Apparatus and method for comparing data groups
First Claim
1. An automated comparison system, comprising:
- input means for receiving commands, and for providing electronic signals representing a plurality of characters including words and sentences;
memory means coupled to said input means for storing as binary representations at least first and second groups of said characters;
processing means coupled to said memory means and to said input means for detecting and indentifying differences between said words and sentences first and second groups of said characters;
display means coupled to said processing means for providing a display of said differences.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for comparing original and modified versions of a document. The system of the present invention utilizes a hash number generator CPU to generate hash numbers for lines and sentences contained in the documents. Matching hash numbers are defined as anchorpoints and stored in an anchorpoint memory. A comparator CPU performs a character-by-character comparison of the respective documents radiating outward from each anchorpoint. This comparison generates identity blocks which are defined as blocks which are the same in both documents. Non-identity blocks are defined as difference blocks and are characterized as insertions or deletions depending on their status. A portion of the original and modified document is displayed in a split-screen format on a display, such as a CRT. Cursors on the top and bottom half of the screen identify corresponding portions of the documents. The second cursor is generated by taking advantage of the timer interrupt sequence of a CPU to direct the CPU to program instructions to generate the second cursor.
306 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An automated comparison system, comprising:
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input means for receiving commands, and for providing electronic signals representing a plurality of characters including words and sentences; memory means coupled to said input means for storing as binary representations at least first and second groups of said characters; processing means coupled to said memory means and to said input means for detecting and indentifying differences between said words and sentences first and second groups of said characters; display means coupled to said processing means for providing a display of said differences. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for identifying and displaying the differences between first and second documents, said documents comprising groups of alphanumeric characters including words, lines and sentences comprising the steps of:
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storing each of said documents in a memory; generating hash numbers from said lines and sentences of each of said documents, such that identical lines and identical sentences produce identical corresponding hash numbers; comparing hash numbers generated for said first document with hash numbers generated from said second document; creating lists of anchorpoints in said memory, said anchorpoints representing matching hash numbers from each of said documents; defining blocks of identical text in both documents containing at least one anchorpoint; defining difference blocks of text not contained in said identity blocks; storing in memory the location in each document of said identity and difference blocks; classifying said identity and difference blocks into one of a plurality of classifications and storing said classifications in memory; displaying said identity and difference blocks and said classifications. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. In a computer controlled display system having a display wherein first and second groups of characters are simultaneously displayed and differences between said first and second groups are indicated on said display, a method for displaying said groups and said differences comprising the steps of:
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generating and displaying said first group of characters on a first region of said display; generating and displaying said second group of characters on a second region of said display; controlling the scrolling of said first and second regions so that the group of characters in said second region correspond to the group of characters in said first region; determining differences between said first and second groups of characters; generating and displaying indicators in said first and second regions, said indicators identifying said differences between said first and second groups of characters; whereby said first and second groups of characters and said differences are displayed. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification