Error identification, indexing and linking construction documents

Abstract

The present disclosure provides various systems and methods for indexing digital (electronic) documents and providing various error reporting and identification functions. The systems and methods may utilize various software, hardware, and firmware modules to identify notations, such as sheet names, anchors, and anchor references on construction documents. Various algorithms and methods may be employed to identify errors, erroneous notations, missing sheets, missing details, and/or the like to aid in the correction of construction documents. Identified notations are indexed and used to create hyperlinked pages that are easily navigable. In some embodiments, the hyperlinked pages may include previous- and next-sheet hyperlinks that allow for direct navigation within a set of pages, according to an order provided in an index sheet (e.g., a table of contents sheet).

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An error identification device to alert a user that a set of construction documents has one or more potential errors, comprising:
 a processor and memory for receiving a plurality of digital pages having machine-encoded text, including a plurality of notations, the notations including: (a) primary sheet name notations, (b) reference sheet name notations, (c) anchor notations, and (d) anchor reference notations, and
 wherein each of the plurality of digital pages includes at least one notation; 
   a categorization module for categorizing each sheet name notation as one of a primary sheet name notation and a reference sheet name notation,
 wherein at least one of the plurality of digital pages includes at least one reference sheet name notation, and 
 wherein each reference sheet name notation refers to a primary sheet name notation on another of the plurality of digital pages; 
   a notation identification module for identifying anchor notations on the plurality of digital pages and reference notations on the plurality of digital pages,
 wherein each anchor notation is associated with at least a section of the page on which it is identified, and 
 wherein each anchor reference notation includes (1) a reference sheet name notation and (2) a reference to an anchor notation on the page corresponding to the primary sheet name notation referred to by the reference sheet name notation; 
   a bad link identification module for identifying at least one erroneous anchor reference notation on one of the plurality of digital pages that includes at least one of:
 (1) a reference sheet name notation that references a primary sheet name that does not exist within the plurality of digital pages, and 
 (2) a reference to an anchor notation that does not exist on the page corresponding to the primary sheet name notation referred to by the reference sheet name notation of the anchor reference notation; and 
   an error reporting module for reporting a list of the at least one erroneous anchor reference notation.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein identifying each of the primary sheet name notations, reference sheet name notations, anchor notations, and anchor reference notations comprises using one or more regular expressions. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the notation identification module is further configured to identify:
 at least one building name notation associated with at least one indexed primary sheet name notation; and   at least one building name notation with the at least one indexed primary sheet name notation within an index.   
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein identifying each of the primary sheet name notations, reference sheet name notations, anchor notations, and anchor reference notations is at least partially performed by:
 comparing at least a portion of the machine-encoded text with at least one whitelist including one or more of whitelisted primary sheet names, whitelisted reference sheet names, whitelisted anchors, and whitelisted anchor references.   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a page generation module for:
 generating a first linked page corresponding to one of the received digital pages, wherein the first linked page includes an anchor notation and a primary sheet name notation; and   generating a second linked page corresponding to one of the received digital pages, wherein the second linked page includes an anchor reference notation, the anchor reference notation associated within an index with the anchor notation and the primary sheet name notation of the first linked page within the index, and   wherein the anchor reference notation of the second linked page comprises one or more hyperlinks directed to at least one of the primary sheet name notation and the anchor notation of the first linked page.   
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a page generation module for:
 generating a plurality of linked pages, wherein each of the linked pages corresponds to one of the received digital pages;   providing a hyperlink location for each reference sheet name notation to the associated primary sheet notation within an electronic index; and   providing at least one hyperlink for each anchor reference notation, the hyperlink directed to at least one of the associated primary sheet name notation and the associated anchor notation within the index.   
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the linked pages comprises a table of contents page with an ordered listing of reference sheet name notations each associated with a primary sheet name of one of the plurality of digital pages within the index,
 wherein each of the plurality of linked pages includes a next-page hyperlink directed to a subsequent linked page on the table of contents page according to the ordered listing of reference sheet name notations, and   wherein each of the plurality of linked pages includes a previous-page hyperlink directed to a preceding linked page on the table of contents page according to the ordered listing of reference sheet name notations.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the page generation module is further configured to:
 associate selectively viewable back link information with at least one of the hyperlinked notations,   wherein the back link information associated with each hyperlinked notation comprises a report of linked pages, listed by primary sheet name notations, that reference the hyperlinked notation.   
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein each of the listed primary sheet name notations within the report comprises a hyperlink to the page associated with the primary sheet name notation within the index. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein each anchor notation comprises one of a detail anchor notation, an elevation anchor notation, and a section anchor notation. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one anchor notation comprises an elevation callout detail. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of digital pages comprises a plurality of individual electronic files, each electronic file having at least one page. 
     
