Interactive writing aid to assist a user in finding information and incorporating information correctly into a written work

• US 20110060761A1
• Filed: 09/08/2009
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kenneth Peyton Fouts
• Original Assignee: Kenneth Peyton Fouts
• Inventors: Fouts, Kenneth Peyton
• Granted Patent: US 8,479,094 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/770
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/10 Text processing natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30; processing or translation of natural language G06F40/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/205 Parsing

Abstract

A machine and computer-implemented process that assists a user in authoring any written work in that it automatically searches multiple sources simultaneously on the world wide web or other designated database in order to provide automatic citation and/or information suggestions to an author'"'"'s written work. The invention parses and sorts both user entered information and returned search results to create databases which assist in suggesting the most relevant information and citation suggestions to the user. The machine and computer-implemented process also provide automatic formatting, in a user pre-selected style, of both the written work and the citations which are automatically generated and suggested to the author based upon user defined presets and relevancy criteria. The invention described assists a user in finding information and the next step in a variety of processes.

Claims

1. A machine comprising:

an interface for the user of the machine;

the capacity to accept user input of language characters to create a written work;

a communication interface with other machines or computer servers;

a program for directing the machine to use and manipulate and handle the written work according to specific parameters and user defined preset information.

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the machine communicates with other machines or computer servers in real-time as a writing is being created by the user.

3. The machine of claim 2, wherein the machine uses existing world wide web and database search, in which three search engines or databases may be searched simultaneously, to generate searches for information in real time, as the user is creating a written document.

4. The machine of claim 3, wherein the data from the searches is analyzed, by popularity and user defined preset information, in real time, as the document is being authored.

5. The machine of claim 4, wherein the relevant information, based upon popularity and user defined presets, is suggested to the user in real time as the user authors the work.

6. The machine of claim 5, wherein the user can select or decline the suggested information.

7. The machine of claim 6, wherein information that is selected by the user is integrated into the written work.

8. The machine of claim 6, wherein a correctly formatted citation for the information selected by the user is inserted into the written work.

9. The machine of claim 6, wherein a correctly formatted citation entry is inserted into the bibliography of the written work, if applicable.

10. The machine of claims 6, wherein the written work is automatically saved in a digital format as the user authors the written work.

11. A computer-implemented process for assisting a user author a writing, in real time, comprising of steps a. communication interface with machines or computer servers via the world wide web and b. directing the machine to use and manipulate and handle the written work according to specific parameters and user defined preset information.

12. The computer-implemented process of claim 11, wherein the computer is directed to communicate with other machines or servers in real-time as the writing is being created by the user.

13. The computer-implemented process of claim 12, wherein the machine uses existing world wide web and database search, in which three search engines or databases may be searched simultaneously, to generate searches for information in real time as the user is creating a written document.

14. The computer-implemented process of claim 13, wherein the data from the searches is analyzed, by popularity and user defined preset information, in real time as the document is being authored.

15. The computer-implemented process of claim 14, wherein the relevant information, based upon popularity and user defined presets, is suggested to the user in real time as user authors the work.

16. The computer-implemented process of claim 15, wherein the user can select or decline the suggested information.

17. The computer-implemented process of claim 16, wherein information that is selected by the user is integrated into the written work.

18. The computer-implemented process of claim 16, wherein a correctly formatted citation for the information selected by the user is automatically inserted into the written work.

19. The computer-implemented process of claim 16, wherein a correctly formatted citation entry is automatically inserted into the bibliography of the written work, if applicable.

20. The computer-implemented process of claims 16, wherein the written work is automatically saved in a digital format as the user authors the written work.

21. The computer-implemented process of claim 16, wherein the information the user can select or decline is a medical diagnosis or prescription.

22. The computer-implemented process of claim 16, 17, 18, or 19, wherein the writing is a legal document.