System and method of processing text based entries

• US 7,426,689 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Issued: 09/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Macneille, Perry, Simonds, Craig, Myers, Garold
• Primary Examiner(s): Singh; Rachna
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CHAU T
• Application Number:
  US11/013,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20060129553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 715/513, 715/500.1, 715/531, 715/200, 715/234, 715238-239, 715/243, 715/250, 715254-256, 707/3, 707/6, 455/414.2, 455/414.4, 701/1, 701/24, 307/9.1, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/151 Transformation

Abstract

A system and method are provided for identifying text information and making such information available for applications. The system includes an electronic device communicating text information and an application for performing a function. The system also includes memory storing known text formats and a processor for processing the text information. The processor compares the text information to the known text formats and determines a text format of the text information. The processor also tags the text information according to the determined text format and further makes the tagged text information available to one or more applications.

Claims

1. A system for identifying text information and making the text information available for one or more applications, said system comprising:

a vehicle consumer services interface;

an electronic device communicating text information to the vehicle consumer services interface via a wireless link, wherein the electronic device comprises personal digital assistant functionality;

an application for performing a function;

memory provided in the vehicle consumer services interface for storing a text format database comprising pro forma text formats that define known text formats, wherein the pro forma text formats comprise patterns of predefined characters; and

a processor provided in the vehicle consumer services interface for processing the text information, said processor comparing the text information to the known pro forma text formats to recognize a character pattern of the text information and determining a text format of the text information, wherein the processor tags the text information according to the determined text format based on an XML schema and makes the tagged text information available to the application.

2. The system as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of initiating the application for a service.

3. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the electronic device and processor are locatable in a vehicle.

4. The system as defined in claim 3, wherein the vehicle consumer services interface allows the electronic device to interface within the vehicle.

5. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the patterns are defined within one or more XML schemas.

6. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the predefined characters are ASCII characters.

7. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the text information comprises personal information.

8. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the application employs the tagged text information.

9. A method of identifying text information and making the text information available for one or more applications, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a vehicle consumer services interface comprising memory and a processor;

communicating text information from an electronic device to the vehicle consumer services interface via a wireless link, wherein the electronic device comprises personal digital assistant functionality;

providing an application for performing one or more functions;

storing known pro forma text formats in a text format database in the memory, wherein the pro forma text formats comprise patterns of predefined characters;

providing text information made available by the electronic device; and

wherein the processor performs step of processing the text information, including comparing the text information to the stored known pro forma text formats to recognize a character pattern of the text information and determining a text format of the text information, tagging the text information according to the determined text format based on an XML schema, and making the tagged text information available to one or more applications.

10. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the one or more services are made available onboard a vehicle.

11. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the processing step occurs onboard a vehicle.

12. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the electronic device is locatable on a vehicle.

13. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the vehicle consumer services interface allows the electronic device to interface with a vehicle.

14. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the patterns are defined within one or more XML schemas.

15. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the predefined characters comprise ASCII characters.

16. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the text information comprises personal information.

17. The method as defined in claim 9, further comprising the step of applying the tagged text information to the application.