Privileged Edit Resolution in Collaborative Document Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

In collaborative document editing, existing systems face inefficiencies due to conflicts between multiple user edits, requiring repeated revisions and manual resolution, which can be time-consuming and cumbersome.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for detecting relationships between edits and incorporating privileged edits into others, using a review manager to manage updates and permissions, allowing simultaneous editing with real-time feedback and visual indicators of edit incorporations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple users independently propose changes to an electronic document, then collaboration and document development are enabled, but conflicts arise between different versions requiring manual resolution

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollaboration capabilityVSAvoidedit conflict resolution complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides real-time feedback to users about edit conflicts and resolution status. When a user makes an edit, the system immediately notifies other users and updates the document state, allowing collaborative participants to respond to changes as they occur rather than discovering conflicts later during manual review

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The electronic document system acts as an intermediary that automatically manages edit conflicts between users. Instead of users directly comparing and resolving conflicts manually, the system intermediates by tracking version history, identifying conflicts, and providing structured resolution mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the original author manually resolves conflicting edits and re-sends updated copies, then document consistency is maintained, but the process becomes time-consuming and repetitive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedocument consistencyVSAvoidedit resolution time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically tracking and identifying edit conflicts before they become problematic. The system proactively monitors document versions, detects potential conflicts, and prepares resolution options in advance, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual conflict detection and resolution cycles

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service by automatically managing the document consistency maintenance tasks. Instead of requiring the original author to manually resolve conflicts, the system autonomously tracks versions, identifies conflicts, and provides structured resolution mechanisms that can be applied automatically or with minimal user input

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If repeated revisions are performed to achieve satisfaction with document versions, then collaborative goals are met, but productivity decreases due to iterative back-and-forth

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollaborative editing capabilityVSAvoiddocument development speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables continuous collaborative editing by allowing multiple users to work on the document simultaneously without interrupting their workflow. Edits are processed and integrated in real-time or near-real-time, eliminating the stop-start nature of traditional iterative revision cycles where users must wait for conflicts to be resolved before continuing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

4Productivity

If simultaneous editing by multiple users is allowed, then efficiency is increased, but managing privileged edits and permissions becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveediting efficiencyVSAvoidpermission management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Permission structures and user roles are defined in advance before collaborative editing begins. The system pre-configures which users have privileged access and what actions they can perform, eliminating the need to manage permissions dynamically during editing and reducing the complexity of real-time permission management

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11663396B2Systems and methods for resolving privileged edits within suggested edits

Publication Date: 2023.05.30 GOOGLE LLC

AI summary

A method to incorporate a first edit and a second edit into an electronic document includes receiving the first edit and the second edit having a shared position in the electronic document, and determining whether the second edit is privileged relative to the first edit. The method further includes responsive to determining that the second edit is not privileged relative to the first edit, requiring the second edit to be independently accepted prior to incorporating the second edit into the electronic document, and responsive to determining that the second edit is privileged relative to the first edit, incorporating the second edit into the electronic document without requiring the second edit to be independently accepted, and responsive to receiving an acceptance of the first edit, causing the first edit and the second edit to be incorporated into the electronic document.