Document information mining tool

• US 20050246351A1
• Filed: 04/30/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Hadley, Brent L., Chew, Susan C., Eames, Patrick J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,756,869 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/35 Clustering; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/355 Class or cluster creation or modification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, computer-readable media, and systems for extracting referential keys from a document. A document is parsed to identify at least one key, the key being identified from at least one contextual indication. The key is classified according to a key type, the key type being identified from the contextual indication. The key is extracted and then stored in a location in a structured shell with the location corresponding to the key type. As a result, the key can be found by a search seeking one of the key and the key-type allowing a searcher to identify the document from which the key was extracted.

Claims

1. A method for extracting referential keys from a document, the method comprising:

parsing the document to identify at least one key, the key being identified from at least one indicator;

classifying the key according to a key type, the key type being identified from the at least one indicator;

extracting the key; and

storing the key in a location in a structured shell, the location corresponding to the key type such that the key can be found by a search seeking at least one of the key and the key-type allowing a searcher to identify the document from which the key was extracted.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the document includes one of -a computer-readable content and a non-computer-readable content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the document includes a .pdf document.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the key type includes at least one of a title, a header, a footer, a document type, a document identifier, a subject identifier, a section identifier, a chapter identifier, and a page number.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator includes at least one of a placement indicator, a format indicator, and a font indicator.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the indicator is derived from knowledge including at least one of a general knowledge, a tribal knowledge, and a specific document formatting rules.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the placement indicator includes a page position.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the format indicator includes a character pattern including at least one of a pattern of digits and a pattern of separators.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the font indicator includes at least one of a typeface, a boldface, an underlined text portion, and a font size.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein extracting the key includes copying the key.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising using optical character recognition to extract the key when the document includes a non-computer-readable content.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the structured shell includes an extensible markup language (XML) document.

13. A method for extracting referential keys from a document, the method comprising:

parsing a .pdf document to identify at least one key, the key being identified from at least one indicator, the indicator including at least one of a placement indicator, a format indicator, and a font indicator;

classifying the key according to a key type, the key type being identified from the at least one indicator;

extracting the key; and

storing the key in a location in an extensible markup language (XML) document, the location corresponding to the key type such that the key can be found by a search seeking at least one of the key and the key-type allowing a searcher to identify the document from which the key was extracted.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the document includes one of a computer-readable content and a non-computer-readable content.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the key type includes at least one of a title, a header, a footer, a document type, a document identifier, a subject identifier, a section identifier, a chapter identifier, and a page number.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the indicator is derived from knowledge including at least one of a general knowledge, a tribal knowledge, and a specific document formatting rule.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the placement indicator includes a page position.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the format indicator includes a character pattern including at least one of a pattern of digits and a pattern of separators.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the font indicator includes at least one of a typeface, a boldface, a underlined text portion, and a font size.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein extracting the key includes copying the key.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising using optical character recognition to extract the key when the document includes a non-computer-readable content.

22. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions for extracting referential keys from a document, the computer-readable medium comprising:

a first computer program portion adapted to parse the document to identify at least one key, the key being identified from at least one indicator;

a second computer program portion adapted to classify the key according to a key type, the key type being identified from the at least one indicator;

a third computer program portion adapted to extract the key; and

a fourth computer program portion adapted to store the key in a location in a structured shell, the location corresponding to the key type such that the key can be found by a search seeking one of the key and the key-type allowing a searcher to identify the document from which the key was extracted.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the document includes one of a computer-readable content and a non-computer-readable content.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the document includes a .pdf document.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the key type includes at least one of a title, a header, a footer, a document type, a document identifier, a subject identifier, a section identifier, a chapter identifier, and a page number.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the indicator includes at least one of a placement indicator, a format indicator, and a font indicator.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the indicator is derived from knowledge including at least one of a general knowledge, a tribal knowledge, and a specific document formatting rule.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the placement indicator includes a page position.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the format indicator includes a character pattern including at least one of a pattern of digits and a pattern of separators.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the font indicator includes at least one of a typeface, a boldface, a underlined text portion, and a font size.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein extracting the key includes copying the key.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, further comprising a fifth computer program portion configured to use optical character recognition to extract the key when the document includes a non-computer-readable content.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the structured shell includes an extensible markup language (XML) document.

