Routine and interface for correcting electronic text

• US 20050283726A1
• Filed: 06/17/2004
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Lunati, Stephane
• Granted Patent: US 8,321,786 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/257
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/232 Orthographic correction, e.g. spell checking or vowelisation

Abstract

Error checking and correction techniques for web based applications use an error checking routine on a server or a client station to find errors in electronic text of an E-mail message. The disclosed error checking routine detects errors such as spelling errors in the electronic text and creates a correction file of the electronic text containing tags, markers and other information allowing errors to be displayed and corrected using the user'"'"'s graphical interface. The graphical interface allows the user to review all the errors concurrently in the correction file and to correct the errors in any order. In a preferred embodiment, correction is facilitated in response to the user moving a mouse pointer over an error of interest, which provides correction options to be displayed in-line with the original text. The user can then select a suitable correction to correct the error.

Claims

1. A method for displaying and allowing the correction of a plurality of errors in an electronic text, comprising:

sending the electronic text from a client station to an error checking routine;

processing the electronic text using the error checking routine to create a correction file, wherein the correction file provides correction information for each of the plurality of errors;

sending the correction file to the client station;

generating a user interface at the client station using the correction file to display the electronic text, wherein each of the plurality of errors is concurrently highlighted on the user interface, and wherein each highlighted error is selectable by the user in any order to access the correction information for each error.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the error checking routine is remote from the client station.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the error checking routine is resident on a server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the error checking routine is resident within the client station.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each highlighted error is selectable by moving a mouse pointer over the highlighted error.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein moving the mouse pointer over the highlighted error displays the correction information for the error or allows for the correction information to be displayed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the correction information selected by the user defines a corrected error, and wherein the corrected error replaces the highlighted error in the displayed electronic text of the user interface.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the corrected error is highlighted in the displayed electronic text with a different highlighting than the highlighted error.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the corrected error is displayed in line with adjacent electronic text.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the corrected error is displayed without a text box in the electronic text.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the corrected error is selectable by the user to access the correction information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein each corrected error is selectable by moving a mouse pointer over the corrected error.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the error checking routine comprises a spell checking routine.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising an option to allow selection of a language for the error checking routine.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic text comprises an electronic mail message, and further comprising providing an option on the user interface for sending the message.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the correction file comprises adding format codes to a base code of the electronic text.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface displays the electronic text in HyperText Mark-up Language.

18. A method for allowing the correction of a plurality of errors in an electronic text, comprising:

receiving the electronic text at an error checking routine;

processing the electronic text using the error checking routine to create a correction file, wherein the correction file provides correction information and highlighting information for each of the plurality of errors;

sending the correction file to generate a user interface for concurrently highlighting each of the plurality of errors within the electronic text and for allowing each highlighted error to be selected to access the correction information for each error.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the error checking routine is resident on a server.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the error checking routine is resident within a client station.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein each highlighted error is selectable by moving a mouse pointer over the highlighted error.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein moving the mouse pointer over the highlighted error displays the correction information for the error or allows for the correction information to be displayed.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the error checking routine comprises a spell checking routine.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising an option to allow selection of a language for the error checking routine.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the electronic text comprises an electronic mail message, and the user interface further comprises an option for allowing the message to be sent.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein creating the correction file comprises adding format codes to a base code of the electronic text.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the user interface displays the electronic text in HyperText Mark-up Language.

28. A method for displaying and allowing the correction of a plurality of error in an electronic text, comprising:

sending the electronic text from a first user interface at a client station to an error checking routine;

receiving a correction file at a second user interface at the client station, wherein the second user interface concurrently highlights each of the plurality of errors and allows the correction information for each error to be accessed.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the error checking routine is remote from the client station.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the error checking routine is resident on a server.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the error checking routine is resident within the client station.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein each highlighted error is selectable by moving a mouse pointer over the highlighted error.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein moving the mouse pointer over the highlighted error displays the correction information for the error or allows for the correction information to be displayed.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the error checking routine comprises a spell checking routine.

35. The method of claim 28, further comprising an option to allow selection of a language for the error checking routine.

36. The method of claim 28, wherein the electronic text comprises an electronic mail message, and further comprising providing an option on the second user interface for sending the message.

37. The method of claim 28, wherein creating the correction file comprises adding format codes to a base code of the electronic text.

38. The method of claim 28, wherein the second user interface displays the electronic text in HyperText Mark-up Language.

39. A method for allowing the correction of a plurality of errors in an electronic text, comprising:

processing the electronic text using an error checking routine to identify the plurality of errors; and

creating a correction file, wherein the correction file comprises correction information for each of the plurality of errors,

highlighting information for concurrently highlighting each of the plurality of errors within the electronic text on a graphical user interface, and

pop-up information to allow a user to display the correction information at any given highlighted error in response to user selection of that error.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein user selection comprises moving a mouse pointer over the highlighted error.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein moving the mouse pointer over the highlighted error displays the correction information for the error or allows for the correction information to be displayed.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the error checking routine comprises a spell checking routine.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the correction file further comprises an option to allow selection of a language for the error checking routine.

