Automating interrogative population of electronic forms using a real-time communication platform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9846690-B2
Application number	US-39595609-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2009
Priority date	Mar 2, 2009
Publication date	Dec 19, 2017
Grant date	Dec 19, 2017

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of obtaining form data can include selecting a control from within an electronic form, determining a textual representation of the control, and sending the textual representation of the control as part of a message to a client messaging system through a real-time communication system. A response message from the client messaging system can be received through the real-time communication system. Form data specified by the response message can be stored within memory when the form data is valid, as specified according to the electronic form.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method of obtaining form data from an electronic form, comprising:
extracting a XForm model, specifying a flow-based layout of the form, from the form;
transforming a control, within the XForm model, into a textual representation of the control;
identifying a constraint of the control;
generating a textual representation of the constraint;
sending, using an instant messaging system and within a message, the textual representation of the control and the textual representation of the constraint to a client messaging system;
receiving, using the instant messaging system, a response message including form data from the client messaging system;
validating, with regard to the control, the received form data; and
storing, upon the received form data being validated, the received form data.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending, using the instant messaging system, a further message to the client messaging system upon determining that previously-received form data is invalid.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating, responsive to determining that form data for the entire form is not complete, a textual representation of a next control within the XForm model; and
sending, using the instant messaging system and within a subsequent message, the textual representation of the next control.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
establishing, using the instant message system, a real-time communication session with the client messaging system.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating an image of at least a portion of the electronic form; and
sending, using the instant messaging system, the image to the client messaging system.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying a host language of the electronic form that visually renders the control; and
selecting, based upon the host language, a user interface control interpretation module for processing the control from a plurality of user interface control interpretation modules.

7. A computer hardware system configured to obtain form data from an electronic form, comprising:
at least one hardware processor, wherein the at least one hardware processor is configured to perform and/or initiate:
extracting a XForm model, specifying a flow-based layout of the form, from the form;
transforming a control, within the XForm model, into a textual representation of the control;
identifying a constraint of the control;
generating a textual representation of the constraint;
sending, using an instant messaging system and within a message, the textual representation of the control and the textual representation of the constraint to a client messaging system;
receiving, using the instant messaging system, a response message including form data from the client messaging system;
validating, with regard to the control, the received form data; and
storing, upon the received form data being validated, the received form data.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to perform and/or initiate:
sending using the instant messaging system, a further message to the client messaging system upon determining that previously-received form data is invalid.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to perform and/or initiate:
generating, responsive to determining that form data for the entire form is not complete, a textual representation of a next control within the XForm model; and
sending, using the instant messaging system and within a subsequent message, the textual representation of the next control.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to perform and/or initiate:
establishing, using the instant message system, a real-time communication session with the client messaging system.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to perform and/or initiate:
generating an image of at least a portion of the electronic form; and
sending, using the instant messaging system, the image to the client messaging system.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to perform and/or initiate:
identifying a host language of the electronic form that visually renders the control; and
selecting, based upon the host language, a user interface control interpretation module for processing the control from a plurality of user interface control interpretation modules.

13. A computer program product, comprising
a computer-usable storage device having stored therein computer-usable program code,
the computer-usable program code, which when executed by a computer hardware system, causes the computer hardware system to perform:
extracting a XForm model, specifying a flow-based layout of the form, from the form;
transforming a control, within the XForm model, into a textual representation of the control;
identifying a constraint of the control;
generating a textual representation of the constraint;
sending, using an instant messaging system and within a message, the textual representation of the control and the textual representation of the constraint to a client messaging system;
receiving, using the instant messaging system, a response message including form data from the client messaging system;
validating, with regard to the control, the received form data; and
storing, upon the received form data being validated, the received form data.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the computer-usable program code further causes the computer hardware system to perform:
sending using the instant messaging system, a further message to the client messaging system upon determining that previously-received form data is invalid.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the computer-usable program code further causes the computer hardware system to perform:
generating, responsive to determining that form data for the entire form is not complete, a textual representation of a next control within the XForm model; and
sending, using the instant messaging system and within a subsequent message, the textual representation of the next control.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the computer-usable program code further causes the computer hardware system to perform:
establishing, using the instant message system, a real-time communication session with the client messaging system.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the computer-usable program code further causes the computer hardware system to perform:
identifying a host language of the electronic form that visually renders the control; and
selecting, based upon the host language, a user interface control interpretation module for processing the control from a plurality of user interface control interpretation modules.

Assignees

• Marston Cayce B
• IBM

Inventors

• Marston Cayce B

Classifications

• G06F40/174 Primary

  Form filling; Merging · CPC title

• G06F40/226

  Validation · CPC title

• H04L51/04

  Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] · CPC title

• G06F17/243 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06K9/00409

  Physics · mapped topic