Handheld electronic device with text disambiguation

• US 20050273332A1
• Filed: 06/02/2004
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Scott, Sherryl Lee Lorraine, Major, Harry Richmond, Griffin, Jason T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,283,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs

Abstract

A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with disambiguation software. The device provides output in the form of a default output and a number of variants. The output is based largely upon the frequency, i.e., the likelihood that a user intended a particular output, but various features of the device provide additional variants that are not based solely on frequency and rather are provided by various logic structures resident on the device. The device enables editing during text entry and also provides a learning function that allows the disambiguation function to adapt to provide a customized experience for the user. The disambiguation function can be selectively disabled and an alternate keystroke interpretation system provided. Additionally, the device can facilitate the selection of variants by displaying a graphic of a special <NEXT> key of the keypad that enables a user to progressively select variants generally without changing the position of the user'"'"'s hands on the device.

Claims

1. A method of disambiguating an input into a handheld electronic device, the handheld electronic device including an input device, an output device, and a memory having a plurality of objects stored therein, the plurality of objects including a plurality of language objects and a plurality of frequency objects, each of at least a portion of the language objects of the plurality of language objects being associated with an associated frequency object of the plurality of frequency objects, the input device including a first input member and a plurality of second input members, each of at least a portion of the second input members of the plurality of second input members having a plurality of characters assigned thereto, one of the second input members of the plurality of second input members being a <

NEXT>

second input member and including a particular visual appearance, the <

NEXT>

second input member being adapted to provide a selection input, the method comprising;

detecting an ambiguous input including a number of second input member actuations of a number of the second input members of the plurality of second input members, each of at least a portion of the second input members of the number of second input members including a number of characters assigned thereto, at least one of the second input members of the number of second input members having a plurality of characters assigned thereto;

generating a number of prefix objects corresponding with the ambiguous input, each prefix object of the number of prefix objects including a number of the characters of the number of the second input members of the ambiguous input;

for each prefix object of at least a portion of the number of prefix objects, seeking a corresponding language object of the plurality of language objects that corresponds with the prefix object;

generating a result by, for each prefix object of at least a portion of the number of prefix objects, said at least a portion being a quantity of one of zero and greater than zero, identifying a language object of the plurality of language objects, the identified language object corresponding with the prefix object, obtaining an associated frequency object of the plurality of frequency objects, the associated frequency object being associated with the identified language object and having a frequency value, and associating the frequency value of the associated frequency object with the prefix object;

outputting an output including a default portion and a variant portion, the output including at least a portion of the prefix objects of the result organized in descending order of frequency value;

outputting a visual indicator representative of the visual appearance; and

detecting a selection input from one of the first input member and the <

NEXT>

second input member indicating a selection of at least a portion of the variant output.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting as at least a portion of the variant output a plurality of prefix objects of the plurality of prefix objects, and detecting a plurality of selection inputs from the <

NEXT>

second input member, each said selection input sequentially selecting a sequential prefix object of the plurality of prefix objects of the variant output.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a graphic for the <

NEXT>

second input member, and outputting as the visual indicator an output representative of the graphic.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing as the graphic for the <

NEXT>

second input member a design disposed on the <

NEXT>

second input member.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing as the first input member a rotatable thumbwheel, and detecting a rotational input of the thumbwheel and an actuation of the <

NEXT>

second input member as being substantially identical to one another.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising disposing the <

NEXT>

second input member substantially adjacent another second input member of the plurality of second input members.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising disposing the thumbwheel at a location spaced from the plurality of second input members.

8. A handheld electronic device comprising:

a processor unit including a processor, an input device, an output device, and a memory having a plurality of objects and a routine stored therein;

the plurality of objects including a plurality of language objects and a plurality of frequency objects, each of at least a portion of the language objects of the plurality of language objects being associated with an associated frequency object of the plurality of frequency objects;

the input device including a first input member and a plurality of second input members, each of at least a portion of the second input members of the plurality of second input members having a plurality of characters assigned thereto, one of the second input members of the plurality of second input members being a <

NEXT>

second input member and including a particular visual appearance, the <

NEXT>

second input member being adapted to provide a selection input;

the routine being adapted to detect an ambiguous input including a number of second input member actuations of a number of the second input members of the plurality of second input members, each of at least a portion of the second input members of the number of second input members including a number of characters assigned thereto, at least one of the second input members of the number of second input members having a plurality of characters assigned thereto;

the routine being adapted to generate a number of prefix objects corresponding with the ambiguous input, each prefix object of the number of prefix objects including a number of the characters of the number of the second input members of the ambiguous input;

for each prefix object of at least a portion of the number of prefix objects, the routine being adapted to seek a corresponding language object of the plurality of language objects that corresponds with the prefix object;

the routine being adapted to generate a result by, for each prefix object of at least a portion of the number of prefix objects, said at least a portion being a quantity of one of zero and greater than zero, identifying a language object of the plurality of language objects, the identified language object corresponding with the prefix object, obtaining an associated frequency object of the plurality of frequency objects, the associated frequency object being associated with the identified language object and having a frequency value, and associating the frequency value of the associated frequency object with the prefix object;

the routine being adapted to output an output including a default portion and a variant portion, the output including at least a portion of the prefix objects of the result organized in descending order of frequency value;

the routine being adapted to output a visual indicator representative of the visual appearance; and

the routine being adapted to detect a selection input from one of the first input member and the <

NEXT>

second input member indicating a selection of at least a portion of the variant output.

9. The handheld electronic device of claim 8, wherein the routine is adapted to output as at least a portion of the variant output a plurality of prefix objects of the plurality of prefix objects, and to detect a plurality of selection inputs from the <

NEXT>

second input member, each said selection input sequentially selecting a sequential prefix object of the plurality of prefix objects of the variant output.

10. The handheld electronic device of claim 8, wherein the routine is adapted to provide a graphic for the <

NEXT>

second input member, and to output as the visual indicator an output representative of the graphic.

11. The handheld electronic device of claim 10, wherein the routine is adapted to provide as the graphic for the <

NEXT>

second input member a design disposed on the <

NEXT>

second input member.

12. The handheld electronic device of claim 8, wherein the routine is adapted to provide as the first input member a rotatable thumbwheel, and to detect a rotational input of the thumbwheel and an actuation of the <

NEXT>

second input member as being substantially identical to one another.

13. The handheld electronic device of claim 12, wherein the <

NEXT>

second input member is disposed substantially adjacent another second input member of the plurality of second input members.

14. The handheld electronic device of claim 13, wherein the thumbwheel is disposed at a location spaced from the plurality of second input members.