APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DOCUMENT PROCESSING

• US 20100241620A1
• Filed: 09/19/2008
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Olton Limited
• Original Assignee: Olton Limited
• Inventors: Manister, Paul, Hann, Nic, Prosser, Chris
• Application Number:
  US12/738,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20100241620A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/709
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/313 Selection or weighting of terms for indexing

Abstract

A computer implemented document processor comprising: an information capture module configured with an interface to multiple document sources and to capture a plurality of data elements from documents sourced; an interface for receiving objectives and/or criteria; an information processor comprising an assessment module operable to analyse and assess a current state indicated by said data elements; one or more of: a profiles module; a scenario module; and a themes module; a memory; and an output module.

Claims

1. A computer implemented document processor comprising:

an information capture module configured with an interface to multiple document sources and to capture a plurality of data elements from documents sourced;

an interface for receiving objectives and/or criteria;

an information processor comprising an assessment module operable to analyse and assess a current state indicated by said data elements;

one or more of;

a profiles module;

a scenario module; and

a themes module;

a memory; and

an output module.

2. A computer implemented document processor according to claim 1, further comprising a visualisation module.

3. A computer implemented document processor according to any preceding claim, and wherein the information capture module sources documents according to received objectives and/or criteria.

4. A computer implemented document processor according to any preceding claim, wherein the information capture module is configured to source documents from public document sources.

5. A computer implemented document processor according to any preceding claim, wherein the information capture module is configured to source documents from one or more private document sources.

6. A computer implemented document processor according to any preceding claim, comprising one or more of:

a data acquisition module;

a data splitting module; and

a tagging module.

7. A computer implemented document processor according to any preceding claim, wherein the information capture module comprises a Webcrawler device.

8. A computer implemented document processor according to any preceding claim, comprising a data splitting module operable to split documents into data elements each comprising an information item from a document.

9. A computer implemented document processor of claim 8, further operable to generate metadata associated with each said data element.

10. A computer implemented document processor of claim 9, wherein the metadata comprises one or more of:

a label or a keyword.

11. A computer implemented document processor of claim 10, wherein a label comprises one or more of:

title;

source; and

date.

12. A computer implemented document processor of claim 10 or 11, wherein a keyword comprises one or more of:

a geographic location;

author;

organisation; and

an indication of context.

13. A computer implemented document processor according to any preceding claim, wherein a data element is logically associated with a source document.

14. A computer implemented document processor according to any preceding claim, comprising an assessment module operable to process a data element and associate it with one or more of:

a relevance score;

a non-numerical ranking;

a numerical ranking;

a confident score;

opinion;

a commentary;

a user objective; and

a user criteria.

15. A computer implemented document processor according to any preceding claim, comprising an assessment module and a profiles module, wherein the profiles module is configured to receive outputs from the assessment module to populate one or more profiles.

16. A computer implemented document processor according to claim 15, wherein a profile comprises an object of information and information about its context.

17. A computer implemented document processor according to claim 15 or 16, wherein a profile comprises links to least one data element.

18. A computer implemented document processor according to claim 15, 16 or 17, comprising a data linking module configured to establish links between profiles and data elements.

19. A computer implemented document processor according to claim 15, 16, 17 or 18, wherein a profile comprises a plurality of attributes.

20. A computer implemented document processor according to any preceding claim, comprising a stored profile selected from one or more of the following profile types:

dot of knowledge profile;

event profile;

condensing profile;

compare and contrast profile;

aggregation profile; and

a combination of two or more of the aforesaid profile types.

21. A computer implemented document processor according to any preceding claim, comprising a data linking module and a profiles module, and operable to create and/or map relationships between first and second profiles.

22. A computer implemented document processor according to any preceding claim, comprising a profiles module and wherein one more of a data element, or a profile can be selectively indicated to be dormant or live.

23. A computer implemented document processor according to any preceding claim, comprising a profiles module and wherein a profile comprises an association with one or more of:

opinion;

observation;

assumption.

