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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A method for creating a communication having a desired format comprising
the steps of:
entering a text document into a computer system, said text document having
an original format and including message content to be transmitted in a
communication to an addressee, concise address information included in
said message content to provide said addressee in said communication, and
a format identifer, wherein said message content, said concise address
information, and said format identifier are all located within a main body
portion of the text document such that neither said concise address
information nor said format identifier are provided in a heading separate
from said message content;
determining a desired format for the communication based upon said format
identifier and associating a format template with said desired
communication format, said format template having an information slot and
an information query associated with said information slot;
analyzing the text document based upon said information query to identify
at least some of said concise address information that answers said query
and fill in said information slot with database address information stored
in and retrieved from a database separate from said text document, said
database address information being referred to by said identified concise
address information and being in greater amount and having greater detail
than said identified concise address information; and
creating a formatted communication having said desired format in accordance
with said format template, the desired format being different from said
original format, said communication including a template portion and a
body portion, the template portion including at least some of said
database address information filled in said identification slot, the body
portion including said message content to be transmitted to said
addressee.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining said desired
communication format comprises explicitly selecting said desired
communication format from a selection made by a user and input into said
computer system.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining said desired
format comprises determining the desired format for the communication from
the message content contained in the text document.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of determining said desired
format for said communication comprises the steps of:
determining an addressee address to which said communication is to be
transmitted;
determining that said desired format is a facsimile transmission, when at
least one of the words "facsimile" or "fax" appears in said message
content contained in said text document;
determining that said desired format is a letter when: (1) neither of the
words "facsimile" or "fax" appears in said text document; (2) at least one
of the words "letter", "send" or "mail" appears in said text document; and
(3) the addressee address for transmission of said communication is not
the same as the address of said computer system; and
determining that said desired format is a memorandum when: (1) neither of
the words "facsimile" or "fax" appears in said text document; (2) at least
one of the words "letter", "send" or "mail" appears in said information
contained in said text document; and (3) the addressee address for
transmission of said communication is the same as the address of said
computer system; and
determining that said desired format is a memorandum when: (1) none of the
words "facsimile", "fax", "letter", "send" or "mail" appears in said text
document; and (2) at least one of the words "memorandum" or "memo" appears
in said text document.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein when said desired format for said
communication is a facsimile transmission, said information query includes
queries for addressee name, addressee facsimile number, number of pages in
facsimile transmission, date facsimile is transmitted, sender name, sender
telephone number and subject of facsimile transmission.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein when said desired format for said
communication is a letter, said information query includes queries for
addressee name, addressee mailing address, date letter is sent, sender
name, sender mailing address and subject of letter.
7. The method of claim 4, wherein when said desired format for said
communication is a memorandum, said information query includes queries for
addressee name, addressee mailing address, date memorandum is prepared or
sent, sender name, sender mailing address, and subject of memorandum.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of analyzing said text document
comprises the steps of:
analyzing said message content to find said identified concise address
information and answering at least one of said information queries with
said identified concise address information.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein said format template includes a plurality
of information slots, and wherein said step of analyzing said message
content based upon said information query comprises the steps of:
(1) associating a query index number Q with said information query, where
the query index numbers form a set of consecutive integers with a smallest
integer Q.sub.min and a largest integer Q.sub.max, and initially setting
Q=Q.sub.min ;
(2) if Q.ltoreq.Q.sub.max, proceeding to step (3), and if Q>Q.sub.max,
proceeding to step (7);
(3) analyzing said message content to determine if said message content
contains identified concise address information that answers said
information query associated with query index Q;
(4) if said message content does not contain identified concise address
information that answers said information query associated with query
index Q, marking said query index Q and proceeding to step (6);
(5) if said message content contains identified concise address information
