Handheld electronic device with text disambiguation

• US 20050283540A1
• Filed: 06/02/2004
• Published: 12/22/2005
• 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: Elizarov, Michael G., Kolomiets, Sergey V., Fux, Vadim
• Granted Patent: US 7,389,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/1
• 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 40/10 Text processing natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30; processing or translation of natural language G06F40/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/40 Processing or translation of natural language natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly

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 apparatus, an output apparatus, 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 plurality of language objects being associated with an associated frequency object of the plurality of frequency objects, the input apparatus including a plurality of input members, each of at least a portion of the plurality of input members having a plurality of characters assigned thereto, the method comprising:

detecting an ambiguous input;

determining that a first language object of the plurality of language objects corresponds with the ambiguous input;

determining that a second language object of the plurality of language objects corresponds with the ambiguous input;

determining that an associated first frequency object of the plurality of frequency objects is associated with the first language object and has a first frequency value;

determining that an associated second frequency object of the plurality of frequency objects is associated with the second language object and has a second frequency value;

determining that one of the first frequency value and the second frequency value has a relatively greater value than the other of the first frequency value and the second frequency value, one of the first language object and the second language object being associated with the relatively greater value;

outputting an output including a default output and a variant output;

outputting at least a portion of the one of the first language object and the second language object as at least a portion of the default output;

outputting at least a portion of the other of the first language object and the second language object as at least a portion of the variant output;

detecting a selection input associated with said at least a portion of the variant output;

detecting a completion of a third language object that includes said at least a portion of the variant output; and

responsive to said detecting a completion of a third language object, storing a revised frequency object having a revised frequency value different than the other of the first frequency value and the second frequency value and being associated with the other of the first language object and the second language object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a difference in frequency value between the first frequency value and the second frequency value, and setting as the revised frequency value the sum of the other of the first frequency value and the second frequency value and a portion of the difference in frequency value.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising

detecting another ambiguous input;

determining that the first language object and the second language object correspond with the another ambiguous input,

determining that the one of the first frequency value and the second frequency value has another relatively greater value than the revised frequency value;

outputting another output including another default output and another variant output;

outputting at least a portion of the one of the first language object and the second language object as at least a portion of the another default output;

outputting at least a portion of the other of the first language object and the second language object as at least a portion of the another variant output;

detecting another selection input associated with said at least a portion of the another variant output;

detecting a completion of a fourth language object that includes said at least a portion of the another variant output; and

responsive to said detecting a completion of a fourth language object, storing another revised frequency object having another revised frequency value greater than the one of the first frequency value and the second frequency value and being associated with the other of the first language object and the second language object.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting an initial selection input, detecting a final selection input associated with said at least a portion of the variant output, the initial selection preceding the final selection input, detecting no other selection input between said detecting the final selection input and said detecting a completion of a third language object, and employing as the selection input the final selection input.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to said detecting a selection input associated with said at least a portion of the variant output, storing as a default learning object the one of the first language object and the second language object and the one of the first frequency object and the second frequency object, storing as a variant learning object the other of the first language object and the second language object and the other of the first frequency object and the second frequency object, and setting a flag.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising employing the default learning object and the variant learning object to determine the revised frequency value and to determine which of the first language object and the second language object with which to associate the revised frequency value.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising employing as the default learning object a final default learning object from among a plurality of default learning objects stored prior to said detecting a completion of a third language object, and employing as the variant learning object a final variant learning object from among a plurality of variant learning objects stored prior to said detecting a completion of a third language object.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to said detecting a completion of a third language object, detecting the flag, and, responsive to said detecting the flag, employing the final default learning object and the final variant learning object to determine the revised frequency object and to identify a language object from among the plurality of language objects with which to associate the revised frequency object.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the memory includes a generic word portion and a learning portion, the plurality of language objects and the plurality of frequency objects being stored in the generic word portion, the revised frequency object being one of a plurality of revised frequency objects stored in the learning portion, each of at least a portion of the plurality of revised frequency objects being associated with an associated language object of the plurality of language objects, further comprising determining that the associated first frequency object is a first revised frequency object from the learning portion, determining that the associated second frequency object is a second revised frequency object from the learning portion, and, responsive to said detecting a completion of a third language object, storing a revised frequency object having a revised frequency value lower than the other of the first frequency value and the second frequency value and being associated with the one of the first language object and the second language object.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting an alternation input associated with at least a portion of the output, determining that an alternate second language object of the plurality of language objects corresponds with the ambiguous input, determining that an alternate associated second frequency object of the plurality of frequency objects is associated with the alternate second language object and has an alternate second frequency value, employing the alternate second language object as the second language object, employing the alternate associated second frequency object as the associated second frequency object, employing the alternate second frequency value as the second frequency value, and employing the alternation input as the selection input.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising detecting as the alternation input a deletion input and a reactuation of an input member of the portion of the plurality of input members.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting as the selection input a scrolling input.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the third language object is a user-specified word for which an equivalent language object of the plurality of language object cannot be found, storing the third language object, storing an associated third frequency object having a third frequency value, and assigning to the third frequency value a frequency value greater than the one of the first frequency value and the second frequency value.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the third language object is a user-specified word for which an equivalent language object of the plurality of language object cannot be found, storing the third language object, storing an associated third frequency object having a third frequency value, and assigning to the third frequency value an absolute value within about an upper third of a predetermined range of absolute values.

