USER-GUIDED TERM SUGGESTIONS

• US 20170109433A1
• Filed: 12/29/2016
• Published: 04/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Zomet, Asaf, Chechik, Gal, Shynar, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,459,957 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3323 using document space presentation or visualization, e.g. category, hierarchy or range presentation and selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3344 using natural language analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90324 using system suggestions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/232 Orthographic correction, e.g. spell checking or vowelisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs

Abstract

Methods and apparatus related to providing user-guided term suggestions. Some implementations may be directed to identifying user input that includes at least one term and identifying a user-initiated activity near the term. An edit term may be identified based on the user-initiated activity near the term, an edit position in the edit term may be identified, and one or more candidate terms may be identified based on the edit term. Similarity measures for the candidate terms may be determined. The similarity measure of a given candidate term of the candidate terms may be based on the edit position. One or more of the candidate terms may be selected as suggested terms based on the similarity measures and the selected suggested terms provided for potential replacement of the edit term.

Claims

1. A method implemented by one or more processors, comprising:

identifying a term entered by a user at a client device, the term having a plurality of characters;

detecting a first user-initiated activity directed at a first edit position in the term,

the first edit position being a first subset of the characters or a first position between a first pair of the characters, wherein the first subset of the characters comprises less than all of the characters of the term;

determining, based on the first edit position and independent of additional user input of any additional characters to the edit term, a first group of candidate terms;

providing the identified first group of candidate terms for display at the client device in response to the first user-initiated activity, wherein user selection of a given candidate term of the provided first group of candidate terms replaces the term with the given candidate term;

detecting a second user-initiated activity directed at a second edit position in the term,

the second edit position being distinct from the first edit position and the second edit position being a second subset of the characters or a second position between a second pair of the characters, wherein the second subset of the characters comprises less than all of the characters of the term;

determining, based on the second edit position and independent of additional user input of any additional characters to the edit term, a second group of candidate terms; and

providing the identified second group of candidate terms for display at the client device in response to the first user-initiated activity, wherein user selection of a second given candidate term of the provided second group of candidate terms replaces the term with the second given candidate term;

wherein the given candidate term of the first group of candidate terms is not present in the second group of candidate terms.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user-initiated activity is a touch at the first edit position via a touch-sensitive display of the client device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first edit position is the first position between the first pair of the characters.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second user-initiated activity is a touch at the second edit position via the touch-sensitive display, and wherein the second edit position is the second position between the second pair of the characters.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second given candidate term of the second group of candidate terms is not present in the first group of candidate terms.

6. A method implemented by one or more processors, comprising:

identifying a term entered by a user at a client device, the term having a plurality of characters;

detecting a user-initiated activity directed at an edit position in the term,

the edit position being a subset of the characters or a position between a pair of the characters, wherein the subset of the characters comprises less than all of the characters of the term;

identifying a plurality of candidate terms that are potential replacements for the term;

for a given candidate term of the candidate terms;

determining a difference between the term and the given candidate term at the edit position, wherein determining the difference between the term and the given candidate term at the edit position is independent of any other differences that are not at the edit position, and

determining a score for the given candidate term based on the difference between the edit term and the given candidate term at the edit position;

providing the given candidate term for display at the client device based on the score, wherein providing the given candidate term is responsive to the user-initiated activity and wherein the displayed given candidate term is selectable at the client device to replace the term with the given candidate term.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the user-initiated activity is a touch at the first edit position via a touch-sensitive display of the client device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the edit position is the position between the pair of the characters.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the score for the given candidate term based on the difference between the term and the given candidate term at the edit position comprises:

determining the score based on modifying an initial score for the given candidate term based on the difference between the edit term and the given candidate term at the edit position.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein modifying the initial score comprises positively influencing the initial score when the difference between the edit term and the given candidate term is that the given candidate term differs from the term by the replacement, addition or deletion of one or more characters in the edit position.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the initial score for the given candidate terms is based on one or both of:

popularity of the given candidate term and historical edits using the given candidate term.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

for an additional candidate term of the candidate terms;

determining a difference between the term and the additional candidate term at the edit position, wherein determining the difference between the term and the additional candidate term at the edit position is independent of any other differences that are not at the edit position, and

determining an additional score for the additional candidate term based on the difference between the edit term and the additional candidate term at the edit position; and

based on the additional score, preventing the additional candidate term from being displayed in combination with the given candidate term in response to the user-initiated activity.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

memory storing instructions; and

one or more processors operable to execute the instructions stored in the memory to;

identify a term entered by a user using an input device, the term having a plurality of characters;

detect a user-initiated activity directed at an edit position in the term,

the edit position being a subset of the characters or a position between a pair of the characters, wherein the subset of the characters comprises less than all of the characters of the term;

identify a plurality of candidate terms that are potential replacements for the term;

for a given candidate term of the candidate terms;

determine a difference between the term and the given candidate term at the edit position, wherein in determining the difference between the term and the given candidate term at the edit position, one or more of the processors are to determine the difference independent of any other differences that are not at the edit position, and

determine a score for the given candidate term based on the difference between the edit term and the given candidate term at the edit position;

provide the given candidate term for display based on the score, wherein providing the given candidate term is responsive to the user-initiated activity and wherein the displayed given candidate term is selectable to replace the term with the given candidate term.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the user-initiated activity is a touch at the first edit position via a touch-sensitive display.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the edit position is the position between the pair of the characters.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein in determining the score for the given candidate term based on the difference between the term and the given candidate term at the edit position, one or more of the processors are to:

determine the score based on modifying an initial score for the given candidate term based on the difference between the edit term and the given candidate term at the edit position.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein in modifying the initial score one or more of the processors are to positively influence the initial score when the difference between the edit term and the given candidate term is that the given candidate term differs from the term by the replacement, addition or deletion of one or more characters in the edit position.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the initial score for the given candidate terms is based on one or both of:

popularity of the given candidate term and historical edits using the given candidate term.