System and method for identifying form type in a handwriting recognition based form completion system

• US 6,456,740 B1
• Filed: 07/26/1999
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Soroker, Danny, Karasick, Michael S., Carini, Paul Robert, Weber, Samuel Monk, Chee, Yi-Min
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mariam, Daniel G.
• Application Number:
  US09/360,740
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 382/113, 382/120, 382/121, 382/122, 382/181, 382/185, 382/186, 382/187, 382/188, 382/190, 382/198, 382/202, 382/309, 382/312, 382/313, 382/314, 382/315, 382/306, 178/18.03, 178/19.04, 178/18.01, 358/473, 358/474, 358/478, 707/500, 707/505, 707/506, 707/507, 707/508, 707/517, 707/520, 707/541
• US Class Current: 382/187
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1423 the instrument generating sequences of position coordinates corresponding to handwriting preprocessing or recognising digital ink G06V30/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1444 Selective acquisition, locating or processing of specific regions, e.g. highlighted text, fiducial marks or predetermined fields

Abstract

The system of the present invention includes a form design component, a form description repository, and a forms processing component Each form used with the system has a layout including a form identifier field with a common location space for each given form of the plurality of different types of forms. The forms processing component is coupled to the form description repository and receives data from an electronic clipboard, through an interface port, which permits recognition of a unique form identifier, communication with the form description repository, receipt of a form definition corresponding to the unique form identifier, and correct processing of the data on the given form (based on the identifier) The method includes generating a form identifier field having a common location space for each different type of form, prompting a user of the system to enter a unique form identifier into the field, via input of at least one handwritten stroke, recording electronic stroke data indicative of the at least one handwritten stroke, storing the stroke data together with electronic entry field data indicative of contents of other fields of the given form, and then invoking a handwriting recognition engine on the stroke data so as to obtain correct identity of each given form, thereby permitting proper processing of the electronic entry field data.

Claims

1. A method for identifying form type in a handwriting recognition based form completion system intended for use with a plurality of different types of forms, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a form identifier field having a common location space for each of the different types of forms;

(b) prompting a user of the system to enter a unique form identifier in said form identifier field, for a given one of the different types of forms, via input of at least one handwritten stroke;

(c) recording electronic stroke data indicative of said at least one handwritten stroke;

(d) storing said electronic stroke data together with electronic entry field data indicative of contents of other fields of said given form; and

(e) invoking a handwriting recognition engine on said stroke data to obtain correct identity of said given form such that said electronic entry field data can be properly processed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises prompting the user to trace over a printed representation of said unique form identifier which is present within said form identifier field on said given form.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises prompting the user to enter, via handwriting, said unique form identifier into said form identification field on said given form, said form identification field being blank prior to said entry.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises prompting the user to enter, via handwriting, said unique form identifier into said form identification field on said given form, said unique form identifier comprising a combination of a form type field and a user-associated field.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein step (e) further comprises determining form type and user identity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) includes prompting the user to enter a plurality of handwritten strokes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) includes prompting the user to enter at least one numeral.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) includes prompting the user to enter at least one alphabetical character.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises prompting the user to enter at least one alphanumeric character.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the additional step of.

(f) repeating steps (b)-(e) for at least another given one of the different types of forms.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises specifying at least two spatial coordinates, a width, and a height for said form identifier field.

12. A handwriting recognition based form completion system for use with a plurality of different types of forms, said system comprising:

(a) a form design component which is configured to specify a layout for each given form of the plurality of different types of forms, each of said layouts including a form identifier field having a common location space for each given form of the plurality of different types of forms;

(b) a form description repository which is coupled to said form design component and which electromagnetically stores data corresponding to each of said layouts; and

(c) a forms processing component which is coupled to said form description repository, said forms processing component having an electronic clipboard interface port which is configured to receive electronic stroke data and electronic entry field data, said electronic stroke data corresponding to a unique form identifier which in turn corresponds to a given one of the plurality of different types of form, said forms processing component being configured to receive said electronic stroke data, recognize said unique form identifier, and communicate said unique form identifier to said form description repository, said forms processing component being further configured to receive a form definition, corresponding to said unique form identifier, from said form description repository and to correctly process said electronic entry field data based thereon.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a database module which is coupled to said forms processing component and which receives and stores processed electronic stroke data therefrom.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said form design component comprises a computer input device which receives coordinate data corresponding to fields on a human generated one of said given forms.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said form design component comprises a general purpose computer equipped with computer aided form design (CAFD) software which automatically generates coordinate data corresponding to fields on a CAFD-generated one of said given forms.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

at least two paper forms, corresponding to at least two of said plurality of different types of forms, said at least two paper forms being designed by said form design component; and

an electronic clipboard which is coupled to said electronic clipboard interface port of said forms processing component and which is configured to gather;

said electronic stroke data, corresponding to said unique form identification, from said common location space of said form identifier field; and

said electronic entry field data from other fields on each of said at least two forms.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said forms processing component further comprises:

a form identifier module which is coupled to said form description repository and said electronic clipboard interface port, and which is configured to receive, from said form description repository, data indicating said common location space of said form identifier field, said form identifier module being further configured to receive said electronic stroke data from said electronic clipboard interface port, and to communicate said unique form identifier to said form description repository, said form identifier module being further configured to receive said form definition;

a handwriting recognition engine which is coupled to said form identifier module and which is configured to receive said electronic stroke data from said form identifier module and to recognize said unique form identifier; and

a form processing module which is coupled to said form identifier module and said handwriting recognition engine, said form processing module being configured to receive said form definition from said form identifier module and said electronic entry field data from said electronic clipboard interface port, said form processing module being further configured to correctly process said electronic entry field data based on said form definition.

18. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for identifying form type in a handwriting recognition based form completion system intended for use with a plurality of different types of forms, said method steps comprising:

(a) generating a form identifier field having a common location space for each of the different types of forms;

(b) generating the plurality of different types of forms, each of said forms including a prompt to prompt a user of the system to enter a unique form identifier in said form identifier field, for each given one of the different types of forms, via input of at least one handwritten stroke, when the given form is collocated with an electronic clipboard device;

(c) receiving electronic stroke data indicative of said at least one handwriting stroke, together with electronic entry field data indicative of contents of other fields of said given form; and

(d) invoking a handwriting recognition engine on said stroke data to obtain correct identity of said given form such that said electronic entry field data can be properly processed.