Word checking tool for selectively filtering text documents for undesirable or inappropriate content as a function of target audience

• US 9,665,559 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2008
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: J Nicholas and Kristin Gross Trust U/A/D APR 13 2010
• Original Assignee: Kinigos LLC
• Inventors: Gross, John N., Gross, Anthony A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paula, Cesar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Blackwell, James H
• Application Number:
  US12/206,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20090006950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,186 Days
• Field of Search: 715200, 715205, 715234, 715236, 715257, 709203, 709206, 709225, 709207, 709218, 707E17109, 707999102, 7079992
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/232 Orthographic correction, e.g. spell checking or vowelisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/253 Grammatical analysis; Style critique
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

A word processing tool is disclosed for checking the substance and not merely the spelling of words provided by a user. The word checker is capable of identifying potentially inappropriate word choices so that unintentional errors are not introduced into electronic text documents. The word checker can be implemented as a stand-alone procedure, or integrated into a conventional spell-checking program.

Claims

1. A method of checking electronic text document files containing descriptions of products and/or services on a computing system comprising:

defining a plurality of separate target audiences for the electronic text document files using the computing system;

wherein said plurality of separate target audiences are associated with a plurality of separate associated undesirable content vocabularies;

receiving a plurality of electronic text document files designated to be communicated to said plurality of separate target audiences including a plurality of identified intended recipients;

wherein at least two of said plurality of intended recipients are from different ones of said plurality of separate target audiences;

providing at least one first electronic filter containing a first set of words corresponding to a first one of said separate associated undesirable content vocabularies for a first target audience;

providing at least one second electronic filter containing a second set of words corresponding to a second one of said separate associated undesirable content vocabularies for a second target audience;

wherein said first set of words and said second set of words are designated as offensive and/or inappropriate for communication with a corresponding designated first or second target audience respectively for the products and/or services;

checking said plurality of electronic text document files for inappropriate content concerning the products and/or services with the computing system using said first and/or second electronic filter prior to initially distributing said plurality of electronic text document files to any designated identified intended recipients;

wherein said first and second electronic filters can be invoked selectively by an operator of the computing system on a document-by-document basis, such that a first content in a first electronic text document file is not processed with said electronic filters, and a second content in a second electronic text document file is processed based on both said first electronic filter and said second electronic filters;

controlling distribution of said plurality of electronic text document files to corresponding designated target audiences and said plurality of identified intended recipients with the computing system based on checking content with said electronic filters.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic filters include at least one customizable filter which can be changed by a business entity selling said products and/or services to include additional words inappropriate for a target audience.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic filters include at least one customizable filter containing gender specific inappropriate words.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic filters include at least one customizable filter containing inappropriate racist words.

5. The method of claim 1, further including a step:

providing an alert with the computing system when an electronic text document contains one or more words within one or more of said electronic filters.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic filters include inappropriate foreign words.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic text documents include emails or faxes.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic text documents are advertising and/or marketing materials.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said distribution can be controlled on a recipient by recipient basis.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of electronic text document files are processed as a batch of files.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein a text report file is generated for said batch of files, identifying a list of any potentially inappropriate words found in each of said electronic text document files.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein a first rating for a first word in said first electronic filter is different than a second rating for said first word in said second filter.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said operator can specify a threshold level of sensitivity to be used during the checking of words in said electronic text document files.

14. A method of checking a plurality of electronic text document files containing descriptions of products and/or services on a computing system comprising:

defining a plurality of separate target audiences for the electronic text document files using the computing system;

wherein said plurality of separate target audiences are associated with a plurality of separate sets of associated filter words;

receiving a plurality of electronic text document files designated to be communicated to said plurality of separate target audiences including a plurality of identified intended recipients;

wherein at least two of said plurality of intended recipients are from different ones of said plurality of separate target audiences;

providing a plurality of separate electronic filters, each one of said plurality of electronic filters containing a set of filter words which are designated as offensive and/or inappropriate for communication with a corresponding designated target audience for a corresponding product and/or service;

wherein said plurality of separate electronic filters are associated with said plurality of separate target audiences and a plurality of products and/or services;

checking said plurality of electronic document files for inappropriate content concerning each of the plurality of products and/or services with the computing system as needed based on a corresponding electronic filter prior to initially distributing said plurality of electronic text document files to any designated identified intended recipients;

wherein said plurality of electronic filters can be invoked selectively and on a document by document basis and such that a first content in a first electronic text document file is processed only with a first electronic filter, and a second content in a second electronic text document file is processed only with a second electronic filter;

presenting selected ones of said electronic text documents concerning a product and/or service to a member of a designated target audience as an identified intended recipient based on checking said plurality of electronic filters.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said plurality of electronic text document files are processed as a batch of files.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein a text report file is generated for said batch of files, identifying a list of any potentially inappropriate words found in each of said electronic text document files.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein a first rating for a first word in said first electronic filter is different than a second rating for said first word in said second filter.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said operator can specify a threshold level of sensitivity to be used during the checking of words in said electronic text document files.