Invoice Data Capture System for Mixed Paper-Electronic Environments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Businesses face challenges in transitioning from paper-based to electronic document exchange systems due to costly upgrades and the need to maintain both systems, especially when trading partners adopt electronic systems at different rates and new relationships are established.
Innovation Solution
A data capture system that extracts invoice data from printed documents using positional identification and character recognition, allowing for the automatic transfer of data to an automated processing system while maintaining compatibility with traditional printing methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a business adopts electronic document exchange systems, then data processing efficiency is improved, but system cost and complexity increase due to costly upgrades and the need to maintain both electronic and paper-based systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component (print processor or data capture system) that sits between the existing print system and the accounting software. This intermediary automatically captures data from printed invoices using OCR technology and transfers it to the accounting system, enabling electronic data processing without requiring the trading partner to have an electronic system. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining simple paper-based exchange at the partner level while achieving electronic processing efficiency internally.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a business maintains both paper-based and electronic document exchange systems, then compatibility with all trading partners is improved, but operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the data capture and recognition functionality from the main accounting system and places it in a separate print processor component. This extraction allows the core accounting system to remain simple and unchanged, while the separate component handles the complexity of capturing data from both paper and electronic formats. The system automatically determines which format to use based on the trading partner's capabilities, reducing operational complexity while maintaining versatility.
3Device complexity
If manual data entry is used for paper-based invoices, then system simplicity is maintained, but time consumption and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service mechanism where the print processor automatically captures data from printed invoices using OCR technology and populates the accounting system without human intervention. The system autonomously performs data extraction, validation, and transfer, eliminating the need for manual data entry while keeping the overall system architecture simple. This resolves the contradiction by automating the data entry process while maintaining system simplicity through modular design.
Data Source
AI summary
A data capture system receives a sequence of document objects and, for each, writes output data values to a structure. A first tier extraction system is adapted to receive each document object. For each required data element, the first tier extraction system obtains identification of a positional element value from a positional data set that includes, as its data element, identification of the required data element; and, if the document object includes a qualifying text string, writes an output data value to the output data structure in association with identification of the required data element. A second tier extraction system receives each such document object that does not include a qualifying text string, performs character recognition on a graphical representation thereof and, for each required data element, writes an output data value to the output data structure in association with identification of the required data element.