Data processing apparatus and method for converting words to abbreviations, converting abbreviations to words, and selecting abbreviations for insertion into text

• US 7,475,343 B1
• Filed: 05/11/1999
• Issued: 01/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomas C. Mielenhausen
• Original Assignee: Thomas C. Mielenhausen
• Inventors: Mielenhausen, Thomas C.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUYNH, CONG LAC T
• Application Number:
  US09/309,831
• Time in Patent Office: 3,528 Days
• Field of Search: 707/534, 707/540, 715/534, 715/540, 715/536, 715/532, 715/530, 715/261, 715/256, 715/259, 704 8- 10
• US Class Current: 715/261
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/232 Orthographic correction, e.g. spell checking or vowelisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/242 Dictionaries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/247 Thesauruses; Synonyms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/284 Lexical analysis, e.g. tokenisation or collocates

Abstract

A data processing method and apparatus for maintaining and customizing a list of words, phrases, and abbreviations that are standard in a profession, industry, trade or occupation, for insertion of abbreviations from the list into the text, for converting selected words and phrases in the text to abbreviations, for converting selected abbreviations in the text to words and phrases, and for automatically converting a number of words and phrases to abbreviations, and abbreviations to words and phrases, throughout the text, comprising the steps of: storing in a memory a first data structure encoding a plurality of words and corresponding abbreviations; storing in a memory a second data structure encoding a plurality of abbreviations and corresponding words; selecting a word in the text to be converted to an abbreviation and converting the selected word to a corresponding abbreviation using the first data structure; and selecting an abbreviation in the text to be converted to a word and converting the abbreviation to a word using the second data structure.

Claims

1. A data processing method for maintaining and customizing a list of words, phrases, and abbreviations that are standard in a profession, industry, trade or occupation, for insertion of abbreviations from the list into a pre-existing text, for converting selected words and phrases in the pre-existing text to abbreviations, for converting selected abbreviations in the pre-existing text to words and phrases, and for automatically converting a number of words and phrases to abbreviations, and abbreviations to words and phrases, throughout the pre-existing text, comprising the steps of:

(a) storing in a memory a first data structure encoding a plurality of words and corresponding abbreviations;

(b) storing in a memory a second data structure encoding a plurality of abbreviations and corresponding words;

(c) the user actively selecting a word at any position in the pre-existing text to be converted to an abbreviation, displaying a list of suggested abbreviations corresponding to the selected word and receiving input from the user to choose the desired abbreviation, converting the selected word to a corresponding abbreviation using the first data structure, and replacing the word with the corresponding abbreviation; and

(d) the user actively selecting an abbreviation at any position in the pre-existing text to be converted to a word, displaying a list of suggested words corresponding to the selected abbreviation and receiving input from the user to choose the desired word, converting the selected abbreviation to a corresponding word using the second data structure, and replacing the abbreviation with the corresponding word;

(e) scanning the pre-existing text for words to be converted to abbreviations and converting words selected by the data processing method to corresponding abbreviations using the first data structure, and replacing the words in the pre-existing text with the corresponding abbreviations;

(f) scanning the pre-existing text for abbreviations to be converted to words and converting abbreviations selected by the data processing method to corresponding words using the second data structure and replacing the abbreviations in the pre-existing text with the corresponding words.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of adding to, editing, updating and customizing the first data structure and second data structure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the word is selected by the user using a keyboard command.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the word is selected by the user using a mouse.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the abbreviation is selected by the user using a keyboard command.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the abbreviation is selected by the user using a mouse.

7. A data processing method for maintaining and customizing a list of words, phrases, and abbreviations that are standard in a profession, industry, trade or occupation and for allowing the user to insert abbreviations from the list at any position in a pre-existing text, comprising the steps of:

(a) storing in a memory a first data structure encoding a plurality of words and corresponding abbreviations;

(b) the user instructing the data processing method to select a position anywhere in the pre-existing text for insertion of an abbreviation;

(c) displaying a list of words and corresponding abbreviations from the first data structure;

(d) the user instructing the data processing method to select an abbreviation from the list; and

(e) inserting the selected abbreviation at the selected position in the pre-existing text.

