Abstract: A system and method for selective enablement and/or disablement of referential links is disclosed. In one embodiment, a document management system includes a database configured to store document trees having referential links embedded therein, a processor that communicates with the database and with a client device operable to access selected portions of the document trees and actuate selected links, and an information control unit coupled to the processor to control a status of the referential links in the accessed portions according to predetermined criteria. In another embodiment, a method of selectively altering a status of a link includes initiating a document request from a database having a plurality of document trees with embedded referential links, reviewing access information associated with the request, altering the status of a referential link in the requested document based upon the access information, and transferring the document to a client device.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for the generation of integrated directories from database structures. In one embodiment, a system includes a database having a document tree that is generated from portions of other document trees, wherein the other document trees are related by at least one referential links, and a processor in communication with the database that is configured to extract a plurality of identifiers from the document tree and to generate an integrated directory from the document tree. In another aspect, a method includes selecting the document tree in a database, wherein the document tree is generated from portions of at least a first document tree and a second document tree, extracting identifying portions from the selected document tree, processing the identified portions to prepare user-accessible entries and positioning the entries in the directory.

Abstract: Systems and methods for accessing information from database trees are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system for acquiring a link includes a database having a plurality of links obtained from at least a first source document and a second source document and a processor in communication with the database to search the database for links according to predetermined criteria and to extract the links from the database. In another embodiment, a method of forming a link between a first portion of a document and a second portion of a document includes specifying a first descriptor and a second descriptor, accessing a database, identifying a link in the database that defines a path between the first portion and the second portion, extracting the link and using the path to provide a user-manipulable link to refer a user from the first portion to the second portion.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the generation of referential links according to predetermined association rules are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a first data storage location operable to store at least one data structure and having data elements extracted from at least one written document. A second data storage location stores at least one business rule that defines an association between data elements in the data structure. A processor is coupled to the first data storage location and the second data storage location to process the data elements in the data structure and generate referential links corresponding to the business rule. In another embodiment, a method includes selecting at least one business rule that describes a selected attribute of a written document. The data structure is processed to generate a referential link corresponding to the business rule and stored in a database.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, computer-readable media, and systems for extracting referential keys from a document. A document is parsed to identify at least one key, the key being identified from at least one contextual indication. The key is classified according to a key type, the key type being identified from the contextual indication. The key is extracted and then stored in a location in a structured shell with the location corresponding to the key type. As a result, the key can be found by a search seeking one of the key and the key-type allowing a searcher to identify the document from which the key was extracted.