Method, system, and program for checking contact information

• US 7,043,690 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2000
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Day, Paul Reuben, Bates, Cary Lee, Santosuosso, John Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Herndon, Heather R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HILLERY, NATHAN
• Application Number:
  US09/658,078
• Time in Patent Office: 2,066 Days
• Field of Search: 715/531, 715/530, 715/540, 715/534, 345/739
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/232 Orthographic correction, e.g. spell checking or vowelisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/295 Named entity recognition

Abstract

Provided is a computer implemented method, system, and program for checking text in an electronic document. Words in the text are scanned and parsed. For each set of one or more scanned and parsed words, a determination is made of whether one or more words form a contact phrase providing information to identify or address a person or entity. After one contact phrase is scanned, contact information is accessed including contact phrases. The contact information is searched to determine if the scanned contact phrase matches contact phrases in the searched contact information.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for checking text in an electronic document, comprising:

scanning and parsing words in the text;

for each set of one or more scanned and parsed words, determining whether one or more words form a scanned contact phrase providing information to identify or address a person or entity, wherein said scanned contact phrases comprise one of a name, phone number, street address, e-mail address, and URL; and

upon determining that one or more words form a scanned contact phrase, performing;

accessing contact information stored in a computer readable address book including contact phrases;

searching the contact information to determine if the scanned contact phrase matches contact phrases in the searched contact information;

determining one or more contact phrases in the contact information that are similar to the scanned contact phrase if the scanned contact phrase does not match one contact phrase in the contact information; and

displaying the determined similar contact phrases, wherein the user is capable of selecting one displayed similar contact phrase to substitute for the scanned contact phrase; and

upon determining that one or more words do not form a scanned contact phrase, performing;

spell checking words determined not to form a scanned contact phrase; and

performing said scanned contact phrase determining with respect to other words of said text.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a graphical box for one scanned contact phrase that does not match contact phrases in the contact information, wherein the user is capable of using the displayed graphical box to accept the scanned contact phrase or select another contact phrase to substitute for the scanned contact phrase.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining at least one contact phrase in the contact information that is similar, but not identical, to the scanned contact phrase if the scanned contact phrase does not match one contact phrase in the contact information; and

displaying the determined contact phrases in the displayed graphical box, wherein the user is capable of using the displayed graphical box to select one displayed contact phrase to substitute for the scanned contact phrase.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact information comprises contact records for different contacts in a computer readable address book, wherein each contact record is capable of including multiple different contact phrases for one contact.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the scanned contact phrase comprises a URL address, further comprising:

determining whether the scanned URL contact phrase addresses an accessible page on the Internet; and

presenting information indicating whether the scanned URL addresses an accessible page on the Internet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the scanned contact phrase comprises a name or contact address, further comprising:

submitting a search request over the Internet to an Internet directory for the scanned contact phrase; and

receiving information indicating that there is no match for the scanned contact phrase in the Internet directory or that there is a match.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adding the scanned contact phrase to the contact information if the scanned contact phrase does not match one contact phrase in the contact information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

buffering contact phrases of a same type of contact information;

determining whether the buffered contact phrases of the same type use consistent syntax; and

notifying a user of inconsistencies in the syntax for the buffered contact phrases.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the scanned contact phrases include at least one URL address, further comprising:

determining whether each scanned URL contact phrase uses a correct URL syntax; and

notifying the user of incorrect syntax for at least one of the scanned URL contact phrases.

10. A system for checking text in an electronic document, comprising:

a computer;

a display monitor;

a computer readable medium including a computer program, wherein the computer program causes the computer to perform;

scanning and parsing words in the text;

for each set of one or more scanned and parsed words, determining whether one or more words form a scanned contact phrase providing information to identify or address a person or entity, wherein said scanned contact phrases comprise one of a name, phone number, street address, e-mail address, and URL; and

upon determining that one or more words form a scanned contact phrase, performing;

accessing contact information stored in a computer readable address book including contact phrases;

searching the contact information to determine if the scanned contact phrase matches contact phrases in the searched contact information;

determining one or more contact phrases in the contact information that are similar to the scanned contact phrase if the scanned contact phrase does not match one contact phrase in the contact information; and

displaying the determined similar contact phrases on the display monitor, wherein the user is capable of selecting one displayed similar contact phrase to substitute for the scanned contact phrase; and

upon determining that one or more words do not form a scanned contact phrase, performing;

spell checking words determined not to form a scanned contact phrase; and

performing said scanned contact phrase determining with respect to other words of said text.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

wherein the computer program further causes the computer to perform displaying a graphical box for one scanned contact phrase in the display monitor that does not match contact phrases in the contact information, wherein the user is capable of using the displayed graphical box to accept the scanned contact phrase or select another contact phrase to substitute for the scanned contact phrase.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer program further causes the computer to perform:

