Patent Claim Segmentation and Hierarchical Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
The large volume of patent documents makes it difficult for engineers and product development managers unfamiliar with patent terminology to rapidly analyze and understand patent claims, as existing technologies are computationally intensive and lack effective methods for displaying complex patent information in a digestible format.
Innovation Solution
A method for user-selectable text compression and decompression that segments sentences into syntactically correlated non-overlapping segments, allowing for hierarchical display and interactive hiding and revealing of segments, using tags and natural language processing techniques to facilitate readability and analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If patent documents are retrieved in large volumes using high performance computers and Internet access, then the availability of patent information improves, but the difficulty of analyzing and understanding patent claims increases due to the large volume of materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing patent claims into syntactically correlated non-overlapping segments. Each segment represents a meaningful unit of the claim, allowing users to analyze individual components rather than overwhelming full-text claims. The system segments claims based on grammatical structures and logical relationships, creating manageable units that can be independently examined.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the flat, linear presentation of patent claims into a hierarchical, multi-dimensional structure. Segments are organized in trees and displayed with visual indicators showing their relationships, adding structural dimensions to the otherwise one-dimensional text. This hierarchical organization allows users to navigate patent claims through multiple levels of abstraction.
2Reliability
If engineers and product development managers review patent documents using traditional methods, then they can understand the content, but the time required for analysis increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary segmentation and hierarchical organization of patent claims before user review. By pre-processing the claims into structured segments with identified relationships and visual indicators, the system prepares the information in an optimized format that reduces the cognitive load and time required for analysis during actual user interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing layer between the raw patent text and the user. This layer segments the text, identifies syntactic relationships, generates visual indicators, and organizes content hierarchically. The intermediary transforms unstructured patent language into a structured representation that bridges the gap between complex legal text and user comprehension.
3Loss of information
If patent claims are displayed in traditional full-text format, then all information is available, but readability and ease of understanding decrease for users unfamiliar with patent terminology
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments full patent claims into smaller, meaningful units while preserving all original information. Each segment maintains its complete textual content but presents it in manageable chunks with clear visual boundaries. This segmentation allows users to process information in discrete units rather than overwhelming continuous text.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different visual qualities and formatting to different segments based on their functional roles within the claim. Visual indicators highlight specific segments, organize them hierarchically, and provide contextual cues about their importance and relationships. This local differentiation helps users navigate and understand the structure without altering the underlying information.
4Measurement precision
If complex patent information is displayed in detail, then comprehensive analysis is possible, but the complexity of the display increases making it harder to digest
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves display complexity by adding hierarchical dimensions rather than increasing horizontal complexity. Instead of presenting all information at one level of detail, the system creates multiple hierarchical levels that can be navigated vertically. Users can drill down into specific segments for detailed analysis while maintaining an overview of the entire claim structure through the hierarchical organization.
Solution Approach 2:
The display system is dynamic, allowing users to interact with and navigate the hierarchical structure according to their analysis needs. Users can expand or collapse segments, navigate between different levels of the hierarchy, and focus on specific areas of interest. This dynamic interaction enables comprehensive analysis when needed while maintaining simplicity when users need only an overview.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a system and method for dividing patent claims into segments for display. A segmentation engine of a computer program searches for transitional phrases or other strings and divides the patent claims into a segment for each claim. The segmentation engine also searches for dependency references. A display engine of the program uses the dependency data to display the claims in a tree structure. The segmentation also divides each claim into subsegments containing the various components of the claim. The subsegments of each claim are displayed in a tree structure nested within the tree structure of the claims. A user may manipulate and/or select segmentation rules to determine how segmentation is carried out, or may alter display settings to determine which segments or subsegments are shown and which are hidden to expedite claim analysis.