15. A method of disambiguating an input into a handheld electronic device, the handheld electronic device including an input apparatus, an output apparatus, 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 plurality of language objects being associated with an associated frequency object of the plurality of frequency objects, the input apparatus including a plurality of input members, each of at least a portion of the plurality of input members having a plurality of characters assigned thereto, the method comprising:

detecting an ambiguous input;

determining that a first language object of the plurality of language objects corresponds with the ambiguous input;

determining that a second language object of the plurality of language objects corresponds with the ambiguous input;

determining that an associated first frequency object of the plurality of frequency objects is associated with the first language object and has a first frequency value;

determining that an associated second frequency object of the plurality of frequency objects is associated with the second language object and has a second frequency value;

determining that one of the first frequency value and the second frequency value has a relatively greater value than the other of the first frequency value and the second frequency value, one of the first language object and the second language object being associated with the relatively greater value;

outputting an output including a default output and a variant output;

outputting at least a portion of the one of the first language object and the second language object as at least a portion of the default output;

outputting at least a portion of the other of the first language object and the second language object as at least a portion of the variant output;

detecting a selection input associated with said at least a portion of the variant output;

detecting another ambiguous input;

determining that a third language object of the plurality of language objects corresponds with the another ambiguous input;

determining that a fourth language object of the plurality of language objects corresponds with the another ambiguous input;

determining that an associated third frequency object of the plurality of frequency objects is associated with the third language object and has a third frequency value;

determining that an associated fourth frequency object of the plurality of frequency objects is associated with the fourth language object and has a fourth frequency value;

determining that one of the third frequency value and the fourth frequency value has another relatively greater value than the other of the third frequency value and the fourth frequency value, one of the third language object and the fourth language object being associated with the another relatively greater value;

outputting another output including another default output and another variant output;

outputting at least a portion of the one of the third language object and the fourth language object as at least a portion of the another default output;

outputting at least a portion of the other of the third language object and the fourth language object as at least a portion of the another variant output;

detecting another selection input associated with said at least a portion of the another variant output;

detecting a completion of a fifth language object that includes said at least a portion of the another variant output; and

responsive to said detecting a completion of a fifth language object, storing a revised frequency object having a revised frequency value different than the other of the third frequency value and the fourth frequency value and being associated with the other of the third language object and the fourth language object.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

responsive to said detecting a selection input associated with said at least a portion of the variant output, storing as a default learning object the one of the first language object and the second language object and the one of the first frequency object and the second frequency object, storing as a variant learning object the other of the first language object and the second language object and the other of the first frequency object and the second frequency object, and setting a flag;

responsive to said detecting another selection input associated with said at least a portion of the another variant output, storing as the default learning object the one of the third language object and the fourth language object and the one of the third frequency object and the fourth frequency object, storing as the variant learning object the other of the third language object and the fourth language object and the other of the third frequency object and the fourth frequency object; and

responsive to said detecting a completion of a fifth language object, employing the default learning object and the variant learning object to determine the revised frequency value and to determine which of the third language object and the fourth language object with which to associate the revised frequency value.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising, responsive to said detecting a completion of a fifth language object, detecting the flag, and, responsive to said detecting the flag, storing the revised frequency object.

