Techniques for creating computer generated notes

Abstract

Text is extracted from and information resource such as documents, emails, relational database tables and other digitized information sources. The extracted text is processed using a decomposition function to create. Nodes are a particular data structure that stores elemental units of information. The nodes can convey meaning because they relate a subject term or phrase to an attribute term or phrase. Removed from the node data structure, the node contents are or can become a text fragment which conveys meaning, i.e., a note. The notes generated from each digital resource are associated with the digital resource from which they are captured. The notes are then stored, organized and presented in several ways which facilitate knowledge acquisition and utilization by a user.

1 . Apparatus for generating notes of content from an information resource, comprising:
 a. a decomposition element for decomposing textual information from said information resource into information nodes;   b. a note conversion element for converting nodes into notes; and   c. a storage element for storing said notes.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  in which said textual information is provided by an extraction element for separating textual information from said information resource from other information. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , in which said decomposition element comprises a serial analyzer producing a document of sentences. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , in which a tagger element associates each word of a sentence of said document of sentences with a token representing a syntactic role of said word forming a sequence of token-word pairs for each sentence. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising a node generation element which compares the sequence of token-word pairs of a sentence with a set of syntactical patterns specified for a language to produce a set of nodes. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  in which the sets of syntactical patterns includes patterns beyond the patterns utilized to interpret the language. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5  in which the node generation element searches the sequence of token-word pairs in accordance with a per pattern token seeking behavioral constraint. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , in which the node generation element searches the sequence of token-word pairs for token patterns, the elements of which are not adjacent in the sequence of token-word pairs. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , in which the token patterns may include elements in which the elements of the token patterns are selected from token-word pairs that are separated by greater than one token-word pair of said sequence of token-word pairs. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , in which the node generation element enforces constraints on certain token patterns. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , in which certain nodes are eliminated from the set of nodes by post generation node filters. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , in which the note conversion element converts the format of nodes into a format that more nearly represents a natural language statement. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a display element for displaying notes from said storage element. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , in which the display element allows for selective storage of notes as well as storage of all notes. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , in which the information resource is connected to said apparatus over a network. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , in which the network is an Internet. 
     
     
         17 . A method for generating notes of content from an information resource, comprising the steps of:
 a. decomposing textual information from said information resource into information nodes;   b. converting nodes into notes; and   c. storing said notes.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of separating textual information from said information resource from other information. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of analyzing said textual information to produce a document of sentences. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of associating each word of a sentence of said document of sentences with a token representing a syntactic role of said word forming a sequence of token-word pairs for each sentence. 
     
     
         21 - 27 . (canceled)