     
         13 . A construction document error identification device, comprising:
 a processor and memory for receiving a plurality of digital construction pages having machine-encoded text thereon that includes at least one notation on each page, wherein the notations include:
 (a) primary sheet name notations, 
 (b) reference sheet name notations, 
 (c) anchor notations, and 
 (d) anchor reference notations,
 wherein each anchor reference notation includes (1) a reference sheet name notation and (2) a reference to an anchor notation on the page corresponding to a primary sheet name notation referred to by the reference sheet name notation; 
 
   a bad link identification module for identifying at least one erroneous anchor reference notation on one of the plurality of digital pages, the erroneous anchor reference comprising at least one of:
 (1) a reference sheet name notation that references a primary sheet name that is not assigned to any of the plurality of digital pages, and 
 (2) a reference to an anchor notation that does not exist on the page corresponding to the primary sheet name notation referred to by the reference sheet name notation of the anchor reference notation. 
   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a detail reference verification module to identify an anchor notation that is not referenced by an anchor reference notation on any of the plurality of digital pages; and   a sheet reference verification module to identify at least one primary sheet name notation on at least one of the plurality of digital pages that is not referenced by any other digital page within the plurality of digital pages.   
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising a sheet reference verification module to identify at least one primary sheet name notation on at least one of the plurality of digital pages that is not referenced by any other digital page within the plurality of digital pages. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising a detail reference verification module to identify an anchor notation that is not referenced by an anchor reference notation on any of the plurality of digital pages. 
     
     
         17 . A construction document error identification device, comprising:
 a processor and memory for receiving a plurality of digital construction pages having machine-encoded text thereon that includes at least one notation on each page, wherein the notations include:
 (a) primary sheet name notations, 
 (b) reference sheet name notations, 
 (c) anchor notations, and 
 (d) anchor reference notations,
 wherein each anchor reference notation includes (1) a reference sheet name notation and (2) a reference to an anchor notation on the page corresponding to a primary sheet name notation referred to by the reference sheet name notation; 
 
   an error identification module for identifying at least one actual or potential error in the plurality of digital construction pages, wherein the actual or potential error is selected from the group consisting of:
 an erroneous anchor reference notation, 
 an anchor notation that is not referenced by an anchor reference notation on any of the plurality of digital pages, and 
 a primary sheet name notation that is not referenced by any of the plurality of digital pages. 
   
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the error identification module comprises a sheet reference verification module and the actual or potential error comprises a primary sheet name notation on at least one of the plurality of digital pages that is not referenced by any other digital page within the plurality of digital pages. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the error identification module comprises a detail reference verification module and the actual or potential error comprises an anchor notation that is not referenced by an anchor reference notation on any of the plurality of digital pages. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the error identification module comprises a bad link identification module and the actual or potential error comprises an erroneous anchor reference notation,
 wherein the erroneous anchor reference notation constitutes an anchor reference notation on one of the plurality of digital pages that includes at least one of:
 (1) a reference sheet name notation that references a primary sheet name that is not assigned to any of the plurality of digital pages, and 
 (2) a reference to an anchor notation that does not exist on the page corresponding to a primary sheet name notation referred to by the reference sheet name notation of the anchor reference notation. 
   
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein at least one anchor notation comprises an elevation callout detail.