Business Process Search Using Task and Document Features

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current information processing systems lack the ability to efficiently search and extract similar business processes by utilizing task features and document features, making it difficult to identify processes with good or bad results, and to retrieve related tasks and documents effectively.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus that includes a search unit for finding similar business processes using task features and document features as search conditions, and a presentation unit to display the results, with modules for managing process and document information, extracting document features, and generating patterns for similarity calculations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional search methods are used to find business processes, then the search system is simple to implement, but the ability to efficiently search and extract similar business processes using task features and document features is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesearch accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the business process search into multiple independent modules: a process information management module for managing process data, a document information management module for managing document data, a document feature information extraction module for extracting features from documents, and a related process extraction module for finding similar processes. This segmentation allows each module to specialize in specific tasks, improving overall search accuracy while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces intermediary components including a document feature information extraction module that acts as a mediator between document data and search queries, and a related process extraction module that mediates between search conditions and similar business processes. These intermediaries enable sophisticated feature-based searching without requiring direct complex processing in the core search engine.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If feature-based search is implemented to extract similar business processes, then the ability to identify processes with good or bad results is improved, but the time and computational resources required for searching increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation retrieval completenessVSAvoidsearch time
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-extracting and storing document features in the document information management module, and pre-organizing process information in the process information management module. This allows the search system to work with pre-processed feature data rather than extracting features during each search operation, significantly reducing search time while maintaining complete information retrieval capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical search methods with information-based search using extracted document features and process characteristics. Instead of searching through raw document text and process descriptions, the system searches through structured feature vectors and metadata, dramatically improving search efficiency while maintaining comprehensive information retrieval.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Adaptability or versatility

If comprehensive document feature extraction is performed to enable effective process retrieval, then the retrieval accuracy is improved, but the processing complexity and resource requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesearch flexibilityVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements universality through the document feature information extraction module that can extract multiple types of features (textual, structural, metadata) from various document formats, and the related process extraction module that can perform different search operations using the same feature set. This multi-functional design enables comprehensive and flexible searching without requiring separate processing systems for each feature type.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the complex feature extraction process into distinct functional modules: the document feature information extraction module handles feature extraction, the process information management module manages process data, and the related process extraction module performs similarity matching. This segmentation reduces processing complexity by allowing each module to specialize in specific tasks while maintaining comprehensive search capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10678862B2Information processing apparatus, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium for searching business processes and related documents
Publication Date: 2020.06.09 FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP
  • US10678862B2 patent drawing
  • US10678862B2 patent drawing
  • US10678862B2 patent drawing

AI summary

This application discloses an information processing apparatus that searches for a business process using (i) user-selected one or more task features and (ii) user-selected one or more document features as search conditions, and presents the search result. The user-selected one or more task features are features of tasks in a particular business process, and the user-selected one or more document features are features of documents generated in the tasks of the particular business process.