# US 10,311,131 B2 · System and method for converting paper forms to an electronic format

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- Number: US 10,311,131 B2
- Document ID: US10311131B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/395,468
- Filed: 2016-12-30
- Published: 2017-06-15
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2013-03-14
- Assignees: GoFormz, Inc.
- Applicants: Goformz, Inc.
- Inventors: Jason Craven; Jeff Fildey; Jason Freitas; Jonathan McIntire; Andrew Stevens; Jonathan Stevens
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10311131B2

## CPC

- G06F 40/106: Display of layout of documents; Previewing
- G06F 16/258: {Data format conversion from or to a database}
- G06F 40/103: Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents (automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191)
- G06F 40/114: Pagination
- G06F 40/12: Use of codes for handling textual entities
- G06F 40/166: Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
- G06F 40/174: Form filling; Merging
- H04L 67/10: in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A system and method for creating and managing electronic forms is described. The system includes a processor configured to receive an image of a form and receive, via a network interface, form template information specifying at least a first input field. The form template information includes a first input field type selection and first field location information for the first input field. The first input field type is selected from a plurality of input field types and the first field location information is defined relative to the image. The processor stores the form template information within a memory. The electronic form is configured to be rendered by superimposing a representation of the first input field over the image of the form.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
receiving a selection of an electronic form;
rendering, by a display of a device, an image of an original form upon which the electronic form is based;
superimposing a plurality of input fields over a corresponding plurality of fields of the original form;
selecting one of the input fields to receive user input;
receiving a selection of one or more shared fields wherein the shared fields have been made available in other electronic forms by other users;
retrieving report information based upon at least the one or more shared fields; and
rendering a report based upon the report information;
receiving a field view instruction;
displaying, upon the device, the plurality of input fields without displaying the image of the original form;
receiving a selection of one or more electronic form templates;
receiving a selection of input fields in the one or more electronic form templates;
wherein the retrieving report information is further based upon at least one of the one or more electronic form templates and the input fields.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further including receiving filter information to enable a directed search for forms completed using the one or more of the plurality of electronic form templates, the retrieving being further based upon the filter information.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further including receiving form template information specifying at least a first input field, the form template information including a first input field type selection and first field location information for the first input field wherein the first input field type selection is selected from a plurality of input field types and the first field location information is defined relative to the image wherein the form template information further specifies a second input field, the form template information further including a second input field type of the second input field and second field location information for the second input field.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3 wherein the image of the form includes a plurality of fields, the first field location information corresponding to a position of a first of the plurality of fields and the second field location information corresponding to a position of the second input field.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of input fields are each of one of a plurality of field types wherein the plurality of field types include at least one of:
a database field type enabling selection of a stored group of input entities;
an image field type;
a sketch field type through which user-generated image input may be received;
a location field type;
a formula field type disposed to utilize a value associated with at least a second input field to determine, in accordance with a formula, a value associated with the first input field; and
a table field type.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1
wherein the retrieving report information includes retrieving shared field information corresponding the one or more shared fields.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating form template information to at least one user in a group of users wherein the at least one of the one or more electronic form templates includes the form template information.

### Claim 8

A system, comprising:
memory;
a processor coupled to the memory, the processer being configured to:
receive a selection of an electronic form;
render, by a display of a device, an image of an original form upon which the electronic form is based;
superimpose a plurality of input fields over a corresponding plurality of fields of the original form;
receive a selection of one or more shared fields wherein the shared fields have been made available in other electronic forms by other users;
retrieve report information based upon at least the one or more shared fields;
render a report based upon the report information;
receive a selection of one or more electronic form templates;
receive a selection of template input fields in the one or more electronic form templates wherein the retrieving the report information is further based upon the template input fields.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8 wherein the one or more electronic form templates are based upon form template information specifying at least a first input field and a second input field, the form template information including a first input field type selection and first field location information for the first input field wherein the form template information further specifies a second input field, the form template information further including a second input field type of the second input field and second field location information for the second input field.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9 wherein the image of the original form includes a plurality of fields, the first field location information corresponding to a position of a first of the plurality of fields and the second field location information corresponding to a position of the second input field.