Universal type-in line
First Claim
1. A method for directing a computer including at least one text processor to perform an action in response to natural language user input, comprising:
- receiving the user input from a user;
parsing the user input to determine for the user input an input type;
determining whether the input type corresponds to a single recognized action performable by the computer and, if so, directing the computer to perform the action; and
submitting, if the user input type does not correspond to a single recognized action, the user input to the at least one text processor to obtain at least one interpretation corresponding to an action performable by the computer and, if the at least one interpretation is obtained, returning the at least one interpretation to the user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a system and method for improving a user'"'"'s ability to direct the computer to perform a desired function. A single uniform input control is provided that receives user input, such as from a keyboard. The present embodiment then parses the user input to determine its input type and whether the input type corresponds to a single, recognized action performable by the computer and, if so, performs the action. Such recognized actions include navigating to an Internet site and composing an e-mail message. If the input type does not correspond to a single recognized action, the user input is submitted to at least one text processor, such as a natural language processor, that analyzes the user input to obtain at least one interpretation corresponding to an action performable by the computer. The at least one interpretation is returned to the user who may select a desired action from among the listing of interpretations.
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Citations
98 Claims
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1. A method for directing a computer including at least one text processor to perform an action in response to natural language user input, comprising:
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receiving the user input from a user;
parsing the user input to determine for the user input an input type;
determining whether the input type corresponds to a single recognized action performable by the computer and, if so, directing the computer to perform the action; and
submitting, if the user input type does not correspond to a single recognized action, the user input to the at least one text processor to obtain at least one interpretation corresponding to an action performable by the computer and, if the at least one interpretation is obtained, returning the at least one interpretation to the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for directing a computer executing an application and comprising at least one text processor to perform an action in response to natural language user input, comprising:
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receiving the user input from a user;
parsing the user input to determine for the user input an input type;
determining whether the input type corresponds to a single recognized action performable by the computer and relevant to the application and, if so, directing the computer to perform the action; and
submitting, if the user input type does not correspond to a single recognized action, the user input to the at least one text processor to obtain at least one interpretation corresponding to an action performable by the computer and relevant to the application and, if the at least one interpretation is obtained, returning the at least one interpretation to the user. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for directing a computer comprising at least one text processor to perform an action in response to natural language user input, the method comprising:
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receiving the user input from a user;
parsing the user input to determine for the user input an input type;
determining whether the input type corresponds to a single recognized action performable by the computer and, if so, directing the computer to perform the action; and
submitting, if the user input type does not correspond to a single recognized action, the user input to the at least one text processor to obtain at least one interpretation corresponding to an action performable by the computer and, if the at least one interpretation is obtained, returning the at least one interpretation to the user. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for performing a method for directing a computer executing an application and comprising at least one text processor to perform an action in response to natural language user input, the method comprising:
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receiving the user input from a user;
parsing the user input to determine for the user input an input type;
determining whether the input type corresponds to a single recognized action performable by the computer and relevant to the application and, if so, directing the computer to perform the action; and
submitting, if the user input type does not correspond to a single recognized action, the user input to the at least one text processor to obtain at least one interpretation corresponding to an action performable by the computer and relevant to the application and, if the at least one interpretation is obtained, returning the at least one interpretation to the user. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for directing a computer comprising at least one text processor to perform an action in response to natural language user input, comprising:
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means for receiving the user input from a user;
means for parsing the user input to determine for the user input an input type;
means for determining whether the input type corresponds to a single recognized action performable by the computer and, if so, means for directing the computer to perform the action; and
means submitting, if the user input type does not correspond to a single recognized action, the user input to the at least one text processor to obtain at least one interpretation corresponding to an action performable by the computer; and
means for returning the at least one interpretation to the user. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80)
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81. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for directing a computer executing an application and having at least one text processor to perform an action in response to natural language user input, comprising:
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means for receiving the user input from a user;
means for parsing the user input to determine for the user input an input type;
means for determining whether the input type corresponds to a single recognized action performable by the computer and relevant to the application and, if so, for directing the computer to perform the action; and
means for submitting, if the user input type does not correspond to a single recognized action, the user input to the at least one text processor to obtain at least one interpretation corresponding to an action performable by the computer and relevant to the application and, if the at least one interpretation is obtained, returning the at least one interpretation to the user; and
means for returning the at least one interpretation to the user. - View Dependent Claims (82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96)
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97. A system for directing a computer to perform a task in response to natural language user input, comprising:
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an input control associated with the computer that receives natural language user input from an input device coupled with the computer;
a parser that parses said user input to determine for the user input an input type, determines whether the input type corresponds to a single recognized action performable by the computer and, if so, directs the computer to perform the action; and
at least one text processor that analyzes said user input at least when it does not correspond to a single recognized action to produce at least one interpretation corresponding to an action performable by the computer and communicates with a display control to return the at least one interpretation to the user. - View Dependent Claims (98)
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Specification