34. A computer-readable medium for extracting referential keys from a document, the computer-readable medium comprising:

a first computer program portion adapted to parse a .pdf document to identify at least one key, the key being identified from at least one indicator, the indicator including at least one of a placement indicator, a format indicator, and a font indicator;

a second computer program portion adapted to classify the key according to a key type, the key type being identified from the at least one indicator;

a third computer program portion adapted to extract the key; and

a fourth computer program portion adapted to store the key in a location in an extensible markup language (XML) document, the location corresponding to the key type such that the key can be found by a search seeking one of the key and the key-type allowing a searcher to identify the document from which the key was extracted.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the document includes one of a computer-readable content and a non-computer-readable content.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the key type includes at least one of a title, a header, a footer, a document type, a document identifier, a subject identifier, a section identifier, a chapter identifier, and a page number.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the indicator is derived from knowledge including at least one of a general knowledge, a tribal knowledge, and a specific document formatting rule.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the placement indicator includes a page position.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the format indicator includes a character pattern including at least one of a pattern of digits and a pattern of separators.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the font indicator includes at least one of a typeface, a boldface, an underlined text portion, and a font size.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein extracting the key includes copying the key.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, further comprising using optical character recognition to extract the key when the document includes a non-computer-readable content.

43. A system for extracting referential keys from a document, the system comprising:

a parser configured to parse the document to identify at least one key, the key being identified from at least one indicator;

an identifier configured to identify the key according to a key type, the key type being identified from the at least one indicator; and

a classifier configured to extract the key and store the key in a location in a structured shell, the location corresponding to the key type such that the key can be found by a search seeking one of the key and the key-type allowing a searcher to identify the document from which the key was extracted.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the document includes one of a computer-readable content and a non-computer-readable content.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein the document includes a .pdf document.

46. The system of claim 43, wherein the key type includes at least one of a title, a header, a footer, a document type, a document identifier, a subject identifier, a section identifier, a chapter identifier, and a page number.

47. The system of claim 43, wherein the indicator includes at least one of a placement indicator, a format indicator, and a font indicator.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the indicator is derived from knowledge including at least one of a general knowledge, a tribal knowledge, and a specific document formatting rule.

49. The system of claim 47, wherein the placement indicator includes a page position.

50. The system of claim 47, wherein the format indicator includes a character pattern including at least one of a pattern of digits and a pattern of separators.

51. The system of claim 47, wherein the font indicator includes at least one of a typeface, boldface, an underlined text portion, and a font size.

52. The system of claim 43, wherein extracting the key includes copying the key.

53. The system of claim 43, further comprising an optical character recognizer configured to use optical character recognition to extract the key when the document includes non-computer-readable content.

54. The system of claim 43, wherein the structured shell includes an extensible markup language (XML) document.

55. A system for extracting referential keys from a document, the system comprising:

a parser configured to parse a .pdf document to identify at least one key, the key being identified from at least one indicator, the indicator including at least one of a placement indicator, a format indicator, and a font indicator;

an identifier configured to identify the key according to a key type, the key type being identified from the at least one indicator;

a classifier configured to extract the key and store the key in a location in an extensible markup language (XML) document, the location corresponding to the key type such that the key can be found by a search seeking one of the key and the key-type allowing a searcher to identify the document from which the key was extracted.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the document includes one of a computer-readable content and a non-computer-readable content.

57. The system of claim 55, wherein the key type includes at least one of a title, a header, a footer, a document type, a document identifier, a subject identifier, a section identifier, a chapter identifier, and a page number.

58. The system of claim 55, wherein the indicator is derived from knowledge including at least one of a general knowledge, a tribal knowledge, and a specific document formatting rule.

59. The system of claim 55, wherein the placement indicator includes a page position.

60. The system of claim 55, wherein the format indicator includes a character pattern including at least one of a pattern of digits and a pattern of separators.

61. The system of claim 55, wherein the font indicator includes at least one of a typeface, a boldface, an underlined text portion, and a font size.

62. The system of claim 55, wherein extracting the key includes copying the key.

63. The system of claim 55, further comprising using optical character recognition to extract the key when the document includes a non-computer-readable content.

64. A method of information searching in a document, comprising:

creating a reference key corresponding to at least one contextual indicator present in the document;

parsing successive portions of the document;

identifying at least one portion of the document that includes the reference key; and

reviewing the information included in the at least one portion.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein creating a reference key further comprises creating the key according to a predetermined key type.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the key type comprises at least one of a title, a header, a footer, a document type, a document identifier, a subject identifier, a section identifier, a chapter identifier and a page number.

67. The method of claim 64, wherein the indicator comprises at least one of a placement indicator, a format indicator and a font indicator.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein the format indicator comprises a character pattern that includes at least one of a pattern of digits and a pattern of separators.

69. The method of claim 67, wherein the font indicator comprises at least one of a typeface, a boldface, an underlined text portion and a font size.