Collaborative hierarchical document development and review system

Abstract

A computer software product for allowing simultaneous multi-level collaboration, including in real time between an author and a group of reviewers invited by the author to comment on a document stored in a computer file. The computer software enables each reviewer to view the document and make changes thereto which are stored in a secondary data file without modifying the contents of the original document. The author receives and views the secondary data files from the reviewers and selectively incorporates the changes into the document. Each reviewer may invite an unlimited number of sub-reviewers to review the document, the comments of each sub-reviewer similarly being stored in a secondary data file wherein only the author may edit the document directly.

1 - 70 . (canceled) 
     
     
         71 . A system for simultaneous collaboration on the review of an electronic document by a first reviewer and a second reviewer, the system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 generate a first data file associated with the electronic document and the first reviewer, wherein the first data file stores edits made by the first reviewer to the electronic document; 
 generate a second data file associated with the electronic document and the second reviewer, wherein the second data file stores edits made by the second reviewer to the electronic document;
 wherein the edits made by the first reviewer and the second reviewer are performed simultaneously; 
 
 generate an integrated data file associated with the electronic document; 
 modify the integrated data file by incorporating the edits stored in the first data file within the integrated data file; 
 generate information to display the edits stored in the integrated data file to the first reviewer and the second reviewer simultaneously or individually. 
   
     
     
         72 . The system of  claim 71 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 modify the integrated data file by incorporating the edits stored in the second data file within the integrated data file;   generate information to display the edits stored in the integrated data file to the first reviewer and the second reviewer simultaneously.   
     
     
         73 . The system of  claim 71 , wherein the edits stored in the integrated data file are displayed to the first reviewer and the second reviewer adjacent to a display of the electronic document. 
     
     
         74 . The system of  claim 71 , wherein the first data file is stored in a second memory by the first reviewer. 
     
     
         75 . The system of  claim 71 , wherein the electronic document is a word-processing file. 
     
     
         76 . The system of  claim 71 , wherein the electronic document is a spreadsheet file, database file, or other type of file different than a word-processing file. 
     
     
         77 . The system of  claim 71 , wherein an access level policy permits the first reviewer to make edits to a designated portion of the electronic document. 
     
     
         78 . The system of  claim 71 , wherein an access level policy permits the first reviewer to view only a designated portion of the electronic document. 
     
     
         79 . The system of  claim 71 , wherein an access level policy prohibits the first reviewer from viewing portions of the electronic document other than the designated portion. 
     
     
         80 . A computer-implemented method for simultaneously collaborating on the review of an electronic document by a first reviewer and a second reviewer, comprising:
 generating a first data file associated with the electronic document and the first reviewer, wherein the first data file stores edits made by the first reviewer to the electronic document;   generating a second data file associated with the electronic document and the second reviewer, wherein the second data file stores edits made by the second reviewer to the electronic document;
 wherein the edits made by the first reviewer and the second reviewer are performed simultaneously; 
   generating an integrated data file associated with the electronic document;   modifying the integrated data file by incorporating the edits stored in the first data file within the integrated data file;   generating information to display the edits stored in the integrated data file to the first reviewer and the second reviewer simultaneously or individually.   
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 80 , further comprising:
 modifying the integrated data file by incorporating the edits stored in the second data file within the integrated data file;   generating information to display the edits stored in the integrated data file to the first reviewer and the second reviewer simultaneously.   
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 80 , wherein the edits stored in the integrated data file are displayed to the first reviewer and the second reviewer adjacent to a display of the electronic document. 
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 80 , wherein the first data file is stored in a second memory by the first reviewer. 
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 80 , wherein the electronic document is a word-processing file. 
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 80 , wherein the electronic document is a spreadsheet file, database file, or other type of file different than a word-processing file. 
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 80 , wherein an access level policy permits the first reviewer to make edits to a designated portion of the electronic document. 
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 80 , wherein an access level policy permits the first reviewer to view only a designated portion of the electronic document. 
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 80 , wherein an access level policy prohibits the first reviewer from viewing portions of the electronic document other than the designated portion. 
     