that answers said information query associated with query index Q, placing
this identified concise address information in one of said identification
slots of said format template for said desired format;
(6) replacing Q by Q+1 and returning to step (2); and
(7) indicating which, if any, of said information queries cannot be
answered based upon information in said message content.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying said
communication, including said filled template portion and said body
portion on a computer system display screen.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of analyzing said text
document comprises the step of determining whether one or more time
indications appears in said text document.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of determining whether one or
more time indications appears in said text document comprises the steps
of:
(1) determining whether said text document contains a word or phrase of the
form ab:cd, where a, b, c and d are characters satisfying the constraints
a=(space), 0, 1 or 2,
b=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9,
c=0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, and
d=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9;
(2) determining whether said text document contains a word or phrase of the
form ef:gh, where e, f, g and h are characters satisfying the constraints
e=(space), 0 or 1,
f=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9,
g=0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, and
h=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9;
(3) determining whether said text document contains a word or phrase of the
form "minutes before jk" or "minutes after jk", where j and k are
characters satisfying the constraints
j=(space), 0, 1 or 2, and
k=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9;
(4) determining whether said text document contains a word or phrase of the
form "mn o'clock", where m and n are characters satisfying the constraints
m=(space), 0, 1 or 2,
n=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9;
(5) determining whether said text document contains a word or phrase of the
form "12 noon" or "12 midnight"; and
(6) determining whether said text document contains a word or phrase of the
form "rs fifteen", "rs thirty", or "rs forty-five", where r and s are
characters satisfying the constraints
r=(space), 0, 1 or 2, and
s=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of analyzing said text
document includes determining whether one or more dates appears in said
text document.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of determining whether one or
more dates appears in said text document comprises the steps of:
(1) determining whether said text document contains a word or phrase of the
form ab/cd/efgh, where a, b, c, d, e, f, g and h are characters satisfying
the constraints
a=(space), 0 or 1,
b=0, 1 or 2,
c=(space), 0, 1, 2 or 3,
d=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9,
e=(space), 1 or 2,
f=(space), 0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9,
g=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9, and
h=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9;
(2) determining whether said text document contains a word or phrase of the
form ab-cd-efgh, where a, b, c, d, e, f, g and h are characters satisfying
the constraints
a=(space), 0 or 1,
b=0, 1 or 2,
c=(space), 0, 1, 2 or 3,
d=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9,
e=(space), 1 or 2,
f=(space), 0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9,
g=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9, and
h=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9;
(3) determining whether said text document contains a word or phrase of the
form ab/cd/efgh, where a, b, c, d, e, f, g and h are characters satisfying
the constraints
a=(space), 0, 1, 2 or 3,
b=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9,
c=(space), 0 or 1,
d=0, 1 or 2,
e=(space), 1 or 2,
f=(space), 0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9,
g=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9, and
h=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9;
(4) determining whether said text document contains a word or phrase of the
form ab-cd-efgh, where a, b, c, d, e, f, g and h are characters satisfying
the constraints
a=(space), 0, 1, 2 or 3,
b=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9,
c=(space), 0 or 1,
d=0, 1 or 2,
e=(space), 1 or 2,
f=(space), 0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9,
g=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9, and
h=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9;
(5) determining whether said text document contains a word or phrase of the
form (word1)/jk/mnpq or jk/(word1)/mnpq, where j, k, m, n, p and q are
characters and word1 is a word or abbreviation satisfying the constraints
j=(space), 1, 2 or 3,
k=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9,
m=(space), 1 or 2,
n=(space), 0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9,
p=0, 1, 2, . . .. or 9,
q=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9, and
word1=jan, january, feb, february, mar, march, apr, april, may, jun, june,
jul, july, aug, august, sep, sept, september, oct, october, nov, november,
dec or december;
(6) determining whether said text document contains a word or phrase of the
form (word2)-jk-mnpq or jk-(word2)-mnpq, where j, k, m, n, p and q are
characters and word2 is a word or abbreviation satisfying the constraints
j=(space), 1, 2 or 3,
k=0, 1, 2 . . .. , or 9,
m=(space), 1 or 2,
n=(space), 0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9,
p=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9,
q=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9, and
word2=jan, january, feb, february, mar, march, apr, april, may, jun, june,
jul, july, aug, august, sep, sept, september, oct, october, nov, november,
dec or december;
(7) determining whether said text document contains a word or phrase of the
