Generating document content from application data

• US 9,483,452 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2012
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Blanchard, Terence D., Jhaveri, Neil V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Roy, Sanchita
• Application Number:
  US13/631,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20140095990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates

Abstract

Methods and apparatus of generating document content are disclosed. Document content is generated by identifying a location in a document at which to insert content, the location associated with a content template, generating the content in accordance with the content template and application data generated by an application, and inserting the content into the document at the location in the document. The document content generation can further include retrieving application data from the application in accordance with a data mapping that maps application output data to the application data references in the template, where generating the content comprises generating text by replacing application data references in the template with the application data in accordance with the data mapping. The document content generation can further include retrieving one or more instances of previous application data from a historical record of previous application output.

Claims

1. A method for generating document content, the method comprising:

at a computing device;

creating a document using a content template;

identifying, based on the content template, a location in the document to insert dynamic content, wherein the dynamic content is linked to an application that allows multiple users of a joint session of the application to concurrently edit the document in real time;

identifying historical application data associated with a different document previously generated by the application;

providing permission to edit the dynamic content to a user of the multiple users of the joint session based on;

(1) a proximity of the user to the computing device that satisfies a predetermined threshold, wherein the proximity is determined based on first location data associated with the computing device and second location data associated with the user, and

(2) whether the user is accessing the application;

generating the dynamic content in accordance with the content template and the historical application data;

inserting the dynamic content at the location in the document; and

receiving, during the joint session, an input to the application from the user, wherein the input corresponds to a command for editing the dynamic content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic content includes a reference tag corresponding to the historical application data, and the command causes a value associated with the reference tag to be modified.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

scanning a WiFi network to identify one or more of the multiple users that are connected to the WiFi network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an attendee list according to which of the multiple users is participating in the joint session.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the method further comprises:

determining a degree of similarity between one or more instances of previous application data and current application data based on a comparison of a geographic location associated with each of the previous application data and the current application data; and

selecting at least one of the one or more instances of previous application data based on the degree of similarity between the one or more instances of previous application data and the current application data.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, during the joint session, commands from the multiple users for editing the dynamic content.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the degree of similarity is further determined based on a difference between dates associated with the one or more instances of previous application data and current application data being compared.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining a degree of similarity between the input from the user and the historical application data; and

inserting additional content into the document based on the degree of similarity.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the historical application data includes searching the historical application data for data associated with a content tag of the content template.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic content is linked to the application with a content tag that is associated with user-specific content data.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the content tag specifies a format for the dynamic content in the document.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the location in the document to insert the dynamic content is based on a position of a tag placed in the document by the user via a user interface.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, within at least one previously generated document, one or more locations of previous content produced by the content template,

wherein the location in the document to insert the dynamic content is based on the one or more locations of previous content produced by the content template.

14. A computing device configured to generate document content, the computing device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to perform steps that include;

creating a document using a content template that includes document data from a previously generated document;

identifying a location in the document to insert dynamic content according to the content template, wherein the dynamic content is linked to an application that allows multiple users of a joint session of the application to concurrently edit the document in real time;

providing permission to edit the document to a user of the multiple users of the joint session based on;

(1) a proximity of the user to the computing device that satisfies a predetermined threshold, wherein the proximity is determined based on first location data associated with the computing device and second location data associated with the user, and

(2) whether the user is accessing the application;

generating the dynamic content in accordance with the content template;

inserting the dynamic content at the location in the document.

15. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the dynamic content includes a reference tag corresponding to historical application data, and the steps further include:

receiving, during the joint session, a first command to modify a value associated with the reference tag.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the steps further include:

receiving, during the joint session, an input to the application from the user, wherein the input corresponds to a second command for editing the dynamic content.

17. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the steps further include:

receiving, during the joint session, commands from the multiple users for editing the dynamic content.

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by a processor in a computing device, cause the computing device to perform steps that include:

creating a document using a content template that includes document data from a previously generated document;

identifying a location in the document to insert dynamic content according to the content template, wherein the dynamic content is linked to an application that is configured to allow multiple users of a joint session of the application to concurrently edit the document in real time;

providing permission to edit the dynamic content to a user of the multiple users of the joint session based on;

(1) a proximity of the user to the computing device that satisfies a predetermined threshold, wherein the proximity is determined based on first location data associated with the computing device and second location data associated with the user, and

(2) whether the user is accessing the application;

generating the dynamic content in accordance with the content template and a first input to the application from the user; and

inserting the dynamic content at the location in the document.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the steps further include:

receiving, during the joint session, a second input to the application from the user, wherein the

input corresponds to a command for editing the dynamic content.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the steps further include:

receiving, during the joint session, commands from the multiple users for editing the document.