System and method for providing context to an input method

• US 20050091037A1
• Filed: 10/24/2003
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Suzue, Yutaka, Clow, Joshua A., Guha, Angshuman, Gupta, Ranjit Kumar, Bhoovaraghavan, Mukundan, Chambers, Robert Lewis, Haluptzok, Patrick, Reddy, Vamshidhar G., Padte, Anuradha N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,634,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

An improved system and method for providing context information of executable code to an input method is provided. Advanced text input methods may be made aware of the type of text expected to be received as input so that input methods may achieve a higher accuracy in recognition of text input. Generic interfaces provide a framework for supporting application authoring platforms to allow application developers to easily specify context information to the system and have it reliably forwarded to the correct input methods. Additionally, a context tagging tool may associate specific text input fields of an existing application with an input scope without modifying the application itself. The context tagging tool may create a manifest that contains tags associating the specific text input fields with an input scope. Any advanced input methods use by the application may be updated with instructions for accessing the context information stored in the manifest.

Claims

1. A computer system for providing context information to an input method, comprising:

executable software code having a text input field;

a context component operably coupled to the executable software code, the context component having an interface invocable by the executable software code for setting a scope of input for a text field; and

a recognizer for an input method, the recognizer operably coupled to the context component for invoking an interface of the context component for receiving the scope of input set by the executable software code for the text field.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the interface invocable by the executable software code for setting a scope of input for a text field comprises a parameter for passing a list of words.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the interface invocable by the executable software code for setting a scope of input for a text field comprises a parameter for passing a list of phrases.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the invocable by the executable software code for setting a scope of input for a text field comprises a parameter for passing a common input scope.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the common input scope comprises a defined format with an associated fixed list of characters.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the invocable by the executable software code for setting a scope of input for a text field comprises a parameter for passing a regular expression.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the interface invocable by the executable software code for setting a scope of input for a text field comprises a parameter for passing a set of input scopes.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the invocable by the recognizer for obtaining the scope of input for a text field comprises a method invoked for obtaining a set of input scopes.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the interface invocable by the recognizer for obtaining the scope of input for a text field comprises a method invoked for obtaining a list of phrases.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the interface invocable by the recognizer for obtaining the scope of input for a text field comprises a method invoked for obtaining a list of words.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the invocable by the recognizer for obtaining the scope of input for a text field comprises a method invoked for obtaining a regular expression.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the recognizer comprises a recognizer for speech.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the recognizer comprises a recognizer for handwriting.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the recognizer comprises a recognizer for an input method editor.

15. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable components comprising the system of claim 1.

16. A method for providing context information to an input method, comprising the steps of:

invoking an application programming interface for setting a scope of input for a text field of executable software code;

setting a scope of input for a text field of the executable software code;

invoking an application programming interface for obtaining the scope of input set for the text field of the executable software code; and

obtaining the scope of input set for the text field of the executable software code.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising using the scope of input obtained for recognizing input for the text field of the executable software code.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein invoking an application programming interface for setting a scope of input for a text field of executable software code comprises passing a list of words.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein invoking an application programming interface for setting a scope of input for a text field of executable software code comprises passing a list of phrases.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein invoking an application programming interface for setting a scope of input for a text field of executable software code comprises passing a common input scope.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein passing a common input scope comprises passing an identifier for a defined format with an associated fixed list of characters.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein invoking an application programming interface for setting a scope of input for a text field of executable software code comprises passing a regular expression.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein invoking an application programming interface for obtaining the scope of input set for the text field of the executable software code comprises obtaining a set of input scopes.

24. The method of claim 16 wherein invoking an application programming interface for obtaining the scope of input set for the text field of the executable software code comprises obtaining a list of words.

25. The method of claim 16 wherein invoking an application programming interface for obtaining the scope of input set for the text field of the executable software code comprises obtaining a list of phrases.

26. The method of claim 16 wherein invoking an application programming interface for obtaining the scope of input set for the text field of the executable software code comprises obtaining a common input scope.

27. The method of claim 16 wherein invoking an application programming interface for obtaining the scope of input set for the text field of the executable software code comprises obtaining a regular expression.

28. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 16.