JP7083473B2 - Input support device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for creating a document, and more particularly to a technique for assisting the input of a document.

When preparing patent application documents, each document must be described according to the rules. For example, each element constituting the invention needs to be coded with a number and an alphabet. Since the document is created according to these special rules, it is a considerable burden on the creator, and mistakes such as duplication of codes are likely to occur. Therefore, there is a device that searches for a character string in a document and inputs an element name and a code from the existing character string (Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 4293348

Although techniques for improving code input have been proposed, it generally takes a considerable amount of time to prepare patent application documents. In general, when inserting an image into a document being edited by a word processor, it is necessary to select the image insertion menu with the mouse and select the image file to be inserted using the displayed image selection dialog. This operation is a troublesome operation that causes stress for the user.
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for creating a document such as a patent application document in a shorter time than the current situation.

One aspect of the present invention is an input assist device. This device associates an input unit that accepts an input of a command including elements constituting a sentence, a determination unit that determines whether or not the command conforms to a predetermined rule, and if the command conforms to the command, the command. It is provided with a generation unit for converting into a sentence including the above-mentioned element that matches the sentence pattern.

Another aspect of the present invention is also an input support device. This device extracts an input unit that accepts an input of a character string including a code, a dictionary that holds the code and a member name in association with each other, and a code included in the input character string, and refers to the dictionary. A conversion unit that acquires the member name corresponding to the extracted code, and a generation unit that inserts the member name so that the member name and the code are connected when the member name corresponding to the code does not exist immediately before the extracted code. And prepare.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is an input support device. This device has an input unit that accepts a command instructing the insertion of an image file, a path generator that specifies a path for accessing the image file based on the command, and an image file that specifies the command by the path. It is equipped with a take-in unit to replace.

It should be noted that any combination of the above components and the conversion of the expression of the present invention between methods, devices, systems, recording media, computer programs and the like are also effective as aspects of the present invention.

According to the present invention, the number of key types required for inputting a sentence is reduced, so that a document can be efficiently created.

It is a block diagram of the document creation support apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which shows the source character string and output which are input to the document creation support apparatus of FIG. It is an internal block diagram of the image conversion part of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the list presented by the presentation part of FIG.

In order to create a patent application document (hereinafter referred to as "application document" or "document"), a claim is made, a drawing corresponding to the claim is made, a code is given to a member included in the drawing, and the drawing is referred to. While making a detailed explanation of the invention, the entire application documents are reviewed and amended at the end. Most of the work of creating claims and drawings is done by the professional thinking of the creator, and the length of the work time depends on the thinking ability of the creator. On the other hand, the work of creating an explanation of a drawing while referring to the drawing does not require thinking ability compared to the work of creating a claim, and the operation of writing a sentence, specifically, typing a character, is an operation of moving the fingertip. Mostly.

For example, when typing the sentence "Figure XX is an overall view of the XX system XX according to the embodiment", a 29-character type is required. The less characters you type, the less time you need to type. In general, many expressions contained in application documents are standard, and a sentence can be completed if only some elements are known. In the case of the above-mentioned expression, if the figure number "Fig. ○" and the element "○○○ system XX" are known, the rest can be fitted into the fixed form expression. Furthermore, if the code "XX" and the element name "○○○ system" are associated and registered in the dictionary, if "Fig. ○" and "XX" are known, the code "XX" is supported. The element name to be used can be obtained from the dictionary to complete the sentence. In this case, since the type for 4 characters is sufficient, the time required for the type of 25 characters is shortened.

The device described in the embodiment is one form that embodies a device that supports the preparation of application documents from such a viewpoint.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a document creation support device 100 according to an embodiment. The document creation support device 100 is a commonly used computer such as a personal computer or a tablet, and is realized by executing a program. The document creation support device 100 is incorporated in a word processor in the form of a so-called add-in, functions in cooperation with the word processor realized by executing a program, and is configured so that the word processor can directly access the document being edited.

