Document Hash Mapping for Tracking Physical and Digital Copies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Historically, tracking and managing multiple copies of a document, whether paper or electronic, has been challenging due to the lack of efficient methods to maintain and monitor their distribution and usage, leading to potential unauthorized access and loss of control over document copies.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method involving a first computer system that detects content of a tangible document instance, generates a hash with obfuscation content, sends it to a second system, and receives a response with information about a corresponding electronic document, enabling collaboration, access control, and annotation sharing across systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If documents are distributed as physical copies, then accessibility and durability are improved, but tracking and monitoring of individual copies becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses hash copies (digital fingerprints) of document content that can be attached to or associated with physical document copies. These hash copies enable tracking and identification of individual physical copies without compromising the document's usability or accessibility.
2Loss of time
If electronic document management is used, then temporal and logistical recordkeeping is improved, but integration with physical document instances is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges electronic hash representations with physical document instances by allowing the same hash to be generated from and associated with both digital and physical copies. This creates a unified tracking system that maintains recordkeeping efficiency while restoring the ability to track physical document instances alongside their electronic counterparts.
3Measurement precision
If hash values are sent for document identification, then document mapping accuracy is improved, but security and privacy are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential identifying feature (hash value) from the complete document content and transmits this extracted identifier for matching purposes. This allows accurate document identification while leaving the sensitive and comprehensive document content secure and private, as only the hashed identifier is exposed in transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method comprises: detecting, by a first computer system, first content of a tangible instance of a first document; generating, by the first computer system, a first hash using the first content, the first hash including first obfuscation content; sending, by the first computer system, the first hash for receipt by a second computer system; and receiving, by the first computer system, a response to the first hash generated by the second computer system, the response including information corresponding to a second document associated with the first content.