DE10112589A1 - Electronic document processing device, marks part of documents for display to user based on document aspects - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a processor for performing several steps. Several document aspects are provided for the electronic document, and at least part of the document can be allocated to any respective document aspects. At least part of the part of the document allocated to an aspect is marked as a selected part. The marked parts of the document and/or the non-marked parts are displayed to a user. Independent claims are also included for: (a) a computer-readable storage medium (b) a computer program element.

Description

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for Editing at least one electronic document as well a computer readable storage medium and a computer program Element.

Are an essential element for social life Contracts and similar documents that the Economic system and thus social life regulate.

Often the contracts or contractual documents to legal documents or technical documents in which requirements for a technical system are described, which in turn Is part of a contract.

This depends on the type of the respective document Scope and its economic importance.

Such a contract is usually a contract-like document very extensive and must be from the respective contracting parties are thoroughly analyzed, before it is accepted.

Because of the considerable size of such a document divided the document into a plurality of parts that can be analyzed by different processors.

An editor analyzes his part of the document usually from different points of view, topics  or aspects (e.g. construction engineering, electrical engineering, Contracts, project management etc.).

The analysis of such a part of a document by a individual processors usually take a relatively long time Duration, for example days and possibly weeks, see above that he often has to interrupt his work and at the Resuming his analysis needs to know what parts of the he has already analyzed the relevant document and which ones of the analyzed parts contributions on which aspects of his analysis that are of interest to him.

In other words, it means that the individual A processing status display is required to process a efficient analysis of the relevant part of the document to be able to make.

The processing status of an entire document that makes up the work progress and the time still needed for the Derive the rest of the analysis of the relevant parts of the document then results from the processing status of individual parts of documents by each Processors are analyzed.

After completing the work, that is, after completing the Analysis by individual reviewers should be done through the Processing status display can be ensured that the entire document has been analyzed. The analysis of a Document is usually done in a way that who will be provided with the document in paper form. The individual processors receive the corresponding parts, that is, chapter of the document that you want to analyze have as paper copies. These chapters are written by the Editors one or more times essentially completely worked through.  

When working through, an operator usually makes himself Notes about the points of interest that interest him. The Notes are in a separate document written down, for example with a reference to Origin of the information causing the note in the Source document, that is, in the part of the document that the processor is currently processing.

An editor notes which sections of the part of the the document he analyzed has already been analyzed by he marks this in the original document. Which parts of the analyzed document on which aspects the Analysis is made possible, for example, by colored Marking made clear with the help of highlighters.

A particular disadvantage of this procedure is that Changes to the markings of parts of text are very difficult are feasible and that overlapping markings, that belong to different points of view, difficult show. Another disadvantage is that that the compilation of not one at a time Editor-assigned parts of the document include that is the name of the parts, the different processors are made available only with great effort the document, that is, to a revised one Entire document can be merged.

There is also a software tool from TD Technologies ™ known as SLATE ™. to Application of the well-known software tool is in one first step into a document to be analyzed converted electronic format, for example by means of Scanning the electronic document and optional then generating an electronic text using OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software.  

The electronic document created in this way is described in divided a plurality of document parts, which to the can be distributed to each processor or via a Data server as a whole of the electronic document be made available at the same time so that the individual processor via a predefined Filter mechanism extract the parts of the document that they concern each.

However, the known software tool requires before the start of Analysis of a breakdown of the document into defined ones Document segments that are no longer during analysis can be changed.

The software tool also uses the Document segments themselves as a point of view, that is, as a grouping criterion for the respective user or the respective different applications under which the considered electronic document, that is analyzed.

The assignments of document segments to the respective given document segments about mutual Cross references between the document segments realized. The rigid and thus inflexible decomposition of the document into Document segments has the particular disadvantage that based on formal criteria is carried out and when disassembling the content of the respective parts of the document is not is taken into account.

This has the particular consequence that when assigning a Document segment from a point of view not exactly that Document part can be assigned that the point of view for the respective processor who actually uses it interested, concerns, but usually larger Large parts of the document can be assigned.  

Using the document segments themselves as a point of view for dividing the document into the document parts also limits the ability to get the information you need suitable for further processing and presentation, considerably one.

The invention is therefore based on the problem, at least to process an electronic document in such a way that Analysis by one or more users more flexible and is designed more clearly.

The problem is solved by the device and the method for Editing at least one electronic document through the computer readable storage medium and the Computer program element with the features according to the independent claims solved.

A device for processing at least one electronic document has a processor that is set up such that those described below Steps are feasible. Furthermore, the device at least one store in which to perform data required for the procedure and any Computer programs are stored.

There are several basic ones for the electronic document any number of document aspects provided that by one user or by several users in principle are freely definable. At least part of the electronic At least one document aspect is released in each case assigned, either automatically or by a user the device, preferably manually.

Automatic allocation of electronic documents can for example with a given structure, which is in is contained in the electronic document (e.g. in different chapters, sections, subsections etc.,  that is, through a given hierarchical structure of the electronic document), which is the specified one Structure as a criterion for the division of the respective electronic document used in document parts.

