Patent Application
20100070908
Typically, small, hand-held computing devices that include text input methods, such as a virtual keyboard, include text prediction and correction functionality. For example, most personal digital assistants and mobile phones include text auto-completion and suggested text corrections when a text error is detected. Typically, when a text input error is detected, the suggested text correction appears as a “word bubble” physically near to the input text. A user may either select the suggested text correction in the word bubble or reject the suggested text correction and use the original text input using various methods for accepting or rejecting the suggested text correction.
Most recently, the Apple® iphone® provides for an interface in which the word bubble including the suggested text correction also includes an “x” symbol/icon within the word bubble (Apple and iphone are a registered trademarks of Apple, Inc., Cupertino, Calif.). To reject the suggested text correction, the user must press the “x” symbol/icon to dismiss the word bubble each time an undesired suggested text correction appears. Using this method, when the user is inputting text (typing) a word, the user typically anticipates or looks for a suggested text correction and dismisses the suggested text correction before continuing to input text.
In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a method for accepting or rejecting suggested text corrections, comprising receiving a first input from a keyboard associated with a computing device, wherein the first input corresponds to a composition of a message in a text input area on the computing device, displaying a first suggested text correction, in response to the first input, during the composition of the message, receiving a first keypress on the keyboard, wherein the first keypress corresponds to a rejection of the suggested text correction, when a rejection of the suggested text correction is desired, receiving a second keypress on the keyboard, wherein the first keypress corresponds to an acceptance of the suggested text correction, when an acceptance of the suggested text correction is desired, and automatically inserting a space in the message when one selected from a group consisting of the first keypress and the second keypress is received.
In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a user interface on a computing device for responding to suggested text corrections, comprising a text input area for composing a message using a virtual keyboard on the computing device, a suggested text correction area comprising a suggested text correction, wherein the suggested text correction is displayed during the composition of the message, and a rejection area for rejecting the suggested text correction, wherein the virtual keyboard comprises a spacebar, wherein the spacebar comprises a first portion for rejecting the suggested text correction and a second portion for accepting the suggested text correction, wherein the user interface is configured to reject the suggested text correction and insert a space in the message when an input of a keypress of the first portion of the spacebar is received, and wherein the user interface is configured to accept the suggested text correction and insert a space in the message when an input of a keypress of the second portion of the spacebar is received.
In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a method for accepting or rejecting suggested text corrections, comprising receiving a first input from a virtual keyboard associated with a computing device, wherein the first input corresponds to a composition of a message in a text input area on the computing device, and wherein the text input area comprises a suggested text correction area and a rejection area, displaying a first suggested text correction in the suggested text correction area during the composition of the message, receiving a second input from a suggested text correction area comprising the suggested text correction, when an acceptance of the first suggested text correction is desired, wherein the second input from the suggested text correction area accepts the first suggested text correction without the insertion of space into the message, and receiving a third input from a rejection area, when a rejection of the first suggested text correction is desired, wherein the rejection area is an area that rejects a suggested text correction without the insertion of a space into the message. Other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.
Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures. Like elements in the various figures are denoted by like reference numerals for consistency.
In the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description.
In general, embodiments of the invention provide a system and method for accepting or rejecting suggested text corrections when typing a message on a computing device. More specifically, embodiments of the invention provide a system and method for accepting or declining suggested text corrections without breaking the flow of typing a message on a computing device. To facilitate the above, embodiments of the invention implement the acceptance or rejection of suggested text corrections on or around the spacebar key on a keyboard of the computing device.
The display (102) may be a liquid crystal display (LCD) or any other type of suitable user interface. The display (102) includes a text box (106) for displaying text on the computing device. That is, the display (102) is an interface configured to display a text box (106). More specifically, the text box (106) is a text input area for composing messages on the computing device, such as electronic mail messages, short messaging service (SMS) messages or text messages, etc. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the text box (106) may also be used to display text for a user of the computing device, such as notifications/alerts, a greeting message, the current date/time, etc.
