Converting Text Content to a Set of Graphical Icons

• US 20150006516A1
• Filed: 09/16/2014
• Published: 01/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Della Corte, Gianluca, Donatelli, Alessandro, Sgro, Antonio M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,529,869 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/345 Summarisation for human users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/353 into predefined classes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• 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

Abstract

A method, system and program product for analyzing textual information and providing a visual representative of a summary of such textual information in the form of a ranked list of icons. A text to icon engine is used that takes as input a textual document. A plurality of icons are each associated to a specific rule such that when the text to icon engine processes textual input, it will apply the rules associated with the icons and return a value that represents how much the text belongs to a specific icon.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a computer to provide a graphical summary of textual data, comprising steps implemented by the computer of:

analyzing the textual data using a plurality of rules that each specify textual characteristics for various types of the textual data and an associated icon;

selecting at least one of the plurality of rules whose specified textual characteristics match characteristics of the textual data to form selected rules; and

generating a list of at least one icon according to the selected rules.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein analyzing the textual data comprises:

forming matching indices by determining a matching index value for each rule of the plurality of rules that represents how much the textual data belongs to a specific icon of a plurality of icons.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the list comprises a plurality of icons.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of icons are ordered in the list according to the matching indices.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

presenting the list on a display device of the computer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the textual data comprises an email chain having multiple distinct email messages included therein.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the list is a single icon placed adjacent to the email chain on a display device of the computer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of icons indicates a relative length of the textual data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of icons indicates that the textual data is a technical document.