Method and apparatus for consolidating edits made by multiple editors working on multiple document copies
First Claim
1. An apparatus for producing a formal document from a first document and a second document in response to user commands, the apparatus comprising:
- means responsive to a user command for comparing the first document with the second document in order to identify a first section of the first document which contains unedited portions identical to portions of a second section of the second document;
means responsive to the comparison of the first and second documents for creating a consolidated document which displays both edited and unedited portions of each of the first and the second sections;
means responsive to the creation of the consolidated document for determining changes between the first section and the second section;
editing means controlled by user commands for selecting desired changes to be made in the first section from the determined changes; and
means responsive to a user command for forming a final document which includes the unedited portions of the first section and the selected desired changes.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A document can be collaboratively edited by multiple editors by providing each editor with a separate copy of the document. Each editor then edits his own document copy using an editing application program, such as a word processor, to produce an edited copy. The edited copies are then retrieved and compared and a single marked-up document is created in which sections (for example, paragraphs) of the original document and corresponding sections of each of the edited documents (with changes from the original document indicated) are displayed in physically adjacent locations of the display screen. The displayed sections contain both edited and duplicated, unedited text. A set of "consolidation" tools are provided to quickly transfer edits between the physically adjacent areas of the screen and to make, or accept, edits made by any of the editors. A final document copy is made by eliminating the duplicate text in the sections. A unique, automated comparison routine may be used to compare the multiple edited document copies with the original document. The comparison routine can detect corresponding portions of the original and edited documents even if substantial edits have been made to the original document in the edited copies.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. An apparatus for producing a formal document from a first document and a second document in response to user commands, the apparatus comprising:
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means responsive to a user command for comparing the first document with the second document in order to identify a first section of the first document which contains unedited portions identical to portions of a second section of the second document; means responsive to the comparison of the first and second documents for creating a consolidated document which displays both edited and unedited portions of each of the first and the second sections; means responsive to the creation of the consolidated document for determining changes between the first section and the second section; editing means controlled by user commands for selecting desired changes to be made in the first section from the determined changes; and means responsive to a user command for forming a final document which includes the unedited portions of the first section and the selected desired changes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An apparatus for producing a final document from an original document and an edited copy of the original document in response to user commands, the apparatus comprising:
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means responsive to a user command for comparing a first section of the original document with the edited document copy in order to identify a second section of the edited document copy which was a copy of the first section before editing; means responsive to the identification of the second section for creating a consolidated document which simultaneously displays both edited and unedited portions of each of the first and the second sections; means responsive to the creation of the consolidated document for determining changes between the first section and the second section; editing means controlled by user commands for selecting desired changes to be made in the first section from the determined changes; and means responsive to a user command for forming the final document which includes the unedited portions of the first section and the selected desired changes. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for producing a final document from a first document and a second document in response to user commands, the method comprising the steps of:
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(A) comparing the first document with the second document in response to a user command in order to identify a first section of the first document which contains unedited portions identical to portions of a second section of the second document; (B) creating a consolidated document which displays both edited and unedited portions of each of the first and the second sections; (C) determining changes between the first section and the second section; (D) selecting desired changes to be made in the first section from the determined changes, in response to user commands; and (E) forming a final document which includes the unedited portions of the first section and the selected desired changes. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method for producing a final document from an original document and an edited copy of the original document in response to user commands, the method comprising the steps of:
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(A) comparing a first section of the original document with the edited document copy in response to a user command in order to identify a second section of the edited document copy which was a copy of the first section before editing; (B) creating a consolidated document which simultaneously displays both the edited and unedited portions of each of the first and the second sections; (C) determining changes between the first section and the second section; (D) selecting desired changes to be made in the first section from the determined changes, in response to user commands; and (E) forming the final document which includes the unedited portions of the first section and the selected desired changes. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A computer program product for producing a final document from a first document and a second document in response to user commands in a computer system having a memory, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code including:
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means responsive to a user command for comparing the first document with the second document in order to identify a first section of the first document which contains unedited portions identical to portions of a second section of the second document; means responsive to the comparison of the first and second documents for creating a consolidated document in the memory, the consolidated document displaying both edited and unedited portions of each of the first and the second sections; means responsive to the creation of the consolidated document for determining changes between the first section and the second section; editing means controlled by user commands for selecting desired changes to be made in the first section from the determined changes; and means responsive to a user command for forming a final document which includes the unedited portions of the first section and the selected desired changes.
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24. A computer program product for producing a final document from an original document and an edited copy of the original document in response to user commands, in a computer system having a memory, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code including:
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means responsive to a user command for comparing a first section of the original document with the edited document copy in order to identify a second section of the edited document copy which was a copy of the first section before editing; means responsive to the identification of the second section for creating a consolidated document in the memory, the consolidated document displaying both edited and unedited potions of each of the first and the second sections; means responsive to the creation of the consolidated document for determining changes between the first section and the second section; editing means controlled by user commands for selecting desired changes to be made in the first section from the determined changes; and means responsive to a user command for forming the final document which includes the unedited portions of the first section and the selected desired changes.
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Specification