Patent Publication Number: US-2015066726-A1

Title: Method and Apparatus for Facilitating Entering Deals and Assets Using Natural Language Processing

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS (37 CFR 1.77(b)(2)) 
     Application Ser. No. 13/899,217 was originally filed on May 21, 2013. This is a substitute specification, as requested by Notice of Incomplete Nonprovisional Application mailed on Jun. 28, 2013. 
     FEDERAL SPONSORSHIP (37 CFR 1.77(b) (3)) 
     Not applicable. 
     JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT (37 CFR 1.77(b) (4)) 
     Not applicable. 
     SEQUENCE LISTING (37 CFR 1.77(b)(5)) 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (37 CFR 1.77(b)(6)) 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention generally relates to the method and apparatus for facilitating entering deals and assets using natural language processing. 
     2. Background 
     The invention was prompted by the way users have traditionally conducted energy trades, using paper spreadsheets and software programs that require long and drawn out data entry process, which have a tendency of being different and/or inconsistent between deal types, asset types, and commodities, and which do not offer real-time information about the relevant energy market data. This invention addresses these inefficiencies through natural language processing of deals and assets in a real-time environment. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION (37 CFR 1.77(b)(7)) 
     The system offers light, fast, cost-effective natural language processing software for energy trades. The system software provides users with real-time answers to questions and reconciliation on position, profitability, and risk, for deals concerning any energy market, including electricity, natural gas, crude, and liquids. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS (37 CFR 1.77(b)(8)) 
       The figure illustrates an example of the natural language processing system, its data entry, and the resulting analysis of the information submitted by a user. The figure is further described and referenced in the claims. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (37 CFR 1.77(B)(9)) 
     This invention addresses the inefficiencies of traditional energy trades, which use paper spreadsheets or multiple, antiquated software programs, through natural language processing of deals and assets in a real time environment. The system embodies several compatible methods to use and analyze user data to achieve these aims. 
     First, the method for capturing a deal or asset using natural language in a single text entry field. Diagram  1  illustrates a user&#39;s natural language entry of a deal and the system&#39;s conversion of that data into fields. 
     Second, the method for capturing a deal or asset using a series of templates. Diagram  2  illustrates an example of this method, which allows a user to choose from several templates, download the chosen template to a user computer, and then upload the information to the system for complete analysis. 
     Third, the method of processing, displaying, and marketing portfolio information asynchronously. Diagram  3  illustrates a user&#39;s data entry. Diagrams  4 - 8  offer examples of sub-components of Diagram  3 .