System and method for generating database input forms
First Claim
1. A system for facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable electronic computer based data entry forms to specifying data to be stored in a database, said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said system comprising:
- a scanner for scanning an existing data entry form and for generating a digitized representation of said data entry form;
said digitized representation including color information;
a display for displaying images;
a form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form;
a memory for storing a set of form definition procedures for defining an electronic computer-based data entry form, responsive to user commands, said form definition procedures includingan imaging procedure for displaying on said display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form;
a region definition procedure for enabling a user to indicate regions of said displayed data entry form; and
object definition procedures for enabling said user to define a multiplicity of objects, said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes, and checkbox buttons, and for specifying properties of said defined objects;
said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database, and (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users; and
said object definition procedures storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; and
a data processing unit for executing said stored form definition procedures;
wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database;
said form definition procedures including;
color recognition procedures for utilizing said color information, said color recognition procedures automatically defining ones of said objects and specifying ones of said properties of said objects based on said color information, including;
for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form enclosed by a colored border of a first predefined color, automatically defining a form section having physical dimensions corresponding to the position of said color border in said digitized representation of said data entry form;
for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form highlighted with a second predefined color, automatically defining a checkbox button object having physical dimensions corresponding to the extent of said highlighted region in said digitized representation of said data entry form; and
for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form highlighted with a third predefined color, automatically defining a text box object having physical dimensions corresponding to the extent of said highlighted region in said digitized representation of said data entry form;
said color recognition procedures storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said automatically defined objects.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for generating voice activated computer data entry forms includes a scanner to scan an existing data entry form and to generate a digitized representation of the data entry form. Stored in the system'"'"'s computer memory is a database for storing information, a voice dictionary and voice syntax files representing voice recognition information. A set of form definition procedures include an imaging procedure for displaying the scanned data entry form on the display and a region definition procedure for enabling a user to indicate regions of the displayed data entry form. Object definition procedures enable a user to define a multiplicity of objects, including form sections, text boxes, and checkbox buttons, and for specifying properties of the defined objects. The object properties that can be specified include (A) database links for linking selected objects to respective specified fields in the database, (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which objects cannot be selected by end users when other specified objects have previously been selected, and (C) voiced command data specifying voiced commands to use for end user voiced selection of said objects. The object definition procedures store, in a form definition data structure in the computer system'"'"'s memory, form definition data corresponding to the user defined objects and user specified object properties. The scanned form can be color coded to indicate different objects in the form and color information in the form'"'"'s digitized representation is automatically decoded to generate object and object property definitions.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A system for facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable electronic computer based data entry forms to specifying data to be stored in a database, said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said system comprising:
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a scanner for scanning an existing data entry form and for generating a digitized representation of said data entry form;
said digitized representation including color information;a display for displaying images; a form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; a memory for storing a set of form definition procedures for defining an electronic computer-based data entry form, responsive to user commands, said form definition procedures including an imaging procedure for displaying on said display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; a region definition procedure for enabling a user to indicate regions of said displayed data entry form; and object definition procedures for enabling said user to define a multiplicity of objects, said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes, and checkbox buttons, and for specifying properties of said defined objects; said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database, and (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users; and said object definition procedures storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; and a data processing unit for executing said stored form definition procedures; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said form definition procedures including; color recognition procedures for utilizing said color information, said color recognition procedures automatically defining ones of said objects and specifying ones of said properties of said objects based on said color information, including; for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form enclosed by a colored border of a first predefined color, automatically defining a form section having physical dimensions corresponding to the position of said color border in said digitized representation of said data entry form; for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form highlighted with a second predefined color, automatically defining a checkbox button object having physical dimensions corresponding to the extent of said highlighted region in said digitized representation of said data entry form; and for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form highlighted with a third predefined color, automatically defining a text box object having physical dimensions corresponding to the extent of said highlighted region in said digitized representation of said data entry form; said color recognition procedures storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said automatically defined objects. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A system for facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable, voice activated electronic computer based data entry forms for specifying data to be stored in a database;
- said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said system comprising;
a scanner for scanning an existing data entry form and for generating a digitized representation of said data entry form;
said digitized representation including color information;a display for displaying images; a form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; a microphone for receiving voiced commands and form item selections; a memory for storing a set of form definition procedures for defining an electronic computer-based data entry form, responsive to user commands, said form definition procedures including an imaging procedure for displaying on said display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; a region definition procedure for enabling a user to indicate regions of said displayed data entry form; and object definition procedures for enabling said user to define a multiplicity of objects, said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes, and checkbox buttons, and for specifying properties of said defined objects; said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database, (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users, and (C) voiced command data specifying voiced commands to use for end user voiced selection of said objects; and said object definition procedures storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; and a data processing unit for executing said stored form definition procedures; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said form definition procedures including; color recognition procedures for utilizing said color information, said color recognition procedures automatically defining ones of said objects and specifying ones of said properties of said objects based on said color information, including; for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form enclosed by a colored border of a first predefined color, automatically defining a form section having physical dimensions corresponding to the position of said color border in said digitized representation of said data entry form; for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form highlighted with a second predefined color, automatically defining a checkbox button object having physical dimensions corresponding to the extent of said highlighted region in said digitized representation of said data entry form; and for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form highlighted with a third predefined color, automatically defining a text box object having physical dimensions corresponding to the extent of said highlighted region in said digitized representation of said data entry form; said color recognition procedures storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said automatically defined objects. - View Dependent Claims (4)
- said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said system comprising;
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5. A system for facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable, voice activated electronic computer based data entry forms for specifying data to be stored in a database, said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said system comprising:
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a scanner for scanning an existing data entry form and for generating a digitized representation of said data entry form; a display for displaying images; a form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; a microphone for receiving voiced commands and form item selections; a memory for storing a set of form definition procedures for defining an electronic computer-based data entry form, responsive to user commands, said form definition procedures including an imaging procedure for displaying on said display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; a region definition procedure for enabling a user to indicate regions of said displayed data entry form; and object definition procedures for enabling said user to define a multiplicity of objects, said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes, and checkbox buttons, and for specifying properties of said defined objects; said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database, (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users, and (C) voiced command data specifying voiced commands to use for end user voiced selection of said objects; and said object definition procedures storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; and a data processing unit for executing said stored form definition procedures; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said form data entry procedures including a voice response procedure for responding to each voice input by an end user by determining which section, if any, of said computerized entry form was last selected by said end user and finding a best match, if any, between said voice input and said specified voiced commands corresponding to said defined objects in said selected form section.
