System and method for generating database input forms

Claim 1

A system for facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable electronic computer based data entry forms to specifying data to be stored in a database, said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said system comprising: a scanner for scanning an existing data entry form and for generating a digitized representation of said data entry form; said digitized representation including color information; a display for displaying images; a form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; a memory for storing a set of form definition procedures for defining an electronic computer-based data entry form, responsive to user commands, said form definition procedures including an imaging procedure for displaying on said display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; a region definition procedure for enabling a user to indicate regions of said displayed data entry form; and object definition procedures for enabling said user to define a multiplicity of objects, said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes, and checkbox buttons, and for specifying properties of said defined objects; said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database, and (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users; and said object definition procedures storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; and a data processing unit for executing said stored form definition procedures; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said form definition procedures including: color recognition procedures for utilizing said color information, said color recognition procedures automatically defining ones of said objects and specifying ones of said properties of said objects based on said color information, including: for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form enclosed by a colored border of a first predefined color, automatically defining a form section having physical dimensions corresponding to the position of said color border in said digitized representation of said data entry form; for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form highlighted with a second predefined color, automatically defining a checkbox button object having physical dimensions corresponding to the extent of said highlighted region in said digitized representation of said data entry form; and for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form highlighted with a third predefined color, automatically defining a text box object having physical dimensions corresponding to the extent of said highlighted region in said digitized representation of said data entry form; said color recognition procedures storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said automatically defined objects.

Claim 2

A system for facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable electronic computer based data entry forms to specifying data to be stored in a database, said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said system comprising: a scanner for scanning an existing data entry form and for generating a digitized representation of said data entry form; said digitized representation including color information; a display for displaying images; a form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; a memory for storing a set of form definition procedures for defining an electronic computer-based data entry form, responsive to user commands, said form definition procedures including an imaging procedure for displaying on said display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; a region definition procedure for enabling a user to indicate regions of said displayed data entry form; and object definition procedures for enabling said user to define a multiplicity of objects, said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes, and checkbox buttons, and for specifying properties of said defined objects; said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database, and (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users; and said object definition procedures storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; and a data processing unit for executing said stored form definition procedures; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said form definition procedures including: color recognition procedures for utilizing said color information, said color recognition procedures automatically defining ones of said objects and specifying ones of said properties of said objects based on said color information, including: for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form enclosed by a colored border of a first predefined color, automatically defining a form section having physical dimensions corresponding to the position of said color border in said digitized representation of said data entry form; for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form highlighted with a second predefined color, automatically defining a checkbox button object having physical dimensions corresponding to the extent of said highlighted region in said digitized representation of said data entry form; and for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form highlighted with a third predefined color, automatically defining a text box object having physical dimensions corresponding to the extent of said highlighted region in said digitized representation of said data entry form; said color recognition procedures storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said automatically defined objects.

Claim 4

A system for facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable, voice activated electronic computer based data entry forms for specifying data to be stored in a database; said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said system comprising: a scanner for scanning an existing data entry form and for generating a digitized representation of said data entry form; said digitized representation including color information; a display for displaying images; a form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; a microphone for receiving voiced commands and form item selections; a memory for storing a set of form definition procedures for defining an electronic computer-based data entry form, responsive to user commands, said form definition procedures including an imaging procedure for displaying on said display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; a region definition procedure for enabling a user to indicate regions of said displayed data entry form; and object definition procedures for enabling said user to define a multiplicity of objects, said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes, and checkbox buttons, and for specifying properties of said defined objects; said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database, (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users, and (C) voiced command data specifying voiced commands to use for end user voiced selection of said objects; and said object definition procedures storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; and a data processing unit for executing said stored form definition procedures; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said form definition procedures including: color recognition procedures for utilizing said color information, said color recognition procedures automatically defining ones of said objects and specifying ones of said properties of said objects based on said color information, including: for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form enclosed by a colored border of a first predefined color, automatically defining a form section having physical dimensions corresponding to the position of said color border in said digitized representation of said data entry form; for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form highlighted with a second predefined color, automatically defining a checkbox button object having physical dimensions corresponding to the extent of said highlighted region in said digitized representation of said data entry form; and for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form highlighted with a third predefined color, automatically defining a text box object having physical dimensions corresponding to the extent of said highlighted region in said digitized representation of said data entry form; said color recognition procedures storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said automatically defined objects.

