Electronic discovery computer program product

Abstract

A system, apparatus, method, and computer program product for electronically stored file profiling and conversion including converting printable files to images, supported by meta-data, and one or more searchable master text files.

1 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to process and convert electronically-stored data for electronic discovery in support of litigation according to a method comprising steps of:
 copying data and associated meta-data into a processor-based device from one or more data storage devices physically loaded by a user at a user-site located at the user-site, said processor-based device being located at said user-site;   receiving user input from the user to said processor-based device for subsequent processing at the user-site of a working copy of the data and associated meta-data, said subsequent processing including   storing in a local storage device said data and associated meta-data as the working copy for file processing, while maintaining a document context with respect to other documents, said working copy of the data including a plurality of files;   said file processing of the plurality of files in the working copy of the data including:
 identifying a duplication of one or more files within the working copy of the data, including at least one of
 identifying a duplication by a hash algorithm, 
 checking a duplicate file for file corruption, and 
 exporting a duplicated file, and 
 
   converting a selected file to an output file in a user-specified format with said computer if said selected file is convertible to the user-specified format, said step of converting including
 extracting and saving file meta-data associated with said selected file, 
 extracting text from said selected file, and 
 creating an image of said selected file, 
   and said file processing further including
 checking for encryption of one or more files, and decrypting said one or more files if encrypted; and 
   outputting the output file in the user-specified export format for at least one of exporting, reviewing and searching the output file in an external system, wherein said steps of physically loading and copying, inputting, processing and converting of the file processing, and outputting being performed by said processor-based device at said user-site.   
     
     
         2 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein said converting step includes identifying a file that is not convertible as an exception file. 
     
     
         3 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , further comprising a step of:
 displaying summary statistics prior to said outputting step.   
     
     
         4 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 3 , wherein said step of displaying comprises:
 displaying a series of parent-child relationships between a file and an attachment to said file said parent-child relationship being a document context.   
     
     
         5 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 4 , wherein at least said converting step is a step performed in a software plug-in module. 
     
     
         6 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein said metadata comprises:
 date created, last date opened, last date modified, creator name, matter name, and predetermined identification and quality control data.   
     
     
         7 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein said step of converting further comprises:
 marking a file that cannot be converted as an exception file.   
     
     
         8 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein said working copy comprises:
 a time-stamped audit file configured to record a file history spanning file creation to file destruction.   
     
     
         9 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 performing page counts and time stamping or digital authentication of said output file.   
     
     
         10 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 7 , wherein said file that cannot be converted comprises one of:
 a file with a virus;   an encrypted file;   a corrupted file;   an unknown file-type; and   a deselected file.   
     
     
         11 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 7 , wherein said step of marking a file that cannot be converted comprises one of:
 logging said exception file; and   exporting said exception file.   
     
     
         12 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein said step of converting comprises one of:
 time stamping and digitally authenticating both an image and a file of extracted meta-data.   
     
     
         13 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein said step of converting comprises one of:
 time stamping or digitally authenticating the output file; and   appending selected meta-data.   
     
     
         14 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein said step of creating comprises:
 creating one or more searchable subordinate text files containing the contents of an operator-selected subset of the selected files;   time stamping or digitally authenticating the one or more subordinate text files; and   appending selected meta-data about the files included in the subordinate text files.   
     
     
         15 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 extracting one of file content data, content header information, file meta-data, file type information, and file characteristic data.   
     
     
         16 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein said step of extracting text comprises:
 searching for a keyword.   
     
     
         17 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein said step of extracting text comprises:
 extracting a portion of text around said keyword.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein said step of processing and converting comprises:
 processing with a prioritization scheme keyed to file type.   
     
     
         19 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein said step of processing with a prioritization scheme comprises:
 processing by one of file extension and file header with a plug-in module.   
     
     
         20 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein said step of processing with a plug-in module comprises:
 processing with a plug-in module configured to be selected to be ‘ON’ or ‘OFF’.