System and method for selectively redacting information in electronic documents

Abstract

A computer implemented system and method is provided for imposing access controls on selective portions of electronic documents by defining data attributes as conditions for access to particular information in a document. Commands from a redactor identify at least one portion of an electronic document to be subject to access control. A set of selectable access control directives defining conditions for accessing the identified portions is presented to the redactor. Access control is imposed on the identified portions in accordance with the defined conditions in response to receiving the selective access control directives.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented method for selective redaction of information in an electronic document, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a command by at least one computer from a redactor identifying at least one portion of an electronic document to be subject to access control;   presenting, by said at least on computer, a set of selectable access control directives defining conditions for access to said at least one portion;   receiving, from said redactor by said at least one computer, selected directives of said set of selectable access control directives; and   imposing access control of said at least one portion by said at least one computer in accordance with said conditions in response to receiving said selective access control directives.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said conditions are members of the group consisting of access requester identity, access requester class and access request time. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said selectable access control directives are members of the group consisting of redact said at least one portion, allow full access to at least one portion, provide no-print access of said at least one portion, and query requester for additional information. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from said redactor by said at least one computer, changed selected directives of said set of selectable access control directives; and   changing said access control by said at least one computer in response to receiving said changed selected directives from said redactor.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said steps of presenting a set of selectable access control directives comprises providing a privacy menu on a document viewing user interface. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said step of receiving selective directives comprises receiving mouse clicks on said privacy menu which identifying selected directives. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 displaying, on a user interface display by said computer, said privacy menu in response to a redactor hovering a mouse over said at least one portion presented on a user interface display.   
     
     
         8 . A method of displaying a selectively redacted electronic document containing selectively redacted content associated with selective access control directives comprising:
 receiving, by at least one computer, a request from a requester to view said selectively redacted document;   determining, by said at least one computer, if said requester satisfies said selective access control directives associated with said selectively redacted document;   displaying, by said at least one computer, said selectively redacted document including said selective redacted content associated with said selective access control directives to said requester in response to said requester satisfying said selective access control directives; and   displaying, by said at least one computer, said selectively redacted document with a redaction label in place of said selectively redacted content to said requester in response to said requester failing to satisfy said selective access control directives.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 indicating, by said at least one computer, that said selectively redacted content is Private Access Enabled to said requester in response to said requester hovering over said redaction label.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 providing, by said at least one computer, a hyperlink to said requester for said requester to gain information associated with access to said selectively redacted content in response to said requester hovering over said redaction label.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 providing, by said at least one computer, a unique data element identifier associated with said selectively redacted content to said requester in response to said requester hovering over said redaction label.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 displaying, by said at least one computer, a tools window to said requester indicating a data element identifier associated with said selectively redacted content that is subject to said selective access control directives.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 displaying, by said at least one computer, a hyperlink associated with said data element identifier in said tools window to said requester, said hyperlink allowing said requester to request access to said selectively redacted content associated with said at least one data element identifier.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 displaying, by said at least one computer, a hyperlink associated with said data element identifier in said tools window to said requester, said hyperlink permitting said requester to access said selectively redacted content associated with said at least one data element identifier in an emergency.   
     
     
         15 . A system for selective redaction of information in an electronic document comprising:
 at least one computer configured to:
 receive a command from a redactor identifying at least one portion of said electronic document to be subject to access control; 
 present a set of selectable access control directives defining conditions for access to said at least one portion; 
 receive selected directives of said set of selectable access control directives; and 
 impose access control of said at least one portion in accordance with said conditions in response to receiving said selective access control directives. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein said conditions are members of the group consisting of access requester identity, access requester class and access request time. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein said selectable access control directives are members of the group consisting of redact said at least one portion, allow full access to at least one portion, provide no-print access of said at least one portion, and query requester for additional information. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein said at least one computer is further configured to:
 receive, from said redactor, changed selected directives of said set of selectable access control directives; and   change said access control in response to receiving said changed selected directives from said redactor.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein said at least one computer is further configured to present a privacy menu on a document viewing user interface. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein said at least one computer is further configured to receive mouse clicks on said privacy menu which identifying selected directives.