Office system content prediction based on regular expression pattern analysis

• US 8,600,916 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2006
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.), ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Yen-Fu, Handy-Bosma, John Hans, Lee, Susan Elise, Walker, Keith Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): RIFKIN, BEN M
• Application Number:
  US11/379,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20070250504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,783 Days
• Field of Search: 706/21
• US Class Current: 706/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for content prediction. Differences between a sample set of cells and a target set of cells are compared to identify a pattern based on regular expression analysis. A preview of content prediction changes is presented for a user selection. Content predictions changes are made to the user selection in response to receiving a preview acceptance accepting the preview.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for content prediction, the computer implemented method comprising:

analyzing, by a processor, a sample set of cells and a target set of cells in a document to identify differences between an original format of data in the sample set of cells and a desired format of data in the target set of cells;

generating, by the processor, a regular expression pattern based on regular expression analysis that expresses the differences for the content prediction of data in an additional set of cells using individualized content prediction logic, wherein a document editor includes the individualized content prediction logic that is individualized for a particular user;

creating, by the processor, a content prediction instruction by the individualized content prediction logic for the regular expression pattern based on the regular expression analysis, wherein the regular expression pattern is used to generate content prediction changes for modifying the data in the additional set of cells into the desired format based on the regular expression analysis;

presenting, by the processor, a preview of the content prediction changes for the additional set of cells to the particular user;

receiving, by the processor, a user input from the particular user indicating a preview acceptance or a preview rejection for the preview of the content prediction changes for the additional set of cells; and

responsive to receiving the user input indicating the preview acceptance, storing, by the processor, the content prediction instruction in the document and applying the content prediction changes to the additional set of cells to modify the data in the additional set of cells to the desired format.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the individualized content prediction logic includes a plurality of previously created content prediction instructions, wherein each previously created content prediction instruction of the plurality of previously created content prediction instructions describes a content prediction format and generates content prediction changes corresponding to the content prediction format, and wherein a previously created content prediction instruction of the plurality of previously created content prediction instructions is used to present the preview in response to a match between the content prediction format and the differences.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

importing, by the processor, content prediction instructions embedded in the document for the particular user into the individualized content prediction logic.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein the importing step is based on a type of content prediction instruction.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

temporarily importing, by the processor, content prediction instructions embedded in the document for the particular user into the individualized content prediction logic.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, a custom content prediction instruction from a different document; and

embedding, by the processor, the custom content prediction instruction into the document for the particular user.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring, by the processor, the data in the target set of cells to the desired format.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to receiving the user input indicating the preview rejection, configuring, by the processor, additional data in the target set of cells to the desired format, wherein one or more cells are added to the sample set of cells and the target set of cells to identify the differences between the original format of data in the sample set of cells and the desired format of the target set of cells, and repeating, by the processor, at least the step of presenting a preview of the content prediction changes.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the generating step further comprises:

testing, by the processor, for the regular expression pattern using conversion data and conversion logic.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 9, wherein the testing step further comprises:

accessing, by the processor, the conversion data from an external source to generate the regular expression pattern, wherein the conversion data includes information about data configuration, rules, mathematical expressions and patterns, and conversion information for changing data from one form to another.

11. A computer program product for content prediction, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium; and

computer usable program code stored in the computer readable storage medium, wherein computer usable program code is adapted to cause a processor of a computer to execute the computer usable program code comprising;

computer usable program code for analyzing a sample set of cells and a target set of cells in a document to identify differences between an original format of data in the sample set of cells and a desired format of data in the target set of cells;

computer usable program code for generating a regular expression pattern based on regular expression analysis that expresses the differences for the content prediction of data in an additional set of cells using individualized content prediction logic, wherein a document editor includes the individualized content prediction logic that is individualized for a particular user;

computer usable program code for creating a content prediction instruction by the individualized content prediction logic for the regular expression pattern based on the regular expression analysis, wherein the regular expression pattern is used to generate content prediction changes for modifying the data in the additional set of cells into the desired format based on the regular expression analysis;

