System and method for the secure data entry from document images

• US 6,741,737 B1
• Filed: 03/18/1999
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LexisNexis Risk Solutions, Inc. (RELX PLC)
• Original Assignee: Choicepoint Asset Company
• Inventors: Lenoir, Wayne Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhavesh M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AZARIAN, SEYED H
• Application Number:
  US09/272,236
• Time in Patent Office: 1,895 Days
• Field of Search: 707/516, 707/526, 707/527, 707/523, 707/541, 707/103, 707/321, 707/104, 707/100, 707/500, 382/100, 382/176, 382/101, 382/102, 382/111, 382/203, 382/173, 382/112, 382/113, 382/305, 382/306, 235/375, 358/462, 358/453, 358/463, 358/405, 358/407
• US Class Current: 382/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5846 using extracted text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1444 Selective acquisition, locating or processing of specific regions, e.g. highlighted text, fiducial marks or predetermined fields

Abstract

A system and method for the secure entry of textual data contained in a digital image of a document into a database. The image is assigned a document type, a document identifier and a data base record and segmented based on its document type into at least one image segment containing textual data. Each image segment or clip is packetized for transmission via a computer network to a remote location. The data packet includes the image segment, identifying and tracking information, an unpopulated data field within the database record associated with the type of textual information in the image segment and a data entry prompt to be used for entering text into said data field. At a remote location the image clip and prompt are displayed to an operator who then keys in the textual information using the displayed prompt to populate the data field. The data packet having a populated data field and a database record identifier is then sent back to the processing center. There the populated data field is inserted into the database record corresponding to the database record identifier contained in the returned packet.

Alternate embodiments include the ability to send image clips based on the data field type, use of encryption, time stamping of the packets, and providing an alert when the image clip contains illegible textual information, use of priority levels to determine order of processing, use of rules to govern entry of data into the data fields.

Claims

1. A system for the secure entry of textual data contained in a digital image of a document into a database, comprising:

a computer and program installed therein operatively comprising;

assignment means for assigning a document type, a document identifier and a database record to the digital image of a document;

segmentation means for segmenting the digital image based on its document type into at least one image segment containing textual data,

packetizing and transmission means for creating for each image segment a data packet and transmitting the data packet to a remote location for the processing of the image segment to populate a data field in the database record, the data packet comprising the image segment, a database record identifier associated with the image, an unpopulated data field within the database record associated with the type of textual information in the image segment and a data entry prompt to be used for entering text into said data field; and

processing means for receiving a processed return data packet received from the remote location, the return data packet comprised of a populated data field and a database record identifier, the processing means inserting the populated data field into the database record corresponding to the database record identifier contained in the return packet.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for randomly selecting data packets that are sent to the remote location.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for selecting data packets that are sent to the remote location based on the type of the data field contained in the data packet.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the means for selecting data packets further includes means for assembling the data packets into a data file to be sent to the remote location, the data file composed of a predetermined number of data packets.

5. The system of claim 3 further comprising means for continually sending data packets to the remote location and means for monitoring the number of data packets sent to the remote location and when the data packets sent exceed a predetermined amount sending data packets containing another type of data field.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising:

means for determining a period of time between when a given data packet was sent to the remote location and the time the return data packet corresponding to the sent data packet was received; and

means for rejecting the return data packet if the period of time exceeds a predetermined amount.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

means for determining a period of time between when a given data packet was sent to the remote location and the time the return data packet corresponding to the sent data packet was received; and

means for rejecting the return data packet if the.period of time exceeds a predetermined amount.

8. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

means for determining a period of time between when a given data packet was sent to the remote location and the time the return data packet corresponding to the sent data packet was received; and

means for rejecting the return data packet if the period of time exceeds a predetermined amount.

9. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

means for determining a period of time between when a given data packet was sent to the remote location and the time the return data packet corresponding to the sent data packet was received; and

means for rejecting the return data packet if the period of time exceeds a predetermined amount.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising converter means for encrypting the data packet prior to transmission and decrypting return data packets.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the encryption and decryption used is chosen from the group of encryption/decryption techniques consisting of:

private key and private key/public key.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the document identifier further comprises a security level indicator with said converter means varying the encryption/decryption used depending upon the security level indicator for the document.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the document identifier further comprises a security level indicator with said segmentation means varying the number and size of the image segments created depending upon the security level indicator for the document.

14. The system of claim 2 further comprising converter means for encrypting the data packet prior to transmission and decrypting return data packets.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the encryption and decryption used is chosen from the group of encryption/decryption techniques consisting of:

private key and private key/public key.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the document identifier further comprises a security level indicator with said converter means varying the encryption/decryption used depending upon the security level indicator for the document.

17. The system of claim 2 wherein the document identifier further comprises a security level indicator with said segmentation means varying the number and size of the image segments created depending upon the security level indicator for the document.