24. A computer implemented document processor according to any preceding claim, comprising a scenarios module, wherein the scenarios module is configured to define scenarios comprised of one or more of:

a projected course of action;

a series of facts;

a series of events; and

a series of situations.

25. A computer implemented document processor according to claim 24, comprising a scenario populated by profile data.

26. A computer implemented document processor according to any preceding claim, comprising a themes module, wherein the themes module is configured to construct a theme based on scenario data.

27. A computer implemented document processor according to claim 26, wherein the themes module is configurable to perform monitoring according to one or more of the following techniques:

criterion based;

panel-based assessment; and

multiple options over time.

28. A computer implemented document processor according to claim 26 or 27, wherein the themes module is configurable to contribute to visual representations according to a plurality of themes.

29. A computer implemented document processor according to any of claim 26, 27 or 28, configurable such that a theme is monitored in multiple dimensions.

30. A computer implemented document processor according to any of claims 26 to 29, configurable such that a plurality of multidimensional themes can be monitored simultaneously.

31. A computer implemented document processor of any of claims 26 to 30, configurable such that a plurality of multidimensional themes can be monitored over time.

32. A computer implemented document processor according to any of claims 26-31, configurable such that theme are monitored in multiple time dimensions.

33. A computer implemented document processor according to any of claims 26-32, configurable such that themes are monitored in multiple geographic locations.

34. A computer implemented document processor according to any preceding claim, comprising a visualisation unit capable of presenting results graphically, and wherein said visualisation module is configurable to present graphically:

a data item;

a relationship between data items;

a trend;

or a geographic proliferation, said result relating to one or more of;

a profile;

a scenario, and a theme.

35. A computer implemented document processor according to any preceding claim, comprising a data management tools module including one or more of:

scenario planning device;

a risk management device;

options analysis device;

structured thinking tools.

36. A computer implemented document processor according to claim 35, wherein the data management tool module supports setting of one or more of success indicators and warning signs in a scenario or theme.

37. A computer implemented document processor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an output of one or more of said:

profiles module;

scenario module;

themes module;

visualisation module; and

output module, is supplied to the information capture module.

38. A computer implemented document processor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an output of one or more of said:

information capture module;

scenario module;

themes module;

visualisation module; and

output module, is supplied to the profiles module.

39. A computer implemented document processor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an output of one or more of said:

information capture module;

profiles module;

themes module;

visualisation module; and

output module, is supplied to the scenarios module.

40. A computer implemented document processor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an output of one or more of said:

information capture module;

profiles module;

scenario module;

visualisation module; and

output module, is supplied to the themes module.

41. A computer implemented document processor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an output of one or more of said:

information capture module;

profiles module;

scenario module;

themes module; and

output module, is supplied to the visualisation module.

42. A computer implemented document processor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an output of one or more of said:

information capture module;

profiles module;

scenario module;

themes module; and

visualisation module, is supplied to the output module.

43. A computer implemented document processor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an output of one or more of:

said profiles module;

scenario module;

themes module;

visualisation module; and

output module, is supplied to the information capture module.

44. A computer implemented document processor according to any preceding claim, comprising a remote server interface configured for the exchange of results data and analyses to/from a remote data management computer.

45. A method of operating a document processing system according to any preceding claim.

46. A method of operating a computer to perform a document processing task, comprising:

receiving documents comprising information and splitting each document into a plurality of data elements;

building profiles, each profile being connected to a plurality of data elements;

constructing scenarios and/or options based on one or more of said data elements and profiles;

monitoring themes constructed using one or more of said data elements, scenarios, and themes;

outputting a visualisation of results.

47. A computer program comprising programme code, said programme code being operable to cause a computer to perform a method according to claim 46.

48. A computer program recorded on computer readable medium, said computer program comprising programme code operable to cause a computer to perform a method according to claim 46.