Claim 5

A system for facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable, voice activated electronic computer based data entry forms for specifying data to be stored in a database; said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said system comprising: a scanner for scanning an existing data entry form and for generating a digitized representation of said data entry form; said digitized representation including color information; a display for displaying images; a form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; a microphone for receiving voiced commands and form item selections; a memory for storing a set of form definition procedures for defining an electronic computer-based data entry form, responsive to user commands, said form definition procedures including an imaging procedure for displaying on said display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; a region definition procedure for enabling a user to indicate regions of said displayed data entry form; and object definition procedures for enabling said user to define a multiplicity of objects, said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes, and checkbox buttons, and for specifying properties of said defined objects; said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database, (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users, and (C) voiced command data specifying voiced commands to use for end user voiced selection of said objects; and said object definition procedures storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; and a data processing unit for executing said stored form definition procedures; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said form definition procedures including: color recognition procedures for utilizing said color information, said color recognition procedures automatically defining ones of said objects and specifying ones of said properties of said objects based on said color information, including: for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form enclosed by a colored border of a first predefined color, automatically defining a form section having physical dimensions corresponding to the position of said color border in said digitized representation of said data entry form; for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form highlighted with a second predefined color, automatically defining a checkbox button object having physical dimensions corresponding to the extent of said highlighted region in said digitized representation of said data entry form; and for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form highlighted with a third predefined color, automatically defining a text box object having physical dimensions corresponding to the extent of said highlighted region in said digitized representation of said data entry form; said color recognition procedures storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said automatically defined objects.

Claim 7

A system for facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable, voice activated electronic computer based data entry forms for specifying data to be stored in a database, said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said system comprising: a scanner for scanning an existing data entry form and for generating a digitized representation of said data entry form; a display for displaying images; a form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; a microphone for receiving voiced commands and form item selections; a memory for storing a set of form definition procedures for defining an electronic computer-based data entry form, responsive to user commands, said form definition procedures including an imaging procedure for displaying on said display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; a region definition procedure for enabling a user to indicate regions of said displayed data entry form; and object definition procedures for enabling said user to define a multiplicity of objects, said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes, and checkbox buttons, and for specifying properties of said defined objects; said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database, (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users, and (C) voiced command data specifying voiced commands to use for end user voiced selection of said objects; and said object definition procedures storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; and a data processing unit for executing said stored form definition procedures; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said form data entry procedures including a voice response procedure for responding to each voice input by an end user by determining which section, if any, of said computerized entry form was last selected by said end user and finding a best match, if any, between said voice input and said specified voiced commands corresponding to said defined objects in said selected form section.

Claim 8

A system for facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable, voice activated electronic computer based data entry forms for specifying data to be stored in a database, said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said system comprising: a scanner for scanning an existing data entry form and for generating a digitized representation of said data entry form; a display for displaying images; a form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; a microphone for receiving voiced commands and form item selections; a memory for storing a set of form definition procedures for defining an electronic computer-based data entry form, responsive to user commands, said form definition procedures including an imaging procedure for displaying on said display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; a region definition procedure for enabling a user to indicate regions of said displayed data entry form; and object definition procedures for enabling said user to define a multiplicity of objects, said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes, and checkbox buttons, and for specifying properties of said defined objects; said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database, (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users, and (C) voiced command data specifying voiced commands to use for end user voiced selection of said objects; and said object definition procedures storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; and a data processing unit for executing said stored form definition procedures; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said form data entry procedures including a voice response procedure for responding to each voice input by an end user by determining which section, if any, of said computerized entry form was last selected by said end user and finding a best match, if any, between said voice input and said specified voiced commands corresponding to said defined objects in said selected form section.

