US5768416A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Information processing methodology
Assignee: CONTENT EXTRACTION AND TRANSMISSION LLC
•
Filing: 1995-06-07
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Granted: 1998-06-16
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Expires: 2015-06-07
Abstract
Abstract An information processing methodology gives rise to an application program interface which includes an automated digitizing unit, such as a scanner, which inputs information from a diversity of hard copy documents and stores information from the hard copy documents into a memory as stored document information. Portions of the stored document information are selected in accordance with content instructions which designate portions of the stored document information required by a particular application program. The selected stored document information is then placed into the transmission format required by a particular application program in accordance with transmission format instructions. After the information has been transmission formatted, the information is transmitted to the application program. In one operational mode, the interface interactively prompts the user to identify, on a display, portions of the hard copy documents containing information used in application programs or for storage.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert Lech
- 👤 Mitchell A. Medina
- 👤 Catherine B. Elias
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 20:32
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q40/00; G06Q40/02; G06V; G06V30/00; G06V30/10; G06V30/14; G06V30/1444; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/00127; H04N1/00204; H04N1/00236; H04N1/00241; H04N1/38
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 69
Claim 1
Independent Claim
283 words
A method of inputting information from a diversity of hard copy documents to a computer, comprising at least one of the following steps (a), (b), and (c): (a) inputting information from a hard copy document according to an interactive mode which includes the following substeps (a)(1) scanning a hard copy document and displaying a digitized image of at least a portion of the hard copy document on a display; (a)(2) interactively receiving instructions from a user for identifying information on said digitized image and converting at least said identified information to converted text data corresponding to at least one field of information required by an application program; and (a)(3) transferring said converted text data to said field of information; (b) creating a template to enable transfer of converted text data corresponding to at least one field of information required by an application program according to an interactive template creation mode which includes the following substeps (b)(1) scanning a hard copy document and displaying an image of at least a portion of the hard copy document on a display; (b)(2) interactively receiving instructions from a user to create a template which identifies at least one location on said image as containing information to be converted to text data corresponding to a field of information required by an application program; and (b)(3) storing said template; (c) inputting information from a hard copy document according to an automatic mode which includes the following substeps (c)(1) scanning a hard copy document to generate document information; and (c)(2) matching at least a portion of said document information with a template created to transfer converted text data to at least one field of information required by an application program.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
283 words
A method of inputting information from a diversity of hard copy documents to a computer, comprising at least one of the following steps (a), (b), and (c): (a) inputting information from a hard copy document according to an interactive mode which includes the following substeps (a)(1) scanning a hard copy document and displaying a digitized image of at least a portion of the hard copy document on a display; (a)(2) interactively receiving instructions from a user for identifying information on said digitized image and converting at least said identified information to converted text data corresponding to at least one field of information required by an application program; and (a)(3) transferring said converted text data to said field of information; (b) creating a template to enable transfer of converted text data corresponding to at least one field of information required by an application program according to an interactive template creation mode which includes the following substeps (b)(1) scanning a hard copy document and displaying an image of at least a portion of the hard copy document on a display; (b)(2) interactively receiving instructions from a user to create a template which identifies at least one location on said image as containing information to be converted to text data corresponding to a field of information required by an application program; and (b)(3) storing said template; (c) inputting information from a hard copy document according to an automatic mode which includes the following substeps (c)(1) scanning a hard copy document to generate document information; and (c)(2) matching at least a portion of said document information with a template created to transfer converted text data to at least one field of information required by an application program.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the steps of: defining a set of symbols which designate fields of information required by an application program; and detecting the presence of a particular one of said defined set of symbols on a hard copy document and extracting a field of information required by an application program based on said detecting.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of: displaying a split-screen image showing at least a portion of said hard copy document and at least one field of information required by an application program during the interactive mode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of: identifying said located information in step (a)(2) by blocking portions of said image on said display using an input device.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as set forth in claim 3, further comprising the step of: identifying said located information in step (a)(2) by blocking portions of said image on said display using an input device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of: displaying a split-screen image showing at least a portion of said hard copy document and at least one field of information required by an application program during the interactive template creation mode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of: creating a template in step (b)(2) by blocking portions of said image on said display using an input device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as set forth in claim 6, further comprising the step of: creating a template in step (b)(2) by blocking portions of said image on said display using an input device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of: storing a digitized image of a least a portion of a hard copy document in an image memory.