The input unit 10 is a character string from the current cursor position to the preceding delimiter (hereinafter referred to as "source character string") when the user performs a specific key operation (hereinafter referred to as "execution operation"). As an input. That is, by performing the execution operation, the program functioning as the input unit 10 is executed and a series of processes are started. Delimiters are kuten, spaces, line breaks, and so on. The determination unit 12 determines whether or not the source character string conforms to a predetermined rule, and instructs the generation unit 20 to perform conversion processing according to the rule if the source character string conforms to the predetermined rule.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a source character string and an output input to the document creation support device 100 of FIG. 1. In FIG. 2A, “FIG. 1 10” is input as a source character string, and “FIG. 1 is an overall view of the information management system 10” is output. The rules are "Figure ○", "double-byte space", and "sign". If this rule is satisfied, the sentence is generated so that "Fig. ○" is the subject.

In FIG. 2B, “FIG. 2 20” is input as the source character string, and “FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of the management table 20” is output. This also satisfies the rules of "Fig. ○", "double-byte space", and "sign", but the end part of the sentence is different from that of Fig. 2 (a). This indicates that the expression is changed according to the member specified by the reference numeral. In this way, even if the rules match, the document creation support device 100 changes the expression according to the elements included therein.

In FIG. 2C, "10 12, 14, 16" is input as the source character string, and "the information management system 10 includes the management device 12, the terminal device 14, and the DB 16" is output. "Sign", "double-byte space", and "comma-separated code" are rules, and if they match this rule, the first code becomes the subject and the code separated by commas is expressed as a component.

There are multiple standard description patterns and sentence expressions included in the application type, and each rule (hereinafter referred to as "command") is set to specify them.

When the source character string satisfies the sentence conversion rule (hereinafter referred to as "sentence conversion command"), the sentence conversion unit 24 in FIG. 1 complements the elements included in the source character string with independent words and attached words. Convert to a sentence that includes the words necessary to compose a sentence such as subject and predicate. The sentence conversion unit 24 holds a standard description pattern and converts it into a sentence by incorporating an element included in the sentence conversion command into the description pattern.

The code conversion unit 26 supplements the element name before the code included in the source character string and converts it into a general description pattern used in the application documents. The dictionary 16 holds the code and the element name in association with each other. The code conversion unit 26 refers to the dictionary 16 and acquires the element name associated with the code. Then, the code conversion unit 26 determines whether or not the element name is already described immediately before the code, and if not described, inserts the element name immediately before the code. As a result, even if the conversion process is performed on the text that already contains the element name, the element name is not inserted before the sign many times.

For example, when "FIG. 1 10" is input as the source character string, the sentence conversion unit 24 converts the sentence into the sentence "FIG. 1 is an overall view of 10." After that, the code conversion unit 26 refers to the dictionary 16 and acquires the element name “information management system” associated with the code “10”. Then, the "information management system" is inserted immediately before the "10" included in the sentence generated by the sentence conversion unit 24, and the sentence "FIG. 1 is an overall view of the information management system 10" is generated. Even if the code conversion process is performed again for this sentence, since the "information management system" is inserted before the code "10", the conversion process is completed without inserting the element name.

Generally, since the code is a character string composed of numbers and alphabets, it is necessary to exclude mathematical expressions such as Y = aX + b and units such as 10 kg so as not to be recognized as codes. The exclusion unit 30 determines whether or not the character string is not a code (hereinafter, referred to as “excluded character”) although the condition of such a code is satisfied. That is, the code conversion unit 26 extracts a character string as a code candidate (hereinafter referred to as “code candidate”), and causes the exclusion unit 30 to determine whether or not the code candidate is a code. When the code candidate is determined to be an excluded character, the code conversion unit 26 does not perform the code conversion process.

The exclusion unit 30 holds the determination condition of the exclusion character in advance, and makes a determination based on the condition. The determination condition is incorporated in the exclusion unit 30 as a processing module for determination. Examples of the processing module include a mathematical expression determination module for determining a mathematical expression, a unit determination module for determining a unit, and the like. Further, the exclusion unit 30 holds a list of excluded characters (hereinafter referred to as "excluded list"), and determines that the character string included in the list is excluded characters.

The registration unit 14 registers the pair of the code and the element name in the dictionary 16. For registration, the registration unit 14 presents the user with an input screen for registering the code and the element name in association with each other. When the code is not registered in the dictionary 16, the code conversion unit 26 asks the user whether or not to register the code in the dictionary. When the user instructs to register, the registration unit 14 is instructed to present the registration screen. Further, when the user instructs not to register, the code conversion unit 26 instructs the exclusion unit 30 to add the code to the exclusion list. Of course, the registration unit 14 may present the registration screen at any time when instructed by the user.

