Method and system of handling the selection of alternates for recognized words

• US 20050096914A1
• Filed: 12/13/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lui, Charlton E., Altman, Dan W., Williamson, Peter H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,130,798 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/277
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/387 using human interaction, e.g. selection of the best displayed recognition candidate
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue

Abstract

In a computing device that receives handwritten data, a method and system that facilitates the selection of alternates for a hand written word. A mechanism uses rules to select a word for the user based on the operating mode (state) of the system. In a cursor operating mode, a word is selected and the alternates are provided for the word based on the position of on screen cursor relative to the word (within or adjacent the word). If not on a word having alternates, the selection can move to another word that has alternates. If multiple words are selected, (selection mode), the system selects the first word of those selected that has alternates. Menu options to go to the next or previous recognized word may also be placed on the menu for easy navigation among words, and a user can automatically walk through multiple word sets to receive alternates for each word, one-word at a time. Words that the recognizer believes correct to a high actual or relative probability may be skipped over in the automatic process, and the display of words that the recognizer is less confident are correct can be modified. The user can adjust such sensitivity settings for determining the probability of correctness.

Claims

1. In a computing device, a method comprising:

receiving a request to provide alternates for a word that has alternates and that is within a set of words containing at least two words that have alternates, when no particular word that has alternates has been selected in the set;

determining a current editing mode, in which the computing device is operating with respect to receiving input into the device;

selecting a word in the set that has alternates as a selected word based on the current editing mode; and

providing alternates for the selected word.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the current editing mode comprises a cursor mode, and wherein selecting the word comprises locating a word relative to a cursor position.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein locating the word relative to the cursor position comprises determining if the cursor position is adjacent a word having alternates associated therewith.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein locating the word relative to the cursor position comprises moving to another word having alternates associated therewith.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein locating the word relative to the cursor position comprises determining if a cursor that indicates the cursor position is placed on a word having alternates associated therewith.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining if the cursor is placed on a word having alternates associated therewith comprises moving a pointer to the beginning of the word.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the current editing mode comprises a selection mode, wherein the set is determined via a selection operation and the set contains at least two words that each has its own alternates associated therewith, and wherein selecting the word based on the current editing mode comprises selecting a first word in the set that has alternates associated therewith.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising, receiving an alternate choice.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising moving to another word in the set that has alternates associated therewith.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein providing alternates for the selected word includes providing a user interface.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the user interface provides an option to select a next word of the set that has alternates associated therewith.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the user interface provides an option to select a previous word of the set that has alternates associated therewith.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the user interface provides an option to select a next word of the set that has alternates associated therewith, and further comprising, detecting a request to select the next word that has alternates associated therewith.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising, utilizing probability information to determine whether a word in the set that has alternates associated therewith will be considered as having alternates for purposes of providing alternates therefor.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the user provides data corresponding to a sensitivity level for determining from the probability information whether a word will be considered as having alternates associated therewith.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising, displaying at least part of the set, and modifying the display of each displayed word in the set having alternates associated therewith.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising, utilizing probability information to determine whether a word in the set that has alternates associated therewith will be considered as having alternates associated therewith for purposes of modifying the display.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the user provides data corresponding to a sensitivity level for determining from the probability information whether a word will be considered as having alternates associated therewith.

38. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions which when executed perform the method of claim 1.

19. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, comprising:

providing a mechanism for enabling a user to request alternates for words that have alternates associated therewith;

receiving a request to provide the alternates for a word within a plurality of words that have alternates associated therewith, when no particular word of the plurality is identified as being the word for which the alternates are requested;

determining for which one word of the plurality of words the alternates should be provided based on a current editing mode; and

providing the alternates for the one word.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein determining for which one of the plurality of words the alternates should be provided includes determining the current editing mode.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the current editing mode comprises a cursor mode, and wherein determining for which one of the plurality of words the alternates should be provided includes locating the one word based on a cursor position.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the current editing mode comprises a selection mode, and wherein determining for which one of the plurality of words the alternates should be provided includes locating the word based on a starting point of a selection.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein locating the word based on the starting point of the selection includes locating within the selection the first word having alternates following the starting point of the selection.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein determining for which one of the plurality of words the alternates should be provided includes analyzing probability information associated with at least some the alternates.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 further comprising modifying a display to visually indicate each word within the plurality that has at least one alternate associated therewith.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 further comprising, modifying a display to visually indicate a word within the plurality that does not have an alternate associated therewith that is above a level of recognition certainty.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 wherein the level of recognition certainty is user-settable.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 wherein the level of recognition certainty comprises an absolute probability level of at least one alternate.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 wherein the level of recognition certainty comprises a relative probability level of at least two alternates.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 further comprising, receiving a user selection of an alternate.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 further comprising, determining that other alternates should be provided for another word of the plurality of words, and providing the other alternates for the other word.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31 wherein determining that the other alternates should be provided for the other word comprises receiving a navigation command.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 further comprising, receiving a user selection of an alternate, determining that other alternates should be provided for another word of the plurality of words, and providing the other alternates for the other word.

34. In a computer device, a system comprising, an ink processor configured to receive a request to provide alternates for a word within a set of at least two words that have associated alternates, wherein there is no specific indication as to a particular word within the set for which the alternates are being requested, and an alternates handling mechanism connected to the ink processor and configured to determine a current editing mode, select a word in the set as a selected word based on the current editing mode and provide alternates for the selected word.

35. The system of claim 34 further comprising a user interface, the ink processor connected to the user interface to receive the request to provide alternates.

36. The system of claim 34 wherein the current editing mode comprises a selection mode, and wherein the set is determined from words marked via the selection mode.

37. The system of claim 34 wherein the current editing mode comprises a cursor mode.