Computing device and method for automatically typesetting patent images

A method for automatically typesetting patent images extracts a brief introduction of each patent image from a description part of a patent document, and records a keyword of the brief introduction. The method distinguishes an image label of each patent image from an image part of the patent document. The method rotates the patent image by ninety degrees clockwise in response that the image label of the patent image does not contain the keyword, and outputs the rotated image onto a display device.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to typesetting technology, and more particularly to a computing device and a method for automatically typesetting patent images.

2. Description of Related Art

Usually, patent images in a patent document are displayed according to a proportion of height and width of each patent image. If the width of one patent image is greater than the height of the patent image, the patent image may be counter-clockwise rotated by ninety degrees. It is inconvenient for users to read the patent document because they have to rotate the patent image clockwise first.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1is a block diagram of one embodiment of a computing device1including a typesetting unit10for automatically typesetting patent images. The computing device1further includes a storage unit20and a processor30. The computing device1electrically connects to a display device2.

The storage unit20is operable to store patent documents (e.g., patent publications, and issued patents). Each of the patent documents includes a description part (e.g., the detailed description) and an image part. The image part includes one or more images of an invention of the patent document (“patent images”). The patent documents may be in various formats such as PDF or text.

In one embodiment, the typesetting unit10may include one or more function modules (detailed description given below). The one or more function modules may comprise computerized code in the form of one or more programs that are stored in the storage unit20, and executed by the processor30to provide the functions of the typesetting unit10described later. The storage unit20may be a cache or a memory, such as an EPROM or a flash memory.

In one embodiment, the typesetting unit10includes a first reading module100, an extracting module200, a second reading module300, a distinguishing module400, a comparison module500, and a processing module600.

The first reading module100is operable to read a description part of a patent document. It is understood that the description part includes text of the detailed description of the patent document. The description part may also include description of the prior art, claims, and abstract depending on the embodiment.

The extracting module200is operable to extract a brief introduction of each patent image from the description part of the patent document, and record a keyword of the brief introduction of each patent image. In some embodiments, the brief introductions of patent images can be extracted according to a regular expression. For example, the brief introductions of patent images in US patents may be: “FIG. 1Ashows a side view of a single unit auto rack rail road car”. The extracting module200extracts the regular expression which includes a label of the patent image, where the label of the patent image includes a fixed phrase “FIG” and a number (such as “1A”), and records the fixed phrase “FIG” or the label of the patent image (such as “FIG.1A”) as the keyword of the brief introduction of the patent image.

The second reading module300is further operable to read all images in an image part of the patent document. All of the images may include reading just one image if the patent document only has one image or reading multiple images if the patent document includes multiple images.

The distinguishing module400is operable to distinguish an image label for each patent image from the image part. The image labels, such as “FIG.1A” and “FIG.1B”, are at the bottom of the patent images. In one embodiment, the distinguishing module400distinguishes the image labels by Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology. If one patent image is not displayed in the right direction (i.e., the wrong direction), the distinguishing module400records that the image label is NULL. The wrong direction of the one patent image may be defined if width of one patent image is greater than height of the patent image, thus the user may desire the patent image to be rotated counter-clockwise by ninety degrees in the patent document.

The comparison module500is operable to compare the image label of each patent image with the keyword of the brief introduction of the patent image, and determine whether the image label contains the keyword.

The processing module600is operable to rotate the patent image by ninety degrees clockwise when the image label of the patent image does not contain the keyword, and then output the rotated image on the display device2. For example, the image label of one patent image is NULL, and the keyword is “FIG”, so the image label does not contain the keyword, and the processing module600rotates the patent image by ninety degrees clockwise and then outputs the rotated image on the display device2.

The processing module600is further operable to output the patent image on the display device2when the image label of the patent image contains the keyword of the brief introduction of the patent image. For example, the image label of one patent image is “FIG.1A”, and the keyword of the brief introduction of the patent image is “FIG”, so the image label contains the keyword, and the processing module600outputs the patent image on the display device2.

FIG. 2is a flowchart of one embodiment of a method for automatically typesetting patent images. Depending on the embodiment, additional blocks may be added, others removed, and the ordering of the blocks may be changed.

In block S10, the first reading module100reads a description part of a patent document.

In block S12, the extracting module200extracts a brief introduction of each patent image from the description part of the patent document, and record a keyword of the brief introduction of each patent image.

In block514, the second reading module300reads all images in an image part of the patent document.

In block S16, the distinguishing module400distinguishes an image label for each patent image from the image part. If one patent image is not displayed in the right dimension, the distinguishing module400records that the image label is NULL.

In block518, the comparison module500compares the image label of each patent image with the keyword of the brief introduction of the patent image, and determine whether the image label contains the keyword. If the image label of the patent image does not contain the keyword, block S20is implemented. Otherwise, if the image label of the patent image contains the keyword, block S22is implemented.

In block S20, the processing module600rotates the patent image by ninety degrees clockwise, and then outputs the rotated image on the display device2. For example, the image label of one patent image is NULL, and the keyword is “FIG”, so the image label does not comprise the keyword, and the processing module600rotates the patent image by ninety degrees clockwise and then outputs the rotated image on the display device2.

In block S22, the processing module600outputs the patent image on the display device2. For example, the image label of one patent image is “FIG.1A”, and the keyword of the brief introduction of the patent image is “FIG”, so the image label contains the keyword, and the processing module600outputs the patent image on the display device2.