System and method for facilitating user input by automatically providing dynamically generated completion information
First Claim
1. A computer-readable medium having a computer implemented process for providing automatically generated completion information from entries in a dynamic list via a user interface, comprising using a computer to perform the following acts:
- dynamically tracking a data store of items comprising a plurality of electronic documents including one or more of word processor files, spreadsheet files, and presentation files;
analyzing and extracting contact information from the contents of items within the data store;
adding the contact information to the dynamic list;
dynamically generating suggested entries from the contact information and related to user entry data; and
providing the suggested entries in the dynamic list via the user interface in real time as the user enters the data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The system and method of the present invention automatically provides dynamically generated completion information for facilitating user input of email addresses or contact information. This completion information is developed from a “data store” comprised of multiple data sources such as previously sent or received email, and other types of electronic files such as word processor or spreadsheet files. The present invention monitors and uses the information in the data store to automatically store, track, maintain, and organize data entries in a dynamic “resolution list”. As a user begins to input an email address or contact, the present invention can either automatically complete the entry using a most probable result from the resolution list, or can display a list of likely matches from which the user may select the desired email address or contact.
344 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A computer-readable medium having a computer implemented process for providing automatically generated completion information from entries in a dynamic list via a user interface, comprising using a computer to perform the following acts:
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dynamically tracking a data store of items comprising a plurality of electronic documents including one or more of word processor files, spreadsheet files, and presentation files;
analyzing and extracting contact information from the contents of items within the data store;
adding the contact information to the dynamic list;
dynamically generating suggested entries from the contact information and related to user entry data; and
providing the suggested entries in the dynamic list via the user interface in real time as the user enters the data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
at least one of previously sent and received email;
email addresses and contacts that exist within previous systems;
email stores located on at least one of local and public servers;
current and previous contact databases; and
data embedded within other electronic application files.
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3. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 wherein providing automatically generated completion information comprises providing a most probable match from the list to a portion of the user entry data.
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4. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 wherein dynamically tracking a data store comprises scanning electronic files of at least one of particular types and in specific locations to locate contact information within the files.
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5. The computer-implemented process of claim 4 wherein electronic files are scanned as they enter the data store.
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6. The computer-implemented process of claim 4 wherein particular electronic files within the data store are excluded from scanning.
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7. The computer-implemented process of claim 4 wherein email received from at least one of specific email addresses and Internet domains are excluded from scanning.
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8. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 wherein analyzing and extracting contact information from items within data store comprises:
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locating at least one of email addresses and contact information in the items;
copying the information to a temporary storage;
formatting the information; and
providing the information for possible inclusion in the list.
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9. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 wherein adding the contact information to the dynamic list comprises adding the contact information to the list if the information has a weight of at least one of equal and greater than contact information already in the list.
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10. The computer-implemented process of claim 9 wherein information is not added to the list if it is already stored in the list.
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11. The computer-implemented process of claim 9 wherein information is not added to the list if it is already stored in an address book.
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12. The computer-implemented process of claim 9 wherein contact information already in the list is updated by matching contact information extracted from the data store.
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13. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 wherein new contact information is added to the list as new information enters the data store.
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14. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 wherein entries are dynamically weighted on the number of times that the entries have been used, and how recently the entries have been used.
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15. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 wherein the size of the list is constrained.
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16. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 wherein the size of the list is variable.
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17. The computer-implemented process of claim 15 wherein entries are weighted and wherein entries having greater weights replace entries having equal or lower weights if the list is full.
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18. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 wherein new entries are automatically added to the list after those entries are first used.
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19. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 wherein entries are automatically removed from the list if they are added to an address book.
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20. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 wherein the user interface provides the capability to browse the list.
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21. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 wherein entries from the list are selectively added to an address book via the user interface.
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22. The computer-implemented process of claim 1 further comprising automatically suggesting to a user that specific entries from the list be added to at least one of an address book and contact database via the user interface.
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23. A display device having rendered thereon dynamically changing results of a resolution list, comprising:
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a set of entries derived by dynamically tracking a data store and analyzing and extracting contact information from the contents of items within the data store, the items within the data store comprising a plurality of electronic documents including one or more of word processor files, spreadsheet files, and presentation files;
a set of results dynamically generated from the contact information and related to user data entry; and
at least one dynamic output providing the results in real time as the user enters the data. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
previously sent and received email;
email addresses and contacts that exist within previous systems;
email stores located on at least one of local and public servers;
current and previous contact databases; and
data embedded within other electronic application files.
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26. The display device of claim 23 wherein the dynamically generated results comprises providing a most probable match from the entries to a portion of the user entry data.
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27. The display device of claim 23 wherein analyzing and extracting contact information from items within data store comprises:
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locating at least one of email addresses and contact information in the items;
copying the information to a temporary storage;
formatting the information; and
providing the information for possible inclusion in the list.
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28. The display device of claim 23 further comprising an interface option that automatically suggests to a user that specific entries be added to at least one of an address book and contact database.
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29. A user interface for providing automatically generated completion information from entries in a dynamic list to a user, comprising:
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an extract module that analyzes and extracts contact information from the contents of items within a data store to dynamically track entries, said items within the data store comprising a plurality of electronic documents including one or more of word processor files, spreadsheet files, and presentation files;
a suggest module capable of generating suggested entries from the contact information that is related to entry data of the user; and
a menu that displays the suggested entries in the dynamic list in real time as the user enters the data. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
previously sent and received email;
email addresses and contacts that exist within previous systems;
email stores located on at least one of local and public servers;
current and previous contact databases; and
data embedded within other electronic application files.
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31. The user interface of claim 29 wherein the automatically generated completion information comprises providing a most probable match from the list to a portion of the user entry data.
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32. The user interface of claim 29, wherein the menu is a pop-up menu that appears in close proximity to an area where the user enters the data.
Specification