Patent attributes
A PDF file is received from an external application and key information from the PDF file, concerning a PDF document contained in the PDF file, is extracted. The extracted key information is compared with analogous reference information stored for previously received PDF documents to determine a status for the received PDF document, which is provided to the external application from which the PDF file was received. The received PDF document is a duplicate if all the extracted key information matches analogous reference information, is an updated document if certain but not all the extracted key information matches analogous reference information, or is a new document if at least certain extracted key information does not match analogous reference information. If the PDF document is a duplicate document, processing of the PDF file is returned to the application without storing any extracted key information as reference information. If the PDF document is an updated document, certain extracted key information is stored to update the reference information and processing of the PDF file is returned to the application. If the PDF document is new, all extracted key information is stored as reference information and processing of the PDF file is returned to the application.
