Communication storage methods and communication systems

Abstract

In one aspect, the invention encompasses a method of storing and retrieving a communication. A communication is stored in a database, and comprises a plurality of sub-components. The communication is stored utilizing software configured to save a plurality of machine-readable identifier codes associated with the communication in the database. The identifier codes identify different sub-components of the communication. Some of the sub-components of the communication are printed together with at least some of the identifier codes as a document. The document does not include all of the sub-components of the communication. The identifier codes are read from the document with a machine configured to extract the identifier codes from the machine-readable format. The identifier codes extracted by the machine are provided to a processor in data communication with the database. The processor is configured to identify all sub-components of the communication. The processor retrieves at least one sub-component from the database that was not printed on the document, and sends the at least one sub-component to an output device.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of storing and retrieving a communication, comprising: 
 storing a communication in a database, the communication comprising a plurality of sub-components, the storing utilizing software configured to save a plurality of machine-readable identifier codes associated with the communication in the database; the identifier codes identifying different sub-components of the communication;    printing some of the sub-components of the communication together with at least some of the identifier codes as a document, the document not including all of the sub-components of the communication;    reading the identifier codes from the document with a machine configured to extract the identifier codes from the machine-readable format;    providing the identifier codes extracted by the machine to a processor in data communication with the database, the processor being configured to identify all sub-components of the communication; and    the processor retrieving at least one sub-component from the database that was not printed on the document and sending said at least one sub-component to an output device.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a plurality of users have access to the processor, and wherein some users are to be restricted from accessing some of the sub-components of the communication that were not printed on the document, wherein the users are assigned access codes, and wherein the processor is in data communication with a database comprising a correlation of the individual access codes and sub-components authorized to be obtained by individual access codes, the method further comprising: 
 requiring a user to input its individual access code to the processor before sub-components are sent to the output device; and  
 the processor comparing the individual access code input by the user to the correlation of individual access codes and sub-documents authorized to be obtained by individual access codes, the processor sending a set of sub-components to the output device comprising only sub-components which are in the correlation as being authorized to obtain by the individual access code input by the user.  
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the user inputs the access code through keyboard input.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the access code comprises physical information about the user, and wherein the processor is in data communication with a sensor configured to sense the physical information.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the database is accessible through the internet;  
 the communication is at a location on the internet identified by a URL address;  
 the identifier codes printed with the sub-components of the communication include the URL address; and  
 the URL address is among the identifier codes extracted by the machine.  
 
     
     
         6 . A method of retrieving information from the internet, comprising: 
 providing a data set having an address on the internet;    displaying the address on a substrate; and    providing the substrate to a machine configured to digitize the address, link to the address on the internet, and download at least a portion of the data set from the internet.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the substrate comprises paper, wherein the machine comprises a scanning machine, and wherein the providing the address to the machine comprises scanning the paper with the machine.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the machine is configured for recognition of voice commands, and wherein the providing the address to the machine comprises voicing the address to the machine.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the substrate comprises a display describing merchandise, and wherein the data set comprises a more complete description of the merchandise than the display.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the substrate comprises a display describing a plurality of items and wherein the data set comprises a more complete description of the items than the display, wherein the machine comprises a scanning machine, and wherein the providing the address to the machine comprises scanning the substrate with the machine, the method further comprising: 
 providing the substrate to a user who marks items on the substrate about which the user desires more information;  
 configuring the machine to distinguish marked items from items which are not marked and utilizing the machined to identify marked items of the scanned substrate; and  
 configuring the machine to download portions of the data set which describe the marked items.  
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the substrate comprises a display describing clothing and wherein the data set comprises a more complete description of the clothing than the display, the data set including software configured to show clothing described in the data set fitted to a model having input measurements.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the substrate comprises a publication displaying a number of articles and wherein the data set comprises a more complete description of the articles than the publication, wherein the machine comprises a scanning machine, and wherein the providing the address to the machine comprises scanning the substrate with the machine, the method further comprising: 
 providing the substrate to a user who marks items on the substrate about which the user desires more information;  
 configuring the machine to distinguish marked items from items which are not marked and utilizing the machine to identify marked items of the scanned substrate; and  
 configuring the machine to download portions of the data set which describe the marked items.  
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the substrate comprises a newspaper displaying a number of articles and wherein the data set comprises a more complete description of the articles than the newspaper.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the substrate comprises a sheet and wherein the data set comprises at least one textual article.  
     
     
         15 . A method of storing and retrieving a document with different levels of document security provided for different portions of the document, comprising: 
 creating a data set corresponding to a document and storing the data set in a database, the document comprising a plurality of portions, the storing utilizing software configured to save a plurality of machine-readable identifier codes associated with the data set in the database; the identifier codes identifying the different portions of the document; the database being accessible to a plurality of users; some portions of the document being defined as secure portions and other portions being defined as non-secure portions; some users having authorization to access non-secure portions of the document and not having authorization to access secure portions of the document; the users being assigned access codes which identify if the users have clearance to access secure portions of the document;    printing the non-secure portions of the document together with at least some of the identifier codes on a substrate;    providing the identifier codes to a processor in data communication with the database, the processor being configured to retrieve both the secure and the non-secure portions of the document and to send the retrieved portions of the document to an output device; the processor being further configured to recognize if an access code provides clearance to secure portions of the document;    requiring a user to input its individual access code to the processor before secure portions of the document are sent to the output device; and    the processor sending secure portions of the document to the output device only if the inputted individual access code indicates that the user has clearance to obtain the secure portions.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the user is required to input its individual access code before any portions of the document are sent to the output device.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the user inputs the access code through keyboard or voice input.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the access code comprises physical information about the user, and wherein the processor is in data communication with a sensor configured to sense the physical information.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the identifier codes are printed on the non-secure portions of the document in machine-readable format, wherein the identifier codes are read from the substrate with a machine configured to extract the identifier codes from the machine-readable format, and wherein the identifier codes are provided from the machine to the processor.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the identifier codes are printed on the non-secure portions of the document in user-readable format, wherein the identifier codes are read from the substrate by a user, and wherein the identifier codes are input to the processor by the user.