Text is input into the computing device using a keyboard (104) associated with the computing device (104). The inputted text is subsequently displayed in the text box (106). The keyboard may be a wired keyboard, a wireless keyboard, a virtual keyboard, a keypad, or any other type of suitable input device that includes keys that are pressed to input data. The keyboard may be a full keyboard with all standard keys included, or may be a partially equipped keyboard that includes a subset of the keys typically included on a full keyboard. Further, the keyboard may be a QWERTY, English-based keyboard, a modified version of the QWERTY keyboard for international use (i.e., an English-international layout), or an extended keyboard with extended characters (i.e., an English-extended layout).
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may also be implemented with foreign-language keyboards.
The computing device includes a processor (108) for executing applications and software instructions configured to perform various functionalities, and memory (110) for storing software instructions and application data. Software instructions to perform embodiments of the invention may be stored on any tangible computer readable medium such as a compact disc (CD), a diskette, a tape, a memory stick such as a jump drive or a flash memory drive, or any other computer or machine readable storage device that can be read and executed by the processor (108) of the computing device. The memory (110) may be flash memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), persistent storage, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), any other type of suitable storage space, or any combination thereof.
The external communication interface (116) may be an antenna, a serial port, a parallel port, a USB interface, or any type of network interface connection, such as Bluetooth® (Bluetooth is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc.), infrared signal, etc. Further, the external communication interface may also support Global System for Mobile (GSM) communications, and 3G and/or 4G standards for mobile phone communication. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the computing device (100) may be connected to a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (e.g., the Internet) (not shown) via the external communication interface (116). Further, the external communication interface (116) may support both wired and wireless interfaces.
The computing device (100) is typically associated with a user (118) using the computing device (100). For example, the user may be an individual, a company, an organization, a group of individuals, or another computing device. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the user (118) is an individual consumer that uses the computing device (100) as a personal electronic device.
The display shown in
The suggested text correction area (202) is shown in
In one or more embodiments of the invention, the suggested text correction area (202) may include one or more symbols or icons for accepting and/or rejecting a suggested text correction (206). For example, the suggested text correction area (202) may include an “x” symbol, along with the suggested text correction, for rejecting the suggested text correction (206) that is displayed in the suggested text correction area (202). Alternatively, the suggested text correction area (202) may include a check mark next to the suggested text correction, indicating that a selection of the check mark would accept the suggested text correction (206). In one or more embodiments of the invention, the suggested text correction area (202) may include more than one symbol/icon for both accepting and rejecting suggested text corrections. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the symbol/icon representing an acceptance and rejection of a suggested text correction may be any visual representation that may be displayed within the suggested text correction area (202). For example, the suggested text correction area (202) may include an “a” and/or an “r” for accepting and rejecting suggested text corrections, respectively.
In one or more embodiments of the invention, with respect to both
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that although the remainder of the discussion below focuses on the spacebar as the designated key for responding to suggested text corrections, embodiments of the invention are not limited to the examples used in the discussion below. Rather, any key on a keyboard associated with a computing device may be designated as the key used for responding to suggested text corrections. For example, embodiments of the invention may be designate the enter key, the delete key, the backspace key, the tab key, the shift key, or any other suitable key as the key for responding to suggested text corrections. Further, embodiments of the invention may be implemented with more than one key used to respond to suggested text corrections. For example, the enter key may be used to accept a suggested text correction, and the delete or backspace key (or both) may be used to reject a suggested text correction. Alternatively, the invention may use the layout of a standard QWERTY keyboard to designate the right shift key as the key for accepting suggested text corrections and the left shift key as the key for rejecting suggested text corrections.
Initially, a user begins inputting text on the computing device (ST 300). In one or more embodiments of the invention, the text is part of a message composed using the computing device. The message may be in the form of an e-mail, a text message, any other suitable type of message, now known or later developed, or any combination thereof. Subsequently, the user determines whether a suggested text correction appears (ST 302). That is, the user may visually identify a suggested text correction that is displayed by the computing device during the composition of the user's message. Alternatively, in one or more embodiments of the invention, a suggested text correction may be displayed without the user visually identifying the suggested text correction. Said another way, a suggested text correction may be displayed by the computing device without any notice to the user. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a suggested text correction in the context of embodiments of the invention appears at the end of a word or phrase typed by the user. Further, a suggested text correction that appears in the midst of a word or phrase being typed may be ignored by the user by simply continuing to input characters. Whether the user knows that the system has displayed suggested text correction or not, if a suggested text correction appears during the composition of the message, then a second determination is made as to whether the user wishes to accept the suggested text correction (ST 304). Those skilled in the art will appreciate that when a suggested text correction is not displayed by the system during the entirety of the composition of the message, the process ends.
