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