Automated document drafting system

• US 6,934,905 B1
• Filed: 12/16/1999
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rodger W. Tighe
• Original Assignee: Rodger W. Tighe
• Inventors: Tighe, Rodger W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CHAU T
• Application Number:
  US09/465,143
• Time in Patent Office: 2,077 Days
• Field of Search: 715/500, 715/505, 715/506, 715/507, 715/515, 715/530, 715/502, 706/11, 706/45, 706/46, 706/60
• US Class Current: 715/209
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates

Abstract

A system for automated drafting of a customized document, the system interfacing with a word processing application having a plurality of word processing functionalities and with a database having a plurality of data base functionalities, the system including a user interface and controller having a plurality of programming functionalities, the user interface and controller interfacing with a user by presenting a sequence of requests to the user so that the user provides information necessary to prepare the document, the user interface and controller communicating with the data base whereby the data base supplies data stored in the data base to the user interface and controller, the data being provided to the user interface and controller for providing a format for the requests to the user and for preparing text in the document, the user interface and controller and the word processing application communicating so that the user interface and controller controls the word processing application to prepare and generate the document, wherein the user interface and controller comprises a program for providing the sequence of requests to the user to obtain the information from the user for the preparation of the document and further for manipulating the document using the word processing application in response to the information received from the user, and further wherein the sequence of requests is dynamically altered by the program in response to the information provided in response to previous requests, the program determining the next request of the dynamically alterable sequence of requests to be provided to the user and when and how to manipulate the document.

Claims

1. A system for automated drafting of a customized document, the system interfacing with a word processing application having a plurality of word processing functionalities and with a data base having a plurality of data base functionalities, the system comprising:

a user interface and controller comprising a programming environment having a plurality of programming functionalities;

the user interface and controller interfacing with a user by presenting a sequence of requests to the user so that the user provides information necessary to prepare the document;

the user interface and controller communicating with the data base whereby the data base supplies first and second data stored in the data base to the user interface and controller, the first data being provided to the user interface and controller for providing a format for the requests to the user and the second data being provided to the user interface and controller for preparing text in the document;

the user interface and controller and the word processing application communicating so that the user interface and controller controls the word processing application to prepare and generate the document, the user interface and controller using combinations of the programming fuctionalities to prepare and generate the document;

wherein the user interface and controller comprises a program for providing the sequence of requests to the user to obtain the information from the user for the preparation of the document and further for manipulating the document using the word processing application in response to the information received from the user and the second data from the data base to draft the contents of the document, and further wherein the sequence of requests is dynamically altered by the program in response to the information provided in response to previous requests, the program determining the next request of the dynamically alterable sequence of requests to be provided to the user and when and how to manipulate the document to draft the contents of the document, the sequence of requests being such that each request is the logical extension of information provided by the user in response to previous requests and each request that is not the logical extension of information provided by the user in response to previous requests is omitted;

further wherein the sequence of requests is presented to the user by screen displays from a plurality of screen displays comprising a plurality of forms presenting the requests to the user;

further wherein the screen displays each having a specified format, the format of at least one form comprising at least one dynamically alterable request and an entry area for responding to the at least one request; and

further

wherein the data base comprises a plurality of alternative provisions for the document, and wherein the program evaluates the alternative provisions in response to information provided by the user in response to the requests to determine which of the provisions to display in a form of the plurality of forms; and

wherein the program dynamically alters the document in response to information provided by the user in response to the sequence of requests to modify the document to present the information provided by the user.

2. The system of claim 1, further wherein the user interface and controller directly manipulates the document to prepare and generate the document.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the word processing application includes a template containing text that is unaltered as well as at least one location in the template defining a location in the document for the insertion of text into the document by the word processing application.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the user can manipulate the template to make changes to the template.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the changes are optionally permanent.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the data base provides said second data to the user interface and controller in response to commands from the user interface and controller, the user interface and controller inserting said second data into the document either directly or by instructing the word processing application.

7. The system of claim 1, further wherein the data base provides said second data to the word processing application in response to commands from the user interface and controller, the word processing application inserting said second data into the document.

