User-guided term suggestions

• US 10,459,957 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2016
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Zomet, Asaf, Chechik, Gal, Shynar, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Loc
• Application Number:
  US15/394,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20170109433A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3323 using document space presentation or visualization, e.g. category, hierarchy or range presentation and selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3344 using natural language analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90324 using system suggestions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/232 Orthographic correction, e.g. spell checking or vowelisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs

Abstract

Methods and apparatus related to providing user-guided term suggestions. Some implementations may be directed to identifying user input that includes at least one term and identifying a user-initiated activity near the term. An edit term may be identified based on the user-initiated activity near the term, an edit position in the edit term may be identified, and one or more candidate terms may be identified based on the edit term. Similarity measures for the candidate terms may be determined. The similarity measure of a given candidate term of the candidate terms may be based on the edit position. One or more of the candidate terms may be selected as suggested terms based on the similarity measures and the selected suggested terms provided for potential replacement of the edit term.

Claims

1. A method implemented by one or more processors, comprising:

identifying a term entered by a user at a client device, the term having a plurality of characters;

detecting a first user-initiated activity directed at a first edit position in the term,

wherein the first user-initiated activity is a touch at the first edit position via a touch-sensitive display of the client device, and

wherein the first edit position is a first position between a first pair of the characters;

determining, based on the first edit position and independent of additional user input of any additional characters to the edit term, a first group of candidate terms;

providing the identified first group of candidate terms for display at the client device in response to the first user-initiated activity,

wherein user selection of a given candidate term of the provided first group of candidate terms replaces the term with the given candidate term;

detecting a second user-initiated activity directed at a second edit position in the term, the second edit position being distinct from the first edit position,

wherein the second user-initiated activity is a touch at the second edit position via the touch-sensitive display of the client device, and

wherein the second edit position is a second position between a second pair of the characters;

determining, based on the second edit position and independent of additional user input of any additional characters to the edit term, a second group of candidate terms; and

providing the identified second group of candidate terms for display at the client device in response to the second user-initiated activity,

wherein user selection of a second given candidate term of the provided second group of candidate terms replaces the term with the second given candidate term, and

wherein the given candidate term of the first group of candidate terms is not present in the second group of candidate terms.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second given candidate term of the second group of candidate terms is not present in the first group of candidate terms.

3. A client device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

memory storing instructions; and

one or more processors operable to execute the instructions stored in the memory to;

identify a term entered by a user at the client device, the term having a plurality of characters;

detect a first user-initiated activity directed at a first edit position in the term,

wherein the first user-initiated activity is a touch at the first edit position via the touch-sensitive display of the client device, and

wherein the first edit position is a first position between a first pair of the characters;

determine, based on the first edit position and independent of additional user input of any additional characters to the edit term, a first group of candidate terms;

provide the identified first group of candidate terms for display at the touch-sensitive display in response to the first user-initiated activity,

wherein user selection of a given candidate term of the provided first group of candidate terms replaces the term with the given candidate term;

detect a second user-initiated activity directed at a second edit position in the term, the second edit position being distinct from the first edit position,

wherein the second user-initiated activity is a touch at the second edit position via the touch-sensitive display of the client device, and

wherein the second edit position is a second position between a second pair of the characters;

determine, based on the second edit position and independent of additional user input of any additional characters to the edit term, a second group of candidate terms; and

provide the identified second group of candidate terms for display at the touch-sensitive display in response to the second user-initiated activity,

wherein user selection of a second given candidate term of the provided second group of candidate terms replaces the term with the second given candidate term, and

wherein the given candidate term of the first group of candidate terms is not present in the second group of candidate terms.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second given candidate term of the second group of candidate terms is not present in the first group of candidate terms.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform a method, the method comprising:

identifying a term entered by a user at a client device, the term having a plurality of characters;

detecting a first user-initiated activity directed at a first edit position in the term,

wherein the first user-initiated activity is a touch at the first edit position via a touch-sensitive display of the client device, and

wherein the first edit position is a first position between a first pair of the characters;

determining, based on the first edit position and independent of additional user input of any additional characters to the edit term, a first group of candidate terms;

providing the identified first group of candidate terms for display at the client device in response to the first user-initiated activity,

wherein user selection of a given candidate term of the provided first group of candidate terms replaces the term with the given candidate term;

detecting a second user-initiated activity directed at a second edit position in the term, the second edit position being distinct from the first edit position,

wherein the second user-initiated activity is a touch at the second edit position via the touch-sensitive display of the client device, and

wherein the second edit position is a second position between a second pair of the characters;

determining, based on the second edit position and independent of additional user input of any additional characters to the edit term, a second group of candidate terms; and

providing the identified second group of candidate terms for display at the client device in response to the second user-initiated activity,

wherein user selection of a second given candidate term of the provided second group of candidate terms replaces the term with the second given candidate term, and

wherein the given candidate term of the first group of candidate terms is not present in the second group of candidate terms.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the second given candidate term of the second group of candidate terms is not present in the first group of candidate terms.