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of: storing text data from the hard copy document in a text memory.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of: storing a digitized image of a least a portion of a hard copy document in an image memory; and storing text data from the hard copy document in a text memory.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of: repeating substeps (a)(2) and (a)(3) at least once for other identified information and another field of information.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising the steps of repeating substeps (a)(2) and (a)(3) for another different application program.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the steps of: repeating substeps (a)(1), (a)(2) and (a)(3) for another different application program; and creating another template for another different application program.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of: repeating substeps (c)(1) and (c)(2) for another different hard copy document.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein in step (b)(2) said template identifies a plurality of locations on said image on said display as containing a field of information required by an application program.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as set forth in claim 16, further comprising the step of creating another template for another different application program.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising at least one of the steps of: repeating substeps (a)(2) and (a)(3) for another different application program; and creating another template for another different application program.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the steps of repeating substeps (a)(1), (a)(2) and (a)(3) for another different application program.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
283 words
A method of inputting information from a diversity of hard copy documents to a computer, comprising at least two of the following steps (a), (b), and (c): (a) inputting information from a hard copy document according to an interactive mode which includes the following substeps (a)(1) scanning a hard copy document and displaying a digitized image of at least a portion of the hard copy document on a display; (a)(2) interactively receiving instructions from a user for identifying information on said digitized image and converting at least said identified information to converted text data corresponding to at least one field of information required by an application program; and (a)(3) transferring said converted text data to said field of information; (b) creating a template to enable transfer of converted text data corresponding to at least one field of information required by an application program according to an interactive template creation mode which includes the following substeps (b)(1) scanning a hard copy document and displaying an image of at least a portion of the hard copy document on a display; (b)(2) interactively receiving instructions from a user to create a template which identifies at least one location on said image as containing information to be converted to text data corresponding to a field of information required by an application program; and (b)(3) storing said template; (c) inputting information from a hard copy document according to an automatic mode which includes the following substeps (c)(1) scanning a hard copy document to generate document information; and (c)(2) matching at least a portion of said document information with a template created to transfer converted text data to at least one field of information required by an application program.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
283 words
A method of inputting information from a diversity of hard copy documents to a computer, comprising at least two of the following steps (a), (b), and (c): (a) inputting information from a hard copy document according to an interactive mode which includes the following substeps (a)(1) scanning a hard copy document and displaying a digitized image of at least a portion of the hard copy document on a display; (a)(2) interactively receiving instructions from a user for identifying information on said digitized image and converting at least said identified information to converted text data corresponding to at least one field of information required by an application program; and (a)(3) transferring said converted text data to said field of information; (b) creating a template to enable transfer of converted text data corresponding to at least one field of information required by an application program according to an interactive template creation mode which includes the following substeps (b)(1) scanning a hard copy document and displaying an image of at least a portion of the hard copy document on a display; (b)(2) interactively receiving instructions from a user to create a template which identifies at least one location on said image as containing information to be converted to text data corresponding to a field of information required by an application program; and (b)(3) storing said template; (c) inputting information from a hard copy document according to an automatic mode which includes the following substeps (c)(1) scanning a hard copy document to generate document information; and (c)(2) matching at least a portion of said document information with a template created to transfer converted text data to at least one field of information required by an application program.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method as set forth in claim 20, further comprising the steps of: defining a set of symbols which designate fields of information required by an application program; and detecting the presence of a particular one of said defined set of symbols on a hard copy document and extracting a field of information required by an application program based on said detecting.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as set forth in claim 20, further comprising the step of: displaying a split-screen image showing at least a portion of said hard copy document and at least one field of information required by an application program during the interactive mode.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as set forth in claim 20, further comprising the step of: identifying said information in step (a)(2) by blocking portions of said image on said display using an input device.