Electronic Form Generation Using Templated Components

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current design tools for generating electronic forms in PDF format, such as Adobe LiveCycle Designer, face challenges in creating forms that meet organizational specifications due to the complexity of configuring numerous element and attribute values, leading to tedious tasks and inefficiencies in modifying reusable objects and fragments.

Innovation Solution

A distributed system comprising a server and client processing system that allows for the selection of form templates, composition of forms using templated components, and generation of electronic forms based on form composition data, where templated components reference base components and apply property modifications, enabling standardized form creation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If current design tools are used to generate XFA forms, then forms can be created in PDF format, but the complexity of configuring numerous element and attribute values makes the process tedious and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of form creationVSAvoidcomplexity of element and attribute configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The form is divided into reusable components or fragments that can be independently designed and configured. Each component has a defined structure with properties that can be modified without affecting the entire form. This segmentation allows complex forms to be built from simpler, manageable units, reducing the overall complexity of configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Form components are pre-configured with default properties and structures before being used in the form design process. This preliminary setup includes pre-defining element types, attribute values, and layout configurations, so that when components are instantiated, they already have necessary settings, reducing the need for extensive manual configuration during form creation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If re-usable objects are used in form design, then forms can be standardized, but modifying each re-usable object in each form is time-consuming when alterations are needed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvere-usability of form componentsVSAvoidtime required to modify re-usable objects

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables dynamic modification of form components at runtime or during design without requiring changes to the original reusable object definitions. Components can be dynamically configured, styled, or adjusted based on specific form requirements while maintaining their reusable nature. This dynamic capability allows alterations to be made without touching the source reusable objects, saving time on modifications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

An intermediary layer or configuration mechanism is introduced between the reusable object definitions and the actual form instances. This intermediary allows forms to be customized by modifying properties at the instance level or through configuration files, rather than directly editing the reusable objects. The intermediary acts as a mediator that translates customization requirements into form-specific configurations without affecting the original reusable component library.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If re-usable fragments are made self-contained, then they can be independently used, but users cannot modify properties of the fragment whilst designing the form

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindependence of form fragmentsVSAvoidability to modify fragment properties during design

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides dynamic property modification capabilities for form fragments during the design process. Fragments maintain their self-contained, independent structure but can have their properties dynamically adjusted through the design interface. This allows designers to modify fragment properties such as styling, layout, or behavior without breaking the fragment's independence or requiring deletion and re-insertion of the fragment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS8549393B2Generation of electronic forms

Publication Date: 2013.10.01 AVOKA TECH

AI summary

A computerized system, method, computer program product, client processing system and/or server processing system for generating electronic forms are disclosed. In particular, the computerized system is configured to obtain selection data indicative of a selected form template including one or more component templates; present a form composition environment including a plurality of components available for composing a form, wherein the plurality of components available includes at least one templated component being a modification of a base component defined by one of the component templates; generate form composition data indicative of a user composing, within the form composition environment, a form composition using at least one of the templated components; and generate the electronic form based upon the form composition data.