The recognition unit 28 switches the wording constituting the sentence according to the element name associated with the code. For example, if the object of the description of the figure is a system, it is converted to "FIG. 1 is an overall view of the XX system." If it is a table, "FIG. 1 is an example of the data structure of the XX table." In this way, the recognition unit 28 is provided to change the wording included in the sentence according to the type of the element.

In addition to the sign, a paragraph number is added before the paragraph, and a tag that encloses a character string such as "Ka 1" in black brackets in front of the image contained in the document (hereinafter referred to as "element tag"). ) Needs to be stated. The element tag is a character string in which serial numbers are attached to "number", "formation", "table", and "figure", which are determined according to the type of image, and are enclosed in black brackets.

The serial number conversion unit 32 converts the paragraph number tag and the element tag so that they are continuous. Each tag is enclosed in brackets, and if it is a paragraph number, the four-digit number is enclosed in brackets. If it is a formula tag, "number" is followed by a number. The serial number conversion unit 32 extracts the features of these tags from the beginning of the document and counts the numbers in the extracted order. Then, if the counted number and the extracted tag number are different, the counted number is replaced with the counted number. This conversion process is executed when the execution operation is performed.

When "full-width space" is given as the source character string, the serial number conversion unit 32 generates a paragraph number tag, and inserts the generated paragraph number tag following the full-width space. Since the paragraph number is supposed to enclose a 4-digit number in black brackets, normally a type for 6 characters is required, but according to this device, a type for 1 character is sufficient. In addition, since the paragraph number is automatically updated to be a serial number, it is possible to prevent mistakes in the paragraph number.

When the source character string satisfies the rule for embedding an image (hereinafter referred to as "image insertion command"), the image conversion unit 22 embeds the corresponding image at the position where the source character string is described. For example, the image insertion command is a rule in which a part of the file name is described as a file identifier after "##", and if the image insertion command is "## f001", the image conversion unit 22 is "# #" from a predetermined folder. The image file containing "f001" is specified, and the image file is incorporated into the document. Further, the image conversion unit 22 inserts a mathematical expression tag immediately before the incorporated image. The predetermined folder may be a storage destination of application documents to be processed by the document creation support device 100, or may be a specific folder of a file server.

FIG. 3 is an internal configuration diagram of the image conversion unit 22 of FIG. The image insertion command input unit 40 receives an image insertion command from the determination unit 12. The path generation unit 42 acquires the file identifier included in the image insertion command, searches for a folder specified based on the path (hereinafter referred to as "current folder") in which the application document being edited is stored, and files. Specify the path of the image file specified by the identifier.

When the image file specified by the file identifier is not found, the path generation unit 42 generates the path of the image file according to a predetermined rule. For example, 42 generates a path by adding "gif" as a file extension to the "file identifier". The file extension is allowed to be used in application documents such as "png" and "jpg". It may be arbitrarily decided from the image types that are present.

The import unit 44 imports an image file from the image file path and incorporates it at the position of the image insertion command. The user does not need to operate the mouse to insert the image, and the user can insert the image without interrupting the task of typing with the keyboard. This eliminates the series of operations of switching to the mouse, selecting a menu, and selecting an image, which is expected to reduce the work time.

The tag generation unit 46 inserts an element tag according to the type of the image file immediately before the incorporated image. By setting the file name of the image file according to the naming rule that includes the image type such as "image type + number", the tag generation unit 46 can set the image type included in the image file name. Appropriate element tags can be inserted accordingly.

The tag generation unit 46 extracts a character indicating an image type from a file identifier or an image file name, and generates an element tag so as to match the type of tag associated with the extracted character. For example, if the file name contains "f" or "number", it will generate a formula tag, if it contains "c" or "ka", it will generate a chemical formula tag, and "t" or "table". If is included, a table tag is generated. This also reduces the time it takes to type element tags.

The presentation unit 34 of FIG. 1 presents a list of image files included in the document together with element tags associated with the image. The application documents include the specification, claims, and drawings as documents, and each document is given an element tag starting from 1. The mathematical formula that was "Equation 2" in the specification may become "Equation 1" within the scope of the claims.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a list presented by the presentation unit 34 of FIG. The file name is displayed in the file name field. In the specification column, the claims column, and the drawing column, the corresponding element tags in each document are displayed. For example, the file name "f001.gif" is used as "Equation 1" in the specification and is not used in the claims and drawings. The file name "f002.gif" is used as "Equation 2" in the specification and is used as "Equation 1" in the claims. By displaying such a list, it is possible to confirm whether an appropriate image file is inserted.

