Categorization of information using natural language processing and predefined templates

• US 7,379,946 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2004
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dictaphone Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Ogrinc, Harry J., Carus, Alwin B.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, ISAAC M
• Application Number:
  US10/840,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20050228815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100- 141, 707200-206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Methods and systems for classifying and normalizing information using a combination of traditional data input methods, natural language processing, and predetermined templates are disclosed. One method may include activating a template. Based on this template, template-specific data may also be retrieved. After receiving both an input stream of data and the template-specific data, this information may be processed to generate a report based on the input data and the template specific data. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, templates may include, for example, medical billing codes from a number of different billing code classifications for the generation of patient bills. Alternatively, a method may include receiving an input stream of data and processing the input stream of data. A determination may be made as to whether or not the input stream of data includes latent information. If the data includes latent information, a template associated with latent information may be activated.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for generating a report that includes latent information, comprising;

receiving an input data stream;

performing one of normalization, validation, and extraction of the input data stream;

processing the input data stream to identify latent information within the data stream that is required for generation of a particular report, wherein said processing of the input data stream to identify latent information comprises of identifying a relevant portion of the input data stream, bounding the relevant portion of the input data stream, identifying a predetermined class of information, and normalizing the relevant portion of the input data stream;

activating a relevant report template based on the said identified latent information;

populating said template with template-specified data;

processing the template-specified data to generate a report.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the input data stream includes an input data stream associated with medical data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the input data stream contains a predetermined class of information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined class of information is selected from the group consisting of at least one of:

a medical problem, a medication and a medical procedure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the report is a medical billing report.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of activating a report template includes selecting a report template from a predetermined group of templates and activating the selected report template.