Computer processes for analyzing and suggesting improvements for text readability
First Claim
1. Non-transitory computer storage having stored thereon executable code that instructs a computer system to perform a method of analysis and interaction with a user to efficiently address readability issues by improving clarity and brevity of text, the method comprising:
- accepting and storing input text;
providing a user interface through a plug-in to a word processing application, configured to display the stored input text;
accessing a rules database of rules and other information used by the method during analysis, the database including multiple rules configured for application to portions of text that include at least one character string selected from the following “
to be”
verbs;
“
be”
, “
is”
, “
was”
, “
are”
, “
being”
, “
am”
, “
were”
, and “
been”
, said rules comprising one or more rules addressing passive voice problems;
when initiated by a user through the user interface, analyzing input text by performing the following steps;
identifying target text that includes at least one of the following “
to be”
verbs;
“
be”
, “
is”
, “
was”
, “
are”
, “
being”
, “
am”
, “
were”
, and “
been”
;
applying to the input text a rule, or multiple rules, associated with that target text;
alerting the user to the possible occurrence of a readability issue where the target text contains at least a “
to be”
verb and at least one past participle immediately following that verb;
wherein if a portion of the input text containing the target text is present and not precluded by any false positive list, the interface;
draws a user'"'"'s attention to the target text by modifying the appearance of the target text within the word processing application; and
proposes a related edit to the user comprising removal or modification of words or phrases from the portion of the input text by displaying the target text in context such that the user can simultaneously see a pre-edit version thereof on the same screen as the proposal for revision;
wherein modifying the appearance of the target text within the word processing application comprises maintaining its context within the scanned text but altering its appearance or the appearance of the graphical space adjacent thereto and simultaneously displaying a suggestion for the user to make a revision with respect to such readability issue, said suggestion provided via a display of text relating to the readability issue on the same screen as the target text; and
wherein the interface provides a consistently-positioned interactive panel allowing a user to repeatedly accept or repeatedly reject edits while viewing the modified portion of the scanned text and simultaneously maintaining the position of a cursor within the interactive panel.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Computer-based processes are disclosed for analyzing and improving document readability. Document readability is improved by using rules and associated logic to automatically detect various types of writing problems and to make and/or suggest edits for eliminating such problems. Many of the rules seek to generate more concise formulations of the analyzed sentences, such as by eliminating unnecessary words, rearranging words and phrases, and making various other types of edits. Proposed edits can be conveyed, e.g., through a word processing platform, by changing the visual appearance of text to indicate how the text would appear with (or with and without) the edit.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. Non-transitory computer storage having stored thereon executable code that instructs a computer system to perform a method of analysis and interaction with a user to efficiently address readability issues by improving clarity and brevity of text, the method comprising:
-
accepting and storing input text; providing a user interface through a plug-in to a word processing application, configured to display the stored input text; accessing a rules database of rules and other information used by the method during analysis, the database including multiple rules configured for application to portions of text that include at least one character string selected from the following “
to be”
verbs;
“
be”
, “
is”
, “
was”
, “
are”
, “
being”
, “
am”
, “
were”
, and “
been”
, said rules comprising one or more rules addressing passive voice problems;when initiated by a user through the user interface, analyzing input text by performing the following steps; identifying target text that includes at least one of the following “
to be”
verbs;
“
be”
, “
is”
, “
was”
, “
are”
, “
being”
, “
am”
, “
were”
, and “
been”
;applying to the input text a rule, or multiple rules, associated with that target text; alerting the user to the possible occurrence of a readability issue where the target text contains at least a “
to be”
verb and at least one past participle immediately following that verb;wherein if a portion of the input text containing the target text is present and not precluded by any false positive list, the interface; draws a user'"'"'s attention to the target text by modifying the appearance of the target text within the word processing application; and proposes a related edit to the user comprising removal or modification of words or phrases from the portion of the input text by displaying the target text in context such that the user can simultaneously see a pre-edit version thereof on the same screen as the proposal for revision; wherein modifying the appearance of the target text within the word processing application comprises maintaining its context within the scanned text but altering its appearance or the appearance of the graphical space adjacent thereto and simultaneously displaying a suggestion for the user to make a revision with respect to such readability issue, said suggestion provided via a display of text relating to the readability issue on the same screen as the target text; and wherein the interface provides a consistently-positioned interactive panel allowing a user to repeatedly accept or repeatedly reject edits while viewing the modified portion of the scanned text and simultaneously maintaining the position of a cursor within the interactive panel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. Non-transitory computer storage having stored thereon executable code that directs a computer system to perform a method of automatic text evaluation, the method comprising:
