Page-independent multi-field validation in document capture

• US 10,120,537 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2016
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Ho, Ming Fung
• Primary Examiner(s): Ries, Laurie A
• Application Number:
  US15/055,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20160179313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/2178 based on feedback of a supervisor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/226 Validation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/987 with the intervention of an operator
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/19167 Active pattern learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/412 Layout analysis of documents structured with printed lines or input boxes, e.g. business forms or tables

Abstract

Techniques to validate data in document capture are disclosed. An indication is received that a validation rule associated with two or more dependent fields in a data entry form comprising data values extracted from a multi-page document has failed. Ahuman validation interface is provided that enables an operator to view the affected dependent fields and for each an associated document image portion from which a corresponding data value was extracted, including by providing automated navigation to and display of the affected dependent fields.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

extracting data values from digital content that is generated by recognizing characters or marks from a multi-page document;

generating a single data entry form comprising the data values extracted from the multi-page document, wherein the single data entry form includes a data value extracted from a first page of the multi-page document and one or more data values extracted from one or more other pages of the multi-page document;

receiving an indication that one or more validation rules associated with one or more data entry form fields in the single data entry form comprising the data values extracted from the multi-page document has failed;

providing a human validation interface that enables an operator to validate the one or more data entry form fields associated with the single data entry form in a first display area;

receiving operator input that changes a data value associated with a first data entry form field of the one or more data entry form fields, wherein the data value associated with the first data entry form field is associated with at least one other data entry form field of the one or more data entry form fields; and

in response to the operator input, re-evaluating the one or more validation rules, wherein the at least one other data entry form field is no longer marked as having an error when re-evaluating the one or more validation rules.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the human validation interface enables the operator to cycle through the one or more data entry form fields sequentially.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more thumbnails associated with one or more pages of the multi-page document are displayed in a second display area.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more pages of the multi-page document are displayed in a third display area.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the human validation interface updates a depiction of the one or more thumbnails to be displayed in the second display area based at least in part on a current data entry form field.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the human validation interface updates the one or more pages of the multi-page document displayed in the third display area based at least in part on a current data entry form field.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the human validation interface updates the one or more pages of the multi-page document displayed in the third display area based at least in part on a selection of one of the one or more thumbnails.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein an image of the data values extracted from the digital content is displayed in an area associated with a corresponding data entry form field.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the image is displayed when the corresponding data entry form field is to be validated.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the image of the data values is scaled to a prescribed size.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more validation rules compare multiple occurrences of a same data value.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more validation rules compare the extracted data values with one or more values stored in a database.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the data value associated with the first data entry form field and the data value associated with the at least one other data entry form field of the one or more data entry form fields are the same.

14. A document capture system, comprising:

a display device; and

a processor coupled to the display device and configured to;

extract data values from digital content that is generated by recognizing characters or marks from a multi-page document;

generate a single data entry form comprising the data values extracted from the multi-page document, wherein the single data entry form includes a data value extracted from a first page of the multi-page document and one or more data values extracted from one or more other pages of the multi-page document;

receive an indication that one or more validation rules associated with one or more data entry form fields in the single data entry form comprising the data values extracted from the multi-page document has failed;

provide a human validation interface that enables an operator to validate the one or more data entry form fields associated with the single data entry form in a first display area; and

receive operator input that changes a data value associated with a first data entry form field of the one or more data entry form fields wherein the data value associated with the first data entry form field is associated with at least one other data entry form field of the one or more data entry form fields; and

in response to the operator input, re-evaluating the one or more validation rules, wherein the at least one other data entry form field is no longer marked as having an error when re-evaluating the one or more validation rules.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the human validation interface enables the operator to cycle through the one or more data entry form fields sequentially.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein one or more thumbnails associated with one or more pages of the multi-page document are displayed in a second display area.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more pages of the multi-page document are displayed in a third display area.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the human validation interface updates a depiction of the one or more thumbnails to be displayed in the second display area based at least in part on a current data entry form field.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the human validation interface updates the one or more pages of the multi-page document displayed in the third display area based at least in part on a current data entry form field.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the human validation interface updates the one or more pages of the multi-page document displayed in the third display area based at least in part on a selection of one of the one or more thumbnails.

21. A computer program product to validate data, the computer program product being embodied in a tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

extracting data values from digital content that is generated by recognizing characters or marks from a multi-page document;

generating a single data entry form comprising the data values extracted from the multi-page document, wherein the single data entry form includes a data value extracted from a first page of the multi-page document and one or more data values extracted from one or more other pages of the multi-page document;

receiving an indication that one or more validation rules associated with one or more data entry form fields in the single data entry form comprising the data values extracted from the multi-page document has failed;

providing a human validation interface that enables an operator to validate the one or more data entry form fields associated with the single data entry form in a first display area; and

receiving operator input that changes a data value associated with a first data entry form field of the one or more data entry form fields, wherein the data value associated with the first data entry form field is associated with at least one other data entry form field of the one or more data entry form fields; and

in response to the operator input, re-evaluating the one or more validation rules, wherein the at least one other data entry form field is no longer marked as having an error when re-evaluating the one or more validation rules.