Native Format Content Aggregation for Custom Report Generation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing publishing systems are inefficient in repurposing content from source documents into project reports, requiring significant human effort and prone to errors during format conversion, which are propagated throughout the process.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented system in a client-server environment that enables searching, sorting, and aggregation of source documents in various formats (PDF, PPT, XLS) into customized reports, maintaining source information and formatting integrity by referencing native formats rather than converting them initially.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If source documents are converted to a common format early in the process, then content manipulation becomes easier, but format conversion errors occur and are propagated throughout the process

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent manipulationVSAvoidformatting integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary indexing and extraction of content from source documents in their native formats, storing the extracted content and metadata without converting the original files. This allows subsequent report generation to use the pre-extracted content directly, avoiding repeated format conversions and their associated errors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary layer consisting of extracted content and metadata that sits between the source documents and the report generation process. This intermediary layer allows manipulation of content without directly converting source documents, thereby preserving original formatting while enabling easy content reuse.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple format conversions are performed during the report generation process, then content can be aggregated from diverse sources, but conversion errors are compounded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent aggregationVSAvoidformatting accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs a single preliminary extraction of content from source documents in their native formats, storing the extracted content and formatting information. During report generation, the system reuses this pre-extracted content directly, performing minimal or no additional conversions, thereby avoiding error compounding while maintaining content aggregation capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If human operators manually assemble content from source documents, then report accuracy can be maintained, but significant time and labor are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereport accuracyVSAvoidassembly time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables automated report generation where users can specify parameters and criteria, and the system automatically retrieves, extracts, and assembles relevant content from indexed source documents. This self-service approach maintains accuracy through structured extraction while dramatically reducing the time and labor required compared to manual assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback mechanisms that allow users to review and refine automated report generation results. Users can adjust parameters, review extracted content, and refine search criteria, creating a feedback loop that ensures report accuracy while maintaining the efficiency benefits of automation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Device complexity

If source documents are converted to common formats for storage, then system complexity is reduced, but information loss occurs during conversion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidoriginal content and formatting

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the document processing into separate components: storing original source documents in their native formats, extracting and indexing content separately, and maintaining formatting information as distinct metadata. This segmentation allows the system to preserve complete information while managing complexity through modular architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS8769392B2Searching and selecting content from multiple source documents having a plurality of native formats, indexing and aggregating the selected content into customized reports

Publication Date: 2014.07.01 CONTENT CATALYST

AI summary

A computer implemented system and method in a client-server environment, is provided for document research, aggregation, and compilation. The system and method includes a server having a search module configured to generate a search interface displayable to a client communicably coupled to the server, and responsive to instructions received via the search interface, to search and sort selections of interest within a plurality of source documents. A customized report module is configured to generate a custom report interface displayable to the client, and responsive to user selection instructions received via the custom report interface, to extract and aggregate the selections of interest into a customized report. PDF, PPT, and XLS modules are configured to respectively enable source documents in the PDF, PPT, and XLS formats to be searched, sorted, and aggregated by the search module and customized report module.