Systems and methods to extract data automatically from a composite electronic document

Abstract

A system and method for automatically extracting contract data from electronic contracts includes an administrator module configured to provide templates for inputting document patterns and a list of contract data tags for each of a plurality of contract document types. A parser is configured to convert an electronic contract document into a contract text document and reformat the contract text document to provide a pattern for the text contract document. A pattern recognition engine is configured to determine a list of contract document types in the electronic contract by comparing and matching patterns of all known contract document types with the pattern of the contract text document. A contract data extraction engine is configured to extract contract data for each contract document type on the list.

1 . A system for automatically extracting contract data from electronic contracts, comprising:
 an administrator module configured to provide templates for inputting document patterns and a list of contract data tags for each of a plurality of contract document types;   a parser configured to convert an electronic contract document into a contract text document and reformat the contract text document to provide a pattern for the text contract document;   a pattern recognition engine configured to determine a list of contract document types in the electronic contract by comparing and matching patterns of all known contract document types with the pattern of the text contract document; and   a contract data extraction engine configured to extract contract data for each contract document type on the list.   
     
     
         2 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the administrator module is configured to construct pattern matrices to provide the templates for inputting document patterns. 
     
     
         3 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the administrator module stores pattern matrices and contract data tags for comparison with input electronic contracts. 
     
     
         4 . The system as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the parser formats the contract text document to eliminate less relevant information and to permit comparison with the pattern matrices and contract data tags. 
     
     
         5 . The system as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the parser formats the contract text document by inserting formatting bookmarks. 
     
     
         6 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the administrator module is configured to retrieve a list of contract data tags and extracts contract data accordingly for each contract document type on the list. 
     
     
         7 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the administrator module is configured to provide beginning and ending pattern matrices for each known document type. 
     
     
         8 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the administrator module is configured to determine a list of document types in the contract text document by comparing and matching pattern matrices using a dot product calculation. 
     
     
         9 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the administrator module is configured to determine to a list of data tags corresponding to a document type by comparing and matching line pattern vectors. 
     
     
         10 . A method for automatically extracting contract data from electronic contracts, comprising:
 providing templates for inputting document patterns and a list of contract data tags for each of a plurality of contract document types;   parsing an electronic contract document to convert the electronic contract document into a contract text document;   determining a list of contract document types in the electronic contract by comparing and matching patterns of all known contract document types with the pattern of the contract text document; and   extracting contract data for each contract document type on the list.   
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein providing includes constructing pattern matrices to provide the templates for inputting document patterns. 
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising storing pattern matrices and contract data tags for comparison with input electronic contracts. 
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein parsing includes and reformatting the contract text document to eliminate less relevant information to permit comparison with the pattern matrices and contract data tags. 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein reformatting includes reformatting the contract text document by inserting formatting bookmarks. 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising retrieving a list of contract data tags and extracting contract data accordingly for each contract document type on the list. 
     
     
         16 . The system as recited in  claim 10 , wherein providing includes providing beginning and ending pattern matrices for each known document type. 
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein determining a list of document types includes comparing and matching pattern matrices using a dot product calculation. 
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein determining includes determining a list of data tags corresponding to a document type by comparing and matching line pattern vectors. 
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising searching document patterns and contract data tags for each of a plurality of contract document types in a database. 
     
     
         20 . A computer program product for automatically extracting contract data from electronic contracts comprising a computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform:
 providing templates for inputting document patterns and a list of contract data tags for each of a plurality of contract document types;   parsing an electronic contract document to convert the electronic contract document into a contract text document;   determining a list of contract document types in the electronic contract by comparing and matching patterns of all known contract document types with the pattern of the contract text document; and   extracting contract data for each contract document type on the list.