# How Computers Automatically Detect and Act on Data Like Phone Numbers > Apple's 1999 patent describing how software can automatically recognize patterns like phone numbers or dates in text and offer relevant actions like calling or scheduling. - **Patent:** US 5946647 - **Original title:** System and method for performing an action on a structure in computer-generated data - **Owner:** Apple Computer Inc - **Granted:** 1999 - **Status:** Public domain (expired) - **Times cited:** 297 - **Field:** software, consumer_electronics ## What it does This patent describes a system that scans text in real-time to identify specific structures, such as email addresses, dates, or phone numbers. Once identified, the system highlights these items and provides a menu of relevant actions, like opening a calendar or dialing a number. It uses an analyzer server that works alongside other applications to parse data and link it to specific functional tasks. For example, if you receive an email containing a date, the system recognizes the date structure and lets you click it to immediately create a calendar event. ## What it does NOT cover - Does not cover manual selection of text where the computer performs no automated pattern recognition. - Does not cover data structures that are not defined by grammars or string libraries within the system. - Does not cover actions that are not explicitly linked to a detected structure by the analyzer server. ## The clever bit The innovation lies in the 'analyzer server' architecture that runs concurrently with other apps, allowing the system to bridge the gap between passive text display and active, context-aware software functionality. ## Real-world examples 1. iOS Data Detectors 2. macOS Data Detectors 3. Android Smart Text Selection ## Why it matters This technology is the foundation for the 'data detectors' found in almost every modern operating system. It transformed static text into interactive objects, significantly improving user productivity by removing the need to copy-paste information between different applications. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does How Computers Automatically Detect and Act on Data Like Phone Numbers cover? Apple's 1999 patent describing how software can automatically recognize patterns like phone numbers or dates in text and offer relevant actions like calling or scheduling. ### Who owns patent US 5946647? Apple Computer Inc owns this patent, granted in 1999. ### When does this patent expire? This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely. ### What is patent US 5946647 cited by? This patent has been cited by 297 later patents that build on its ideas. ### What problem does this patent solve? This technology is the foundation for the 'data detectors' found in almost every modern operating system. It transformed static text into interactive objects, significantly improving user productivity by removing the need to copy-paste information between different applications. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Does not cover manual selection of text where the computer performs no automated pattern recognition. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5946647/system-and-method-for-performing-an-action-on-a-structure-in-computer-generated-data **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US5946647 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [Google's System for Auto-Searching Text on Your Device](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8990235/bing-image-search) — Google's 2015 patent describes a system that automatically finds and displays relevant information online based on text it detects on your device, even without you asking it to. - [How a Digital Assistant Launches Apps Using Your Voice](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9548050/continuity-handoff) — This patent describes how a digital assistant like Siri uses your spoken words and understanding of your conversation to figure out what you want and launch the right app. - [How Software Detects What You Want Based on Your Social Media Posts](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8521818/facebook-share-button) — A system that reads your social media posts to figure out your intent, then automatically serves ads or updates your profile based on how likely you are to actually buy or do something. - [How Digital Assistants Control Apps and Ask for More Information](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11204787/github-copilot-code-generation-ai) — This patent describes how a digital assistant on a device can understand what a user wants from a natural language command, find the right app, get a step-by-step guide from another device, and then ask the user for more details on the screen to complete the task with that app. - [How Apps Pass Touch Gestures Between Each Other](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9483121/force-touch-3d-touch) — A method for a device to decide which app should handle a user's touch gesture when multiple apps are running at the same time.