8. The system of claim 1, further wherein the data base provides said second data directly into the document in response to commands from the user interface and controller.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first data provided by the data base to the user interface and controller for providing a format for the requests to the user comprises data used in determining the form of the plurality of forms displayed and the content of the form displayed to solicit information from the user to prepare the document.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the forms are dynamically alterable in response to information provided in response to previous requests.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the program executes at least one logical function.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the program comprises a program logic and an insert text function that responds to the program logic to insert text into the document upon command when the program logic has received all information relating to a specified provision of the document.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein each of the program logic and insert text function execute at least one logical function.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein each of the program logic and insert text function and forms execute at least one logical function based on information obtained from the user in response to the forms.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the insert text function modifies the document at all locations affected by the information relating to a specified issue in the document.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the insert text function returns control to the program logic once text has been inserted into the document.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the insert text function manipulates the document by providing instructions to the word processing application to manipulate the document.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the insert text function directly manipulates the document.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the program logic controls the data base to obtain the second data from the data base for displaying in a respective form at least one textual provision for insertion into the document.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the program executes a plurality of logical functions or combinations of logical functions.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the plurality of logical functions include the SELECT CASE function of Visual Basic.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the forms communicate with the data base to obtain information necessary for preparation of the document and the data base provides said first data to the forms necessary to prepare a respective form to solicit information from the user for the preparation of the document.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the document comprises a finance commitment letter.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface and controller comprises a programmed computer executing an application created using Visual Basic.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the word processing application comprises Microsoft Word.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the program includes at least one confirmation dialog to interface with the user to confirm at least one response to a previous request.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein after a user confirms that at least one response to the confirmation dialog is correct, the document is manipulated to alter the document in response to the information that is the subject of the confirmation dialog.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the program allows the user to generate at least one alternative provision for insertion into the document.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the user has the option to use the at least one alternative provision once or can save the alternative provision permanently for future use.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein a single use provision is inserted into the document and not saved.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein a saved provision for future use is added to the data base.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein the program includes text for insertion into the document.

33. The system of claim 1, wherein the data base has stored therein alternative provisions for insertion in the document.

34. The system of claim 1, wherein alternative textual provisions in the data base for the document are accessible by the user for modifying the alternative textual provisions or adding a further alternative textual provision.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the user can access directly the alternative textual provisions in the data base when not responding to the sequence of requests.

36. The system of claim 1, wherein the forms comprise at least one form having at least one entry location for inserting a monetary amount, and wherein the entry location is divided into a plurality of fields of increasing order, so that the user can insert a number into a selected field of highest selected order without inserting a number into lower order fields and wherein the lower order fields are automatically populated with a zero in the absence of user insertion of a number into such lower order fields.

37. The system of claim 1, wherein the forms comprise at least one form allowing a user to input a date, the form comprising at least one entry area for month, day and year.

38. The system of claim 1, wherein the data base comprises Microsoft Access.

39. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a general purpose digital computer having included therein the user interface and controller, the word processing application and the data base, the user interface and controller, word processing application and data base comprising software.

40. The system of claim 1, wherein the word processing application embeds in the document code to enable the user to continue modifying the document using only the word processing application.

41. The system of claim 1, wherein the program allows the user to make changes directly in the document while the sequence of requests is being presented to the user.

42. The system of claim 1, wherein the sequence of requests are dynamically alterable such that the user is not provided any redundant requests for information and any requests for information inconsistent with responses to previous requests.

43. The system of claim 1, wherein the system manipulates the document as requests are being presented to the user.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the user interface and controller provides a simultaneous display to the user showing the requests to the user and at least a portion of the document as it is being prepared.

45. The system of claim 1, wherein the program determines and directs the word processing application as to where in the document textual provisions are to be inserted, locations for the insertion of the textual provisions in the document being dynamically added or changed by the program directing the word processing application.

46. The system of claim 1, further wherein the program includes at least one mathematical calculation routine.

47. The system of claim 1, wherein the database optionally stores a table of responses to the requests to prepare a document, wherein the table of responses can be displayed to a user so that the user can change responses to selected ones of the requests, the program allowing the user to change selected responses whereby the document is redrafted based on the responses including the changed responses.

48. The system of claim 1, wherein the database stores, together with selected alternative provisions, commentary to assist the user in using such alternative provisions in the document and further wherein such commentary is displayed in a form of the plurality of forms associated with the alternative provisions.