US6589290B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for populating a form with data
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
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Filing: 1999-10-29
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Granted: 2003-07-08
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Expires: 2019-10-29
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for populating a form with data is described. In one embodiment of the invention, a form is displayed to the user via the target application. Each form has one or more data receptacles. The data receptacles of a form are filled with data when the user executes a data population command. The form completion program executes the data population command when a graphical representation of a particular data set is placed over the form. Each data set is stored in an encrypted manner and is accessible to users who enter the appropriate information into an authentication mechanism. To populate a form with data the form completion program obtains an image of the form and then searches for a template file that resembles the form image to within a certain threshold. The template files are typically stored on the computer hosting the target application in a template directory that is arranged according to a predefined structure. The form completion program is configured to search for templates that resemble the form image in the template directory to within a certain threshold.
Inventors
- 👤 Duane Maxwell
- 👤 William von Reis
- 👤 Geoffrey D. Scott
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 08:07
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F40/00; G06F40/10; G06F40/166; G06F40/174; G06F40/12; G06F40/14; G06F40/143; G06F40/186
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
72 words
A method for populating a form with data comprising: obtaining a form from a source location; said form having at least one data receptacle; displaying said form to a user; obtaining data for populating said form; storing said data in a secure storage medium; obtaining values for said data receptacles of said form from said secure storage medium when said form resembles a portion of a template file to a certain threshold.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
72 words
A method for populating a form with data comprising: obtaining a form from a source location; said form having at least one data receptacle; displaying said form to a user; obtaining data for populating said form; storing said data in a secure storage medium; obtaining values for said data receptacles of said form from said secure storage medium when said form resembles a portion of a template file to a certain threshold.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: determining when said form resembles a template file by examining a regular expression.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: associating a graphical representation with said data.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said data is obtained from said user.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said data is obtained from a data provider via a network communication medium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: authenticating said user before access to said secure storage medium is permitted.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said data stored in said secure storage medium is encrypted.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said secure storage medium resides on a web client.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said template file comprises at least one form description.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said form description is associated with said regular expression.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said form description is associated with a list of controls comprising one or more controls.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 11 wherein each of said one or more controls is associated with an index, a symbol, and a control type description.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
68 words
A method for populating a form with data comprising: displaying a form having at least one data receptacle; displaying a form completion interface having a portion representative of a data set; determining if said form resembles a template file to a given threshold level; populating said at least one data receptacle with said data set when said portion is moved from said form completion interface to said form.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
68 words
A method for populating a form with data comprising: displaying a form having at least one data receptacle; displaying a form completion interface having a portion representative of a data set; determining if said form resembles a template file to a given threshold level; populating said at least one data receptacle with said data set when said portion is moved from said form completion interface to said form.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising: presenting a first display region to a user; obtaining said data set from said user via said first display region; granting said user access to a second display region having a graphical representation associated with said data set when said user is authenticated.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising: storing said data set in a secure storage medium.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said step of determining if said form resembles said template file to within a certain threshold is accomplished by comparing a form image of said form to said template file.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising obtaining said template file from a web client.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising obtaining said template file from a server computer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
136 words
A computer program product comprising: a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for populating a form, said computer program product comprising: computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to obtain a form from a source location, said form having at least one data receptacle; computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to display said form to a user; computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to obtain data for populating said form; computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to store said data in a secure storage medium; computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to obtain values for said data receptacles of said form from said secure storage medium when said form resembles a template file to within a certain threshold.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
136 words
A computer program product comprising: a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for populating a form, said computer program product comprising: computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to obtain a form from a source location, said form having at least one data receptacle; computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to display said form to a user; computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to obtain data for populating said form; computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to store said data in a secure storage medium; computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to obtain values for said data receptacles of said form from said secure storage medium when said form resembles a template file to within a certain threshold.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to obtain data from a user.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to obtain data from a data provider.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising a computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to associate a graphical representation with said data.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to obtain a form image representative of said form.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
37 words
The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to compare said form image to said template file and determine if said form image resembles said template file.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising computer readable program code configured to authenticate said user before access to said secure storage medium is permitted.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer program product of claim 19 wherein said data in said secure storage medium is encrypted.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer program product of claim 19 wherein said secure storage medium resides on a web client.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
51 words
A system for populating a form with data comprising: a display region configured to display a form having at least one data receptacle; and a form completion program configured to copy data into said at least one field when a form resembles at least one of a plurality of template files.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
51 words
A system for populating a form with data comprising: a display region configured to display a form having at least one data receptacle; and a form completion program configured to copy data into said at least one field when a form resembles at least one of a plurality of template files.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 28 wherein said data is stored in a secure storage medium.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 29 wherein said secure storage medium resides on a web client.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 29 wherein said secure storage medium resides on a server computer.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 28 wherein said form completion program collects said data from a user via a data collection interface.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
61 words
A system for supplying data to a form comprising: a computational device configured to display a form having at least one data receptacle, said computational device configured to perform the steps of: obtaining data about a user; and populating said at least one data receptacle with said data when said form resembles at least one of a plurality of template files.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
61 words
A system for supplying data to a form comprising: a computational device configured to display a form having at least one data receptacle, said computational device configured to perform the steps of: obtaining data about a user; and populating said at least one data receptacle with said data when said form resembles at least one of a plurality of template files.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-07-07 | 2007-01-06 | 2007-07-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-07-07 | 2011-01-06 | 2011-07-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-07-07 | 2015-01-06 | 2015-07-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |