Structured Electronic Representation of User-Fillable Forms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic representations of patient order sets lack structural data, making automatic processing, modification, and comparison difficult due to their creation using off-the-shelf word processing software that does not support structural data processing.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that constructs a structured electronic representation of user-fillable forms by parsing and grouping form fields into pre-defined structural regions, matching these regions to stored data structures, and generating a structured XML representation, enabling efficient processing and modification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If patient order sets are created using off-the-shelf word processing software, then ease of manufacture is improved, but structural data representation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of a parser and data structure mapper that converts the output of simple word processing software into structured electronic representations. This intermediary layer captures structural information (form regions, field types, relationships) without requiring the original software to have advanced structural capabilities, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and structural data representation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a structured copy or representation of the patient order set form that preserves its structure and semantics. By generating a structured electronic representation (SER) that mirrors the form's organization into regions, fields, and relationships, the system maintains structural information even when the source document comes from simple word processing software.
2Productivity
If structured electronic representations are generated automatically, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex task of structured representation generation into distinct functional modules: parsing the form document, identifying form regions, classifying field types, and mapping to data structures. This segmentation allows each module to handle a specific aspect independently, making the overall system more manageable and maintainable while achieving automated processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms the input form into a structured representation by changing the organizational parameters of the data. Instead of storing flat text or simple fields, the system reorganizes information into hierarchical structures with defined relationships, thereby enabling automated processing without requiring complex custom software.
3Measurement precision
If form fields are grouped into form regions, then measurement precision of structural elements is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining a set of form region types and their corresponding data structures before processing the actual form. The system uses these pre-defined templates to guide the parsing process, which simplifies the complexity of identifying and grouping fields into appropriate regions while maintaining high measurement precision for structural element identification.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, software and devices for automatically constructing a structured electronic representation of a user-fillable form are disclosed. Each structured electronic representation is constructed from a parsable version of that form. A plurality of data structures for constructing structured electronic representations of user-fillable forms is stored. Each of the data structures is representative of a form region of one of a plurality of pre-defined types. A parsable version of the user-fillable form is received. This parsable version is parsed to identify fields of the user-fillable form, including at least one text field and at least one input field. These fields are grouped to form a plurality of form regions. Each of these form regions is matched to one of the stored data structures that best represents the form region in a structured electronic representation. An indicator of each matched data structure is stored.