18. The system of claim 3 further comprising converter means for encrypting the data packet prior to transmission and decrypting returned data packets.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the encryption and decryption used is chosen from the group of encryption/decryption techniques consisting of:

private key and private key/public key.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the document identifier further comprises a security level indicator with said converter means varying the encryption/decryption used depending upon the security level indicator for the document.

21. The system of claim 3 wherein the document identifier further comprises a security level indicator with said segmentation means varying the number and size of the image segments created depending upon the security level indicator for the document.

22. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

the packetizing and transmission means assigning a priority level to each data packet, the packetizing and transmission means further comprising a send queue for data packets in which the data packets to be sent are sent based on their priority level; and

the processing means further comprising means for determining the priority level of the return data packet with the processing means processing of the return data packet based on its priority level.

23. A system for the secure entry of textual data contained in a digital image of a document into a database, comprising:

means for creating a digital image of a document;

a first computer and program installed therein operatively comprising;

assignment means for assigning a document type, a document identifier and a database record to the digital image of a document;

segmentation means for segmenting the digital image based on its document type into at least one image segment containing textual data, and

packetizing and transmission means for creating for each image segment a data packet and transmitting the data packet to a given remote location, the data packet comprising the image segment, a database record identifier associated with the image segment, an unpopulated data field within the database record associated with the type of textual information in the image segment and a data entry prompt to be used for entering text into said data field; and

processing means for receiving a processed return data packet received from the remote location, the return data packet comprised of a populated data field and a database record identifier, the processing means inserting the populated data field into the database record corresponding to the database record identifier contained in the return packet;

and, at each remote location,

a data entry computer and program installed therein operatively comprising;

means for receiving the data packet and extracting therefrom the image segment and associated data prompt for processing;

display means for displaying to a data entry operator the extracted image segment and the data entry prompt;

data entry means allowing the data entry operator to populate the unpopulated data field with textual data contained in the associated image segment; and

packetizing and transmission means for creating a return data packet and transmitting the return data packet to the first computer, the return packet comprising a populated data field and the database record identifier corresponding to that in the received data packet.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the first computer further comprises means for randomly selecting data packets that are sent to a given remote location.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein the first computer further comprises means for selecting data packets that are sent to a given remote location based on the type of the data field contained in the data packet.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the means for selecting data packets further includes means for assembling the data packets into a data file to be sent to the remote location, the data file composed of a predetermined number of data packets.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the first computer further comprises means for continually sending data packets to a given remote location and means for monitoring the number of data packets sent to that given remote location and when the data packets sent exceed a predetermined amount sending data packets containing another type of data field.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the first computer further comprises:

means for determining a period of time between when a given data packet was sent to a given remote location and the time the return data packet corresponding to the sent data packet was received; and

means for rejecting the return data packet if the period of time exceeds a predetermined amount.

29. The system of claim 23 wherein the first computer further comprises:

means for determining a period of time between when a given data packet was sent to a given remote location and the time the return data packet corresponding to the sent data packet was received; and

means for rejecting the return data packet if the period of time exceeds a predetermined amount.

30. The system of claim 24 wherein the first computer further comprises:

means for determining a period of time between when a given data packet was sent to a given remote location and the time the return data packet corresponding to the sent data packet was received; and

means for rejecting the return data packet if the period of time exceeds a predetermined amount.

31. The system of claim 25 wherein the first computer further comprises:

means for determining a period of time between when a given data packet was sent to a given remote location and the time the return data packet corresponding to the sent data packet was received; and

means for rejecting the return data packet if the period of time exceeds a predetermined amount.

32. The system of claim 23 wherein the first computer and each data entry computer each further comprise converter means for encrypting the data packet prior to transmission and decrypting encrypted data packets.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the encryption and decryption used is chosen from the group of encryption/decryption techniques consisting of private key and private key/public key.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the document identifier further comprises a security level indicator with the converter means of the first computer varying the encryption and decryption technique used depending upon the security level indicator for the document.

35. The system of claim 23 wherein the document identifier further comprises a security level indicator with said segmentation means varying the number and size of the image segments created depending upon the security level indicator for the document.

36. The system of claim 24 wherein the first computer and each data entry computer each further comprise converter means for encrypting the data packet prior to transmission and decrypting encrypted data packets.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the encryption and decryption used is chosen from the group of encryption/decryption techniques consisting of:

private key and private key/public key.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the document identifier further comprises a security level indicator with the converter means of the first computer varying the encryption and decryption used depending upon the security level indicator for the document.

39. The system of claim 24 wherein the document identifier further comprises a security level indicator with said segmentation means varying the number and size of the image segments created depending upon the security level indicator for the document.