18. A handheld electronic device comprising:

a processor unit including a processor, an input apparatus, an output apparatus, 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 plurality of language objects being associated with an associated frequency object of the plurality of frequency objects;

the input apparatus including a plurality of input members, each of at least a portion of the plurality of input members having a plurality of characters assigned thereto;

the routine being adapted to detect an ambiguous input;

the routine being adapted to determine that a first language object of the plurality of language objects corresponds with the ambiguous input;

the routine being adapted to determine that a second language object of the plurality of language objects corresponds with the ambiguous input;

the routine being adapted to determine that an associated first frequency object of the plurality of frequency objects is associated with the first language object and has a first frequency value;

the routine being adapted to determine that an associated second frequency object of the plurality of frequency objects is associated with the second language object and has a second frequency value;

the routine being adapted to determine that one of the first frequency value and the second frequency value has a relatively greater value than the other of the first frequency value and the second frequency value, one of the first language object and the second language object being associated with the relatively greater value;

the routine being adapted to output an output including a default output and a variant output;

the routine being adapted to output at least a portion of the one of the first language object and the second language object as at least a portion of the default output;

the routine being adapted to output at least a portion of the other of the first language object and the second language object as at least a portion of the variant output;

the routine being adapted to detect a selection input associated with said at least a portion of the variant output;

the routine being adapted to detect a completion of a third language object that includes said at least a portion of the variant output; and

responsive to said detection of a completion of a third language object, the routine being adapted to store a revised frequency object having a revised frequency value different than the other of the first frequency value and the second frequency value and being associated with the other of the first language object and the second language object.

19. The handheld electronic device of claim 18, wherein the routine is adapted to determine a difference in frequency value between the first frequency value and the second frequency value, and wherein the routine is further adapted to set as the revised frequency value the sum of the other of the first frequency value and the second frequency value and a portion of the difference in frequency value.

20. The handheld electronic device of claim 19 wherein

the routine is adapted to detect another ambiguous input;

the routine is adapted to determine that the first language object and the second language object correspond with the another ambiguous input,

the routine is adapted to determine that the one of the first frequency value and the second frequency value has another relatively greater value than the revised frequency value;

the routine is adapted to output another output including another default output and another variant output;

the routine is adapted to output at least a portion of the one of the first language object and the second language object as at least a portion of the another default output;

the routine is adapted to output at least a portion of the other of the first language object and the second language object as at least a portion of the another variant output;

the routine is adapted to detect another selection input associated with said at least a portion of the another variant output;

the routine is adapted to detect a completion of a fourth language object that includes said at least a portion of the another variant output; and

responsive to said detection of a completion of a fourth language object, the routine is adapted to store another revised frequency object having another revised frequency value greater than the one of the first frequency value and the second frequency value and being associated with the other of the first language object and the second language object.

21. The handheld electronic device of claim 18, wherein the routine is adapted to detect an initial selection input, to detect a final selection input associated with said at least a portion of the variant output, the initial selection preceding the final selection input, to detect no other selection input between the detection of the final selection input and the detection of a completion of a third language object, and to employ as the selection input the final selection input.

22. The handheld electronic device of claim 18, wherein, responsive to the detection of the selection input associated with said at least a portion of the variant output, the routine is adapted to store as a default learning object the one of the first language object and the second language object and the one of the first frequency object and the second frequency object, the routine further being adapted to store as a variant learning object the other of the first language object and the second language object and the other of the first frequency object and the second frequency object, and the routine being adapted to set a flag.

23. The handheld electronic device of claim 22, wherein the routine is adapted to employ the default learning object and the variant learning object to determine the revised frequency value and to determine which of the first language object and the second language object with which to associate the revised frequency value.

24. The handheld electronic device of claim 23, wherein the routine is adapted to employ as the default learning object a final default learning object from among a plurality of default learning objects stored prior to the detection of a completion of a third language object, and wherein the routine is adapted to employ as the variant learning object a final variant learning object from among a plurality of variant learning objects stored prior to the detection of a completion of a third language object.