Universal Language Input

• US 20090210214A1
• Filed: 02/19/2008
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Qian, Jiang, Zhang, Lei
• Granted Patent: US 8,473,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3337 Translation of the query language, e.g. Chinese to English
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/58 Use of machine translation, e.g. for multi-lingual retrieval, for server-side translation for client devices or for real-time translation

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatuses including computer program products for universal language input are provided. In one implementation, a method is provided. The method includes using a first application or operating system component to detect user input to an application interface of a second application. The method also includes, as input is detected in the application interface, automatically using the first application to provide one or more translations of the input including, sending the input to a translation model, receiving translated input from the translation model, and sending the translated input to the application interface of the second application.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

using a first application or operating system component to detect user input to an application interface of a second application; and

as input is detected in the application interface, automatically using the first application to provide one or more translations of the input including;

sending the input to a translation model;

receiving translated input from the translation model; and

sending the translated input to the application interface of the second application.

2. The method of claim 1, where detecting user input includes:

applying a hook to an interface, where the interface is operable to communicate with an operating system and one or more applications; and

monitoring calls to the interface.

3. The method of claim 2, where the calls include system calls or application program interface calls.

4. The method of claim 1, where the first application or operating system component includes an input method editor.

5. The method of claim 1, where automatically using the first application to provide one or more translations of the input further includes:

presenting the one or more translations in a user interface; and

copying a selected translation into a text browser or editor.

6. The method of claim 5, where the selected translation is identified by a user selection of the one or more translations.

7. The method of claim 1, where the translation model is located at a remote translation server.

8. The method of claim 1, where the first application can be updated using an update server.

9. The method of claim 1, where the translation model uses a selectable language model.

10. An apparatus for providing one or more translations of input to an application interface of a first application, comprising:

an operating system; and

a second application or operating system component operable to detect user input to the application interface of the first application including;

as input is detected in the application interface, automatically using the second application to provide one or more translations of the input including;

sending the input to a translation model;

receiving translated input from the translation model; and

sending the translated input to the application interface of the first application.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

an interface operable to communicate with the operating system and one or more applications; and

a hook module operable to create a hook operable to monitor calls to the interface.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, the second application being configured to use the hook module.

13. A computer program product, tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, comprising instructions operable to cause a programmable processor to:

use a first application or operating system component to detect user input to an application interface of a second application; and

as input is detected in the application interface, automatically use the first application to provide one or more translations of the input including;

sending the input to a translation model;

receiving translated input from the translation model; and

sending the translated input to the application interface of the second application.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, where the instructions to use a first application or operating system component to detect user input further include instructions to:

apply a hook to an interface, where the interface is operable to communicate with an operating system and one or more applications; and

monitor calls to the interface.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, where the calls include system calls or application program interface calls.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, where the first application or operating system component includes an input method editor.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, where the instructions to automatically use the first application to provide one or more translations of the input further includes instructions to:

present the one or more translations in a user interface; and

copy a selected translation into a text browser or editor.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, where the selected translation is identified by a user selection of the one or more translations.

19. The computer program product of claim 13, where the translation model is located at a remote translation server.

20. The computer program product of claim 13, where the first application can be updated using an update server.

21. The computer program product of claim 13, where the translation model uses a selectable language model.

22. A system comprising:

a processor;

a computer-readable medium coupled to the processor and having instructions contained thereon, which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of;

using a first application or operating system component to detect user input to an application interface of a second application; and

as input is detected in the application interface, automatically using the first application to provide one or more translations of the input including;

sending the input to a translation model;

receiving translated input from the translation model; and

sending the translated input to the application interface of the second application.

23. The system of claim 22, where detecting user input includes:

applying a hook to an interface, where the interface is operable to communicate with an operating system and one or more applications; and

monitoring calls to the interface.

24. The system of claim 22, where the first application or operating system component includes an input method editor.

25. The system of claim 22, where automatically using the first application to provide one or more translations of the input further includes:

presenting the one or more translations in a user interface; and

copying a selected translation into a text browser or editor.