At least part of that associated with a document aspect Part of the electronic document is provided by an or selected by several users and as a selected part of the marked electronic document, for example by Deposit of the corresponding part of the document in a different color, in other words, by using one versus an unmarked part of the document another Background color in the representation of the respective Part of the document on, for example, a visual display device (Monitor, monitor) or a printer.

The marked document parts of the electronic document will be marked accordingly for the user shown.

Alternatively or additionally, the unmarked parts of the electronic document also to the user shown.

The marking of the corresponding document parts can be done under Using a computer mouse or keyboard through the Users are done.

The term "unmarking" a part of a document is to be understood in this context in such a way that the corresponding part is either not processed at all or in is marked in a way that differs from the marking of the selected part of the electronic document for a User of the device is sufficiently clearly visible different.  

This makes it very easy for the user Overview of the processing status of the usually very enables extensive electronic document, whereby in particular the completeness of the processing and the Condition, that is the amount of those still to be processed Document parts to a user very clearly and is reliably represented.

Another advantage of the invention is that the document aspects relevant to the respective electronic Document for the assignment of the corresponding parts of the electronic document are provided free can be specified. Through this possibility the processing an electronic document by one or more Users considerably simplified and made more flexible.

The invention can be achieved by means of a special electronic circuit, that is, in hardware, as well at least in part by means of a computer program that means to be implemented in software.

The corresponding document parts can also be manually, for example after marking by the user the user himself one or more points of view be assigned.

The device according to the invention thus becomes clear after marking the relevant document parts calculated for the entire electronic document, which one Parts of the document are actually marked and accordingly the marked or unmarked document parts the user is preferably marked on a screen shown.

Thus, the device also makes it possible to do all of them Document parts of the electronic document that none Viewpoint, that is, not assigned to any document aspect  have been determined from the electronic document that is, the corresponding unmarked document parts to be calculated and presented to the user.

The automated calculation of the corresponding parts of the document processing the electronic document clearer and possible errors due to disregarding some individuals Document sections or document parts of the electronic Document as part of document analysis are reduced.

There is a in a computer readable storage medium Computer program for editing at least one electronic document stored, which if it of a processor executing the above Executes procedural steps.

There is also a computer program element for editing provided at least one electronic document which, if it is run by a processor, the above described process steps.

Preferred developments of the invention result from the dependent claims.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the Document aspects can be freely defined, preferably hierarchical in a hierarchical structure subdivided, that is, structured.

The breakdown can be in the form of a Tree structure take place, thereby further improving the Clarity, especially when it comes to administration or finding different document aspects and also when assigning document parts to the corresponding ones Document aspects is achieved.  

In this context, it is provided, for example, that all parts of the document when you select one Document aspect can be determined for a user that the selected document aspect and all Document aspects that correspond to the respective document aspect are assigned and are in the hierarchical structure below the selected document aspect are determined and presented to the user.

This way it becomes a very clear and Robust filter mechanism for the analysis of a electronic document, in particular also for division of electronic documents in the distribution of Document parts for editing the document parts by different editors.

According to a further embodiment of the invention at least one document aspect is selected and the parts of the document associated with the selected document aspect determined electronic document. From the selected one Parts of the electronic part assigned to the document aspect Another electronic document is generated, which parts are assigned to the selected document aspect of the electronic document contains.

In this way, the generation becomes physically independent allows electronic documents to be sent to the individual Processor for further analysis of the corresponding further electronic document can be distributed.

This way, a very simplified division and Analysis in a distributed system by a variety of Enables editors without having to edit each time on the same physical electronic document must be carried out.  

Merging the corresponding items can due to the existing assignments take place, each known, usually in Matching mechanism used in database matching systems changes made to the documents by a user can be carried out.

According to a further embodiment of the invention presented another electronic document to a user.

In this context, the expression "the marked parts of the electronic document and / or the unmarked To understand parts of the electronic document " that the further electronic document the marked or parts of the document not marked and the Users.

An embodiment is shown in the figures and is explained in more detail below.

Show it

FIG. 1a to 1d representations of a display surface with reference to the embodiment of the invention is illustrated;

Fig. 2 shows an arrangement with a scanner, which is provided with a device for performing the method according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows an electronic documentation system 200 , by means of which a large number of technical documents 201 , for example requirement specifications, functional specifications, product descriptions, project contracts, etc. are recorded, processed and stored.

The technical documents 201 are captured by means of a scanner 202 , digitized and fed as digitized documents 204 to a computer 209 , which is connected to the scanner 202 via a line 203 or a radio link or an infrared link.

The computer 209 has an input / output interface 205 , which is coupled via a computer bus 208 to a processor 206 and a memory 207 of the computer 209 .

Furthermore, the computer 209 is connected via the input / output interface 205 via a second line 210 to a screen 211 for displaying determined result information.

Furthermore, the computer 209 is connected via the input / output interface 205 to a computer mouse 213 via a third line 212 and to a keyboard 215 via a fourth line 214 .

The digitized technical electronic documents 204 are stored in the memory 206 of the computer 209 and a character recognition (OCR) process is performed on the technical digitized documents 204 by means of the processor 207 , whereby OCR-processed technical electronic documents are generated, which in turn are in memory 206 of computer 209 .