Continuing with
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that when the user wishes to input additional characters that are not for a new word, such as a punctuation mark, the user may not need to insert a space along with the acceptance or rejection of the suggested text correction. In this case, the user may accept/reject the suggested text correction by making a selection in the suggested text correction area or the rejection area, respectively.
At ST 304, in one or more embodiments of the invention, when the user wishes to reject the suggested text correction, the determination as to whether the user wishes to continue typing the message is made again (ST 308). If the user wishes to reject the suggested text correction and continue typing the message, then the user presses the portion of the spacebar that corresponds to a rejection of the suggested text correction (ST 310). In this case, in one or more embodiments of the invention, by pressing the portion of the spacebar that corresponds to a rejection of the suggested text correction, the computing device automatically inserts a space into the message, such that the space character facilitates the continuation of the message composition. Alternatively, when the user wishes to reject the suggested text correction and end the message, the user may reject the suggested text correction by selecting in the rejection area within the text input area (ST 316). As described above, the rejection area includes any portion of the display screen on the computing device that is outside the suggested text correction area and within the text input area. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the rejection area may also include the portion of the text input area that includes previously typed text.
Thus, using embodiments of the invention described above, the user has several options for responding to a suggested text correction. The user may accept a suggested text correction and insert a space to continue the flow of composing the message, accept a suggested text correction and end the message, reject a suggested text correction and insert a space, or reject a suggested text correction and end the message. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the aforementioned steps of
Further, in one or more embodiments of the invention, the method shown in
For example, suppose the computing device is set up with the spacebar as the key for responding to suggested text corrections, where the right side of the spacebar corresponds to a rejection and the left side of the spacebar corresponds to an acceptance of the suggested text correction. Those skilled in the art will appreciate the left side of the spacebar may correspond to an acceptance, and the right side of the spacebar may correspond to a rejection of a suggested text correction. Suppose further that the user inputs characters for a word or phrase that the user knows will trigger a suggested text correction, such as a name of a person or place, an abbreviation used in colloquial language, etc. When the user has completed the word or phrase, the user can simply press the right side of the spacebar, without visually acknowledging the suggested text correction, and the user is assured that the suggested text correction will disappear and a space will automatically be inserted into the message. This allows the user to continue typing the message without breaking the flow of typing to reject the suggested text correction. Similarly, the user can accept the suggested text correction and continue typing the message by pressing the left side of the spacebar. Over time, when the user becomes accustomed to the key or key(s) that the computing device is configured to associate with the acceptance or rejection of suggested text corrections, the user can efficiently and quickly respond to suggested text corrections in a natural manner, without any visual confirmation of the actions that took place in response to suggested text corrections.
Initially, the computing device receives input from a keyboard associated with the computing device (ST 400). The input received is subsequently displayed in a text input area on a display of the computing device (not shown). Next, a determination is made as to whether a suggested text correction is displayed (ST 402). If the system determines that a suggested text correction is not required for the input received from the keyboard, then the process ends.
Alternatively, when the system determines that a suggested text correction is needed during the composition of the user's message, the suggested text correction is displayed onto the display of the computing device (ST 404). As described above, the suggested text correction may be displayed in a word bubble (or other type of icon representing/including the suggested text correction) next to or physically near the displayed text that the user's inputs. Alternatively, in the case where the user is using a virtual keyboard on the computing device, the word bubble may be displayed in physical proximity to the key on the keyboard designated as the suggested text correction response key (e.g., the spacebar, the enter key, etc). The system then receives the user's response to the displayed suggested text correction (ST 406). More specifically, the user's response may be an acceptance or a rejection of the suggested text correction. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the response received by the computing device may be in the form of a keypress that corresponds to an acceptance of the suggested text correction, a keypress that corresponds to a rejection of the suggested text correction, a selection within the rejection area for rejecting the suggested text correction, or a selection of the displayed word bubble that includes the suggested text correction, signaling an acceptance of the suggested text correction.
