can be readily understood, the reference material may be
any type of material that can be stored by database 18. For
example, any digital file can be stored by database 18. Similarly,
traditional physical media such as paper books can also be stored
in database 18 by scanning a portion or the entire paper book into
a digital file. Further, audio/video files such as "ON24" news
clips currently on the Internet may also be stored by database
18.
[0053] Further, the method and system in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention are useful with reference
material that are kept in secrecy for a period of time. For
example, reference material may be restricted from being
distributed to audience 16 for a period of time. The reference
material may be a completed manuscript having some sort of secrecy
order or may be a partially finished manuscript that author 14 does
not wish audience 16 to see until completed. Author 14 transfers
the completed or partially finished reference material and
information of when the reference material will be available to
audience 16 to database 18. Database 18 stores and associates a
distinctive key with the reference material and the reference
material availability information. Audience 16 may then use the
distinctive key to access database 18 for the reference material to
review and verify. In response, database 18 transfers the reference
material availability information to audience 16. If the reference
material is not yet available to audience 16, then the reference
material availability information may say that the reference
material will be available in the future and request the audience
to check back at the appropriate time. Upon the expiration of the
time period and after author 14 has transferred a completed
reference material to database 18, the database transfers to
audience 16 upon request a copy of the reference material stored on
the database.
[0054] Referring now to FIG. 5, an example of a bibliography
section 70 in accordance with the method and system of an
embodiment of the present invention is shown. Bibliography section
70 is attached to an end of a manuscript written by author 14.
Author 14 uses bibliography section 70 to list all of the
references that were cited in the manuscript. For instance,
bibliography section 70 includes a website reference 72
(bibliography reference #1) having the address
"www.WebSiteChannel.com" and the associated distinctive key
"WebSiteChannelA1" as shown in FIG. 5. Bibliographic reference #2
is also a website. Similarly, bibliography section 70 includes a
paper book reference 74 entitled "Engines" and authored by Heywood.
Paper book reference 74 includes the distinctive key
"Engines-Heywood" as shown in FIG. 5. Bibliography references #4,
#5, and #6 are e-mail, digital audio file, and regular mail
references.
[0055] Thus it is apparent that there has been provided, in
accordance with the present invention, a method and system for
using the Internet to archive and retrieve bibliography information
and reference material cited in a manuscript that fully satisfy the
objects, aims, and advantages set forth above. While the present
invention has been described in conjunction with specific
embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives,
modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in
the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is
intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and
variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the
appended claims.
[0056] While embodiments of the present invention have been
illustrated and described, it is not intended that these
embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the
present invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are
words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood
that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit
and scope of the present invention.
* * * * *
References