Computer-Implemented System And Method For Document Coding Via Coding Patterns

1 . A system for document coding via coding patterns, comprising:

a database to store document codes;

a display; and

a server comprising a central processing unit, memory, an input port to receive the document codes, and an output port to provide the document codes to the display, wherein the central processing unit is configured to:

identify coding patterns from the document codes, each coding pattern comprising a grouping of two or more of the document codes;

receive for a document a selection of at least one of the document codes;

determine the coding pattern that includes the selected document code;

identify those document codes associated with the selected document code based on the determined coding patterns; and

assign the selected document code and the associated document codes to the document.

2 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the display presents the document codes via a coding tree.

3 . A system according to claim 2 , wherein the display presents the coding tree with the document codes and headings for categories of the document codes and further presents pathways in the coding tree, each pathway starting at one of the headings and ending at one or more of the document codes.

4 . A system according to claim 3 , wherein the display presents at least one of the coding patterns as a mini-tree representing one or more of the pathways from the coding tree.

5 . A system according to claim 4 , wherein the selection of at least one of the document codes comprises a selection of one of the mini-trees.

6 . A system according to claim 3 , wherein the display presents at least one of the coding patterns by highlighting a pathway associated with that coding pattern in the coding tree.

7 . A system according to claim 6 , wherein the selection of at least one of the document codes occurs within the coding tree.

8 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit receives one or more of the coding patterns from a reviewer for display in a list.

9 . A system according to claim 8 , wherein the central processing unit generates a new coding pattern and adds the coding pattern to the list of coding patterns.

10 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the display displays the document codes via a list comprising headings for the document codes and further displays the associated document codes in the list upon receiving the selection of the at least one document code for the document.

11 . A method for system for document coding via coding patterns, comprising:

maintaining document codes;

identifying coding patterns from the document codes, each coding pattern comprising a grouping of two or more of the document codes;

receiving for a document a selection of at least one of the document codes;

determining the coding pattern that includes the selected document code;

identifying those document codes associated with the selected document code based on the determined coding pattern; and

assigning the selected document code and the associated document codes to the document.

12 . A method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

displaying the document codes via a coding tree.

13 . A method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

presenting the coding tree with the document codes and headings for categories of the document codes; and

presenting pathways in the coding tree, each pathway starting at one of the headings and ending at one or more of the document codes.

14 . A method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

displaying at least one of the coding patterns as a mini-tree comprising one or more of the pathways from the coding tree.

15 . A method according to claim 14 , wherein the selection of at least one of the document codes comprises a selection of one of the mini-trees.

16 . A method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

displaying at least one of the coding patterns by highlighting a pathway associated with that coding pattern in the coding tree.

17 . A method according to claim 16 , wherein the selection of at least one of the document codes occurs within the coding tree.

18 . A method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving one or more of the coding patterns from a reviewer for display in a list.

19 . A method according to claim 18 , further comprising:

generating a new coding pattern; and

adding the coding pattern to the list of coding patterns.

20 . A method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

displaying the document codes via a list comprising headings for the document codes; and

upon receiving a selection of the at least one document code for the document, displaying the associated document codes in the list.