Upon receiving a response to the suggested text correction, the computing device performs the appropriate action in response to the user's input (ST 408). That is, the computing device may perform one of several actions corresponding to the various options for responding to the suggested text correction by the user. For example, when the user's response to the suggested text correction is a keypress of the key (or portion of the key) corresponding to an acceptance of the suggested text correction, the system inserts the suggested text correction in place of the typed input and inserts a space into the message being composed on the computing device. Alternatively, when the user's response to the suggested text correction is a keypress of the key (or portion of the key) corresponding to a rejection of the suggested text correction, the system removes the word bubble (or other displayed icon representing/including the suggested text correction) including the suggested text correction from the display and inserts a space into the message. When the user makes a selection in the rejection area of the text input area on the display of the computing device, the system responds by only removing the word bubble including the suggested text correction from the display. Alternatively, when the user selects the word bubble including the suggested text correction, the system responds by only inserting the suggested text correction in place of the inputted text on the display. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the aforementioned steps of
Although not shown or discussed in
For example, suppose a user using a computing device inputs characters using a keyboard, in response to which the computing device displays a suggested text correction. Because embodiments of the invention facilitate the acceptance and rejection of suggested text corrections by pressing a key that a user may normally press during the natural flow of the composition of a message (e.g., the spacebar, the return key, etc.), the user may accept or reject a suggested text correction without being aware that a text correction was suggested by the computing device. In this case, a unique sound played by the computing device would indicate to the user that a suggested text correction was either accepted or rejected immediately after the action of accepting or rejecting the suggested text correction occurs. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the computing device may associate only one unique sound to both the acceptance and the rejection of a suggested text correction. Further, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the sound associated with an acceptance or rejection of a suggested text correction may be distinct from other sounds that may be played back by the computing device, e.g., a sound associated with any keypress or a keypress of a particular key, a sound associated with deleting an item on the computing device, a sound associated with performing an illegal action on the computing device, etc.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, although not shown in the computing device of
The user interfaces of
As described above, embodiments of the invention provide the user with several options for responding to a suggested text correction. Specifically, the user may accept the suggested text correction and continue inputting text with the automatic insertion of a space, reject the suggested text correction and continue inputting text with the automatic insertion of a space, accept the suggested text correction and end the message (or type a character that does not require the insertion of a space first), or reject the suggested text correction and end the message (or type a character that does not require the insertion of a space first).
Beginning with
In one or more embodiments of the invention, the check and “x” marks displayed on the respective portions of the spacebar are acceptance and rejection indicators that are displayed on the key used to respond to suggested text corrections. The acceptance and rejection indicators may be any graphical image, icon/symbol, text, or any combination thereof. For example, a blank rectangle in the spacebar may be used to represent a rejection of the suggested text correction. In this case, the blank rectangle represents ignoring the suggested text correction and inserting a space into the message being composed on the computing device. Further, the acceptance and rejection indicators may be displayed on the key used to respond to suggested text corrections, as shown in
Further, in one or more embodiments of the invention, acceptance and/or rejection indicators may be denoted on a virtual keyboard by different colors or different shades of the same color on various portions of the spacebar. For example, one portion of the spacebar in a virtual keyboard may include a first shade of a color indicating a rejection of a suggested text correction and the insertion of a space and another portion of the spacebar may include a second shade of the color indicating an acceptance of a suggested text correction and the insertion of a space. In one embodiment of the invention, the portion of the spacebar indicating a suggested text correction and the insertion of a space and/or the portion of the spacebar indicating a rejection of a suggested text correction and the insertion of a space may be identified with a combination of color, graphical images, icons, symbols, and/or text.
In one or more embodiments of the invention, the acceptance and rejection indicators may appear when a suggested text correction appears on the display, and subsequently disappear upon responding to the suggested text correction. Alternatively, the acceptance and rejection indicators may remain displayed in the respective acceptance/rejection keys or areas for the duration of the message composition. Further, the computing device may only display one of the acceptance and rejection indicators. Alternatively, in one or more embodiments of the invention, the computing device may not display indicators for accepting and rejecting suggested text corrections, as shown in the embodiment of
In the embodiment of
Said another way, the acceptance indicator is shown as the suggested text correction, and the rejection indicator is shown as the originally input text. Thus, the indicators are not symbols or icons, but the text that will result from an acceptance or a rejection of the suggested text correction. In
In
While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the attached claims.
