Abstract: An initial organizational table for a document is determined based on textual similarity between entries of the organizational table and target text fragments and not taking into account text formatting. A classifier is trained to identify text fragment pairs consisting of entries of the organizational table and corresponding target text fragments based at least in part on text formatting features. The training employs a training set of examples annotated based on the initial organizational table. The initial organizational table is updated using the trained classifier.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for augmenting the identification of objects tracked in a sequence of images using active devices. In one embodiment, encoded information transmitted from active devices, such as a PDA, is decoded from the sequence of images to provide identifying information to a tracked region of interest. In another embodiment, motion information transmitted from active devices is associated with regions of interest tracked between images in the sequence of images. In a further embodiment, these embodiments operate together to minimize possible signal interference.

Abstract: A system for providing item recommendations includes a memory, a device, responsive to a user request, for recording an item on a hardcopy medium, and a processor, for storing ratings of items and for generating recommendations for new items based on recommendation criteria. In response to the user request, the processor stores an implicit rating for the requested item in the memory, determines whether, based on the implicit rating and the recommendation criteria, to generate an item recommendation, and if the criteria for generating a recommendation is met, generates a recommendation of a new item. The recommender system may further store a representation of the recorded item in the memory. Recommendations may be based on item to item similarities, item to user similarities or user to user similarities.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for recovering or determining logical structure of a document by assessing different combinations of vertical and horizontal cuts across a block of the document. The block is segmented using a scoring function that discards horizontal cuts in favor of vertical cuts shared among neighboring sub-blocks. The order in which the blocks and sub-blocks are segmented is then used to define the logical structure of the document, such as its reading order.

Abstract: A system for providing item recommendations includes a memory, a device, responsive to a user request, for recording an item on a hardcopy medium, and a processor, for storing ratings of items and for generating recommendations for new items based on recommendation criteria. In response to the user request, the processor stores an implicit rating for the requested item in the memory, determines whether, based on the implicit rating and the recommendation criteria, to generate an item recommendation, and if the criteria for generating a recommendation is met, generates a recommendation of a new item. The recommender system may further store a representation of the recorded item in the memory. Recommendations may be based on item to item similarities, item to user similarities or user to user similarities.

Abstract: A method for detection of page numbers in a document includes identifying a plurality of text fragments associated with a plurality of pages of a document. From the identified text fragments, at least one sequence is identified. Each identified sequence includes a plurality of terms. Each term of the sequence is derived from a text fragment selected from the plurality text fragments. The terms of an identified sequence comply with at least one predefined numbering scheme which defines a form and an incremental state of the terms in a sequence. A subset of the identified sequences which cover at least some of the pages of the document is computed. Terms of at least some of the subset of the identified sequences are construed as page numbers of pages of the document. Additional page numbers may be identified by considering one or more features of the terms in the subset of identified sequences.

Abstract: A document (10) includes one or more organizational tables (40). Each organizational table includes a substantially contiguous sub-set of text fragments of the document identified as entries of the organizational table, and each entry has an associated linked text fragment. An organizational tables scorer (42) assigns a score to each of the one or more organizational tables respective to at least one object type based on a scoring criterion for that object type. An organizational tables labeler (44) assigns a table type label to each of the one or more organizational tables based on the scores.

Abstract: A form reader includes a landmarks extractor configured to select textboxes of a converted document as form landmarks based on textual characteristics. A set of positional constraints constrain the form entries relative to the identified form landmarks. A constraints solver selects textboxes of the converted document as form entries by solving the set of positional constraints respective to a set of facts including the selected form landmarks and converted document. In some embodiments, the constraints solver includes a query engine configured to (i) construct a query in a logic programming language setting forth the set of positional constraints and the set of facts and to (ii) input said query to a logic programming language query solving engine and to (iii) receive a response from the query solving engine responsive to the input.

Abstract: A method of marking a unique code onto an edge of a sheet of material takes N stacks of sheet material, each stack having N1 sheets; prints a barcode uniquely identifying each stack on at least one edge of the stack so that each sheet of sheet material in the stack has the barcode printed on its edge. N1 stacks of sheet material are formed by collating the N stacks of sheet, wherein each of the N1 stacks has N sheets of sheet material, one sheet from each of the N stacks of sheet material. A second barcode uniquely identifying each of the N1 stacks is printed on at least one edge of the stack so that each sheet of sheet material in the stack has the barcode printed on its edge.

Abstract: In a method for identifying a table of contents in a document (8), an initial indexing text fragment at about the middle of an ordered sequence of indexing text fragments (14) is associated with an initial set of one or more candidate linked body text fragments selected from an ordered sequence of body text fragments (16). A lower-ordered indexing text fragment at lower order than the initial indexing text fragment is associated with a set of one or more candidate linked body text fragments at lower order than the highest order member of the initial set of one or more candidate linked body text fragments. A higher-ordered indexing text fragment at higher order than the initial indexing text fragment is associated with a set of one or more candidate linked body text fragments at higher order than the lowest order member of the initial set of one or more candidate linked body text fragments.

