Extracting information from tables embedded within documents

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method of extracting information from heterogeneous tables in semi-structured text and unstructured text, the method comprising steps of:

• identifying, by a computing device, target content from a table in an electronic document, wherein the target content is presented in a plurality of cells;
• classifying, by the computing device, the plurality of cells into one or more of header cells and a plurality of data cells;
• annotating, automatically by the computing device, the plurality of data cell to indicate their positions in the table, and an association between each of the plurality of data cells and the one or more header cells to enable extraction of the target content from the table;
• and
• extracting, by the computing device, the target content from the table utilizing the association between plurality of data cells and one or more header cells for the target content extraction requests.

A system of extracting information from heterogeneous tables in semi-structured text and unstructured text, the system comprising:

• one or more processors configured to:
• identify, target content from a table in an electronic document, wherein the target content is presented in a plurality of cells;
• classify the plurality of cells into one or more row- or column-defining cells and a plurality of data cells;
• automatically annotate the plurality of data cell to indicate their positions in the table and an association between each of the plurality of data cells and the one or more row- or column-defining cells to enable extraction of the target content from the table;
• and
• generate a representation of a table based at least partially on the association of each of the plurality of data cells with one or more row- or column-defining defining cells.