Document Annotation Overlay System for Cross-Resolution Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing document collaboration tools face challenges in efficiently managing and sharing multiple graphical annotations across different user interfaces with varying resolutions, leading to cumbersome navigation and alignment issues when multiple users annotate and modify documents.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method and system for sharing document annotations using graphical overlays, where annotations and positioning information are stored and displayed on a user interface, allowing seamless alignment and scaling across different resolutions, enabling real-time collaboration and integration of multiple annotations without modifying the original document.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple users annotate documents using existing tools, then document collaboration capability is improved, but navigation and alignment become cumbersome due to resolution differences

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedocument collaboration capabilityVSAvoidnavigation and alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates visual copies of annotations from the first user's interface and displays them on the second user's interface. These copied annotations maintain their original positioning information, allowing users to view and collaborate on annotations without manually recreating them on different resolution interfaces, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining collaboration capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces positioning information as an intermediary element that bridges different user interfaces with varying resolutions. This positioning data serves as a mediator that enables accurate alignment and navigation of annotations across different display environments, resolving the navigation and alignment issues while preserving collaboration capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If annotations are shared across different resolution interfaces, then collaboration accessibility is improved, but alignment precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollaboration accessibilityVSAvoidalignment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent captures and utilizes positioning information parameters (such as coordinates, scaling factors, and transformation data) associated with annotations. By storing and applying these parameters when displaying annotations on different resolution interfaces, the system maintains alignment precision while enabling collaboration accessibility across diverse display environments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

When sharing annotations between users with different interface resolutions, the patent creates scaled copies of annotations that preserve their relative positioning. The copying process includes transferring positioning information that enables accurate placement on the target interface, thus maintaining alignment precision while achieving collaboration accessibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Adaptability or versatility

If existing annotation tools are used, then document modification capability is improved, but document integrity deteriorates due to direct manipulation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedocument modification capabilityVSAvoiddocument integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the document into two distinct layers: the original document layer and the annotation layer. Annotations are created and manipulated in the separate annotation layer, which does not directly modify the original document. This segmentation allows users to have full modification capability on annotations while preserving the integrity and immutability of the original document

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an annotation layer as an intermediary between users and the original document. This intermediate layer captures all annotation activities and transformations, preventing direct manipulation of the original document. Users can freely modify annotations in this intermediary layer while the original document remains protected, thus maintaining both modification capability and document integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9858252B2Multiple graphical annotations of documents using overlays

Publication Date: 2018.01.02 SALESFORCE INC

AI summary

Systems and methods for sharing document annotations. A document is displayed on a graphical user interface and first annotation information for the document is created by a first user, the annotation information including first annotations and positioning information for positioning a first overlay window relative to the document. The first overlay window with the first annotations is displayed over the document wherein the document is visible through the first overlay window. The annotation information is sharable with other users, whereby a different user is able to display the overlay with annotations made by the first user over the document on a different system, and the annotations do not modify the underlying document.