Prose style morphing

• US 20110184727A1
• Filed: 08/09/2010
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HoloVisions LLC
• Original Assignee: HoloVisions LLC
• Inventors: Connor, Robert A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,428,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/253 Grammatical analysis; Style critique

Abstract

This invention is a system and method for incrementally and multi-dimensionally adjusting prose style. It comprises: a prose input interface, through which the user inputs, or otherwise selects, prose; a multi-dimensional style-adjusting interface, through which the user incrementally adjusts multiple dimensions of prose style; and a style-morphing engine which executes the adjustments specified by the user through the multi-dimensional style-adjusting interface. The dimensions of prose style to be adjusted may be selected from the group consisting of: person perspective; tense; voice; length; vocabulary; formality; colloquiality; complexity; emotion; emoticons; color; font; romantic; positivity; strength; precision; certainty; alliteration; humor; nationality; regionality; gender specificity; obscenity filter; academic jargon; business jargon; legal jargon; medical jargon; scientific jargon; and connectivity jargon. In an example, the style-morphing engine may include a database of sets of phrase synonyms and may use this database to make phrase substitutions that incrementally and multi-dimensionally change the style of the prose. In another example, the style-morphing engine may include a semantic algorithm or Natural Language Processor (NLP) that identifies phrases with similar meanings but different values across different style dimensions and may use it to make phrase substitutions that incrementally and multi-dimensionally change the style of the prose. This invention that enables incremental and multi-dimensional adjustment of prose style has a wide variety of useful applications.

Claims

1. A system for incrementally and multi-dimensionally adjusting prose style, comprising:

a prose input interface, through which the user inputs or otherwise selects prose;

a multi-dimensional style-adjusting interface, through which the user incrementally adjusts multiple dimensions of prose style; and

a style-morphing engine which executes the adjustments specified by the user through the multi-dimensional style-adjusting interface.

2. The prose input interface in claim 1 wherein this interface allows the user to enter prose by one or more methods selected from the group consisting of:

direct entry of prose by means of a physical or virtual keyboard, keypad, touchpad, or touchscreen;

importing prose from a file, document, website, or other source;

highlighting or otherwise identifying a portion of prose using a cursor;

voice, speech, or gesture recognition; and

selection of a file, document, website, or other source in response to a search request.

3. The multi-dimensional style-adjusting interface in claim 1 wherein the dimensions of prose style are selected from one or more of the group consisting of:

person perspective (e.g. use of third person);

tense (e.g. use of future tense);

voice (e.g. use of active voice);

length (e.g. greater number of characters);

vocabulary (e.g. college level vocabulary);

formality (e.g. more formal words and sentence structure);

colloquiality (e.g. greater use of colloquial expressions and slang);

complexity (e.g. more complex wording and sentence structure);

emotion (e.g. more emotive words);

emoticons (e.g. greater use of emoticons in prose);

color (e.g. varying word/phrase color to reflect word/phrase meaning);

font (e.g. varying word/phrase font to reflect word/phrase meaning);

romantic (more romantic style);

positivity (e.g. more positive tone);

strength (e.g. stronger language);

precision (e.g. more precise wording);

certainty (e.g. more certain wording);

alliteration (e.g. more words with same first letter);

humor (e.g. greater use of humorous expressions and comments);

nationality (e.g. British English spellings and expressions);

regionality (e.g. more use of Southern expressions);

gender specificity (e.g. gender neutral wording);

obscenity filter (e.g. alternative phrases for obscene phrases);

academic jargon (e.g. more academic jargon);

business jargon (e.g. more business jargon);

legal jargon (e.g. more legal jargon);

medical jargon (e.g. more medical jargon);

scientific jargon (e.g. more scientific jargon); and

connectivity jargon (e.g. more internet-style words and abbreviations).

