Document Template Object Linking for Software Deployment

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Solution Overview

Problem

The deployment of packaged software applications, such as ERP systems, involves extensive documentation that is difficult to reuse and compile, as existing productivity tools lack the ability to access, collate, and report on information effectively.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for creating and linking documents by obtaining document templates, creating objects representing these templates, and establishing relationships between them, allowing for the storage and generation of work product models in a structured format like XML, enabling efficient management and reuse of project information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If productivity tools such as document editors and spreadsheets are used to store deployment information, then information can be easily created and stored, but the information becomes difficult to reuse and compile

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of document creationVSAvoidreusability of information
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates machine-readable copies of document templates and extracts key information from them, transforming the information into a structured format that can be reused across different projects. The system generates a machine-readable representation that captures the essential information from the original documents, enabling efficient reuse without copying entire documents.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the state of information from unstructured document format to structured machine-readable format. By transforming the information representation and organizing it into a standardized structure with defined parameters, the system enables the information to be easily reused and compiled while maintaining its original meaning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If productivity tools are used to store deployment information, then information can be stored in various formats, but accessing and reporting on the information becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility of information storageVSAvoidease of information access and reporting
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a machine-readable representation as an intermediary between the original document templates and the user's need to access and report information. This intermediate structured format serves as a bridge, allowing efficient querying, filtering, and reporting while maintaining the flexibility of the original document formats.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system segments the information from the document templates into discrete, machine-readable elements that can be independently accessed and processed. By breaking down the information into structured components, the system enables easy access to specific data elements without requiring users to navigate through entire documents.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If consultants use various documents to gather and share information, then information can be shared across the team, but compiling and synthesizing the information requires significant manual effort

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecapability of information sharingVSAvoidtime required for information compilation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service information compilation by automatically generating a machine-readable representation from the document templates. The structured format allows the system to automatically index, search, and synthesize information from multiple documents without requiring manual intervention, significantly reducing the time consultants spend on information compilation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary action by pre-processing the document templates to create the machine-readable representation before the actual information compilation is needed. This pre-extraction and structuring of information prepares the data for efficient retrieval and synthesis, eliminating the need for manual compilation during project execution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8589877B2Modeling and linking documents for packaged software application configuration
Publication Date: 2013.11.19 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION
  • US8589877B2 patent drawing
  • US8589877B2 patent drawing
  • US8589877B2 patent drawing

AI summary

One or more document templates defining deployment procedures associated with deploying a packaged software application are obtained. One or more objects are created representing the one or more document templates and one or more elements of the one or more documents, and one or more links between the one or more objects are created. The one or more links represent one or more relationships between the created one or more objects. The one or more objects and the one or more links may be stored and/or output in a selected format.