form (word3), rs, tuvw or rs (word3) tuvw, where r, s, t, u, v and w are
characters and word3 is a word or abbreviation satisfying the constraints
r=(space), 1, 2 or 3,
s=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9,
t=(space), 1 or 2,
u=(space), 0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9,
v=0, 1, 2 . . .. , or 9,
w=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9, and
word3=jan, january, feb, february, mar, march, apr, april, may, jun, june,
jul, july, aug, august, sep, sept, september, oct, october, nov, november,
dec or december; and
(8) determining whether said text document contains a word or phrase of the
form (word4)-rs-tuvw or rs-(word4)-tuvw, where r, s, t, u, v and w are
characters and word4 is a word or abbreviation satisfying the constraints
r=(space), 1, 2 or 3,
s=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9,
t=(space), 1 or 2,
u=(space), 0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9,
v=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9,
w=0, 1, 2, . . . , or 9, and
word4=jan, january, feb, february, mar, march, apr, april, may, jun, june,
jul, july, aug, august, sep, sept, september, oct, october, nov, november,
dec or december.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of entering said text document
comprises the steps of:
providing a pen-based computer system having a tablet for entering
information into said computer system; and
entering said object into said computer system using the pen and tablet.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of entering said text document
comprises the steps of:
providing said computer system with a keyboard for entering information
into said computer system; and
entering said text document into said computer system using the keyboard.
17. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising a step of displaying
information queries which could not be answered by information included in
said text document.
18. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said original format of said
text document is selected from the group consisting of facsimile, letter,
and memorandum.
19. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said information queries also
identify address information in said main body portion of said text
document that is not stored on a separate database and is filled in said
template.
20. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said concise address information
in said text document includes an abbreviated name of said addressee and
wherein said database address information includes a full name of said
addressee corresponding to said abbreviated name.
21. A method as recited in claim 20 wherein said abbreviated name and a
name of a sender of said communication are identified by searching for
predetermined connective words which are located in said text document.
22. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said format template includes a
plurality of information slots, wherein said concise address information
in said text document includes a name of said addressee, and wherein said
retrieved database address information includes additional address
information of said addressee which is sufficient to fill in said
plurality of information slots in said format template.
23. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of analyzing the text
document further comprises identifying concise message content in said
main body portion of said text document that answers said query and
filling in said information slot with database message information stored
in and retrieved from a database separate from said text document, said
database message information being referred to by said identified concise
message content and providing greater detail than said concise message
address contents.
24. Apparatus for automated preparation of a communication from an object
containing text and/or graphics, the apparatus comprising:
information entry means for entering an object including text and having an
original format from which a communication is to be created, said object
including message content for said addressee, said message content
including address information of said addressee, wherein said address
information and said message content are both located within a main body
portion of theobject and are not provided in a heading separate from said
message content; and
a computer system to receive the object, to analyze the object and
automatically determine a desired communication format for said
communication from information in said message content such that said
desired communication format is different from said original format, to
determine a template corresponding to the desired communication format, to
determine a set of information queries that are associated with the
template and which query for said address information in said object, to
identify and place in slots of the template answers to the queries that
are available from the object, wherein at least some of said answers
include separate address information that is stored separate from said
object and is referred to by an address identifier in said main body
portion of said object that is less detailed than said separate address
information, and to create said communication from the object, said
communication including said address information and said message content.
25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a display connected to
said computer system for displaying said communication in said desired
format.
26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said computer system distinguishes
between necessary first level queries and optional second level queries
for said information queries associated with said template, wherein said
first level queries include a query for a sending address for said
addressee, and wherein said second level queries include queries for a
name of said addressee and a name of a sender who is sending said
communication to said addressee.