The technical electronic documents are according to the OCR Editing as electronic strings before that for example, are encoded according to the ASCII standard.

As shown in FIG. 1 a, two files 101 , 102 are provided, wherein in a first file a viewer stores points of view that are provided in order to assign individual document parts to information or document parts stored in the second electronic document 102 ,

The document aspects of the first file 101 are divided in the form of a tree structure 103 with a first hierarchy level 104 , a second hierarchy level 105 and a third hierarchy level 106 according to this exemplary embodiment.

In principle, any number of hierarchy levels within the tree structure 103 can be predetermined by the user or automatically.

The different document aspects 107 serve as an order criterion to which different document parts of the electronic document in the second file 102 can be assigned.

As shown in FIG. 1b, when the document aspect 107 "OB vehicles" is selected, a document part 109 assigned to the selected document aspect 108 "vehicles" is shown marked in the second file 102 by the background of the document part 109 having a dark background and the letters, means the characters of the document part 109 are also shown in a different color.

As can be seen from FIG. 1b, after the corresponding document parts have been assigned to the respective document aspects 107, flexible filtering or filtered representation of the corresponding document parts or document aspects can be carried out in both directions.

If, for example, a certain document part is selected that is assigned to a document aspect, it is also possible for those document aspects from the first file 101 to be ascertained and presented to the user to which the selected document part is assigned.

Furthermore, it can be provided that when a document aspect 108 is selected, not only the document part 109 is marked, but also the reason for the assignment by means of a second marking, if the selected document aspect corresponds to a literally matching term in the document part, this term is marked accordingly is pictured.

This clearly corresponds to a two-stage marking of document parts in the second file 102 , the first marking representing the entire document part and the second marking the reason for the corresponding assignment.

Fig. 1c shows for the selected documents aspect 108 "vehicle" more marked document parts 110, 111, and 112 all parts of documents references in another section of the screen surface 100 may include 113 to all parts of documents in a short form and the user is presented selected corresponding to the selected documents aspect 108 or other document aspects 109 , which are assigned to the selected document aspect 108 in a hierarchical level subordinate to it.

If the user selects a corresponding short reference to a document part 113 by, for example, clicking on it using a computer mouse, the corresponding document part is shown to the user in the second file.

Fig. 1d shows at selected root documents aspect 115, that is, at selection of the document aspect, the all documents aspects has 115 sub-levels of hierarchy in the root documents aspect 107, it is apparent that that no documents aspect associated with presentation of all selected documents parts of the document parts , according to this exemplary embodiment, the document parts 116 , 117 not assigned in FIG. 1d are not shown marked.

In the further screen surface area 118 , the references to the unassigned document aspects 119 are shown to the user.

In this way it becomes a simple, clear Possibility created, the processing or did not take place Editing or assignment of document parts in one present electronic document to a user.

Claims (9)

1. Device for processing at least one electronic document,
with a processor that is set up in such a way that the following steps can be carried out:
several document aspects are provided for the electronic document, at least a part of the electronic document being freely assignable to at least one document aspect,
at least a part of the part of the electronic document assigned to a document aspect is marked as a selected part of the electronic document, and
the marked parts of the document of the electronic document and / or the unmarked parts of the electronic document are presented to a user. 2. Device according to claim 1, in which the processor is set up in such a way that a variety of document aspects freely definable can be. 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, in which the processor is set up in such a way that the multitude of document aspects are hierarchical to each other can be subdivided. 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the processor is set up in such a way that the breakdown is in the form of a tree structure. 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the processor is set up such that
at least one aspect of the document is selected,
the parts assigned to the selected document aspect
of the electronic document are determined, a further electronic document is generated from the parts of the electronic document assigned to the selected document aspect, which contains the parts of the electronic document assigned to the selected document aspect. 6. The device according to claim 5, in which the processor is set up in such a way that the further electronic document is presented to a user become. 7. Method for processing at least one electronic document, carried out by a computer,
in which several document aspects are provided for the electronic document, at least one part of the electronic document being freely assignable to at least one document aspect,
in which at least a part of the part of the electronic document assigned to a document aspect is marked as a selected part of the electronic document, and
in which the marked parts of the document of the electronic document or the unmarked parts of the electronic document are presented to a user. 8. Computer-readable storage medium in which a computer program for processing at least one electronic document is stored, which, when executed by a processor, has the following method steps:
several document aspects are provided for the electronic document, at least one part of the electronic document being freely assignable to at least one document aspect,
at least a part of the part of the electronic document assigned to a document aspect is marked as a selected part of the electronic document, and
the marked parts of the document of the electronic document or the unmarked parts of the electronic document are presented to a user. 9. Computer program element for processing at least one electronic document, which, when executed by a processor, has the following method steps:
several document aspects are provided for the electronic document, at least a part of the electronic document being freely assignable to at least one document aspect,
at least a part of the part of the electronic document assigned to a document aspect is marked as a selected part of the electronic document, and
the marked parts of the document of the electronic document or the unmarked parts of the electronic document are presented to a user.