SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING DOCUMENT

• US 20130019164A1
• Filed: 07/11/2012
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paper Software LLC
• Original Assignee: Paper Software LLC
• Inventors: Whetsell, Nathan Alexander, Whetsell, Benjamin Stuart
• Granted Patent: US 10,540,426 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/243
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/137 Hierarchical processing, e.g. outlines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/258 Heading extraction; Automatic titling; Numbering

Abstract

A method and computing system are provided for identifying a plurality of indicators of hierarchy within a document. A hierarchical level associated with each of the plurality of indicators may be determined. One or more portions of the document may be associated with a respective hierarchical level associated with each of the plurality of indicators.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying, on a processor, a plurality of indicators of hierarchy within a document;

determining, on the processor, a hierarchical level associated with each of the plurality of indicators; and

associating, on the processor, one or more portions of the document with a respective hierarchical level associated with each of the plurality of indicators.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of indicators includes an itemizer having one or more of a prefix, a stem, and a suffix.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the hierarchical level associated with each indicator includes interpreting at least a portion of each of the plurality of indicators to determine a numbering style associated with each indicator and a numerical value associated with each indicator.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining a hierarchical level associated with each of the plurality of indicators further includes determining if a current indicator follows a preceding indicator.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising determining if the current indicator follows an ancestor indicator in response to determining that the current indicator does not follow the preceding indicator.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising determining an alternative interpretation of the preceding indicator.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising setting the preceding indicator to the alternative interpretation, and setting the current indicator to follow the preceding indicator.

8. A computer program product residing on a non-transitory computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

identifying a plurality of indicators of hierarchy within a document;

determining a hierarchical level associated with each of the plurality of indicators; and

associating one or more portions of the document with a respective hierarchical level associated with each of the plurality of indicators.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of indicators includes an itemizer having one or more of a prefix, a stem, and a suffix.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the instructions for determining the hierarchical level associated with each indicator include instructions for interpreting at least a portion of each of the plurality of indicators to determine a numbering style associated with each indicator and a numerical value associated with each indicator.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the instructions for determining a hierarchical level associated with each of the plurality of indicators further includes instructions for determining if a current indicator follows a preceding indicator.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising instructions for determining if the current indicator follows an ancestor indicator in response to determining that the current indicator does not follow the preceding indicator.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising instructions for determining an alternative interpretation of the preceding indicator.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising instructions for setting the preceding indicator to the alternative interpretation, and setting the current indicator to follow the preceding indicator.

15. A computing system comprising one or more processors configured to:

identify a plurality of indicators of hierarchy within a document;

determine a hierarchical level associated with each of the plurality of indicators; and

associate one or more portions of the document with a respective hierarchical level associated with each of the plurality of indicators.

16. The computing system of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of indicators includes an itemizer having one or more of a prefix, a stem, and a suffix.

17. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors configured to determine the hierarchical level associated with each indicator are further configured to interpret at least a portion of each of the plurality of indicators to determine a numbering style associated with each indicator and a numerical value associated with each indicator.

18. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors configured to determine a hierarchical level associated with each of the plurality of indicators are further configured to determine if a current indicator follows a preceding indicator.

19. The computing system of claim 18, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine if the current indicator follows an ancestor indicator in response to determining that the current indicator does not follow the preceding indicator.

20. The computing system of claim 18, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine an alternative interpretation of the preceding indicator.

21. The computing system of claim 20, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to set the preceding indicator to the alternative interpretation, and to set the current indicator to follow the preceding indicator.