Claim 9

A method of facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable electronic computer based data entry forms for specifying data to be stored in a database, said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said method comprising, comprising: scanning an existing data entry form so as to generate a digitized representation of said data entry form, and storing said digitized representation of said data entry form in a computer memory; said digitized representation including color information; displaying on a display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; storing in said computer memory a form definition data structure, said form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; receiving user commands indicating regions of said displayed data entry form, and storing in said form data structure data representing said indicated regions; and receiving user commands defining a multiplicity of objects, and specifying properties of said defined objects; said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes, and checkbox buttons, said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database, and (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users; and storing in said form data structure data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said method further including: after said scanning step, automatically defining ones of said objects and specifying ones of said properties of said objects based on said color information, including: for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form enclosed by a colored border of a first predefined color, automatically defining a form section having physical dimensions corresponding to the position of said color border in said digitized representation of said data entry form; for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form highlighted with a second predefined color, automatically defining a checkbox button object having physical dimensions corresponding to the extent of said highlighted region in said digitized representation of said data entry form; and for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form highlighted with a third predefined color, automatically defining a text box object having physical dimensions corresponding to the extent of said highlighted region in said digitized representation of said data entry form; and storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said automatically defined objects.

Claim 10

A method of facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable electronic computer based data entry forms for specifying data to be stored in a database, said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said method comprising, comprising: scanning an existing data entry form so as to generate a digitized representation of said data entry form, and storing said digitized representation of said data entry form in a computer memory; said digitized representation including color information; displaying on a display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; storing in said computer memory a form definition data structure, said form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; receiving user commands indicating regions of said displayed data entry form, and storing in said form data structure data representing said indicated regions; and receiving user commands defining a multiplicity of objects, and specifying properties of said defined objects; said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes, and checkbox buttons, said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database, and (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users; and storing in said form data structure data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said method further including: after said scanning step, automatically defining ones of said objects and specifying ones of said properties of said objects based on said color information, including: for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form enclosed by a colored border of a first predefined color, automatically defining a form section having physical dimensions corresponding to the position of said color border in said digitized representation of said data entry form; for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form highlighted with a second predefined color, automatically defining a checkbox button object having physical dimensions corresponding to the extent of said highlighted region in said digitized representation of said data entry form; and for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form highlighted with a third predefined color, automatically defining a text box object having physical dimensions corresponding to the extent of said highlighted region in said digitized representation of said data entry form; and storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said automatically defined objects.

Claim 12

A method of facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable electronic computer based data entry forms for specifying data to be stored in a database, said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said method comprising, comprising: scanning an existing data entry form so as to generate a digitized representation of said data entry form, and storing said digitized representation of said data entry form in a computer memory; displaying on a display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; storing in said computer memory a form definition data structure, said form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; receiving user commands indicating regions of said displayed data entry form, and storing in said form data structure data representing said indicated regions; and receiving user commands defining a multiplicity of objects, and specifying properties of said defined objects; said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes, and checkbox buttons, said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database, and (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users; and storing in said form data structure data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said step of receiving user commands defining a multiplicity of objects, and specifying properties of said defined objects further including receiving user commands specifying voiced commands for end user voiced selection of said objects; said method including: generating a voice dictionary, representing voice recognition information associated with said specified voiced commands; receiving voiced commands from said end user; and responding to each voiced command by determining which section, if any, of said computerized entry form was last selected by said end user and finding a best match, if any, between said voice input and said specified voiced commands corresponding to said defined objects in said selected form section.

