Change Tracking System for Visual Editing Environments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for tracking and viewing changes in data structures, such as those used in visual editing environments, are cumbersome and fail to effectively document the development history of complex design models and text-based files, leading to difficulties in understanding the rationale behind design choices and managing changes over time.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that records all changes made to a data structure, categorizes them into distinct types (e.g., substantive and layout changes), and generates a visual representation of the information structure, allowing users to select and view specific types of changes, with detailed records including an indication of the change, type, importance, and timestamp, enabling transparent change tracking and visualization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If version control management is used to track changes, then development history can be stored, but the system becomes clumsy and difficult to use and maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments changes into distinct categories (substantive changes vs. layout changes) and stores them separately in the change log. This allows users to selectively review only the types of changes relevant to their current task, making the system easier to operate while maintaining complete development history.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts change tracking functionality from the main visual editing environment and implements it as an integrated but separate change log mechanism. The change log is automatically maintained in the background without requiring users to manually create versions or run compare-merge operations, thereby simplifying operation while preserving information.
2Loss of information
If multiple versions of design models are stored, then change tracking is enabled, but the number of details changed between versions is large and unpredictable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides all changes into two distinct segments: substantive changes (affecting content, structure, or functionality) and layout changes (affecting only visual arrangement). Users can select to review only substantive changes when needed, reducing the quantity of details they must examine while maintaining complete tracking capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by allowing users to selectively review only the subset of changes relevant to their current task (e.g., only substantive changes) rather than requiring review of all changes. This maintains complete change tracking capability while enabling users to focus on only the necessary details.
3Ease of operation
If drilling down is used to view details of functional blocks, then information is organized into manageable modules, but no way is provided to track the actual development history of the high level design
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the benefits of modular functional block organization with automatic development history tracking. The change log is integrated with the functional block structure, allowing users to trace how high-level design decisions evolved through changes in underlying functional blocks while maintaining the manageable modular organization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the change log as an intermediary layer between the visual editing environment and the raw data structure. The change log automatically captures development history without interfering with the functional block modular structure, serving as a mediator that provides historical context while preserving the organized modular architecture.
4Loss of information
If annotations are added by users during development, then design decisions can be documented, but annotations are not always consistently added and stored
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by having the system automatically capture and store change information without requiring user intervention. The change log is automatically updated whenever changes are made to the data structure, eliminating the variability and inconsistency that occurs when relying on users to manually add and store annotations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes a feedback mechanism where the system automatically detects, records, and stores change information in the change log. This closed-loop feedback ensures consistent and reliable documentation of design decisions, as the system actively monitors and records all changes rather than passively relying on user-provided annotations.
Data Source
AI summary
Previous attempts to provide systems or processes for enabling the review of the development of information stored in an electronic file are difficult to use effectively and require a user to take active steps to ensure that versions and annotations are created at regular intervals. By contrast, provided by aspects of the present invention there are systems, methods and computer program products for tracking and viewing changes to information stored in a data structure. In some embodiments the systems, methods and computer program products can be combined or integrated with software providing a visual editing environment so that changes are detected, sorted and monitored in a manner that is transparent to the user. In more specific embodiments the changes are grouped according to type, and optionally sub-type, so that a user can use the types to filter which changes in the development history of the information to review according to a particular current desire to locate specific information. In other specific embodiments, the changes are grouped in time providing temporal groups that provide “snapshots” of the development history of the information stored in a data structure at various respective points in the past.