Abstract: In a method for identifying a table of contents in a document (10), text fragments are extracted (12) from the document. There are identified (20, 30, 34, 38): (i) a substantially contiguous group of text fragments as table of content entries and (ii) a different group of text fragments as linked text fragments linked with corresponding table of content entries. During the identifying, a number of text fragments that are candidates for identification as linked text fragments is reduced based on at least one reduction criterion (130). The identified table of contents entries and linked text fragments (110) are validated based on at least one validation criterion (162) related to distribution of the linked text fragments.

Abstract: The system comprises an improved document monitoring agent in which user evaluations are used to decide whether a changed document should be saved in the system or not. The evaluation of importance of the change in a document is performed by one or more users who collaboratively monitor a networked document, typically identified by a URL. By providing a user evaluation interface, it is possible for users to indicate their evaluation of the significance of the change. As such, only significantly changed documents, as indicated by the users themselves, are saved. Thus, a more efficient saving is obtained while at the same time reducing the risk of discarding potentially interesting changed documents which would have been discarded by conventional monitoring agents.

Abstract: The system comprises an improved document monitoring agent in which user evaluations are used to decide whether a changed document should be saved in the system or not. The evaluation of importance of the change in a document is performed by one or more users who collaboratively monitor a networked document, typically identified by a URL. By providing a user evaluation interface, it is possible for users to indicate their evaluation of the significance of the change. As such, only significantly changed documents, as indicated by the users themselves, are saved. Thus, a more efficient saving is obtained while at the same time reducing the risk of discarding potentially interesting changed documents which would have been discarded by conventional monitoring agents.

Abstract: An electronic status notification message for an output job request, which identifies a document for processing at an output device, is received from a submitter. A copy of the document is received, and the output job request is forwarded to the output device. Selected document services are applied to the copy of the document to define an archive of the document. The archive of the document is stored on a document repository. Similarity data is produced by evaluating the archive of the document with other documents in the document repository. Job status information is received concerning the output job request forwarded to the output device. The electronic status notification message is prepared using static and dynamic data concerning the job status information of the output job request and the similarity data of the document archived in the document repository. The electronic status notification message is transmitted to the submitter.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for recovering or determining logical structure of a document by assessing different combinations of vertical and horizontal cuts across a block of the document. The block is segmented using a scoring function that discards horizontal cuts in favor of vertical cuts shared among neighboring sub-blocks. The order in which the blocks and sub-blocks are segmented is then used to define the logical structure of the document, such as its reading order.

Abstract: A document is organized as a plurality of nodes associated with a table of contents. The nodes are clustered into a plurality of clusters based on a similarity criterion. One of the clusters is identified as corresponding to a highest or lowest level of the table of contents based on a selection criterion. The highest or lowest level is assigned to the nodes belonging to the identified cluster. The identifying and assigning are repeated to assign levels to the nodes belonging to each next highest or lowest level of the table of contents. The repeated identifying is based on the selection criteria applied disregarding nodes that have already been assigned a level. The document is structured based at least in part on the levels assigned to the table of contents nodes.

Abstract: In a wireless network, two or more devices can determine how close they are from one another in a peer-to-peer way, by exchanging the network characteristics they observe in real time. A method for determining device proximity in a wireless network, includes characterizing at a first device any detected wireless network radio signals; receiving any broadcast network characteristics from at least one other device on the network; comparing the first device network characteristics with the received network characteristics from the at least one other device on the network; if the network characteristics are within a predetermined relationship, the first device and the at least one other device are in proximity with one another. Network characteristics may include signal strength, noise level and MAC address of the transmitting device. The method eliminates the need to calibrate WiFi signal strength as a function of location in a particular area.

Abstract: An interactive document processing system includes a display screen that is coupled to a processing device. In addition, the document processing system includes an input device for viewing all or a portion of a hardcopy document on a work surface. The input device generates signals representing the appearance of the hardcopy document from representative electronic data stored in a print memory. In one embodiment, the processing device is connected to the input device to receive the signals, determine the position of a moving indicator relative to the document, and correlate the determined position with the electronic representation of the hardcopy document. The display screen provides information related to user commands that edit and/or select portions of the electronic representation of the hardcopy document.

Abstract: A method of marking a unique code onto an edge of a sheet of material takes N stacks of sheet material, each stack having N1 sheets; prints a barcode uniquely identifying each stack on at least one edge of the stack so that each sheet of sheet material in the stack has the barcode printed on its edge. N1 stacks of sheet material are formed by collating the N stacks of sheet, wherein each of the N1 stacks has N sheets of sheet material, one sheet from each of the N stacks of sheet material. A second barcode uniquely identifying each of the N1 stacks is printed on at least one edge of the stack so that each sheet of sheet material in the stack has the barcode printed on its edge.

Abstract: A method for identifying header/footer content of a document, in order to sequence text fragments comprising recognizable text blocks as derived from the document. The textual variability of lines comprised of text blocks, including the different kinds of text blocks within the line is analyzed for assessment of textual variability. Header/footer zones are defined by textual content having a low textual variability. An alternative embodiment identifies pagination constructs by comparing selected text-boxes for similarity and proximity and clustering the text boxes satisfying a predetermined similarity value, wherein the clustered text boxes are deemed to comprise pagination constructs.