Identifying changes for online documents

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10067920-B2
Application number	US-201615085891-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2016
Priority date	Jun 15, 2009
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

Techniques and systems are disclosed for providing changed content identification for an online document that is accessed by a user or user agent. A reference point for an online document that a user or user agent is interested in accessing is identified, comprising a stored prior version of the document. The prior version of the document is retrieved, when the user or user agent accesses the online document, such as by using the reference point. Elements of the prior version are compared with elements of a current version of the document, to determine whether there are differences between the versions. If changes are identified between the prior version and the current version, the current version is automatically updated with visual or auditory representations that identify those changes of content.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
identifying, using a processing device, a reference point associated with a prior document version, the reference point referencing a prior version of a document stored in a parallel cache that stores multiple versions of the document;
comparing, using the processing device, at least one prior document element included in the prior document version with at least one current document element included in a current document version;
generating, using the processing device, an updated current document version by updating the current document version with at least one of a visual representation or an auditory representation based at least in part on differences between the at least one prior document element and the at least one current document element; and
presenting, using the processing device the updated current document version for display;
wherein the at least one prior document element included in the prior document version is stored as a first document object model (DOM) element tree; and
wherein at least one current document element included in a current document version is stored as a second DOM element tree.

2. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the reference point comprises a timestamp to indicate previous access to the prior document version; and
wherein the prior document version corresponds to a document version available for access at a time indicated by the timestamp.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying a set of differences between the at least one prior document element and the at least one current document element.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing the prior document version based at least in part on the DOM.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining at least one new element in the current document version relative to the prior document version.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining at least one changed element in the current document version relative to the prior document version.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining at least one removed element in the current document version relative to the prior document version.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining at least one moved element in the current document version relative to the prior document version.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising inferring differences to emphasize based upon tracking data corresponding to the updated current document version.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying the reference point in response to receiving an access request to access the current version of the document.

11. A system, comprising:
a memory device to store instructions; and
a processing device to execute the instructions stored in the memory device to:
identify a reference point associated with a prior document version, the reference point referencing a prior version of a document stored in a parallel cache that stores multiple versions of the document;
compare at least one prior document element included in the prior document version with at least one current document element included in a current document version;
generate an updated current document version by updating the current document version with at least one of a visual representation or an auditory representation based at least in part on differences between the at least one prior document element and the at least one current document element; and
display the updated current document version;
wherein the at least one prior document element included in the prior document version is stored as a first document object model (DOM) element tree; and
wherein at least one current document element included in a current document version is stored as a second DOM element tree.

12. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the reference point comprises a timestamp to indicate previous access to the prior document version; and
wherein the prior document version corresponds to a document version available for access at a time indicated by the timestamp.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing device executes the instructions stored in the memory device further to identify a set of differences between the at least one prior document element and the at least one current document element.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing device executes the instructions stored in the memory device further to store the prior document version based at least in part on the DOM.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing device executes the instructions stored in the memory device further to determine at least one new element in the current document version relative to the prior document version.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing device executes the instructions stored in the memory device further to determine at least one changed element in the current document version relative to the prior document version.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing device executes the instructions stored in the memory device further to determine at least one removed element in the current document version relative to the prior document version.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing device executes the instructions stored in the memory device further to determine at least one moved element in the current document version relative to the prior document version.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing device executes the instructions stored in the memory device further to infer differences to emphasize based upon tracking data corresponding to the updated current document version.

20. A computer readable non-transitory storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processing device, cause the at least one processing device to:
identify a reference point associated with a prior document version, the reference point referencing a prior version of a document stored in a parallel cache that stores multiple versions of the document;
compare at least one prior document element included in the prior document version with at least one current document element included in a current document version;
generate an updated current document version by updating the current document version with at least one of a visual representation or an auditory representation based at least in part on differences between the at least one prior document element and the at least one current document element; and
display the updated current document version;
wherein the at least one prior document element included in the prior document version is stored as a first document object model (DOM) element tree; and
wherein at least one current document element included in a current document version is stored as a second DOM element tree.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Teevan Jaime
• Dumais Susan
• Liebling Daniel
• Hughes Richard

Classifications

• G06F40/123

  Storage facilities · CPC title

• G06F16/958

  Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking · CPC title

• G06F17/2205

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F17/2247

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F17/2288 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic