Document data entry suggestions

Abstract

A document having multiple data entry areas can be presented, and a list of suggestions for a designated data entry area can be generated. Generating the list can include analyzing a first set of data previously entered into one or more data entry areas of the document other than the designated data entry area and analyzing a second set of data including data outside the first set of data. The list of suggestions can be presented without having received manual entry of data in the designated data entry area, and user input selecting one of the suggestions can be received. Data represented by the selected suggestion can be entered in the data entry area in response to receiving the user input selecting the selected suggestion.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer system comprising:
 at least one processor; and   memory comprising instructions stored thereon that when executed by at least one processor cause at least one processor to perform acts comprising:
 providing a document having multiple data entry areas; 
 receiving user input selecting a designated data entry area of the multiple data entry areas; 
 generating a list of one or more suggestions for the designated data entry area, generating the list comprising analyzing data previously entered into one or more data entry areas of the document other than the designated data entry area; 
 displaying the list of one or more suggestions automatically in response to the receiving of the user input selecting the designated data entry area, the displaying of the list being performed at a time when manual entry of data has not been received in the designated data entry area; 
 receiving user input selecting one of the one or more suggestions; and 
 entering data represented by the selected suggestion in the designated data entry area in response to receiving the user input selecting the selected suggestion. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein analyzing data previously entered into one or more data entry areas of the document comprises analyzing a structure of the document. 
     
     
         3 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein analyzing data previously entered into one or more data entry areas of the document comprises analyzing a layout of a display of the document. 
     
     
         4 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein analyzing data previously entered into one or more data entry areas of the document comprises recognizing one or more patterns in the data previously entered into the one or more data entry areas of the document. 
     
     
         5 . The computer system of  claim 4 , wherein generating the list of one or more suggestions comprises using the one or more recognized patterns to predict one or more suggestions and including the one or more predicted suggestions in the list of one or more suggestions. 
     
     
         6 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein generating the list of one or more suggestions further comprises analyzing one or more dictionaries outside the document. 
     
     
         7 . The computer system of  claim 6 , wherein generating the list of one or more suggestions further comprises:
 including in the list one or more suggestions from analyzing the one or more dictionaries outside the document; and   including in the list one or more suggestions from analyzing data previously entered into one or more data entry areas of the document.   
     
     
         8 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the list of one or more suggestions comprises displaying the list of one or more suggestions as a floating menu proximal to the designated data entry area. 
     
     
         9 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the list of one or more suggestions comprises displaying the list of one or more suggestions on a touch screen. 
     
     
         10 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the list of one or more suggestions comprises displaying the list of one or more suggestions proximal to a displayed keyboard on a touch screen. 
     
     
         11 . The computer system of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a manual entry of text into the designated data entry area, and refining the list of one or more suggestions in response to receiving the manual entry of text. 
     
     
         12 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the list of one or more suggestions is a list of multiple suggestions. 
     
     
         13 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 displaying a document having multiple data entry areas;   receiving a user input action selecting a designated data entry area of the multiple data entry areas;   generating a list of one or more suggestions for the designated data entry area, generating the list comprising analyzing data previously entered into one or more data entry areas of the document other than the designated data entry area;   displaying the list of one or more suggestions automatically in response to the receiving of the user input action selecting the designated data entry area, the displaying of the list being performed at a time when manual entry of data has not been received in the designated data entry area;   receiving user input selecting one of the one or more suggestions; and   entering data represented by the selected suggestion in the designated data entry area in response to receiving the user input selecting the selected suggestion.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein displaying the list of one or more suggestions comprises displaying the list of one or more suggestions proximal to a displayed keyboard on a touch screen. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the document comprises a grid and the data entry areas of the document are data entry areas in the grid. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein generating the list of one or more suggestions further comprises analyzing one or more dictionaries outside the document. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein analyzing data previously entered into one or more data entry areas of the document comprises analyzing a structure selected from a group consisting of a structure of the document, a layout of a display of the document, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . One or more computer-readable memory having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause at least one processor to perform acts comprising:
 providing a document having multiple data entry areas;   receiving user input selecting a designated data entry area of the multiple data entry areas;   generating a list of one or more suggestions for the designated data entry area, generating the list comprising analyzing data previously entered into one or more data entry areas of the document other than the designated data entry area;   displaying the list of one or more suggestions automatically in response to the receiving of the user input selecting the designated data entry area, the displaying of the list being performed at a time when manual entry of data has not been received in the designated data entry area;   receiving user input selecting one of the one or more suggestions; and   entering data represented by the selected suggestion in the designated data entry area in response to receiving the user input selecting the selected suggestion.   
     
     
         19 . The one or more computer-readable memory of  claim 18 , wherein analyzing data previously entered into one or more data entry areas of the document comprises analyzing a structure of the document. 
     
     
         20 . The one or more computer-readable memory of  claim 18 , wherein analyzing data previously entered into one or more data entry areas of the document comprises analyzing a layout of a display of the document.