System and method for interactively entering data into a database

• US 6,996,561 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2001
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kenexa Technology, LLC
• Original Assignee: Brassring LLC (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Reese, John, de Hilster, David S., Porter, Alan G.
• Primary Examiner(s): AMSBURY, WAYNE P
• Application Number:
  US09/948,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20020065830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 707/102, 707/6, 715/430, 715/500
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1053 Employment or hiring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating the accurate entry of information into a highly structured database by initially extracting information from a plurality of nonuniformly formatted source data streams, e.g., documents/files, and subsequent interactions with users before storing the accepted and/or modified information into the database. Embodiments of the present invention provide an interactive path for each user (e.g., the author of the source document/file) to interactively modify the extracted data, e.g., according to the source document/file. Preferably, this interactive path is provided via the Internet and the extracted information can be modified by editing and/or selectively copying portions of the source documents/files to supplement and/or modify the extracted information.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating the accurate transfer of information to a structured database, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving digital data from one or more users representing one or more nonuniformly formatted source data streams, each said source data stream containing digital data corresponding to one or more discernible source data strings, wherein said digital data includes first digital data that is personal information about a first user;

extracting selected ones of said source data strings from said source data streams and generating related target data strings;

sending a structured form to said first user comprised of multiple fields, each field being capable of accommodating a data string and wherein any said generated target data strings are inserted;

enabling said first user to modify and/or accept said target data strings inserted within said structured form;

receiving digital data from said first user corresponding to said target data strings from said structured form fields; and

storing said digital data corresponding to said target data strings from said structured form fields in said database.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said sending and receiving steps use a remote communication interface.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said remote communication interface uses the Internet.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said structured form additionally comprises said source data stream and said enabling step includes enabling said first user to copy selected portions of said source data stream into selected fields of said structured form.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more of said target strings are essentially equivalent to said extracted source data strings.

6. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising the step of:

receiving one or more supplemental data strings in response to one or more supplemental inquiry forms; and

wherein

said structured form additionally comprises fields having said supplemental data strings inserted within.

7. A system for facilitating the accurate transfer of information to a structured database, said system comprising:

means for receiving digital data from one or more users representing one or more nonuniformly formatted source data streams, each said source data stream containing data corresponding to one or more discernible source data strings, the said digital data including at least first digital data generated by and received from a first user;

data extraction means for extracting selected ones of said source data strings from said source data streams and generating related target data strings;

means for generating a structured form comprised of multiple fields, each field capable of accommodating a data string and wherein any said generated target data strings are inserted;

means for sending said structured form to said first user;

means for enabling said first user to modify said target data strings inserted within said structured form;

means for receiving digital data corresponding to said target data strings from said structured form fields; and

means for storing data corresponding to said target data strings from said structured form fields in said database.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said means for receiving said digital data comprises each said user sending said digital data via a remote communication interface.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said remote communication interface uses the Internet.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein said means for sending said structured form additionally comprises means for returning said structured form via a remote communication interface.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said remote communication interface uses the Internet.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein said means for enabling includes means for enabling each said user to copy selected portions of said source data stream into selected fields of said structured form.

13. The system of claim 7 wherein one or more of said target strings are essentially equivalent to said extracted source data strings.

14. The system of claim 7 additionally comprising:

means for receiving one or more supplemental data strings in response to a supplemental inquiry form; and

wherein

said structured form additionally comprises fields having said supplemental data strings inserted within.

15. A system for facilitating the transfer of information, said system comprising:

a communication interface for receiving from each of one or more user sites one or more nonuniformly formatted source data streams, each containing data corresponding to discernible source data strings received from a respective user who generated a respective source data stream;

a data extractor for extracting selected source data strings from said source data streams and generating related target data strings and for returning said target data strings to said user sites;

a generating apparatus for generating a structured form comprised of multiple fields, each field capable of accommodating a data string and wherein one or more of said fields have said target data strings inserted within;

a data entry apparatus for enabling each respective user to alter said fields of said structured form corresponding to said respective source data stream originating from said respective user before accepting said structured form; and

a database for storing data corresponding to said data strings from said structured form fields.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said communication interface uses the Internet.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein said structured form comprises said respective source data stream and said data entry apparatus enables said respective user to copy selected portions of said respective source data stream into selected fields of said structured form.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said data extraction apparatus additionally returns said respective source data stream to its corresponding user who generated said respective source data stream.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein one or more of said target data strings are essentially equivalent to said extracted source data strings.

20. The system of claim 15 additionally comprising:

means for receiving one or more supplemental data strings in response to one or more supplemental inquiry forms; and

wherein

said structured form additionally comprises fields having said supplemental data strings inserted within.

21. A method for facilitating the accurate transfer of resume information from a nonuniformly formatted source data stream to a structured database, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a digital representation of a resume from a first job applicant;

extracting data strings from said digital representation and generating related target data strings;

sending at least a portion of said target data strings to said first job applicant; and

enabling said first job applicant to modify said target data strings to create modified data strings;

receiving said modified data strings from said first job applicant; and

storing said modified data strings in the database.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the sending and receiving steps use a remote communication interface.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the remote communication interface uses the internet.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said target data strings are inserted into a structured form.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of enabling includes a step of enabling said first job applicant to modify the said target data strings that are inserted into the structured form.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the structured form includes multiple fields, each field being capable of accommodating at least one of said target data strings.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of enabling said first job applicant to accept said target data strings that are inserted into the structured form.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of enabling said first job applicant to accept said target data strings.

29. A method of transferring information from nonuniformly formatted source data streams to a structured database, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving digital data from at least one user, the data including personal information about the at least one user;

processing the data received from the at least one user and generating a target data string therefrom;

sending a representation of the target data string to the at least one user, enabling the at least one user to modify the target data string;

receiving from the at least one user the modified target data string; and

storing the modified data string in the structured database.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the representation of the target data string is a structured form.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the structured form includes multiple fields, and wherein at least one of the multiple fields is capable of accommodating the target data string.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of processing generates multiple target data strings.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of sending includes a step of sending a structured form that includes multiple fields, each of which are capable of accepting a data string and which have target data strings inserted therein.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of receiving from the at least one user the modified target data string includes a step of receiving at least one additional target data string in addition to the modified target data string, and wherein the step of storing includes a step of storing the at least one additional target data string and the modified target data string in the structured database.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein the sending and receiving steps use a remote communication interface.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein the remote communication interface uses the internet.