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as set forth in claim 22, further comprising the step of: identifying said information in step (a)(2) by blocking portions of said image on said display using an input device.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method as set forth in claim 20, further comprising the step of: displaying a split-screen image showing at least a portion of said hard copy document and at least one field of information required by an application program during the interactive template creation mode.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as set forth in claim 20, further comprising the step of: creating a template in step (b)(2) by blocking portions of said image on said display using an input device.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as set forth in claim 25, further comprising the step of: creating a template in step (b)(2) by blocking portions of said image on said display using an input device.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as set forth in claim 20, further comprising the step of: storing a digitized image of at least a portion of a hard copy document in an image memory.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as set forth in claim 20, further comprising the step of: storing text data from the hard copy document in a text memory.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method as set forth in claim 20, further comprising the step of: storing a digitized image of at least a portion of a hard copy document in an image memory; and storing text data from the hard copy document in a text memory.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as set forth in claim 20, further comprising the step of: repeating substeps (a)(2) and (a)(3) at least once for other identified information and another field of information.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as set forth in claim 31, further comprising the steps of repeating substeps (a)(2) and (a)(3) for another different application program.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as set forth in claim 20, further comprising the steps of: repeating substeps (a)(1), (a)(2) and (a)(3) for another different application program; and creating another template for another different application program.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as set forth in claim 20, further comprising the step of: repeating substeps (c)(1) and (c)(2) for another different hard copy document.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as set forth in claim 20, wherein in step (b)(2) said template identifies a plurality of locations on said image on said display as containing a field of information required by an application program.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as set forth in claim 20, further comprising the step of creating another template for another different application program.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as set forth in claim 20, further comprising the steps of: repeating substeps (a)(2) and (a)(3) for another different application program; and creating another template for another different application program.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as set forth in claim 20, further comprising the steps of repeating substeps (a)(1), (a)(2) and (a)(3) for another different application program.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method as set forth in claim 20, further comprising at least two of the steps of: (a) repeating substeps (a)(1), (a)(2) and (a)(3) at least once for another different hard copy document; (b) repeating substeps (b)(1), (b)(2) and (b)(3) at least once for another different hard copy document; and (c) repeating substeps (c)(1) and (c)(2) for another different hard copy document.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as recited in claim 39 wherein said at least two step are steps (a) and (b).
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as recited in claim 39 wherein said at least two step are steps (a) and (c).
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as recited in claim 39 wherein said at least two step are steps (b) and (c).
Claim 45
Independent Claim
281 words
A method of inputting information from a diversity of hard copy documents to a computer, comprising each of the following steps (a), (b), and (c): (a) inputting information from a hard copy document according to an interactive mode which includes the following substeps (a)(1) scanning a hard copy document and displaying a digitized image of at least a portion of the hard copy document on a display; (a)(2) interactively receiving instructions from a user for identifying information on said digitized image and converting at least said identified information to converted text data corresponding to at least one field of information required by an application program; and (a)(3) transferring said converted text data to said field of information; (b) creating a template to enable transfer of converted text data corresponding to at least one field of information required by an application program according to an interactive template creation mode which includes the following substeps (b)(1) scanning a hard copy document and displaying an image of at least a portion of the hard copy document on a display; (b)(2) interactively receiving instructions from a user to create a template which identifies at least one location on said image as containing information to be converted to text data corresponding to a field of information required by an application program; and (b)(3) storing said template; (c) inputting information from a hard copy document according to an automatic mode which includes the following substeps (c)(1) scanning a hard copy document to generate document information; and (c)(2) matching at least a portion of said document information with a template created to transfer converted text data to at least one field of information required by an application program.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
281 words
