Telephone Number Detection and Context Highlighting in Documents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing computer technologies lack the ability to effectively identify, highlight, and provide functionality for telephone numbers within various types of computer documents, limiting user interaction and management of these numbers across different devices and platforms.
Innovation Solution
A method is developed to automatically detect telephone numbers in any computer document, highlight them, and provide additional functionality such as scheduling communication, sending SMS or IM, or transmitting numbers to other devices, while allowing users to interact with these numbers through a user-friendly interface across multiple devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If telephone numbers are automatically detected and highlighted in computer documents, then user interaction capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the document processing function by introducing a separate telephone number detection module that operates independently from the main document rendering engine. This module identifies telephone numbers and associates them with context information, allowing the core document viewer to remain simple while adding sophisticated interaction capabilities through modular components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer between the document content and the user interface that detects telephone numbers and provides context information. This mediator component translates raw document text into structured telephone number objects with associated metadata, enabling enhanced user interaction without requiring complex changes to the underlying document processing system.
2Loss of information
If context information is provided for telephone numbers, then information completeness is improved, but data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by detecting and extracting context information associated with telephone numbers during the initial document parsing phase. By identifying surrounding text, document type, and positional context before user interaction occurs, the system prepares structured data that reduces the processing burden during actual user operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The telephone number detection system serves itself by automatically identifying and categorizing context information without requiring manual annotation or user input. The system autonomously analyzes document structure, identifies relevant surrounding text, and associates metadata with detected telephone numbers, eliminating the need for external data entry or manual context provision.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple action options are provided for telephone numbers, then functionality versatility is improved, but interface complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by creating a multi-functional telephone number object that can serve multiple purposes: detection, highlighting, context provision, and initiation of various actions (calling, SMS, scheduling). This single unified interface structure handles diverse functionalities through a common architectural pattern, avoiding the need for separate specialized interfaces for each action type.
Data Source
AI summary
Telephone numbers are identified and highlighted on any computer document being loaded into a graphical user interface (GUI) for viewing by a user, and context information associated with the telephone numbers so tagged may also be viewed. The user may click on any particular highlighted telephone number or context information in the computer document while displayed in the GUI window in order to store the telephone number together with any desired context information associated therewith, or perform other functions, such as sending a facsimile transmission to the number, sending a message (e.g., SMS, IM or e-mail) or searching an associated database for prior occurrences of the telephone number or context information.