determining at least one contact phrase in the contact information that is similar, but not identical, to the scanned contact phrase if the scanned contact phrase does not match one contact phrase in the contact information; and

displaying the determined contact phrases in the displayed graphical box, wherein the user is capable of using the displayed graphical box to select one displayed contact phrase to substitute for the scanned contact phrase.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the contact information comprises contact records for different contacts in a computer readable address book, wherein each contact record is capable of including multiple different contact phrases for one contact.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the scanned contact phrase comprises a URL address, and wherein the computer program further causes the computer to perform:

determining whether the scanned URL contact phrase addresses an accessible page on the Internet; and

presenting information indicating whether the scanned URL addresses an accessible page on the Internet.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the scanned contact phrase comprises a name or contact address, and wherein the computer programs further causes the computer to perform:

submitting a search request over the Internet to au Internet directory for the scanned contact phrase; and

receiving information indicating that there is no match for the scanned contact phrase in the Internet directory or that there is a match.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer program is further capable of causing the computer to perform:

adding the scanned contact phrase to the contact information if the scanned contact phrase does not match one contact phrase in the contact information.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer program is further capable of causing the computer to perform:

buffering contact phrases of a same type of contact information;

determining whether the buffered contact phrases of the same type use consistent syntax; and

notifying a user of inconsistencies in the syntax for the buffered contact phrases.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the scanned contact phrases include at least one URL address, and wherein the computer program is further capable of causing the computer to perform:

determining whether each scanned URL contact phrase uses a correct URL syntax; and

notifying the user of incorrect syntax for at least one of the scanned URL contact phrases.

19. A program for checking text in an electronic document, wherein the program is stored in a computer readable medium capable of causing a computer to perform:

scanning and parsing words in the text;

for each set of one or more scanned and parsed words, determining whether one or more words form a scanned contact phrase providing information to identify or address a person or entity, wherein said scanned contact phrases comprise one of a name, phone number, street address, e-mail address, and URL; and

upon determining that one or more words form a scanned contact phrase, performing;

accessing contact information stored in a computer readable address book including contact phrases;

searching the contact information to determine if the scanned contact phrase matches contact phrases in the searched contact information;

determining one or more contact phrases in the contact information that are similar to the scanned contact phrase if the scanned contact phrase does not match one contact phrase in the contact information; and

displaying the determined similar contact phrases, wherein the user is capable of selecting one displayed similar contact phrase to substitute for the scanned contact phrase; and

upon determining that one or more words do not form a scanned contact phrase, performing;

spell checking words determined not to form a scanned contact phrase; and

performing said scanned contact phrase determining with respect to other words of said text.

20. The program of claim 19, wherein the program is further capable of causing the computer to performing:

displaying a graphical box for one scanned contact phrase that does not match contact phrases in the contact information, wherein the user is capable of using the displayed graphical box to accept the scanned contact phrase or select another contact phrase to substitute for the scanned contact phrase.

21. The program of claim 20, wherein the program is further capable of causing the computer to perform;

determining at least one contact phrase in the contact information that is similar, but not identical, to the scanned contact phrase if the scanned contact phrase does not match one contact phrase in the contact information; and

displaying the determined contact phrases in the displayed graphical box, wherein the user is capable of using the displayed graphical box to select one displayed contact phrase to substitute for the scanned contact phrase.

22. The program of claim 19, wherein the contact information comprises contact records for different contacts in a computer readable address book, wherein each contact record is capable of including multiple different contact phrases for one contact.

23. The program of claim 19, wherein the scanned contact phrase comprises a URL address and wherein the program is further capable of causing the computer to perform:

determining whether the scanned URL contact phrase addresses an accessible page on the Internet; and

presenting information indicating whether the scanned URL addresses an accessible page on the Internet.

24. The program of claim 19, wherein the scanned contact phrase comprises a name or contact address and wherein the program is further capable of causing the computer to perform:

submitting a search request over the Internet to an Internet directory for the scanned contact phrase; and

receiving information indicating that there is no match for the scanned contact phrase in the Internet directory or that there is a match.

25. The program of claim 19, wherein the program is further capable of causing the computer to perform:

adding the scanned contact phrase to the contact information if the scanned contact phrase does not match one contact phrase in the contact information.

26. The program of claim 19, wherein the program is further capable of causing the computer to perform:

buffering contact phrases of a same type of contact information;

determining whether the buffered contact phrases of the same type use consistent syntax; and

notifying a user of inconsistencies in the syntax for the buffered contact phrases.

27. The program of claim 19, wherein the scanned contact phrases include at least one URL address and wherein the program is further capable of causing the computer to perform:

determining whether each scanned URL contact phrase uses a correct URL syntax; and

notifying the user of incorrect syntax for at least one of the scanned URL contact phrases.