Document data entry suggestions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9400775-B2
Application number	US-201414469384-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2014
Priority date	Oct 11, 2011
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

Abstract

A document having multiple data entry areas can be presented, and a list of suggestions for a designated data entry area can be generated. Generating the list can include analyzing a first set of data previously entered into one or more data entry areas of the document other than the designated data entry area and analyzing a second set of data including data outside the first set of data. The list of suggestions can be presented without having received manual entry of data in the designated data entry area, and user input selecting one of the suggestions can be received. Data represented by the selected suggestion can be entered in the data entry area in response to receiving the user input selecting the selected suggestion.

First claim

We claim:

1. A computer system comprising:
at least one processor; and
memory comprising instructions stored thereon that when executed by at least one processor cause at least one processor to perform acts comprising:
displaying a document comprising multiple data entry areas;
receiving user input directed at a designated data entry area of the data entry areas;
generating a list of one or more suggestions for the designated data entry area, generating the list comprising analyzing a set of data previously entered into one or more data entry areas of the document other than the designated data entry area, analyzing the set of data comprising identifying a pattern spanning multiple entries in the set of data and including in the list at least one suggestion that fits the identified pattern, the at least one suggestion that fits the pattern not having been included in the data entry areas prior to the receipt of the user input directed at the designated data entry area;
in response to receiving the user input directed at the designated data entry area, displaying the list of one or more suggestions;
receiving user input selecting one of the one or more suggestions; and
entering data represented by the selected suggestion in the designated data entry area in response to receiving the user input selecting the selected suggestion.

2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the pattern comprises multiple entries including terms that are in a list of related terms, and wherein identifying the pattern comprises accessing the list of related terms.

3. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the identified pattern is an ordered sequential pattern, and wherein the at least one suggestion that fits the pattern continues the ordered sequential pattern.

4. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the analyzing of the set of data previously entered into the one or more data entry areas of the document other than the designated data entry area comprises analyzing a structure of the document.

5. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the analyzing of the set of data previously entered into the one or more data entry areas of the document other than the designated data entry area comprises analyzing a layout of a display of the document.

6. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the generating of the list of one or more suggestions comprises analyzing one or more dictionaries outside the document.

7. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the generating of the list of one or more suggestions comprises:
including in the list one or more suggestions from analyzing one or more dictionaries outside the document; and
including in the list one or more suggestions from analyzing data previously entered into one or more data entry areas of the document.

8. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein displaying the list comprises displaying the list of one or more suggestions as a floating menu proximal to the designated data entry area.

9. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein displaying the list comprises displaying the list of one or more suggestions proximal to a displayed keyboard on a touch screen.

10. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the acts further comprise receiving a manual entry of text into the designated data entry area, and refining the list of one or more suggestions in response to receiving the manual entry of text.

11. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the list of one or more suggestions is a list of multiple suggestions.

12. A computer-implemented method comprising:
displaying, via a computer system, a digital document comprising multiple data entry areas;
receiving, via the computer system, user input directed at a designated data entry area of the data entry areas;
generating, via the computer system, a computer-readable list of one or more suggestions for the designated data entry area, generating the list comprising analyzing a set of data previously entered into one or more data entry areas of the document other than the designated data entry area, analyzing the set of data comprising identifying a pattern spanning multiple entries in the set of data and including in the list at least one suggestion that fits the identified pattern, the at least one suggestion that fits the pattern not having been included in the data entry areas prior to the receipt of the user input directed at the designated data entry area;
in response to receiving the user input directed at the designated data entry area, displaying, via the computer system, the list of one or more suggestions;
receiving, via the computer system, user input selecting one of the one or more suggestions; and
entering, via the computer system, data represented by the selected suggestion in the designated data entry area in response to receiving the user input selecting the selected suggestion.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the pattern comprises multiple entries including terms that are in a list of related terms, and wherein identifying the pattern comprises accessing the list of related terms.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the identified pattern is an ordered sequential pattern, and wherein the at least one suggestion that fits the pattern continues the ordered sequential pattern.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the analyzing of the set of data previously entered into the one or more data entry areas of the document other than the designated data entry area comprises analyzing a structure of the document.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the analyzing of the set of data previously entered into the one or more data entry areas of the document other than the designated data entry area comprises analyzing a layout of a display of the document.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the generating of the list of one or more suggestions comprises analyzing one or more dictionaries outside the document.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the generating of the list of one or more suggestions comprises:
including in the list one or more suggestions from analyzing one or more dictionaries outside the document; and
including in the list one or more suggestions from analyzing data previously entered into one or more data entry areas of the document.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein displaying the list comprises displaying the list of one or more suggestions as a floating menu proximal to the designated data entry area.

20. One or more computer-readable memory having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause at least one processor to perform acts comprising:
displaying a document comprising multiple data entry areas;
receiving user input directed at a designated data entry area of the data entry areas;
generating a list of one or more suggestions for the designated data entry area, generating the list comprising analyzing a set of data previously entered into one or more data entry areas of the document other than the designated data entry area, analyzing the set of data comprising identifying a pattern spanning multiple entries in the set of data and including in the list at least one suggestion that fits the identified pattern, the at least one suggestion that fits the pattern not having been included in the data entry areas prior to the receipt of the user input directed at the designated data entry area;

Assignees

• Microsoft Corp
• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Rampson Benjamin E
• Cheng Karen X

Classifications

• G06F40/166

  Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting · CPC title

• G06F40/279

  Recognition of textual entities · CPC title

• G06F3/0237 Primary

  using prediction or retrieval techniques · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F40/174 Primary

  Form filling; Merging · CPC title