Intuit, Inc.

Caitlin Elizabeth Flint

Phillip J Ohme

Andrew S McDonald

Carol Ann Howe

Robert E Bamford

Varadarajan Sriram

Karla Julietta Uribe

Brian Joon Chung

Joshua David Ackerman

Ashpak Salim Shaikh

Michael Albert Miljour

Vitaliy Igorevich Lee

Harsimran S Badwal

An intermediate computer hosts a tax return preparation application and generates an interview screen presented to a preparer through a display of the preparer computing device executing a browser. In response, the preparer acquires images of tax documents to begin preparation of an electronic tax return, e.g., by sequentially taking photographs of tax documents using a camera of a mobile communication device, which transmits the images or results of image processing such as Optical Character Recognition(OCR) to the intermediate computer. The intermediate computer, as necessary, performs OCR processing and automatically populates a plurality of electronic tax forms with the first electronic tax data and the second electronic tax data. The electronic tax return may be completed by tax document imaging and manual corrections to OCR results as necessary, in contrast to traditional tax return preparation applications structured according to a pre-determined and programmed sequence of interview screens.

Computer-implemented methods systems and articles of manufacture for image-initiated preparation of electronic tax return

An intermediate computer hosts a tax return preparation application and generates an interview screen presented to a preparer through a display of the preparer computing device executing a browser. In response, the preparer acquires images of tax documents to begin preparation of an electronic tax return, e.g., by sequentially taking photographs of tax documents using a camera of a mobile communication device, which transmits the images or results of image processing such as Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to the intermediate computer. The intermediate computer, as necessary, performs OCR processing and automatically populates a plurality of electronic tax forms with the first electronic tax data and the second electronic tax data. The electronic tax return may be completed by tax document imaging and manual corrections to OCR results as necessary, in contrast to traditional tax return preparation applications structured according to a pre-determined and programmed sequence of interview screens.

A tax return preparation application generates a first interview screen displayed to a subject taxpayer and requests first input of an image or entry of pre-determined data. Intermediate computer storing electronic tax data of multiple taxpayers determines whether electronic tax data provided or derived based on first input includes a first set for certain fields of an electronic tax form. If so, certain fields are automatically populated and a second, larger set of electronic data is identified and imported from data store to populate additional fields. If not, tax return preparation application generates a second interview screen requesting second input. Additional fields are not populated with data imported from data store when second input confirms that electronic tax data does not include the first set, but may import from data store when second input makes modifications or corrections such that electronic tax data includes the first set.

Computer-implemented methods systems and articles of manufacture for addressing optical character recognition triggered import errors during preparation of electronic tax return

A network-based synchronization system includes a server executing an electronic tax preparation program. The server is in communication with first and second computing devices through first and second networks. The first computing device utilizes the electronic tax preparation program. The second computing device is a mobile communication device including an image acquisition component and a mobile application executing thereon. The server, and the first and second computing devices are cooperatively operable through the first and second networks to synchronize the electronic tax preparation program and the mobile application based at least in part upon data acquired by the image acquisition component. The server receives the data acquired by the image acquisition component and transmits the data to the first computing device to synchronize the mobile application and the electronic tax preparation program.

Network-based synchronization system and method

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

Caitlin Elizabeth Flint