8. The data processing method of claim 7, further comprising a step of adding to, editing, updating and customizing the first data structure and second data structure.

9. A data processing apparatus for maintaining and customizing a list of words, phrases, and abbreviations that are standard in a profession, industry, trade or occupation, for insertion of abbreviations from the list into a pre-existing text, for converting selected words and phrases in the pre-existing text to abbreviations, for converting selected abbreviations in the pre-existing text to words and phrases, and for automatically converting a number of words and phrases to abbreviations, and abbreviations to words and phrases, throughout the pre-existing text, comprising:

(a) a computer having a memory, a central processing unit, and an input/output unit;

(b) a first data structure recorded in the memory, the first data structure encoding a plurality of words and corresponding abbreviations;

(c) a second data structure recorded in the memory, the second data structure encoding a plurality of abbreviations and corresponding words;

(d) pre-existing text in the memory containing words and abbreviations;

(e) a computer program executing in the central processing unit and defining structural and functional relationships among the plurality of words and the plurality of abbreviations, the computer program receiving information on the words and abbreviations to be selected from an operator through the input/output unit, and the computer program responding to operator selection of words and abbreviations, converting selected words to corresponding abbreviations and replacing the selected words in the pre-existing text with the corresponding abbreviations, converting selected abbreviations in the pre-existing text to corresponding words, replacing the selected abbreviations in the pre-existing text with the corresponding words, and inserting words and abbreviations into the text at any position selected by the user;

(f) wherein the computer program displays a list of abbreviations corresponding to selected words to the operator through the input/output unit;

(g) wherein the computer program displays a list of words corresponding to selected abbreviations to the operator through the input/output unit;

(h) wherein the computer program automatically converts words selected by the computer program throughout the pre-existing text to corresponding abbreviations and replaces the selected words in the pre-existing text with the corresponding abbreviations;

(i) wherein the computer program automatically converts abbreviations selected by the computer program throughout the pre-existing text to corresponding words and replaces the selected abbreviations in the pre-existing text with the corresponding words.

10. A data processing apparatus for maintaining and customizing a list of words, phrases, and abbreviations that are standard in a profession, industry, trade or occupation, for insertion of abbreviations from the list into a pre-existing text, for converting selected words and phrases in the pre-existing text to abbreviations, for converting selected abbreviations in the pre-existing text to words and phrases, and for automatically converting a number of words and phrases to abbreviations, and abbreviations to words and phrases, throughout the pre-existing text, comprising:

(a) a computer having a memory, a central processing unit, and an input/output unit;

(b) a first data structure recorded in the memory, the first data structure encoding any plurality of words and corresponding abbreviations;

(c) a second data structure recorded in the memory, the second data structure encoding a plurality of abbreviations and corresponding words;

(d) pre-existing text in the memory containing words and abbreviations;

(e) a computer program executing in the central processing unit and defining structural and functional relationships among the plurality of words and the plurality of abbreviations, the computer program receiving information on the words and abbreviations to be selected from an operator through the input/output unit, and the computer program responding to operator selection of words and abbreviations, converting selected words to corresponding abbreviations and replacing the selected words in the pre-existing text with the corresponding abbreviations, converting selected abbreviations in the pre-existing text to corresponding words, replacing the selected abbreviations in the pre-existing text with the corresponding words, and inserting words and abbreviations into the text at a position selected by the user;

(f) wherein the computer program displays a list of abbreviations corresponding to selected words to the operator through the input/output unit;

(g) wherein the computer program displays a list of words corresponding to selected abbreviations to the operator through the input/output unit;

(h) wherein the computer program automatically converts words selected by the computer program throughout the pre-existing text to corresponding abbreviations and replaces the selected words in the pre-existing text with the corresponding abbreviations;

(i) wherein the computer program automatically converts abbreviations selected by the computer program throughout the preexisting text to corresponding words and replaces the selected abbreviations in the pre-existing text with the corresponding words; and

(j) wherein the computer program responds to operator input to select a position anywhere in the pre-existing text for insertion of an abbreviation, displays a list of words and abbreviations from the first data structure, and allows an operator to select an abbreviation for insertion at the selected position in the pre-existing text.