Claim 13

A method of facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable electronic computer based data entry forms for specifying data to be stored in a database, said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said method comprising, comprising: scanning an existing data entry form so as to generate a digitized representation of said data entry form, and storing said digitized representation of said data entry form in a computer memory; displaying on a display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; storing in said computer memory a form definition data structure, said form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; receiving user commands indicating regions of said displayed data entry form, and storing in said form data structure data representing said indicated regions; and receiving user commands defining a multiplicity of objects, and specifying properties of said defined objects; said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes, and checkbox buttons, said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database, and (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users; and storing in said form data structure data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said step of receiving user commands defining a multiplicity of objects, and specifying properties of said defined objects further including receiving user commands specifying voiced commands for end user voiced selection of said objects; said method including: generating a voice dictionary, representing voice recognition information associated with said specified voiced commands; receiving voiced commands from said end user; and responding to each voiced command by determining which section, if any, of said computerized entry form was last selected by said end user and finding a best match, if any, between said voice input and said specified voiced commands corresponding to said defined objects in said selected form section.

Claim 14

A system for facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable electronic computer based data entry forms for specifying data to be stored in a database, said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said system comprising: a scanner for scanning an existing data entry form and for generating a digitized representation of said data entry form; said digitized representation including color information; a display for displaying images; a form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; a memory for storing a set of form definition procedures for defining an electronic computer-based data entry form, responsive to user commands, said form definition procedures including an imaging procedure for displaying on said display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; a region definition procedure for enabling a user to indicate regions of said displayed data entry form; and object definition procedures for enabling said user to define a multiplicity of objects, said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes; and checkbox buttons, and for specifying properties of said defined objects; said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database; and (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users; and said object definition procedures storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; and a data processing unit for executing said stored form definition procedures; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said form definition procedures including: color recognition procedures for utilizing said color information, said color recognition procedures automatically defining ones of said objects to correspond to color demarcated regions of said scanned data entry form and specifying ones of said properties of said objects based on said color information.

Claim 15

A system for facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable electronic computer based data entry forms for specifying data to be stored in a database, said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said system comprising: a scanner for scanning an existing data entry form and for generating a digitized representation of said data entry form; said digitized representation including color information; a display for displaying images; a form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; a memory for storing a set of form definition procedures for defining an electronic computer-based data entry form, responsive to user commands, said form definition procedures including an imaging procedure for displaying on said display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; a region definition procedure for enabling a user to indicate regions of said displayed data entry form; and object definition procedures for enabling said user to define a multiplicity of objects, said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes; and checkbox buttons, and for specifying properties of said defined objects; said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database; and (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users; and said object definition procedures storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; and a data processing unit for executing said stored form definition procedures; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said form definition procedures including: color recognition procedures for utilizing said color information, said color recognition procedures automatically defining ones of said objects to correspond to color demarcated regions of said scanned data entry form and specifying ones of said properties of said objects based on said color information.

Claim 17

A method of facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable electronic computer based data entry forms for specifying data to be stored in a database, said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said method comprising, comprising: scanning an existing data entry form so as to generate a digitized representation of said data entry form, and storing said digitized representation of said data entry form in a computer memory, said digitized representation including color information; displaying on a display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; storing in said computer memory a form definition data structure, said form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; receiving user commands indicating regions of said displayed data entry form, and storing in said form data structure data representing said indicated regions; and receiving user commands defining a multiplicity of objects, and specifying properties of said defined objects; said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes, and checkbox buttons, said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database, and (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users; and storing in said form data structure data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said method including: automatically defining ones of said objects to correspond to color demarcated regions of said scanned data entry form and specifying ones of said properties of said objects based on said color information.

Claim 18

A method of facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable electronic computer based data entry forms for specifying data to be stored in a database, said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said method comprising, comprising: scanning an existing data entry form so as to generate a digitized representation of said data entry form, and storing said digitized representation of said data entry form in a computer memory, said digitized representation including color information; displaying on a display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; storing in said computer memory a form definition data structure, said form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; receiving user commands indicating regions of said displayed data entry form, and storing in said form data structure data representing said indicated regions; and receiving user commands defining a multiplicity of objects, and specifying properties of said defined objects; said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes, and checkbox buttons, said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database, and (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users; and storing in said form data structure data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said method including: automatically defining ones of said objects to correspond to color demarcated regions of said scanned data entry form and specifying ones of said properties of said objects based on said color information.