27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said desired communication format is
selected from the group consisting of a facsimile transmission, a letter
and a memorandum.
28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said computer system determines
whether one or more dates appears in said object.
29. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said computer system determines
whether one or more time indications appears in said object.
30. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said information entry means
comprises a pen and tablet, connected to said computer system, that
permits entry of text information or graphics information or both text and
graphics information into said computer system.
31. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said information entry means
comprises a keyboard, connected to said computer system, that permits
entry of text information into said computer system.
32. A method as recited in claim 24 wherein said address information
includes geographic locations and events in said object which are
identified by:
ignoring articles and connective words included in said object; and
searching for said geographic locations and events in said object that
match a list of geographic locations and events stored on a separate
database.
33. A method for formatting a text object into a communication comprising
the steps of:
selecting a text object having an original format and having address
information for determining an address of a recipient of a formatted
communication and message information to be provided as message content
for said recipient, said message and address information being included in
a main body portion of said text object;
selecting a format type for said formatted communication such that said
format type is different from said original format, wherein said format
type is selected from the group consisting of facsimile, letter, and
memorandum;
searching said text object for said message information required to
complete said formatted communication and a database referred to by said
text object for derailed message information required to complete said
formatted communication, wherein said detailed message information on said
database is referred to by abbreviated message information included in
said text object; and
creating said formatted communication having said format type utilizing
said text object, said format type, said address information, said message
information found in said text object and said detailed message
information found on said database, wherein said formatted communication
includes said address information in an addressee portion of said
formatted communication and said message information and said detailed
message information in a message portion of said formatted communication.
34. A method as recited in claim 33 wherein said step of searching
additionally searches for said address information required to complete
said formatted communication.
35. A method as recited in claim 34 wherein said address information in
said text object is abbreviated address information that serves to locate
more detailed address information stored separately in a database, wherein
said more detailed address information is inserted in said formatted
communication.
36. A method as recited in claim 33 wherein said step of selecting a format
type is accomplished by an explicit command from a user.
37. A method as recited in claim 33 wherein said step of selecting a format
type is accomplished by an implicit command from a user and a search of
said text object for information associated with a format type.
38. A method as recited in claim 33 wherein said original format is
selected from the group consisting of facsimile, letter and memorandum.
39. A computer implemented method for formatting a communication, the
method comprising the computer implemented steps of:
receiving a text document into a computer system, said text document
including a message portion, an address identifier and a format identifier
all located within a main body portion of the text document such that
neither said address identifier nor said format identifier is provided in
a heading separate from said message portion;
searching said text document to locate said format identifier and
determining a desired communication format based upon said format
identifier;
associating a format template with said desired communication format, said
format template having an address information slot and an address
information query associated with said address information slot;
analyzing said text document based upon said information query to locate
said address identifier;
accessing an address information database separate from said text document
utilizing said address identifier as a reference and obtaining a selected
address from said address information database;
filling in said address information slot with said selected address
obtained from said address information database; and
creating a formatted communication having said desired communication format
in accordance with said format template, said desired communication format
being different than an original format of said text document, said
communication including a template portion and a body portion, said
template portion including at least a portion of said selected address and
said body portion including said message portion of said text document.
40. A method as recited in claim 39 wherein said address identifier in said
text document includes an abbreviated name and wherein said selected
address from said address information database includes a full name
corresponding to said abbreviated name.
41. A method as recited in claim 40 wherein said message portion, format
identifier, and address identifier include text characters, and wherein
said abbreviated name is identified by searching for predetermined
connective words in said text document that are located within a
predetermined amount of said text characters surrounding said format
identifier.
42. A method as recited in claim 39 wherein said format template includes a
plurality of address information slots, wherein said concise address
information in said text document includes a name of said addressee, and
wherein said retrieved database address information includes additional
address information sufficient to fill in at least two of said plurality
of information slots in said format template.
43. A method as recited in claim 42 wherein said additional address
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