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6. A method of facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable electronic computer based data entry forms for specifying data to be stored in a database, said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said method comprising, comprising:
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scanning an existing data entry form so as to generate a digitized representation of said data entry form, and storing said digitized representation of said data entry form in a computer memory;
said digitized representation including color information;displaying on a display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; storing in said computer memory a form definition data structure, said form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; receiving user commands indicating regions of said displayed data entry form, and storing in said form data structure data representing said indicated regions; and receiving user commands defining a multiplicity of objects, and specifying properties of said defined objects;
said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes, and checkbox buttons, said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database, and (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users; andstoring in said form data structure data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said method further including; after said scanning step, automatically defining ones of said objects and specifying ones of said properties of said objects based on said color information, including; for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form enclosed by a colored border of a first predefined color, automatically defining a form section having physical dimensions corresponding to the position of said color border in said digitized representation of said data entry form; for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form highlighted with a second predefined color, automatically defining a checkbox button object having physical dimensions corresponding to the extent of said highlighted region in said digitized representation of said data entry form; and for each region of said digitized representation of said data entry form highlighted with a third predefined color, automatically defining a text box object having physical dimensions corresponding to the extent of said highlighted region in said digitized representation of said data entry form; and storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said automatically defined objects. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A method of facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable electronic computer based data entry forms for specifying data to be stored in a database, said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said method comprising, comprising:
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scanning an existing data entry form so as to generate a digitized representation of said data entry form, and storing said digitized representation of said data entry form in a computer memory; displaying on a display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; storing in said computer memory a form definition data structure, said form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; receiving user commands indicating regions of said displayed data entry form, and storing in said form data structure data representing said indicated regions; and receiving user commands defining a multiplicity of objects, and specifying properties of said defined objects;
said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes, and checkbox buttons, said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database, and (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users; andstoring in said form data structure data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said step of receiving user commands defining a multiplicity of objects, and specifying properties of said defined objects further including receiving user commands specifying voiced commands for end user voiced selection of said objects; said method including; generating a voice dictionary, representing voice recognition information associated with said specified voiced commands; receiving voiced commands from said end user; and responding to each voiced command by determining which section, if any, of said computerized entry form was last selected by said end user and finding a best match, if any, between said voice input and said specified voiced commands corresponding to said defined objects in said selected form section.
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9. A system for facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable electronic computer based data entry forms for specifying data to be stored in a database, said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said system comprising:
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a scanner for scanning an existing data entry form and for generating a digitized representation of said data entry form;
said digitized representation including color information;a display for displaying images; a form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; a memory for storing a set of form definition procedures for defining an electronic computer-based data entry form, responsive to user commands, said form definition procedures including an imaging procedure for displaying on said display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; a region definition procedure for enabling a user to indicate regions of said displayed data entry form; and object definition procedures for enabling said user to define a multiplicity of objects, said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes; and
checkbox buttons, and for specifying properties of said defined objects;said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database; and
(B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users; andsaid object definition procedures storing in said definition data structure form definition data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; and a data processing unit for executing said stored form definition procedures; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said form definition procedures including; color recognition procedures for utilizing said color information, said color recognition procedures automatically defining ones of said objects to correspond to color demarcated regions of said scanned data entry form and specifying ones of said properties of said objects based on said color information. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A method of facilitating the conversion of paper based data entry forms to fully reusable electronic computer based data entry forms for specifying data to be stored in a database, said database storing data in records each having a plurality of fields, said method comprising, comprising:
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scanning an existing data entry form so as to generate a digitized representation of said data entry form, and storing said digitized representation of said data entry form in a computer memory, said digitized representation including color information; displaying on a display at least a portion of said scanned data entry form; storing in said computer memory a form definition data structure, said form definition data structure for storing data representing said scanned data entry form; receiving user commands indicating regions of said displayed data entry form, and storing in said form data structure data representing said indicated regions; and receiving user commands defining a multiplicity of objects, and specifying properties of said defined objects;
said objects corresponding to ones of said regions and including form sections, text boxes, and checkbox buttons, said specified properties including (A) links for linking selected ones of said defined objects to respective specified fields in said database, and (B) exclusionary relationships for specifying which of said objects cannot be selected by end users when specified others of said objects have previously been selected by said end users; andstoring in said form data structure data corresponding to said user defined objects and user specified object properties; wherein said electronic computer based data entry form is suitable for repeated use for specifying data to be stored in said database; said method including; automatically defining ones of said objects to correspond to color demarcated regions of said scanned data entry form and specifying ones of said properties of said objects based on said color information. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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Specification