Object types

Typed relations

Permitted actions

Governed changes

Versioned views

Why are the work object and the drafting system modeled separately?

The patent record has its own structure; the tool acting on it needs compatible operations, not a duplicate of that structure. Confusing the two produces document-centric automation with implicit relations.

What does a typed relation add beyond a shared identifier?

Maps-to, supports, narrows, antecedent-of, referenced-by, and expands carry different consequences. A generic 'related' edge cannot support the same checks.

What is a governed drafting action?

Select, narrow, add a limitation, revise a term, or add support are different operations with different preconditions and results. A free-text rewrite hides which change occurred.

Ontology elementMeaning in the recordExample relation

TransformationAn input changed by an operation into an outputexpands into a more specific transformation

Technical termA stable identity for an object in one drafting recordreferenced by a figure or passage

Claim limitationA selected expression of a technical objectmaps to a transformation

Specification passageA support record for an object, relation, or operationsupports a limitation

Figure elementA numbered visual anchor for a technical objectreferences or expands an object

Typed relationAn explicit link such as maps-to, narrows, supports, or referenced-bymakes document consistency testable

Governed actionA defined change with preconditions and an inspectable resultselect, narrow, add support, or revise a term

SourceRelationTargetConsequence

Claim limitationmaps toTransformationThe claim remains a selected view of the technical model.

Specification passagesupportsTechnical object or limitationSupport can be traversed and audited instead of inferred from proximity.

Dependent claimnarrowsParent claimThe changed dimension is stored as part of the relation.

Drafting actionchanges under preconditionsVersioned object stateRun-time stability and between-run evolution can coexist.

Object register

Technical objects have explicit type, identity, properties, and provenance.

Relation graph

Support, narrowing, reference, and antecedent relations are stored as typed links.

Action record

A change is represented by the operation, inputs, preconditions, and resulting state.

Version boundary

A drafting run remains stable while changes between runs remain comparable.