     
         89 . A system for simultaneous collaboration on the review of an electronic document by a first reviewer and a second reviewer, the system comprising:
 a memory; and   a processor configured to:
 generate an integrated data file associated with the electronic document; 
 generate a first data file associated with the electronic document and the first reviewer, wherein the first data file stores edits made by the first reviewer to the electronic document; 
 generate a second data file associated with the electronic document and the second reviewer, wherein the second data file stores edits made by the second reviewer to the electronic document; 
 update the integrated data file by incorporating the edits stored in the first data file within the integrated data file; 
 generate information to display the edits from the first data file stored in the integrated data file to the first reviewer and the second reviewer simultaneously or individually; 
 update the integrated data file by incorporating the edits stored in the second data file within the integrated data file; 
 generate information to display the edits from the first data file and the second data file stored in the integrated data file to the first reviewer and the second reviewer simultaneously or individually. 
   
     
     
         90 . The system of  claim 89 , wherein the edits stored in the integrated data file are displayed to the first reviewer and the second reviewer adjacent to a display of the electronic document. 
     
     
         91 . The system of  claim 89 , wherein the first data file is stored in a second memory by the first reviewer. 
     
     
         92 . The system of  claim 89 , wherein the electronic document is a word-processing file. 
     
     
         93 . The system of  claim 89 , wherein the electronic document is a spreadsheet file, database file, or other type of file different than a word-processing file. 
     
     
         94 . The system of  claim 89 , wherein an access level policy permits the first reviewer to make edits to a designated portion of the electronic document. 
     
     
         95 . The system of  claim 89 , wherein an access level policy permits the first reviewer to view only a designated portion of the electronic document. 
     
     
         96 . The system of  claim 89 , wherein an access level policy prohibits the first reviewer from viewing portions of the electronic document other than the designated portion. 
     
     
         97 . A system for simultaneous collaboration on the review of an electronic document by a first reviewer and a second reviewer, the system comprising:
 a memory; and   a processor configured to:
 generate an integrated data file associated with the electronic document; 
 generate a first data file associated with the electronic document and the first reviewer, wherein the first data file stores edits made by the first reviewer to the electronic document; 
 generate a second data file associated with the electronic document and the second reviewer, wherein the second data file stores edits made by the second reviewer to the electronic document; 
 update the integrated data file by incorporating the edits stored in the first data file within the integrated data file; 
 generate information to display the edits from the first data file stored in the integrated data file to the first reviewer; 
 generate information to display the edits from the first data file stored in the integrated data file to the second reviewer if permitted by an access level policy. 
   
     
     
         98 . The system of  claim 97 , wherein the access level policy does not permit the second reviewer to access one or more edits stored in the integrated data file. 
     
     
         99 . The system of  claim 97 , wherein the access level policy permits the second reviewer to access one or more edits stored in the integrated data file. 
     
     
         100 . A computer-implemented method for simultaneously collaborating on the review of an electronic document by a first reviewer and a second reviewer, comprising:
 generating an integrated data file associated with the electronic document;   generating a first data file associated with the electronic document and the first reviewer, wherein the first data file stores edits made by the first reviewer to the electronic document;   generating a second data file associated with the electronic document and the second reviewer, wherein the second data file stores edits made by the second reviewer to the electronic document;
 wherein the edits made by the first reviewer and the second reviewer are performed simultaneously; 
   updating the integrated data file by incorporating the edits stored in the first data file within the integrated data file;   generating information to display the edits stored in the integrated data file to the first reviewer;   generating information to display the edits from the first data file stored in the integrated data file to the second reviewer if permitted by an access level policy.   
     
     
         101 . The method of  claim 100 , wherein the access level policy does not permit the second reviewer to access one or more edits stored in the integrated data file. 
     
     
         102 . The method of  claim 100 , wherein the access level policy permits the second reviewer to access one or more edits stored in the integrated data file.