Automated Assistant Document Editing With Semantic Annotations

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing document editing systems require significant user interaction and resource consumption, limiting editing and reviewing capabilities to desktop environments and delaying tasks on mobile devices, and hinder simultaneous multi-user editing and commenting due to interface restrictions.

Innovation Solution

An automated assistant that allows users to perform document-related tasks through verbal interactions, utilizing semantic annotations and machine learning models to process spoken utterances and execute actions on documents across various devices, enabling editing, commenting, and sharing without direct graphical interface interaction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If document editing is performed through traditional desktop graphical interface applications, then editing functionality is comprehensive, but user interaction complexity and resource consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedocument editing accessibilityVSAvoidinterface interaction complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical graphical interface interaction system with a voice-based natural language processing system. Users can edit documents through spoken commands processed by the automated assistant, eliminating the need for manual navigation through graphical menus and interfaces. This substitution reduces the physical and cognitive complexity of document editing operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The automated assistant serves as an intermediary between the user and the document editing system. Instead of users directly interacting with complex document editing applications, they communicate through the assistant which translates their intent into appropriate editing actions. This intermediary layer simplifies the interaction model while maintaining access to comprehensive editing functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If document editing requires dedicated desktop application interface, then editing precision is high, but portability and mobile accessibility are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice platform compatibilityVSAvoiddocument editing accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The automated assistant provides universal document editing capability across multiple device platforms including mobile phones, tablets, and desktop computers. The same voice-based interface and processing logic operate consistently across different devices, enabling users to access document editing functionality regardless of the platform being used, thereby achieving both portability and editing precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If multiple users edit documents simultaneously through desktop interfaces, then collaboration capability is enabled, but review time and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulti-user collaboration efficiencyVSAvoiddocument review duration

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables periodic updates and notifications for collaborative document editing. Instead of requiring continuous monitoring of document changes, users receive notifications at specific intervals or when particular events occur (such as when a collaborator adds a comment or makes significant edits). This periodic update mechanism reduces the time users need to spend continuously reviewing documents while maintaining awareness of collaborative progress.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

4Reliability

If document review requires access to desktop graphical interface, then review completeness is high, but power consumption and processing bandwidth are excessive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereview thoroughnessVSAvoiddevice power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the essential review functionality from the resource-intensive desktop graphical interface and consolidates it into the automated assistant system. The assistant can retrieve, present, and manage document content and comments using minimal device resources, separating the core review capability from the heavy graphical rendering requirements. This allows thorough document review on mobile devices with limited power and processing capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS20260100193A1Document creation and editing via automated assistant interactions

Publication Date: 2026.04.09 GOOGLE LLC

AI summary

Implementations set forth herein relate to an automated assistant that allows a user to create, edit, and/or share documents without directly interfacing with a document editing application. The user can provide an input to the automated assistant in order to cause the automated assistant to interface with the document editing application and create a document. In order to identify a particular action to perform with respect to a document, and/or identify a particular subsection within the document to direct the action, the automated assistant can rely on semantic annotations. As a user continues to interact with the automated assistant to edit a document, the semantic annotations can be updated according to how the document is changing and/or how the user refers to the document. This can allow the automated assistant to more readily fulfill document-related requests that may lack express details.