4. The multi-dimensional style-adjusting interface in claim 1 wherein this interface includes one or more of the elements in the group consisting of:

virtual or physical slider bar;

virtual or physical buttons, keyboard, keypad, or touchscreen;

virtual or physical dials or knobs;

popup menu, drop down menu, or other virtual menu;

data entry box, line, or space;

mouse and/or cursor movement;

voice or speech recognition; and

gesture or posture recognition.

5. The style-morphing engine in claim 1 wherein:

this engine includes a database of sets of phrase synonyms;

wherein phrases in each set have similar meanings but different values across different style dimensions; and

wherein phrases in the prose are replaced with phrases with similar meanings, but different styles, from the database in order to adjust the style of the prose in accordance with user preference expressed through the multi-dimensional style-adjusting interface.

6. The style-morphing engine in claim 1 wherein:

this engine includes a semantic algorithm or Natural Language Processor (NLP) that identifies phrases with similar meanings, but different values across different style dimensions; and

wherein phrases in the prose are replaced with phrases with similar meanings, but different styles, using this algorithm or NLP in order to adjust the style of the prose in accordance with user preference expressed through the multi-dimensional style-adjusting interface.

7. A method for incrementally and multi-dimensionally adjusting prose style, comprising:

having a user input, or otherwise select, prose through a prose input interface;

having the user incrementally adjust multiple dimensions of prose style using a multi-dimensional style-adjusting interface; and

executing the style adjustments specified by the user by means of a style-morphing engine.

8. The prose input interface in claim 7 wherein this interface allows the user to enter prose by one or more methods selected from the group consisting of:

direct entry of prose by means of a physical or virtual keyboard, keypad, touchpad, or touchscreen;

importing prose from a file, document, website, or other source;

highlighting or otherwise identifying a portion of prose using a cursor;

voice, speech, or gesture recognition; and

selection of a file, document, website, or other source in response to a search request.

9. The multi-dimensional style-adjusting interface in claim 7 wherein the dimensions of prose style are selected from one or more of the group consisting of:

person perspective (e.g. use of third person);

tense (e.g. use of future tense);

voice (e.g. use of active voice);

length (e.g. greater number of characters);

vocabulary (e.g. college level vocabulary);

formality (e.g. more formal words and sentence structure);

colloquiality (e.g. greater use of colloquial expressions and slang);

complexity (e.g. more complex wording and sentence structure);

emotion (e.g. more emotive words);

emoticons (e.g. greater use of emoticons in prose);

color (e.g. varying word/phrase color to reflect word/phrase meaning);

font (e.g. varying word/phrase font to reflect word/phrase meaning);

romantic (more romantic style);

positivity (e.g. more positive tone);

strength (e.g. stronger language);

precision (e.g. more precise wording);

certainty (e.g. more certain wording);

alliteration (e.g. more words with same first letter);

humor (e.g. greater use of humorous expressions and comments);

nationality (e.g. British English spellings and expressions);

regionality (e.g. more use of Southern expressions);

gender specificity (e.g. gender neutral wording);

obscenity filter (e.g. alternative phrases for obscene phrases);

academic jargon (e.g. more academic jargon);

business jargon (e.g. more business jargon);

legal jargon (e.g. more legal jargon);

medical jargon (e.g. more medical jargon);

scientific jargon (e.g. more scientific jargon); and

connectivity jargon (e.g. more internet-style words and abbreviations).

10. The multi-dimensional style-adjusting interface in claim 7 wherein this interface includes one or more of the elements in the group consisting of:

virtual or physical slider bar;

virtual or physical buttons, keyboard, keypad, or touchscreen;

virtual or physical dials or knobs;

popup menu, drop down menu, or other virtual menu;

data entry box, line, or space;

mouse and/or cursor movement;

voice or speech recognition; and

gesture or posture recognition.

