Cloud Preview Interface for Collaborative Document Editing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for collaborative document editing require collaborators to download and open documents in third-party applications, leading to inefficiencies, resource consumption, and conflicts between multiple versions, which can result in lost or overwritten comments.

Innovation Solution

A cloud-based content management platform enables collaborators to input comments and edits directly within a preview user interface without needing the third-party application, generating and merging content objects to create a unified version of the document.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If collaborators use third-party applications to edit documents, then document editing functionality is achieved, but resource consumption increases and processing speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveediting efficiencyVSAvoidresource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a cloud-based content management platform as an intermediary between collaborators and third-party applications. This platform provides a unified interface that abstracts the complexity of multiple third-party applications, allowing collaborators to edit documents through a single portal without directly interacting with multiple application systems, thereby reducing resource consumption and improving processing speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The content management platform serves multiple functions through a single unified interface: it provides document storage, preview generation, comment input, and version management. By consolidating these functions into one system rather than requiring separate third-party applications for each function, the patent reduces overall resource consumption while maintaining full editing capabilities.

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

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple versions of documents are maintained, then collaborative editing is enabled, but conflicts arise and comments may be lost or overwritten

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollaborative editing capabilityVSAvoidcomment integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary versioning where each collaborative edit creates a new version of the document that is automatically saved to the content management platform. This preliminary action of saving each version ensures that no comments are lost, as each version preserves the complete comment history from previous edits. The system proactively maintains version integrity before conflicts can occur.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The content management platform provides feedback mechanisms that track all changes across versions and notify collaborators of modifications. This feedback system allows the system to detect and prevent comment loss by monitoring version transitions and ensuring that comments are carried forward appropriately through version merges, thereby maintaining comment integrity while enabling collaborative editing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Manufacturing precision

If third-party applications are required for document viewing, then authentic document rendering is achieved, but ease of operation decreases and device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedocument rendering accuracyVSAvoidinterface simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent generates rendered previews of documents as visual copies that replicate the appearance of third-party application interfaces. These previews are created by rendering the document content in a standardized format that mimics the look and feel of native third-party applications, allowing collaborators to view and edit documents with familiar interfaces without actually installing or accessing the original third-party applications, thus simplifying operation while maintaining rendering accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP4231193A1Managing comments on binary files preview view in a cloud-based environment
Publication Date: 2023.08.23 GOOGLE LLC

AI summary

A method for editing and updating content of a collaborative document within a preview user interface is provided. The method includes a content management platform receives a request for a file stored which is stored in a third-party application format. The system causes a rendered graphical image of the file to be presented within a preview user interface. The rendered graphical image of the file represents a view of the file as if opened within a third-party application. The system receives from the preview user interface, content associated with a portion of the file. The system generates a new version of the file that includes the content associated with the portion of the file.