A method of inputting information from a diversity of hard copy documents to a computer, comprising each of the following steps (a), (b), and (c): (a) inputting information from a hard copy document according to an interactive mode which includes the following substeps (a)(1) scanning a hard copy document and displaying a digitized image of at least a portion of the hard copy document on a display; (a)(2) interactively receiving instructions from a user for identifying information on said digitized image and converting at least said identified information to converted text data corresponding to at least one field of information required by an application program; and (a)(3) transferring said converted text data to said field of information; (b) creating a template to enable transfer of converted text data corresponding to at least one field of information required by an application program according to an interactive template creation mode which includes the following substeps (b)(1) scanning a hard copy document and displaying an image of at least a portion of the hard copy document on a display; (b)(2) interactively receiving instructions from a user to create a template which identifies at least one location on said image as containing information to be converted to text data corresponding to a field of information required by an application program; and (b)(3) storing said template; (c) inputting information from a hard copy document according to an automatic mode which includes the following substeps (c)(1) scanning a hard copy document to generate document information; and (c)(2) matching at least a portion of said document information with a template created to transfer converted text data to at least one field of information required by an application program.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method as set forth in claim 43, further comprising the steps of: defining a set of symbols which designate fields of information required by an application program; and detecting the presence of a particular one of said defined set of symbols on a hard copy document and extracting a field of information required by an application program based on said detecting.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as set forth in claim 43, further comprising the step of: displaying a split-screen image showing at least a portion of said hard copy document and at least one field of information required by an application program during the interactive mode.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as set forth in claim 43, further comprising the step of: identifying said information in step (a)(2) by blocking portions of said image on said display using an input device.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as set forth in claim 45, further comprising the step of: identifying said information in step (a)(2) by blocking portions of said image on said display using an input device.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method as set forth in claim 43, further comprising the step of: displaying a split-screen image showing at least a portion of said hard copy document and at least one field of information required by an application program during the interactive template creation mode.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as set forth in claim 43, further comprising the step of: creating a template in step (b)(2) by blocking portions of said image on said display using an input device.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as set forth in claim 48, further comprising the step of: creating a template in step (b)(2) by blocking portions of said image on said display using an input device.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as set forth in claim 43, further comprising the step of: storing a digitized image of at least a portion of a hard copy document in an image memory.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as set forth in claim 43, further comprising the step of: storing text data from the hard copy document in a text memory.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method as set forth in claim 43, further comprising the step of: storing a digitized image of at least a portion of a hard copy document in an image memory; and storing text data from the hard copy document in a text memory.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as set forth in claim 43, further comprising the step of: repeating substeps (a)(2) and (a)(3) at least once for other identified information and another field of information.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as set forth in claim 54, further comprising the steps of repeating substeps (a)(2) and (a)(3) for another different application program.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as set forth in claim 43, further comprising the step of: repeating substeps (a)(1), (a)(2) and (a)(3) for another different application program; and creating another template for another different application program.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as set forth in claim 43, further comprising the step of: repeating substeps (c)(1) and (c)(2) for another different hard copy document.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as set forth in claim 43, wherein in step (b)(2) said template identifies a plurality of locations on said image on said display as containing a field of information required by an application program.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as set forth in claim 43, further comprising the step of creating another template for another different application program.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as set forth in claim 43, further comprising the steps of: repeating substeps (a)(2) and (a)(3) for another different application program; and creating another template for another different application program.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
65 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, 20 or 43 further comprising at least one of the steps of: (a) repeating substeps (a)(1), (a)(2) and (a)(3) at least once for another different hard copy document; (b) repeating substeps (b)(1), (b)(2) and (b)(3) at least once for another different hard copy document; and (c) repeating substeps (c)(1) and (c)(2) for another different hard copy document.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as set forth in claim 61 wherein said at least one step is step (a).
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as set forth in claim 61 wherein said at least one step is step (b).
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as set forth in claim 61 wherein said at least one step is step (c).
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as set forth in claim 54, further comprising the steps of repeating substeps (a)(1), (a)(2) and (a)(3) for another different application program.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method as set forth in claim 43, further comprising the steps of: repeating substeps (a)(1), (a)(2) and (a)(3) at least once for another different hard copy document; repeating substeps (b)(1), (b)(2) and (b)(3) at least once for another different hard copy document; and repeating substeps (c)(1) and (c)(2) for another different hard copy document.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
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| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-06-15 | 2005-12-15 | 2006-06-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-06-15 | 2009-12-15 | 2010-06-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |