Intelligent default selection in an on-screen keyboard

• US 20040268250A1
• Filed: 06/10/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wasserman, Steven, Danker, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,130,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/210
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for intelligent default selection of characters to be entered via an on-screen keyboard. Based on one to several criteria, a character most likely to be selected for entry via the on-screen keyboard during a search request is determined and a selector is positioned at that particular character. If that character is indeed the character the user wishes to enter, the user does not have to execute any navigation steps to enter the character, but can—with a single actuation—enter that character. In many instances, the user will only have to enter the selection without first having to navigate to the selection. As a result, the number of times buttons need to be actuated by the user to enter a character string can be significantly reduced.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a first character that is contained in a first position of a character string that is associated with a searched-for content item;

locating one or more content items in one or more content databases that include the first character in a respective first position of one or more character strings that are associated with the one or more content items;

determining a second character that appears most often in a second position of each located database content item, the second position being positioned immediately subsequent to the first position of the character strings; and

highlighting a display image of the second character on a user interface.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising displaying at least one of the character strings associated with the located database content items on the user interface.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the character strings are sorted alphabetically according to a third character when two or more character strings are displayed, the third character being positioned immediately subsequent to the second character in the character string.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein:

two or more character strings are displayed;

each of the character strings is associated with a channel on which the content item associated with the character string may be accessed; and

the character strings are sorted so that character strings of most frequently accessed channels based on an accessed channel history are displayed before character strings associated with other channels are displayed.

5. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein:

more than one character strings are displayed;

at least one of the character strings identifies a content item having a particular preference attribute; and

the character strings are sorted so that character strings associated with a content item having the particular preference attribute are displayed before characters strings associated with a content item that does not have the particular preference attribute.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the preference attribute is determined by user behavior.

7. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the preference attribute is defined by a user.

8. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the particular preference attribute further comprises one of the following attributes:

preferred channels;

preferred performers;

preferred directors;

preferred authors;

preferred titles;

preferred local search terms;

preferred global search terms.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing a prompt on the user interface to enter the first character.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising an on-screen keyboard within the user interface.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the user interface further comprises an on-screen keyboard; and

the highlighting further comprises highlighting a key associated with the second character on the on-screen keyboard.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the user interface further comprises a character display that displays one character at a time; and

the highlighting further comprises displaying the second character on the character display.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising displaying the user interface on a television.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user interface is a search menu associated with a content broadcasting system.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the character strings further comprise one of the following types of character strings:

name;

title;

local search term, global search term.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first character is not an initial character in the character string that is associated with the searched-for content item.

17. A system, comprising:

a processor;

memory;

user interface code that is executable on the processor and is configured to display a user interface on a display device and to receive, via the user interface, a first character that is contained in a first position of a character string that is associated with a content item sought by a system user;

a search module configured to locate one or more content items in one or more content databases that include the first character in a respective first position of one or more character strings that are associated with the one or more content items;

a default module configured to determine a second character that appears most often in a second position of each located database content item, the second position being positioned immediately subsequent to the first position of the character strings; and

a selection module configured to highlight a display image of the second character on the user interface.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the user interface code is further configured to display at least one of the character strings associated with the located database content items on the user interface.

19. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the user interface code is further configured to display the character strings alphabetically according to a third character when two or more character strings are displayed, the third character being positioned immediately subsequent to the second character in the character string.

20. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein:

each of the character strings are associated with a channel;

the system further comprises a preferences module that is configured to store favorite channels that are accessed more frequently than other channels; and

the user interface code is further configured to display the character strings according to channel when two or more character strings are displayed, character strings associated with a favorite channel are displayed before character strings associated with a channel that is not a favorite channel.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the favorite channels are stored manually.

22. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the favorite channels are determined by monitoring channel usage.

23. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein:

the system further comprises a preferences module that stores preference attributes;

more than one character strings are displayed;

at least one of the character strings identifies a content item having a particular preference attribute; and

the user interface code is further configured to display the character strings so that content items having the particular preference attribute are displayed before content items that do not have the particular preference attribute.

24. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein the preference attributes are manually stored in the preferences module.

25. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein the preferences module determines the preference attributes by monitoring user behavior.

26. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein the particular preference attribute further comprises one of the following attributes:

preferred channels;

preferred performers;

preferred directors;

preferred authors;

preferred titles;

preferred local search terms;

preferred global search terms.

27. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the user interface code is further configured to display an on-screen keyboard, and the selection module is further configured to highlight a key on the on-screen keyboard that is associated with the second character.

28. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the character strings further comprise one of the following types of character strings:

name;

title;

local search term;

global search term.

29. A graphical user interface, comprising:

a character entry field configured to display one or more characters entered as a search term by a user to search for a content item;

character selection means configured to allow the user to select one or more characters for entry into the character entry field;

wherein the character selection means provides a default character to the user such that the user may select the default character with a single actuation, the default character being selected as a most likely choice to be entered by the user based on previous characters selected and content items available for matching the search term.

30. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 29, wherein the character selection means further comprises:

an on-screen keyboard that displays characters available for selection; and

a selector configured to be situated in relation to an on-screen keyboard character so that the single actuation selects the on-screen keyboard character situated relative to the selector.

31. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 29, wherein the character selection means further comprises:

an on-screen keyboard having a character selection field that displays a character from a set of characters available for selection; and

a selector configured to change the character to any character included in the set of characters available for selection; and

wherein the single actuation selects the character displayed in the character selection field.

32. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 29, further comprising a “

new search”

button configured to initiate a search.

33. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 29, further comprising one or more content item description fields each configured to display a character string associated with a content item available for matching previous characters in the search term.

34. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 33, wherein the one or more content item description fields are selectable by the user to access the content item associated with the character string associated with the content item description field.

35. One or more computer-readable media containing computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a computer, perform the following steps:

providing a user interface configured to receive one or more characters included in a search term character string used to locate a content item in one or more content databases;

receiving a first character in the search term character string via the user interface, the first character being located in a first position of the search term character string;

searching the one or more content databases to locate content items that are each identified by a content item character string that includes the first character in a respective first position;

determining a default second character that has the highest probability of being entered after the first character, the default second character to occupy a second position of the search term character string that is immediately subsequent to the first position; and

selecting the default second character on the user interface so that a single actuation by the user enters the default second character as the second character of the search term character string.

36. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, wherein the one or more content databases are stored locally.

37. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, wherein the one or more content databases are stored at a remote location.

38. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, further comprising at least two content databases and wherein a content database is stored locally and a content database is stored at a remote location.

39. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, wherein the providing a user interface further comprises providing an on-screen keyboard.

40. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, wherein the providing a user interface further comprises providing a character entry field wherein characters may be entered.

41. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, wherein the first position is a position other than a first position in the search term character string.

42. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, wherein the step of determining a default second character that has the highest probability of being entered after the first character further comprises examining each located content item character string to determine a default second character that is a character that appears most often in a second position that is immediately subsequent to the first position of the content item character string.

43. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, wherein the selecting step further comprises highlighting the default second character in an on-screen keyboard on the user interface.

44. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, wherein the selecting step further comprises displaying the default second character in a character display field on the user interface.

45. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a computer, perform the additional step of displaying one or more located content item character strings on the user interface.

46. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 45, wherein more than one located content item character strings are displayed in alphabetical order according to a third character in the located content item character strings, the third character being immediately subsequent to the second position.

47. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 45, wherein:

more than one located content item character strings are displayed;

each located content item character string is associated with a channel; and

the located content item character strings are displayed in an order such that content item character strings associated with favorite channels are displayed before content item character strings associated with channels that are not favorite channels.

48. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 47, wherein the favorite channels are selected by the user.

49. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 47, wherein the favorite channels are determined by monitoring user behavior.

50. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 45, wherein:

more than one located content item character strings are displayed;

one or more of the located content item character strings are associated with a preference attribute; and

the located content item character strings are displayed in an order such that content item character strings associated with the preference attribute are displayed before content item character strings that are not associated with the preference attribute.

51. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 50, wherein the preference attribute further comprises one of the following preference attributes:

preferred performer(s);

preferred author(s);

preferred director(s);

preferred title(s);

preferred local search term determined by previous searches conducted by the user;

preferred global search term determined by previous searches conducted on a content system.