Document Graph Conditional Nodes for Stable Paragraph Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Legacy solutions for inserting rules-driven paragraphs into documents fail to maintain conditional placements during review cycles, as paragraph numbering schemes break when paragraphs are moved, and anchor-based approaches lose their references if attached content is deleted.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that forms a document graph with conditional nodes and a mapping datastructure to maintain paragraph locations, allowing rules-driven paragraphs to be inserted at user-designated locations irrespective of document modifications, using a visibility flag and hash table for efficient processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If paragraph numbering schemes are used to place conditional content, then insertion locations can be specified, but the numbering breaks down when paragraphs are moved during review cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces anchor points as intermediary elements that are independently positioned in the document structure. These anchor points serve as stable reference markers that do not depend on paragraph numbering or content position. Conditional content is attached to these anchor points rather than to specific paragraphs, allowing the content to remain at designated locations even when surrounding paragraphs are moved or deleted during review cycles.
2Reliability
If anchor-based approaches are used to attach conditional components, then placement can be maintained, but anchors become unanchored or lost when attached content is deleted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a hierarchical structure where anchor points serve multiple functions: they act as positioning markers, parent containers for conditional content, and independent elements that persist regardless of content changes. The system allows anchors to be placed anywhere in the document and maintains references to them through a data structure that maps anchor identifiers to their positions, enabling anchors to survive content deletion and continue serving as valid attachment points for conditional components.
3Ease of manufacture
If legacy template-based solutions are used, then document assembly is simplified, but clauses and sections may be deleted along with anchor points before conditional insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary positioning of anchor points in the document structure before any content assembly or conditional insertion operations. These anchor points are established as permanent structural elements that define insertion locations. The system then uses these pre-established anchors as the basis for attaching conditional content, ensuring that the insertion points exist and remain valid regardless of subsequent template processing, clause deletion, or section reorganization operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer implemented method commences by receiving document construction rules, then selecting a document template from a template library. The document template comprises a plurality of paragraphs that are associated with document construction rules. The method evaluates the construction rules and applies visibility to any of the associated paragraphs. Low latency processing of the visibility is accomplished in part by forming a document graph formed of conditional nodes, where the nodes have a paragraph label and a respective visibility flag. Further, a mapping datastructure serves to map from a paragraph label to a location of the corresponding conditional node within the document graph. A processor evaluates the document construction rules and, using the mapping datastructure, determines the location of the conditional node in order to modify the value of the visibility flag. In some cases, the document graph is a tree structure, and the mapping datastructure is a hash table.