Aggregate Document Validation via Instance Signatures

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Aggregate documents in computing environments become obsolete or unrecoverable due to changes, deletions, or relocations of their source documents, leading to incomplete or erroneous outputs when compiled.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for validating aggregate documents by generating instance signatures and comparing them to baseline signatures to determine a similarity value, deciding whether to delete or bypass data pages based on this value, ensuring the aggregate document remains accurate and complete.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If aggregate documents are dynamically generated from source documents, then the aggregate documents can be updated to reflect current information, but the aggregate documents become obsolete or unrecoverable when source documents change, are deleted, or moved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaggregate document completenessVSAvoidaggregate document validity period

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary validation by generating instance signatures for data pages before finalizing the aggregate document. Baseline signatures are created and stored in advance, allowing the system to pre-identify potential issues with source document accessibility or content changes before they render the aggregate document obsolete.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where instance signatures are compared against baseline signatures to detect changes in source documents. This feedback loop allows the system to identify when data pages have been modified, deleted, or moved, and to take corrective actions such as removing problematic pages or updating references to maintain aggregate document reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of information

If data pages are retrieved from source documents each time an aggregate document is generated, then the aggregate document reflects current source document content, but error pages or broken sequences occur when source documents are unavailable or changed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata page availabilityVSAvoidaggregate document generation smoothness

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system extracts and compares signature characteristics from data pages without requiring the full content to be successfully retrieved and displayed. By working with signatures alone, the system can identify problematic pages and remove them from the aggregate document, preventing error pages and broken sequences while maintaining smooth operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If source documents are allowed to be freely modified, deleted, or moved, then source document flexibility is maintained, but the aggregate document becomes difficult to manage and quickly obsolete

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesource document flexibilityVSAvoidaggregate document management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces signatures as an intermediary layer between the aggregate document and source documents. These signatures act as fingerprints that allow the system to track and validate data pages without directly managing the source documents themselves. This intermediary mechanism maintains source document flexibility while simplifying aggregate document management through automated validation and comparison.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter being monitored from full document content to signature characteristics. By comparing signatures instead of entire documents, the system can efficiently detect changes, deletions, or movements in source documents while maintaining manageable complexity in aggregate document management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS8321382B2Validating aggregate documents

Publication Date: 2012.11.27 XEROX CORP

AI summary

Embodiments described herein are directed to validating an aggregate document. An instance signature can be generated for a first instance of a data page retrieved for inclusion in the aggregate document and can be compared to a baseline signature associated with a second instance of the data page. A similarity value can be calculated in response to the comparison. The similarity value indicates a degree of similarity between the first instance and the second instance of the data page. Based on the similarity value it can be determined whether to delete or bypass the data page in the aggregate document.