computer usable program code for presenting a preview of the content prediction changes for the additional set of cells to the particular user;

computer usable program code for receiving a user input from the particular user indicating a preview acceptance or a preview rejection for the preview of the content prediction changes for the additional set of cells; and

computer usable program code, responsive to receiving the user input indicating the preview acceptance, for storing the content prediction instruction in the document and for applying the content prediction changes to the additional set of cells to modify the data in the additional set of cells to the desired format.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the individualized content prediction logic includes a plurality of previously created content prediction instructions, wherein each previously created content prediction instruction of the plurality of previously created content prediction instructions describes a content prediction format and generates content prediction changes corresponding to the content prediction format, and wherein a previously created content prediction instruction of the plurality of previously created content prediction instructions is used to present the preview in response to a match between the content prediction format and the differences.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable program code for importing content prediction instructions embedded in the document for the particular user into the individualized content prediction logic.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer usable program code for importing content prediction instructions embedded in a document into the individualized content prediction logic is based on a type of content prediction instruction.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable program code for temporarily importing content prediction instructions embedded in the document for the particular user into the individualized content prediction logic.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable program code for receiving a custom content prediction instruction from a different document; and

computer usable program code for embedding the custom content prediction instruction into the document for the particular user.

17. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable program code for configuring the data in the target set of cells to the desired format.

18. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

responsive to receiving the user input indicating the preview rejection, computer usable program code for configuring additional data in the target set of cells to the desired format, wherein one or more cells are added to the sample set of cells and the target set of cells to identify the differences between the original format of data in the sample set of cells and the desired format of the target set of cells, and repeating at least the computer usable program code for presenting a preview of the content prediction changes.

19. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code for generating a regular expression pattern further comprises:

computer usable program code for testing for the regular expression pattern using conversion data and conversion logic.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the computer usable program code for testing for the regular expression pattern further comprises:

computer usable program code for accessing the conversion data from an external source to generate the regular expression pattern, wherein the conversion data includes information about data configuration, rules, mathematical expressions and patterns, and conversion information for changing data from one form to another.

21. An apparatus for content prediction, comprising:

a bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes computer useable program code; and

a processing unit coupled to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the computer useable program code to analyze a sample set of cells and a target set of cells in a document to identify differences between an original format of data in the sample set of cells and a desired format of data in the target set of cells;

to generate a regular expression pattern based on regular expression analysis that expresses the differences for the content prediction of data in an additional set of cells using individualized content prediction logic, wherein a document editor includes the individualized content prediction logic that is individualized for a particular user;

to create a content prediction instruction by the individualized content prediction logic for the regular expression pattern based on the regular expression analysis, wherein the regular expression pattern is used to generate content prediction changes for modifying the data in the additional set of cells into the desired format based on the regular expression analysis;

to present a preview of the content prediction changes for the additional set of cells to the particular user;

to receive a user input from the particular user indicating a preview acceptance or a preview rejection for the preview of the content prediction changes for the additional set of cells; and

to store the content prediction instruction in the document and to apply the content prediction changes to the additional set of cells to modify the data in the additional set of cells to the desired format responsive to receiving the user input indicating the preview acceptance.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the individualized content prediction logic includes a plurality of previously created content prediction instructions, wherein each previously created content prediction instruction of the plurality of previously created content prediction instructions describes a content prediction format and generates content prediction changes corresponding to the content prediction format, and wherein a previously created content prediction instruction of the plurality of previously created content prediction instructions is used to present the preview in response to a match between the content prediction format and the differences.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

the processing unit executes the computer useable program code to import content prediction instructions embedded in the document for the particular user into the individualized content prediction logic.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

responsive to receiving the user input indicating the preview rejection, the processing unit executes the computer useable program code to configure additional data in the target set of cells to the desired format, wherein one or more cells are added to the sample set of cells and the target set of cells to identify the differences between the original format of data in the sample set of cells and the desired format of the target set of cells, and to re-execute at least the computer useable program code to present a preview of the content prediction changes.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

the processing unit executes computer usable program code to test for the regular expression pattern using conversion data and conversion logic.