Content Block Synchronization via Unique Identifiers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for synchronizing content across multiple electronic documents, especially subsets of content, fail to maintain persistent links and efficiently update changes, particularly in multi-user environments, leading to outdated information and increased user inconvenience.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method that uses content block unique identifiers and version identifiers to compare and update destination content blocks with source content blocks, ensuring that newer versions are reflected in destination documents, allowing for seamless synchronization of subsets of content across multiple documents.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If copy and paste operation is used to insert content from source document to destination document, then content can be transferred, but no persistent link is maintained between source and destination content

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of content transferVSAvoidpersistence of content link

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (content identifier and version tracking system) that mediates between the source document and destination document. This intermediary maintains the persistent link by storing content identifiers in the destination document that reference the source document, enabling automatic synchronization without direct user intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If manual copy and paste is used for content transfer, then user control is maintained, but updates require repeating the copy and paste operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser control over contentVSAvoidtime for repeated updates

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service automation where the destination document automatically detects and retrieves updates from the source document based on stored content identifiers. The synchronization process serves itself by comparing version information and automatically updating content without requiring user intervention, thus eliminating repeated manual copy and paste operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If entire file synchronization is used between repositories, then complete content is updated, but only subset updates are needed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of content updateVSAvoidefficiency of update operation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the content into identifiable blocks with unique identifiers and version information. This segmentation allows the synchronization system to identify and transfer only the specific content blocks that have been updated, rather than synchronizing entire files. The segmented approach maintains reliability by tracking individual content versions while improving productivity by transferring only necessary subsets.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Reliability

If hyperlink to source document is provided, then content can be accessed, but user must follow link and wait for document loading

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent freshnessVSAvoiduser convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by automatically synchronizing content from the source document to the destination document before the user needs to view it. Content identifiers and version information are pre-loaded and stored in the destination document, enabling immediate display of up-to-date content without requiring users to follow hyperlinks or wait for external document loading.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

5Adaptability or versatility

If iframe nesting is used to embed HTML document, then content is embedded, but computational resources increase and only complete documents can be embedded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent embedding capabilityVSAvoidcomputational resource requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the necessary content identifiers and version information from the source document and stores them directly in the destination document. This extraction eliminates the need for complex iframe nesting or embedding entire source documents. The system takes out only the essential synchronization metadata, reducing computational resource requirements while maintaining the ability to embed and synchronize specific content subsets.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3686748B1Synchronizing content blocks between multiple electronic documents

Publication Date: 2022.05.04 PRMA CONSULTING

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AI summary

Computer-implemented methods for synchronising content between documents are described. Content blocks within a source document are assigned respective unique identifiers, which content block unique identifiers are stored in source document metadata. When a content block is inserted into a destination document, the corresponding content block unique identifier is inserted into destination document metadata. An update to the content block in the source document is detected and, using the content block unique identifier, the corresponding content block in the destination document can be updated to reflect the changes made in the source document. The source document metadata and the destination document metadata thus serve to provide an underlying, intrinsic linkage at the content level between content blocks within the source document and content blocks within the destination document, which linkage enables changes in a particular content block within the source document to be detected and propagated to the corresponding content block in the destination document.