Document Structure Comparison for Patent Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods struggle to effectively analyze and compare the differences between patent documents, such as claims of original and divisional applications, by relying on simple phrase and character string comparisons, which fail to grasp the nuanced relationships and contents accurately.
Innovation Solution
A document processing apparatus and method that extracts and compares the word dependence structures of documents, detecting differences and classifying them based on structural elements, including the presence or absence of elements, modifications, additions, and deletions, while also calculating the magnitude of differences and commonalities using a structure extractor, detector, classification unit, and calculator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If simple phrase and character string comparison methods are used to analyze patent documents, then the analysis process is simple and fast, but the accuracy and depth of understanding document differences is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the document comparison process into multiple hierarchical levels: first extracting common phrases and character strings for quick comparison, then progressively analyzing sentence structures, paragraph structures, and overall document structures. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high processing speed at the phrase level while achieving deep structural analysis at higher levels, resolving the contradiction between speed and accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces structural dimensionality to the comparison process by analyzing documents not just at the textual level but also at the structural level (sentence structure, paragraph structure, document structure). This multi-dimensional approach enables the system to detect subtle differences in document organization and logic that simple text comparison would miss, thereby improving accuracy without sacrificing the efficiency of text-based comparison.
2Measurement precision
If detailed structural analysis of documents is performed to accurately grasp contents and differences, then the precision of difference detection is improved, but the complexity of the analysis process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the complex structural analysis into manageable segments: phrase extraction, sentence structure analysis, paragraph structure analysis, and document structure analysis. Each segment handles a specific level of granularity, making the overall complex process more manageable and systematic. This segmentation reduces the cognitive load and operational complexity while maintaining comprehensive analysis capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by first extracting common phrases and performing basic text comparison before proceeding to more complex structural analyses. This preliminary processing establishes a foundation that simplifies subsequent structural analysis by pre-identifying key comparison points, thereby reducing the complexity of the overall analysis process while maintaining high accuracy.
3Reliability
If comprehensive comparison of multiple document structures is performed to classify differences, then the completeness of comparison results is improved, but the time required for analysis increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the comprehensive comparison into parallel processing streams: phrase-level comparison, sentence structure comparison, paragraph structure comparison, and document structure comparison can be performed simultaneously or in optimized sequences. This segmentation enables the system to maintain completeness by covering all structural levels while reducing total analysis time through parallel processing and selective depth adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial analysis by adapting the depth of structural analysis based on the specific comparison needs and document types. For routine comparisons, the system may perform only phrase and sentence level analysis (partial action), while reserving more comprehensive structural analysis for cases requiring higher accuracy. This approach maintains reliability when needed while reducing time consumption for standard cases.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a document processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit, an extractor, and a detector. The acquisition unit acquires a first document and a second document different from the first document. The extractor extracts a first structure representing a word dependence of structural elements in the first document and extracts a second structure representing a word dependence of structural elements in the second document. The detector detects a difference for each structural element from the first structure and the second structure.