Method, computer program product and apparatus for capturing inexact date information

• US 8,161,026 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2007
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Dawn Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mckesson Information Solutions Holdings Limited
• Inventors: Amabile, Mimi, Strope, Jeannine Aloe, Constantine, Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): TO, BAOQUOC N
• Application Number:
  US11/700,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20080183780A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,904 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2468 Fuzzy queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

A method, computer program product and apparatus are provided for capturing inexact date information. In particular, a sophisticated date entry mechanism is provided that is capable of receiving, as input, date information associated with not only exact dates, but also “fuzzy” (i.e., partial or approximate) dates including, for example, “August of 2006,” or “about the first of June in the year 1996.” This date information may be input via any combination of a mouse, a keyboard, a microphone, or other input element, and in a plurality of different formats, including, for example, a plain language description of the exact or fuzzy date, and/or a relative description of the date. Once the date information has been received, the date entry mechanism is capable of determining in which format the date information was provided, and determining a date corresponding with the date information based on this format.

Claims

1. A method of capturing inexact date information, said method comprising:

receiving inexact date information corresponding to an answer to a query provided to a patient, said inexact date information comprising one or more words or phrases that refer to a single date of relevance in relation to the patient'"'"'s health, said single date of relevance comprising an exact date including a day, a month and a year;

determining a format associated with the received inexact date information;

determining, via a processor, an estimate of the exact date of relevance based at least in part on the format of the inexact date information, wherein the estimate of the exact date of relevance comprises a partial or an approximate date; and

,

storing the estimate of the exact date of relevance for use in relation to the patient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the format comprises a combination of one or more of a partial date, an approximate date, a plain language date description, or a relative date description.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein in an instance in which the format comprises a plain language date description, determining an estimate of the exact date of relevance comprises interpreting the plain language date description.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein in an instance in which the format comprises a relative date description, determining an estimate of the exact date of relevance comprises calculating the date based at least in part on the relative date description.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying the estimated date such that the date may be confirmed.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing the estimated date in a storage format that enables the estimated date to be considered relative to at least one previous or subsequent estimated date, wherein the at least one previous or subsequent estimated date determined comprises a partial or approximate date.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

creating a chronological history comprising the estimated date and the at least one previous or subsequent estimated date.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving inexact date information comprises receiving the date information via at least one of a keyboard, a mouse or a microphone.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving inexact date information comprises receipt of one or more words spoken by the patient relating to the inexact date information and wherein determining the estimated date further comprises evaluating the inexact date information in relation to at least one of a current date and a date of birth of the patient, wherein the method further comprises:

storing the inexact date information and the estimated date in a memory; and

generating one or more tasks on the basis of the estimated date.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimated date is determined with respect to at least one of a current date or a date of birth of the patient.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimated date is determined relative to another date based on the received inexact date information.

12. A computer program product for capturing inexact date information, wherein the computer program product comprises at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion for receiving inexact date information corresponding to an answer to a query provided to a patient, said date information comprising one or more words or phrases that refer to a single date of relevance in relation to the patient'"'"'s health, said single date of relevance comprising an exact date including a day, a month and a year;

a second executable portion for determining a format associated with the received inexact date information;

a third executable portion for determining an estimate of the exact date of relevance based at least in part on the format of the inexact date information, wherein the estimate of the exact date comprises a partial or an approximate date; and

a fourth executable portion for storing the estimate of the exact date of relevance for use in relation to the patient.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the format comprises a combination of one or more of a partial date, an approximate date, a plain language date description, or a relative date description.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein in an instance in which the format comprises a plain language date description, the third executable portion is configured to interpret the plain language date description.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein in an instance in which the format comprises a relative date description, the third executable portion is configured to calculate the date based at least in part on the relative date description.

16. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer-readable program code portions further comprise:

a fifth executable portion for displaying the estimated date such that the date may be confirmed.

17. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the fourth executable portion stores the estimated date in a storage format that enables the estimated date to be considered relative to at least one previous or subsequent estimated date, wherein the at least one previous or subsequent estimated date comprises a partial or approximate date.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer-readable program code portions further comprise:

a fifth executable portion for creating a chronological history comprising the estimated date and the at least one previous or subsequent estimated date.

19. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the first executable portion is configured to facilitate receipt of the inexact date information via at least one of a keyboard, a mouse or a microphone.

20. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein receiving inexact date information comprises receipt of one or more words spoken by the patient relating to the inexact date information and wherein determining the estimated date further comprises evaluating the inexact date information in relation to at least one of a current date and a date of birth of the patient, wherein the computer program product further comprises:

a fifth executable portion for causing storage of the inexact date information and the estimated date in a memory; and

a sixth executable portion for generating one or more tasks on the basis of the estimated date.

21. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the estimated date is determined with respect to at least one of a current date or a date of birth of the patient.

22. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the estimated date is determined relative to another date based on the received inexact date information.

23. An apparatus for capturing inexact date information, said apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor, said memory storing an application executable by the processor, said application configured, upon execution, to;

receive inexact date information corresponding to an answer to a query provided to a patient, said date information comprising one or more words or phrases that refer to a single date of relevance in relation to the patient'"'"'s health, said single date of relevance comprising an exact date including a day, a month and a year;

determine a format associated with the received inexact date information;

determine an estimate of the exact date of relevance based at least in part on the format of the inexact date information, wherein the estimate of the exact date of relevance comprises a partial or an approximate date; and

store the estimate of the exact date of relevance for use in relation to the patient.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the format comprises a combination of one or more of a partial date, an approximate date, a plain language date description, or a relative date description.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein in an instance in which the format comprises a plain language date description, in order to determine an estimate of the exact date of relevance, the application is further configured, upon execution, to interpret the plain language date description.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein in an instance in which the format comprises a relative date description, in order to determine an estimate of the exact date of relevance, the application is further configured, upon execution, to calculate the date based at least in part on the relative date description.

27. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising:

a display in communication with the processor and configured to display the estimated date such that the estimated date may be confirmed.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the memory further stores the estimated date in a storage format that enables the estimated date to be considered relative to at least one previous or subsequent estimated date, wherein the at least one previous or subsequent estimated date comprises a partial or approximate date.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the application is further configured, upon execution, to create a chronological history comprising the estimated date and the at least one previous or subsequent estimated date.

30. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising an input element in communication with the processor, wherein the input element receives the inexact date information and the input element comprises at least one of a keyboard, a mouse or a microphone.

31. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein receiving inexact date information comprises receipt of one or more words spoken by the patient relating to the inexact date information and wherein determine the estimated date further comprises an evaluation by the processor of the inexact date information in relation to at least one of a current date and a date of birth of the patient, wherein the processor is further configured to:

store the inexact date information and the estimated date in the memory; and

generate one or more tasks on the basis of the estimated date.

32. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the estimated date is determined by the processor with respect to at least one of a current date or a date of birth of the patient.

33. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the estimated date is determined by the processor relative to another date based on the received inexact date information.