40. The system of claim 25 wherein the first computer and each data entry computer each further comprise converter means for encrypting the data packet prior to transmission and decrypting encrypted data packets.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein the encryption and decryption used is chosen from the group of encryption/decryption techniques consisting of:

private key and private key/public key.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the document identifier further comprises a security level indicator with the converter means of the first computer varying the encryption and decryption used depending upon the security level indicator for the document.

43. The system of claim 25 wherein the document identifier further comprises a security level indicator with said segmentation means varying the number and size of the image segments created depending upon the security level indicator for the document.

44. The system of claim 23 further comprising:

the packetizing and transmission means of the first computer further comprising means for assigning a priority level to each data packet;

the packetizing and transmission means of the first computer and the packetizing and transmission means of each data entry computer sending data packets in order of the assigned priority level; and

the processing means of the first computer and the means for receiving and extracting of each data entry computer each processing data packets based on their assigned priority level.

45. A system for the secure entry of textual data contained in a digital image of a document into a database, comprising:

a first computer and program installed therein operatively comprising;

assignment means for assigning a document type, a document identifier and a database record to the digital image of a document;

segmentation means for segmenting the digital image based on its document type into at least one image segment containing textual data,

packetizing means for creating for each image segment a data packet for transmission to a remote location for processing, the data packet comprising the image segment, a database record identifier associated with the image, an unpopulated data field within the database record associated with the type of textual information in the image segment, a data entry prompt to be used for entering text into said data field, a priority level, and, for at least one predetermined data field, a rule having one or more rule parameters used to control the entry of text into the data field, and a priority level;

packet sending means for sending the data packet to the remote location, the packet sending means including a send queue for holding data packets to be sent with the data packets to be sent placed in the send queue based on their priority level; and

processing means for receiving and processing a return data packet received from the remote location, the return data having a populated data field, the database record identifier and the priority level, the processing means including a return packet queue for holding return data packets awaiting processing with the returned data packets placed in the return queue based on their priority level, and the processing means removing the populated data field from the packet and inserting it into the database record corresponding to the database record identifier contained in the returned packet;

and, at each remote location,

a data entry computer and program installed therein operatively comprising;

means for receiving and processing a data packet received from the first computer based on the priority level of the received data packet;

display means for displaying the associated image segment and the data entry prompt to a data entry operator contained in the received data packet;

data entry means allowing the data entry operator to populate the unpopulated data field with textual data contained in the associated image segment;

said data entry being in accordance with the rule and the rule parameters if present, and

packetizing and transmission means for creating a return data packet and for transmitting the return data packet to the first computer, the return packet comprising a populated data field and the database record identifier and priority level corresponding to those in the received data packet, the packetizing and transmission means including a send queue for the return packets to be sent in which the return data packets are sent based on their priority level.

46. The system of claim 45 wherein the first computer and program further comprise means for randomly selecting data packets that are sent to a given remote location.

47. The system of claim 45 wherein the first computer and program further comprise means for selecting data packets that are sent to a given remote location based on the type of the data field contained in the data packet.

48. The system of claim 47 wherein the first computer and program further comprise wherein the means for selecting data packets further includes means for assembling the data packets into a data file to be sent, the data file composed of a predetermined number of data packets.

49. The system of claim 47 wherein the first computer and program further comprise means for continually sending data packets to a given remote location and means for monitoring the number of data packets sent to that given remote location and when the data packets sent exceed a predetermined amount sending data packets containing another type of data field.

50. The system of claim 49 further comprising:

means for determining a period of time between when data packet having a given database record identifier was sent to a given remote location and the time the return data packet corresponding to the sent data packet was received; and

means for rejecting the return data packet if the period of time exceeds a predetermined amount.

51. The system of claim 45 wherein the first computer and program and the data entry computer and program each further comprise converter means for encrypting the data packet prior to transmission and decrypting received data packets.

52. The system of claim 51 wherein the encryption and decryption used is chosen from the group of encryption/decryption techniques consisting of:

private key and private key/public key.

53. The system of claim 52 wherein the document identifier further comprises a security level indicator with the converter means of the first computer varying the encryption and decryption used depending upon the security level indicator for the document.

54. The system of claim 45 wherein the document identifier further comprises a security level indicator with said segmentation means varying the number and size of the image segments created depending upon the security level indicator for the document.