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detecting whether a particular readability issue exists in text, notwithstanding whether the text is grammatically correct; scanning for target text containing at least one character string associated with the possible occurrence of the readability issue, wherein such target text includes a target nominalization; alerting a user to the possible occurrence of a readability issue where the first four words immediately preceding the target nominalization include a “
to be”
verb and/or a target verb; andimplementing correction logic for correcting the issue, the correction logic specifying a proposed edit, the edit comprising one or some combination of the following; deleting text;
adding text; and
/or reordering text;wherein the method of automatic text evaluation is performed by a plug-in to a word processing application; wherein alerting the user to the possible occurrence of a readability issue comprises modifying the appearance of the scanned text within the word processing application; wherein the word processing application'"'"'s graphical user interface, as modified by the plug-in; allows a user to accept or reject the edit through at least one button; has a consistently-positioned interactive panel allowing a user to repeatedly accept or repeatedly reject edits while viewing target text and simultaneously maintaining the position of a cursor within the interactive panel; and after a user has accepted or rejected an edit using the at least one button, promptly shows subsequent target text and an associated proposed edit, thereby allowing the user to rapidly proceed between proposed edits and accept or reject the proposed edits. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 29)
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17. Non-transitory computer storage having stored thereon executable code that directs a computer system to perform a method of automatic text evaluation, the method comprising:
-
detecting whether a particular readability issue exists in text, notwithstanding whether the text is grammatically correct; scanning for target text containing at least one character string associated with the possible occurrence of the readability issue, wherein such target text includes a phrase beginning with “
it”
, ending with “
that”
, containing a “
to be”
verb, and containing at least one word between the “
to be”
verb and “
that”
;alerting a user to the possible occurrence of a readability issue where all the words between the “
to be”
verb and “
that”
are verbs (including participles, help verbs, and infinitives), adverbs, and/or adjectives; andimplementing correction logic for correcting the issue, the correction logic specifying a proposed edit, the edit comprising one or some combination of the following; deleting text;
adding text; and
/or reordering text;wherein the method of automatic text evaluation is performed by a plug-in to a word processing application; wherein alerting the user to the possible occurrence of a readability issue comprises modifying the appearance of the scanned text within the word processing application; wherein the word processing application'"'"'s graphical user interface, as modified by the plug-in; allows a user to accept or reject the edit through at least one button; has a consistently-positioned interactive panel allowing a user to repeatedly accept or repeatedly reject edits while viewing target text and simultaneously maintaining the position of their cursor within the interactive panel; after a user has accepted or rejected an edit using the at least one button, promptly shows a subsequent target text and associated proposed edit, thereby allowing the user to rapidly proceed between proposed edits and accept or reject the proposed edits. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 27, 28)
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21. Non-transitory computer storage having stored thereon executable code that directs a computer system to perform a method of automatic text evaluation, the method comprising:
-
detecting whether a particular readability issue exists in text, notwithstanding whether the text is grammatically correct; scanning for target text containing at least one character string associated with the possible occurrence of the readability issue, wherein such target text includes the word “
there”
, a “
to be”
verb, a noun unit, and the word “
that”
, “
who”
, or “
which”
;alerting a user to the possible occurrence of a readability issue where the “
to be”
verb immediately follows “
there”
, the noun unit immediately follows the “
to be”
verb and the word “
that”
, “
who”
, or “
which”
immediately follows the noun unit; andimplementing correction logic for correcting the issue, the correction logic specifying a proposed edit, the edit comprising one or some combination of the following; deleting text;
adding text; and
/or reordering text;wherein the method of automatic text evaluation is performed by a plug-in to a word processing application; wherein alerting the user to the possible occurrence of a readability issue comprises modifying the appearance of the scanned text within the word processing application; wherein the word processing application'"'"'s graphical user interface, as modified by the plug-in; allows a user to accept or reject the edit through at least one button; has a consistently-positioned interactive panel allowing a user to repeatedly accept or repeatedly reject edits while viewing target text and simultaneously maintaining the position of their cursor within the interactive panel; after a user has accepted or rejected an edit using the at least one button, promptly shows a subsequent target text and associated proposed edit, thereby allowing the user to rapidly proceed between proposed edits and accept or reject the proposed edits. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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30. The non-transitory computer storage of 29, wherein the method further comprises:
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when the term “
that”
or “
who”
is followed by a “
to be”
verb followed by a present participle or a past participle, alerting the user to the possible occurrence of a readability issue by;drawing a user'"'"'s attention to the target text by modifying the appearance of the scanned text by maintaining any target text in context within the scanned text but altering the appearance of any target text or graphical space adjacent thereto within the word processing application; and simultaneously displaying an edit proposal to a user through a computer interface via a display of text relating to the readability issue on the same general interface as the target text; the edit proposal comprising a suggestion to the user that the term “
that”
or “
who”
, along with the “
to be”
verb, can be cut.
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Specification