Abstract: An optical image of a source document is captured. Two or more source document image test regions are then defined/determined. An optical image scan is performed on each source document image test region to determine if there are identifiable alpha-numeric characters or symbols present. If one or more of the source document image test regions are determined not to contain identifiable alpha-numeric characters, the captured optical image of the source document is determined to be of insufficient quality to identify and extract individual characters and symbols and it is recommended that optical images of source documents determined to be of insufficient quality to identify and extract individual characters and symbols be re-captured using an image capture device.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that processes financial data. During operation, the system provides a user interface for displaying the financial data to a user. Upon detecting a gesture provided by the user through the user interface, the system identifies a context associated with the gesture. Next, the system displays a visualization of the financial data within the user interface based on the context.

Abstract: Data extraction templates are created and associated with source documents from a specific source document source. One or more known pictorial representations associated with one or more source document sources are then identified and key data is generated for the known pictorial representations. Source document data is then obtained and analyzed to identify potential pictorial representation data. Key data associated with the potential pictorial representation data is then generated and compared with the key data associated with one or more known pictorial representations and if the key data matches, the data extraction template associated with the matched known pictorial representations is obtained and used for identifying and extracting data from the source document data.

Abstract: A viewfinder screen display is generated and positioned such that a source document is displayed in the viewfinder screen display. Source document image blocks corresponding to different portions of the source document are then defined. For each source document image block, the image capture parameter of an image capture device is set to an optimized image capture parameter setting for the source document image block. The image capture device then captures an image block optimized image of the source document optimized for the source document image block. The optimized source document image blocks are then extracted from each image block optimized image of the source document. The extracted optimized source document image blocks are then aggregated and used to construct an image capture parameter optimized image of the source document.

Abstract: During an information-extraction technique, a user of the electronic device may be instructed by an application executed by an electronic device (such as a software application) to point an imaging sensor, which is integrated into the electronic device, toward a location on a document. For example, the user may be instructed to point a cellular-telephone camera toward a field on an invoice. After providing the instruction, the electronic device captures multiple images of the document by communicating a signal to the imaging device to acquire the images. Each of these images has an associated exposure setting with a different point of interest proximate to the location). Then, the electronic device stores the images and the points of interest. Furthermore, the electronic device analyzes the images to extract the information proximate to the location on the document.

Abstract: A viewfinder screen display is generated and positioned such that a source document is displayed in the viewfinder screen display. Source document image blocks corresponding to different portions of the source document are then defined. For each source document image block, the image capture parameter of an image capture device is set to an optimized image capture parameter setting for the source document image block. The image capture device then captures an image block optimized image of the source document optimized for the source document image block. The optimized source document image blocks are then extracted from each image block optimized image of the source document. The extracted optimized source document image blocks are then aggregated and used to construct an image capture parameter optimized image of the source document.

Abstract: A method to use a single touch-based device for a set of users involves analyzing a biometric signal of a user, obtained using a biometric sensor of the single touch-based device, to generate a biometric data item; determining an identity of the user by comparing the biometric data item to a set of biometric data items stored in the single touch-based device; activating, in response solely to the biometric signal and based on the identity of the user, a user data set residing on the single touch-based device, where the user data set belongs to the user; and performing, in response to a touch input from the user and activation of the user data set, a task on the single touch-based device using the user data set.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for facilitating a text message conversation using tele-links. During operation, the system receives a text message from a service at a mobile device, wherein the text message includes a tele-link, wherein the tele-link is comprised of a phone number. Next, the system receives a selection of the tele-link from a user at the mobile device. In response to the selection, the system then automatically initiates a call from the mobile device to a number indicated by the tele-link, wherein the act of calling the number results in the service sending a second text message to the mobile device. Finally, the system receives the second text message from the service at the mobile device.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for facilitating a text message conversation using tele-links. During operation, the system receives a text message from a service at a mobile device, wherein the text message includes a tele-link, wherein the tele-link is comprised of a phone number. Next, the system receives a selection of the tele-link from a user at the mobile device. In response to the selection, the system then automatically initiates a call from the mobile device to a number indicated by the tele-link, wherein the act of calling the number results in the service sending a second text message to the mobile device. Finally, the system receives the second text message from the service at the mobile device.