55. In a computer network, a method for the secure entry of textual data contained in a digital image of a document into a database, comprising:

at a sending location;

creating a digital image of the document;

assigning a document type, a document identifier and a data base record to the digital image of a document;

segmenting the digital image based on its document type into at least one image segment containing textual data,

packetizing each image segment into a data packet for transmission to a remote location, the data packet comprising the image segment, a database record identifier associated with the image segment, an unpopulated data field within the database record associated with the type of textual information in the image segment and a data entry prompt to be used for entering text into said data field;

sending the data packet to at least one remote location;

at a given remote location;

receiving the sent data packet and extracting the image segment and data prompt;

displaying to a data entry operator the extracted image segment and the data entry prompt;

populating the unpopulated data field with textual data contained in the associated image segment by having the data operator enter the textual data via the displayed data entry prompt; and

packetizing a return data packet for transmission to the first computer, the return packet comprising a populated data field and the database record identifier corresponding to that in the sent data packet; and

sending the return data packet to the sending location;

at the sending location;

receiving returned data packets having populated data fields and inserting the populated data field into the database record corresponding to the database record identifier contained in the returned packet.

56. The method system of claim 55 further comprising randomly selecting the data packets that are to be sent to a given remote location.

57. The method of claim 55 further comprising selecting data packets that are sent to a given remote location based on the type of the data field contained in the data packet.

58. The method of claim 57 wherein selecting data packets further includes-assembling the data packets into a data file to be sent, the data file composed of a predetermined number of data packets.

59. The method of claim 57 further comprising:

continually sending data packets to a given remote location; and

monitoring the number of data packets sent to that given remote location and when the data packets sent exceed a predetermined amount sending data packets containing another type of data field.

60. The method of claim 59 wherein the first computer further comprises:

determining a period of time between when a given data packet was sent to a given remote location and the time the return data packet corresponding to the sent data packet was received; and

rejecting the return data packet if the period of time exceeds a predetermined amount.

61. The method of claim 55 further comprising:

determining a period of time between when a given data packet was sent to a given remote location and the time the return data packet corresponding to the sent data packet was received; and

rejecting the return data packet if the period of time exceeds a predetermined amount.

62. The method of claim 56 further comprising:

determining a period of time between when a given data packet was sent to a given remote location and the time the return data packet corresponding to the sent data packet was received; and

rejecting the return data packet if the period of time exceeds a predetermined amount.

63. The method of claim 57 wherein the first computer further comprises:

determining a period of time between when a given data packet was sent to a given remote location and the time the return data packet corresponding to the sent data packet was received; and

rejecting the return data packet if the period of time exceeds a predetermined amount.

64. The method of claim 55 further comprising encrypting the data packet prior to transmission and decrypting received encrypted data packets.

65. The method of claim 64 wherein the encryption and decryption method used is chosen from the group of encryption and decryption techniques consisting of:

private key and private key/public key.

66. The method of claim 65 further comprising:

providing a security level indicator for the document; and

varying the encryption and decryption technique used depending upon the security level indicator for the document.

67. The method of claim 55 further comprising:

providing a security level indicator for the document; and

varying the number and size of the image segments created depending upon the security level indicator for the document.

68. The method of claim 56 further comprising encrypting the data packet prior to transmission and decrypting received encrypted data packets.

69. The method of claim 68 wherein the encryption and decryption method used is chosen from the group of encryption and decryption techniques consisting of:

private key and private key.

70. The method of claim 69 further comprising:

providing a security level indicator for the document; and

varying the encryption and decryption technique used depending upon the security level indicator for the document.

71. The method of claim 56 further comprising:

providing a security level indicator for the document; and

varying the number and size of the image segments created depending upon the security level indicator for the document.

72. The method of claim 57 further comprising encrypting the data packet prior to transmission and decrypting received encrypted data packets.

73. The method of claim 72 wherein the encryption and decryption method used is chosen from the group of encryption and decryption techniques consisting of:

private key and private key/public key.

74. The method of claim 73 further comprising:

providing a security level indicator for the document; and

varying the encryption and decryption technique used depending upon the security level indicator for the document.

75. The method of claim 57 further comprising

providing a security level indicator for the document;

and

varying the number and size of the image segments created depending upon the security level indicator for the document.

76. The method of claim 55 wherein:

the steps of populating the database field and packetizing the return packet further comprise;

providing on the data base prompt a means for the operator to indicate that the textual data in the image clip is illegible;

associating with the database field for that image clip a legibility indicator; and

packetizing the legibility indicator with the database field and database record identifier;

and

the step of inserting the populated database field further comprises;

checking for the presence of the legibility indicator, and, when present, rejecting the data contained in the returned data field and displaying an alert.

77. The method of claim 55 further comprising:

assigning a priority level to each data packet; and

processing and transmitted a data packet based upon the assigned priority level.

78. The method of claim 55 further comprising:

assigning to a predetermined data field a rule and rule parameter used to control the entry of data into the assigned data field; and

performing the assigned rule when its data field is selected by the operator at the remote location.

79. The method of claim 55 further comprising:

time stamping each data packet that is sent to a remote location with the time of its sending; and

at each remote location, processing the received data packets in order of earliest to latest based on the time stamp value.