Machine Readable Document Template Rule Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machine-readable document templates lack flexibility in modification, making it difficult to track and apply changes, and require repeated rule creation for each field, complicating the visualization of applied rules and their effects.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that separate formatting rules from data content, allowing for the creation of three types of rules (Style, Text, and Image) that can be reused and visually applied to specific channels, providing clear distinction and flexibility in template modification and rule application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If formatting rules are embedded within data content portions in a known machine readable document template, then the template structure is simple, but it is difficult to track modifications and flexibility for modification types is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the document template into distinct components: data content portions and separately stored formatting rules. This segmentation allows modifications to be tracked by identifying changes in specific rule portions without affecting the entire template structure, thereby increasing flexibility while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts formatting rules from the data content portions and stores them separately. This extraction enables independent modification tracking of rules versus content, and allows for greater flexibility in applying different types of modifications without restructuring the entire template.
2Loss of information
If formatting rules are separately stored from data content portions, then modification tracking becomes easier and flexibility increases, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the system identifies and reports modifications to stored formatting rules. When a rule is modified, the system can detect the change, track what specific modification occurred, and maintain version information, thereby preventing information loss about template evolution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes preliminary structures for storing formatting rules separately from data content, creating a framework that anticipates future modifications. This preliminary organization makes modification tracking inherently easier without requiring complex post-modification analysis.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple types of modifications are applied to template fields, then versatility improves, but visualization of applied rules and their effects becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by associating specific formatting rules with specific data content portions or fields. Each field can have its own set of applied rules clearly identified, making it easy to visualize which rules apply to which fields without confusion from global template-wide modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses visual indicators (such as color coding or symbolic markers) to denote different types of formatting rules and their application status. This allows users to quickly distinguish between different modification types and their effects on various template portions without complex visualization requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus is described for composing a machine readable document template having a portion for inclusion of data content. The method and apparatus comprise generating a formatting rule applicable to data content for inclusion in the data content portion and storing the rule separately from the data content portion.