The inspection unit 36 of FIG. 1 inspects whether or not a command remains in the document, and if a command remains, presents that fact. The 36 may perform this inspection process triggered by a user's instruction, or may perform a predetermined operation with respect to the word processor such as a document saving operation. As a result, it is possible to find an incomplete part as a sentence expression in the document.

The present invention has been described above based on the embodiments. This embodiment is an example, and it is understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible for each component and combination of each processing process, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present invention.

As such a modification, the input unit 10 of FIG. 1 may sequentially take in sentences having a delimiter at the end from the beginning of the paragraph including the cursor and perform conversion processing. As a result, a plurality of commands can be converted at once, and the number of execution operations can be reduced. In addition, since it is only necessary to type a sentence containing only a code, visibility is increased and it is easy to create a sentence.

As yet another modification, the generation unit 20 of FIG. 1 may further include a document number conversion unit that converts a command into a document number format. For example, the document number conversion unit converts the command "2012-1234" into "Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-01234". In addition, a document tag in which "patent document n" is enclosed in black brackets is inserted in front of this document number. The generation unit 20 may include a plurality of conversion units corresponding to such commands.

As yet another modification, the registration unit 14 in FIG. 1 may analyze a document opened by a word processor, automatically extract an element name corresponding to a code, and register it in the dictionary 16.

10 Input unit 12 Judgment unit 14 Registration unit 16 Dictionary 20 Generation unit 22 Image conversion unit 24 Sentence conversion unit 26 Code conversion unit 28 Recognition unit 30 Exclusion unit 32 Serial number conversion unit 34 Presentation unit 36 Inspection unit 40 Image insertion command input unit 42 Path generation unit 44 Import unit 46 Tag generation unit 100 Document creation support device

Claims (6)

From the character strings included in the text, following the character string for instructing the embedding of the image and the character string for instructing the embedding of the image, the file of the image is identified , and the type of the image is specified. The input part that extracts the source character string including the file identifier including the character indicating , and inputs the extracted source character string,
A path generator that searches a predetermined folder for an image file that includes a file identifier included in the source character string in the file name and generates a path for accessing the specified image file, and a path generator.
An import unit that embeds an image of an image file specified by the path at the position of the source character string, and
Characters indicating the image type are extracted from the file identifier, a tag character string matching the tag type associated with the extracted character is generated, and the tag character string is generated immediately before the image embedded by the import unit. A tag generator that inserts the created tag character string, and
An input support device characterized by being equipped with. The input support device according to claim 1, wherein the tag character string includes a character indicating the type of the embedded image and a serial number corresponding to the order of the images embedded in the text . When the image file containing the file identifier in the file name does not exist in the predetermined folder, the path generator combines the path of the predetermined folder and the file identifier according to a predetermined rule to obtain the path of the image file. The input support device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the file is generated. A claim characterized by further comprising a presentation unit that presents a list of the file name of the image embedded in the text and the tag character string inserted immediately before the image for each document name included in the application document. The input support device according to any one of Items 1 to 3. Computer,
From the character strings included in the text, following the character string for instructing the embedding of the image and the character string for instructing the embedding of the image, the file of the image is identified , and the type of the image is specified. Input section that extracts the source character string including the file identifier including the character indicating, and inputs the extracted source character string.
A path generator that searches a predetermined folder for an image file containing a file identifier included in the source character string in a file name and generates a path for accessing the specified image file.
An import unit that embeds an image of an image file specified by the path at the position of the source character string,
Characters indicating the image type are extracted from the file identifier, a tag character string matching the tag type associated with the extracted character is generated, and the tag character string is generated immediately before the image embedded by the import unit. Tag generator that inserts the created tag string,
An input support program that functions as. When the image file containing the file identifier in the file name does not exist in the predetermined folder, the path generator combines the path of the predetermined folder and the file identifier according to a predetermined rule to obtain the path of the image file. The input support program according to claim 5, wherein the file is generated.

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