Non-sequential comparison of documents

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

obtaining, using a processor system, a first plurality of segments in a first electronic document and a second plurality of segments in a second electronic document; and

in response to a first segment from the first plurality of segments being associated with a second segment from the second plurality of segments, associating, using the processor system, a third segment from the first plurality of segments with a fourth segment from the second plurality of segments, the associating including:

comparing, using the processor system, the third segment with the fourth segment to determine a first similarity level, the third and fourth segments satisfying one of the following:

the third segment being a segment following the first segment and the fourth segment being a segment prior to the second segment; and

the third segment being a segment prior to the first segment and the fourth segment being a segment following the second segment; and

associating, using the processor system, the third segment with the fourth segment based on the first similarity level, wherein associating the third segment with the fourth segment comprises:

in response to the first similarity level exceeding a threshold level, determining a second similarity level between a first sub-segment in the third segment and a second sub-segment in the fourth segment;

adjusting the first similarity level based on the second similarity level;

in response to the adjusted first similarity level exceeding the threshold level, associating the third segment with the fourth segment; and

displaying the third segment and the fourth segment in adjacent locations of a display screen.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the first similarity level based on the second similarity level comprises:

in response to the second similarity level exceeding a further threshold level, increasing the first similarly level; and

in response to the second similarity level being below the further threshold level, decreasing the first similarity level.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to the first similarity level exceeding a threshold level, determining a second similarity level between a first sub-segment in the third segment and a second sub-segment in the fourth segment; and

in response to the second similarity level exceeding a further threshold level, associating the first sub-segment with the second sub-segment.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

comparing the third segment with each of the second plurality of segments other than the fourth segment to determine a third similarity level; and

in response to the third similarity level between the third segment and a fifth segment from the second plurality of segments exceeding a threshold level, associating the third segment with the fifth segment.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the obtaining comprises:

obtaining the first and second plurality of segments based on a same granularity, the granularity being selected from a group consisting of a part, a chapter, a section, a clause, a paragraph, and a sentence.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first similarity level is determined based on at least one of the following:

semantic similarity between the third and fourth segments; and

domain information of the first and second electronic documents.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein in response to the third segment being associated with the fourth segment, the method further comprises at least one of the following:

marking the third and fourth segments with an indicator; and

aligning the third segment with the fourth segment.

8. A device comprising:

a processing unit;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processing unit and storing instructions thereon, the instructions, when executed by the processing unit, performing acts including:

obtaining a first plurality of segments in a first electronic document and a second plurality of segments in a second electronic document; and

in response to a first segment from the first plurality of segments being associated with a second segment from the second plurality of segments, associating a third segment from the first plurality of segments with a fourth segment from the second plurality of segments;

wherein the associating includes:

comparing the third segment with the fourth segment to determine a first similarity level, the third and fourth segments satisfying one of the following: the third segment being a segment following the first segment and the fourth segment being a segment prior to the second segment, and the third segment being a segment prior to the first segment and the fourth segment being a segment following the second segment; and

associating the third segment with the fourth segment based on the first similarity level, wherein associating the third segment with the fourth segment comprises:

in response to the first similarity level exceeding a threshold level, determining a second similarity level between a first sub-segment in the third segment and a second sub-segment in the fourth segment;

adjusting the first similarity level based on the second similarity level; and

in response to the adjusted first similarity level exceeding the threshold level, associating the third segment with the fourth segment; and

displaying the third segment and the fourth segment in adjacent locations of a display screen.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein adjusting the first similarity level based on the second similarity level comprises:

in response to the second similarity level exceeding a further threshold level, increasing the first similarly level; and

in response to the second similarity level being below the further threshold level, decreasing the first similarity level.

10. The device of claim 8 , wherein associating at least some of the first plurality of segments with at least some of the second plurality of segments further comprises:

in response to the first similarity level exceeding a threshold level, determining a second similarity level between a first sub-segment in the third segment and a second sub-segment in the fourth segment; and

in response to the second similarity level exceeding a further threshold level, associating the first sub-segment with the second sub-segment.

11. The device of claim 8 , wherein the acts further include:

comparing the third segment with each of the second plurality of segments other than the fourth segment to determine a third similarity level; and

in response to the third similarity level between the third segment and a fifth segment from the second plurality of segments exceeding a threshold level, associating the third segment with the fifth segment.

12. The device of claim 8 , wherein the obtaining comprises:

obtaining the first and second plurality of segments based on a same granularity, the granularity being selected from a group consisting of a part, a chapter, a section, a clause, a paragraph, and a sentence.

13. The device of claim 8 , wherein the first similarity level is determined based on at least one of the following:

semantic similarity between the third and fourth segments; and

domain information of the first and second electronic documents.

14. The device of claim 8 , wherein in response to the third segment being associated with the fourth segment, the acts further include:

marking the third and fourth segments with an indicator; and

aligning the third segment with the fourth segment.

15. A computer program product being tangibly stored on a non-transient machine-readable medium and comprising machine-executable instructions, the instructions, when executed on a device, causing the device to:

obtain a first plurality of segments in a first electronic document and a second plurality of segments in a second electronic document; and

in response to a first segment from the first plurality of segments being associated with a second segment from the second plurality of segments, associate a third segment from the first plurality of segments with a fourth segment from the second plurality of segments;

wherein the associating includes:

comparing the third segment with the fourth segment to determine a first similarity level;

wherein the third and fourth segments satisfy one of the following:

the third segment being a segment following the first segment and the fourth segment being a segment prior to the second segment; and

the third segment being a segment prior to the first segment and the fourth segment being a segment following the second segment, and

associating the third segment with the fourth segment based on the first similarity level, wherein associating the third segment with the fourth segment comprises:

in response to the first similarity level exceeding a threshold level, determining a second similarity level between a first sub-segment in the third segment and a second sub-segment in the fourth segment;

adjusting the first similarity level based on the second similarity level; and

in response to the adjusted first similarity level exceeding the threshold level, associating the third segment with the fourth segment; and

displaying the third segment and the fourth segment in adjacent locations of a display screen.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed on the device, cause the device to:

in response to the first similarity level exceeding a threshold level, determine a second similarity level between a first sub-segment in the third segment and a second sub-segment in the fourth segment; and

in response to the second similarity level exceeding a further threshold level, associate the first sub-segment with the second sub-segment.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed on the device, cause the device to:

compare the third segment with each of the second plurality of segments other than the fourth segment to determine a third similarity level; and

in response to the third similarity level between the third segment and a fifth segment from the second plurality of segments exceeding a threshold level, associate the third segment with the fifth segment.