Method and System for Semantically Labeling Strings and Providing Actions Based on Semantically Labeled Strings

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure A method for recognizing strings and annotating, or labeling, the strings with a type label. After the strings are annotated with a type label, application pro gram modules may use the type label to provide users with a choice of actions. If the user's computer does not have any actions associated with a type label, the user may be provided with the option to surf to a download Uniform Resource Locator (URL) and download action plug-ins for that type label. One or more recognizer plug-ins perform the recognition of particular strings in an electronic document. The recognize r plug-ins may be packaged with an application program module or they may be written by third parties to recognize particular strings that are of interest. One or more action plug-ins provide possible actions to be presented to the user based upon the type label associated with the string.

1 . A method for executing actions in response to recognizing a string of text entered into an application program module, the method comprising:
 receiving a label associated with the string of text;   transmitting the label to an action plug-in;   receiving an action based on the label from the action plug-in;   displaying the action received from the action plug-in; and   in response to receiving an indication that the action associated with the action plug-in has been selected, transmitting a request to execute the selected action.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the label to the action plug-in comprises transmitting the label to a third-party action plug-in. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the label to the action plug-in comprises transmitting the label to at least one of a plurality of action plug-ins packaged with the application program module. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving instructions for executing the selected action from the action plug-in assigned to the selected action. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising causing the application program module to execute the selected action. 
     
     
         6 . The method recited in  claim 5 , wherein causing the application program module to execute the selected action comprises:
 determining whether the action plug-in assigned to the action is available; and   if the action plug-in assigned to the action is available, then receiving instructions from the action plug-in assigned to the selected action.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein causing the application program module to execute the selected action comprises further comprises:
 if the action plug-in is not available, then using a Uniform Resource Locator assigned to the action to navigate to a Web site and download the action plug-in associated with the selected action.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the action based on the label from the action plug-in comprises receiving an action for at least one of the following:
 interacting with personal information manager contacts, tasks, meetings, and mail, and   interacting with properties on the World Wide Web or a corporate intranet.   
     
     
         9 . A computer-readable medium having a set of instructions which when executed perform a method for executing actions associated with a string of text entered into an application program module, the method comprising:
 transmitting a label associated with the string of text to an action dynamic-link library;   receiving an action based on the label from the action dynamic-link library:   displaying the action received from the action dynamic-link library; and   in response to receiving an indication that the action received from the action dynamic-link library has been selected, transmitting a request to execute the selected action.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein transmitting the label to the action dynamic-link library comprises transmitting the label to a third-party dynamic-link library. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein transmitting the label to the action dynamic-link library comprises transmitting the label to at least one of a plurality of dynamic-link libraries packaged with the application program module. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising causing the application program module to execute the selected action. 
     
     
         13 . The method recited in  claim 12 , wherein causing the application program module to execute the selected action comprises:
 determining whether the action dynamic-link library assigned to the action is available; and   if the action dynamic-link library assigned to the action is available, then receiving instructions from the action dynamic-link library assigned to the selected action.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein causing the application program module to execute the selected action further comprises:
 if the dynamic-link library is not available, then using a Uniform Resource Locator assigned to the action to navigate to a Web site and download the dynamic-link library.   
     
     
         15 . The method of Claire  9 , wherein receiving the action based on the label from the dynamic-link library comprises receiving the action for at least one of the following:
 interacting with personal information manager contacts, tasks, meetings, and mail, and   interacting with properties on the World Wide Web or a corporate Intranet.   
     
     
         16 . A system for executing actions in response to recognizing a semantically labeled string of text entered into an application program module, the system comprising:
 a memory storage; and   a processor coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processor is configured to:
 receive a label associated with the string of text, 
 transmit the label to an action plug-in, 
 receive an action based on the label from the action plug-in, 
 display the action received from the action plug-in, 
 transmit a request to execute the selected action, 
 receive instructions for executing the selected action from the action plug-in assigned to the selected action, and 
 cause the application program nodule to execute the selected action. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the action plug-in is a third-party action plug-in. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the action plug-in is one of a plurality of action plug-ins packaged with the application program module. 
     
     
         19 . A system of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 determine whether the action plug-in assigned to the action is available; and   if the action plug-in is not available, navigate to a Web site and download the action plug-in.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processor being configured to receive the action based on the label from the action plug-in comprises the processor being configured to receive the action plug-in operative to cause at least one of the following:
 an interaction with personal information manager contacts, tasks, meetings, and mail, and   an interaction with properties on the World Wide Web or a corporate intranet.