44. The method of claim 39, wherein creating the correction file comprises adding format codes to a base code of the electronic text.

45. A correction file indicative of a plurality of errors in an electronic text, comprising:

correction information for each of the plurality of errors,

highlighting information for concurrently highlighting each of the plurality of error within the electronic text on a graphical user interface, and

pop-up information to allow a user to display the correction information at any given highlighted error in response to user selection of that error.

46. The correction file of claim 45, wherein user selection comprises moving a mouse pointer over the highlighted error.

47. The correction file of claim 46, wherein moving the mouse pointer over the highlighted error displays the correction information for the error or allows for the correction information to be displayed.

48. The correction file of claim 45, wherein the errors comprise spelling errors.

49. The correction file of claim 45, wherein the correction file further comprises an option to allow selection of a language for the error checking routine.

50. A computer-readable medium containing a program for performing a method for displaying and allowing the correction of a plurality of errors in an electronic text, the method comprising:

sending the electronic text from a client station to an error checking routine;

processing the electronic text using the error checking routine to create a correction file, wherein the correction file provides correction information for each of the plurality of errors;

sending the correction file to the client station;

generating a user interface at the client station using the correction file to display the electronic text, wherein each of the plurality of errors is concurrently highlighted on the user interface, and wherein each highlighted error is selectable by the user in any order to access the correction information for each error.

51. The computer-readable medium of claim 50, wherein each highlighted error is selectable by moving a mouse pointer over the highlighted error.

52. The computer-readable medium of claim 51, wherein moving the mouse pointer over the highlighted error displays the correction information for the error or allows for the correction information to be displayed.

53. The computer-readable medium of claim 50, wherein the error checking routine comprises a spell checking routine.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 50, wherein the electronic text comprises an electronic mail message, and further comprising providing an option on the user interface for sending the message.

55. The computer-readable medium of claim 50, wherein the user interface displays the electronic text in HyperText Mark-up Language.

56. A computer-readable medium containing a program for performing a method for allowing the correction of a plurality of errors in an electronic text, the method comprising:

receiving the electronic text at an error checking routine;

processing the electronic text using the error checking routine to create a correction file, wherein the correction file provides correction information and highlighting information for each of the plurality of errors;

sending the correction file to generate a user interface for concurrently highlighting each of the plurality of errors within the electronic text and for allowing each highlighted error to be selected to access the correction information for each error.

57. The computer-readable medium of claim 56, wherein each highlighted error is selectable by moving a mouse pointer over the highlighted error.

58. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, wherein moving the mouse pointer over the highlighted error displays the correction information for the error or allows for the correction information to be displayed.

59. The computer-readable medium of claim 56, wherein the error checking routine comprises a spell checking routine.

60. The computer-readable medium of claim 56, wherein the electronic text comprises an electronic mail message, and the user interface further comprises an option for allowing the message to be sent.

61. The computer-readable medium of claim 56, wherein the user interface displays the electronic text in HyperText Mark-up Language.

62. A computer-readable medium containing a program for performing a method for displaying and allowing the correction of a plurality of error in an electronic text, the method comprising:

sending the electronic text from a first user interface at a client station to an error checking routine;

receiving a correction file at a second user interface at the client station, wherein the second user interface concurrently highlights each of the plurality of errors and allows the correction information for each error to be accessed.

63. The computer-readable medium of claim 62, wherein each highlighted error is selectable by moving a mouse pointer over the highlighted error.

64. The computer-readable medium of claim 63, wherein moving the mouse pointer over the highlighted error displays the correction information for the error or allows for the correction information to be displayed.

65. The computer-readable medium of claim 62, wherein the error checking routine comprises a spell checking routine.

66. The computer-readable medium of claim 62, wherein the electronic text comprises an electronic mail message, and further comprising providing an option on the second user interface for sending the message.

67. The computer-readable medium of claim 62, wherein the second user interface displays the electronic text in HyperText Mark-up Language.

68. A computer-readable medium containing a program for performing a method for allowing the correction of a plurality of errors in an electronic text, the method comprising:

processing the electronic text using an error checking routine to identify the plurality of errors; and

creating a correction file, wherein the correction file comprises

correction information for each of the plurality of errors,

highlighting information for concurrently highlighting each of the plurality of errors within the electronic text on a graphical user interface, and

pop-up information to allow a user to display the correction information at any given highlighted error in response to user selection of that error.

69. The computer-readable medium of claim 68, wherein user selection comprises moving a mouse pointer over the highlighted error.

70. The computer-readable medium of claim 69, wherein moving the mouse pointer over the highlighted error displays the correction information for the error or allows for the correction information to be displayed.

71. The computer-readable medium of claim 68, wherein the error checking routine comprises a spell checking routine.

72. The computer-readable medium of claim 68, wherein the correction file further comprises an option to allow selection of a language for the error checking routine.

73. The computer-readable medium of claim 68, wherein creating the correction file comprises adding format codes to a base code of the electronic text.