Patent ID: 7694217

Claim:
A method for page-wise comparing a first document and a second document, each including at least one page, wherein a pair of pages to be compared, one from each of the first document and the second document, respectively comprise corresponding first and second pluralities of graphic elements, the method comprising the steps of: compensating for a change made in producing the second document that would cause one of the second plurality of graphic elements to be identified as a changed element in a comparison of the first and second documents; comparing, on the computer, the first plurality of graphic elements and the second plurality of graphic elements; generating information describing results of the comparing step; displaying or printing the information: wherein compensating for the change in the second document comprises adjusting selected attributes of the one of the second plurality of graphic elements prior to performing the comparing step; wherein the selected attributes comprise a position of the one of the second plurality of graphic elements, and wherein the adjusting selected attributes comprises providing a shift in the position of the one of the second plurality of graphic elements; wherein providing the position shift comprises: comparing graphic elements to identify shifted elements wherein comparing comprises performing an element-wise comparison of each graphic element of the second plurality of graphic elements with the first plurality of graphic elements and wherein shifted elements comprise elements that are sufficiently similar between the documents except for a difference in position; determining at least one candidate group of shifted graphic elements having substantially the same difference in position; selecting one of the candidate groups to form the basis of the position shift, if more than one candidate group is determined; and calculating the position shift based on the selected group.