11. The style-morphing engine in claim 7 wherein:

this engine includes a database of sets of phrase synonyms;

wherein phrases in each set have similar meanings but different values across different style dimensions; and

wherein phrases in the prose are replaced with phrases with similar meanings, but different styles, from the database in order to adjust the style of the prose in accordance with user preference expressed through the multi-dimensional style-adjusting interface.

12. The style-morphing engine in claim 7 wherein:

this engine includes a semantic algorithm or Natural Language Processor (NLP) that identifies phrases with similar meanings, but different values across different style dimensions; and

wherein phrases in the prose are replaced with phrases with similar meanings, but different styles, using this algorithm or NLP in order to adjust the style of the prose in accordance with user preference expressed through the multi-dimensional style-adjusting interface.

13. A system for incrementally and multi-dimensionally adjusting prose style, comprising:

a prose input interface, through which the user inputs prose by one or more methods selected from the group consisting of;

direct entry of prose by means of a physical or virtual keyboard, keypad, touchpad, or touchscreen;

importing prose from a file, document, website, or other source;

highlighting or otherwise identifying a portion of prose using a cursor;

voice, speech, or gesture recognition; and

selection of a file, document, website, or other source in response to a search request;

a multi-dimensional style-adjusting interface, through which the user incrementally adjusts multiple dimensions of prose style, wherein this interface includes one or more of the elements in the group consisting of;

virtual or physical slider bar;

virtual or physical buttons, keyboard, keypad, or touchscreen;

virtual or physical dials or knobs;

popup menu, drop down menu, or other virtual menu;

data entry box, line, or space;

mouse and/or cursor movement;

voice or speech recognition; and

gesture or posture recognition; and

a style-morphing engine which executes the adjustments specified by the user through the multi-dimensional style-adjusting interface.

14. The multi-dimensional style-adjusting interface in claim 13 wherein the dimensions of prose style are selected from one or more of the group consisting of:

person perspective (e.g. use of third person);

tense (e.g. use of future tense);

voice (e.g. use of active voice);

length (e.g. greater number of characters);

vocabulary (e.g. college level vocabulary);

formality (e.g. more formal words and sentence structure);

colloquiality (e.g. greater use of colloquial expressions and slang);

complexity (e.g. more complex wording and sentence structure);

emotion (e.g. more emotive words);

emoticons (e.g. greater use of emoticons in prose);

color (e.g. varying word/phrase color to reflect word/phrase meaning);

font (e.g. varying word/phrase font to reflect word/phrase meaning);

romantic (more romantic style);

positivity (e.g. more positive tone);

strength (e.g. stronger language);

precision (e.g. more precise wording);

certainty (e.g. more certain wording);

alliteration (e.g. more words with same first letter);

humor (e.g. greater use of humorous expressions and comments);

nationality (e.g. British English spellings and expressions);

regionality (e.g. more use of Southern expressions);

gender specificity (e.g. gender neutral wording);

obscenity filter (e.g. alternative phrases for obscene phrases);

academic jargon (e.g. more academic jargon);

business jargon (e.g. more business jargon);

legal jargon (e.g. more legal jargon);

medical jargon (e.g. more medical jargon);

scientific jargon (e.g. more scientific jargon); and

connectivity jargon (e.g. more internet-style words and abbreviations).

15. The style-morphing engine in claim 13 wherein:

this engine includes a database of sets of phrase synonyms;

wherein phrases in each set have similar meanings but different values across different style dimensions; and

wherein phrases in the prose are replaced with phrases with similar meanings, but different styles, from the database in order to adjust the style of the prose in accordance with user preference expressed through the multi-dimensional style-adjusting interface.

16. The style-morphing engine in claim 13 wherein:

this engine includes a semantic algorithm or Natural Language Processor (NLP) that identifies phrases with similar meanings, but different values across different style dimensions; and

wherein phrases in the prose are replaced with phrases with similar meanings, but different styles, using this algorithm or NLP in order to adjust the style of the prose in accordance with user preference expressed through the multi-dimensional style-adjusting interface.