Information processing method and apparatus

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes an input unit configured to input an annotation of at least one of an underline, a box, a character, a character string, a symbol and a symbol string to a displayed document, an annotation recognition unit configured to recognize a type of the annotation and a coverage of the annotation in the document, an intention estimation unit configured to estimate intention of a user based on the type of the annotation and information in the coverage, an action storage unit configured to store a plurality of actions, an action selection unit configured to select an action to be performed for the document from the action storage based on the intention estimated by the intention estimation unit, and an execution unit configured to execute the action selected by the action selection unit.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . An information processing apparatus comprising:
 an input unit configured to input, by a user, on an electronically stored form of a document, an annotation having a type and identifying a certain portion of the document;   an annotation recognition unit configured to recognize the type of annotation input by the user and the portion of the document identified by the annotation;   an action selection memory that stores action selection information for selecting an action for document input information based on type of annotation and content of a portion of a document containing the annotation;   an action selection unit that selects from action selection memory an action for document information contained in the document annotated by the user based on the type of annotation input by the user and the portion of the document identified by the annotation; and   an action execution unit configured to execute the action selected by the action selection unit by extracting at least one information item from the document and creating an output including the one information item.   
     
     
         20 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 19 , further including a character recognition unit configured to subject the input annotation to character recognition. 
     
     
         21 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the input unit is configured to input an annotation for creating a schedule table, the action selection unit is configured to select an action for creating the schedule table from the action selection memory and the execution unit is configured to extract information items required for creation of the schedule from the document and arrange the information items on a schedule table. 
     
     
         22 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the input unit is configured to input an annotation for creating an address book, the action selection unit is configured to select an action for creating the address book from the action selection memory and the execution unit is configured to extract information items required for creation of the address book from the document and arrange the information items on an address book. 
     
     
         23 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 19 , further including a class analyzer to provide a class for information matching a pattern in the coverage of the displayed document identified by the user-inputted annotation, the action selection memory includes for each type annotation a class representing a type or meaning of information and the action selection unit selects an action for document information contained in the document annotated by the user based also on the class associated with the portion of the document identified by that annotation. 
     
     
         24 . An information processing method comprising:
 inputting, by a user, on an electronically stored form of a document, an annotation having a type and identifying a certain portion of the document;   using an annotation recognition unit to recognize the type of annotation input by the user and the portion of the document identified by the annotation;   storing in an action selection memory action selection information for selecting an action for document input information based on type of annotation and content of a portion of a document containing the annotation;   selecting from the stored action selection information an action for document information contained in the document annotated by the user based on the type of annotation input by the user and the portion of the document identified by the annotation; and   executing the selected action by extracting at least one information item from the document and creating an output including the one information item.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein recognizing the type of the annotation includes recognizing the type of the annotation by a character recognition. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein inputting the annotation includes inputting an annotation for creating a schedule table, selecting the action includes selecting an action for creating the schedule table from the action selection memory, and executing the action includes extracting information items required for creation of the schedule table from the document and arranging the information items on the schedule table. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein inputting the annotation includes inputting an annotation for creating an address book, selecting the action includes selecting an action for creating the address book from the action selection memory and executing the action includes extracting information items required for creation of the address book from the document and arranging the information items on the address book. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 24 , further including:
 storing for each type annotation a class representing a type or meaning of information;   determining a class for information matching a pattern in the coverage of the displayed document identified by the user-inputted annotation; and   selecting said action for said document information contained in the document annotated by the user based also on the class associated with the portion of the document identified by that annotation.   
     
     
         29 . A computer readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a processor that performs a method, the method comprising:
 inputting, by a user, on an electronically stored form of a document, an annotation having a type and identifying a certain portion of the document;   recognizing the type of annotation input by the user and the portion of the document identified by the annotation;   storing action selection information for selecting an action for document input information based on type of annotation and content of a portion of a document containing the annotation;   selecting from the stored action selection information an action for document information contained in the document annotated by the user based on the type of annotation input by the user and the portion of the document identified by the annotation; and   executing the selected action by extracting at least one information item from the document and creating an output including the one information item.   
     
     
         30 . A computer readable storage medium according to  claim 29  wherein the method further comprises:
 storing for each type annotation a class representing a type or meaning of information; 
 determining a class for information matching a pattern in the coverage of the displayed document identified by the user-inputted annotation; and 
 selecting said action for said document information contained in the document annotated by the user based also on the class associated with the portion of the document identified by that annotation.