Method and system for correcting the spelling of misspelled words

• US 5,604,897 A
• Filed: 05/18/1990
• Issued: 02/18/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Travis, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kriess, Kevin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chavis, John Q.
• Application Number:
  US07/525,405
• Time in Patent Office: 2,468 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 395/650, 395/700
• US Class Current: 715/257
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/232 Orthographic correction, e.g. spell checking or vowelisation

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for correcting the spelling of words. In a preferred embodiment, a list of misspelled words and associated correctly spelled words is maintained. When a misspelled word is encountered during the spell checking of a word processing document, the system searches the list for the misspelled word. If the misspelled word is in the list, the system replaces the word in the document with the associated correctly spelled word. The system also provides a method and system for adding misspelled words and associated correctly spelled words to the list.

Claims

1. A method in a computer system for checking the spelling of words in a document and correcting misspelled words, the system having a dictionary file containing a list of correctly spelled words, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing a list of misspelled words and associated correctly spelled words in a corrected before file;

(b) retrieving a word from the document;

(c) ascertaining whether the retrieved word is in the list of correctly spelled words of the dictionary file;

(d) if the retrieved word is in the list of correctly spelled words, then looping to step (b) to check the spelling of another word in the document;

(e) determining whether the retrieved word is in the corrected before file as a misspelled word;

(f) if the retrieved word is in the corrected before file as a misspelled word, automatically replacing the retrieved misspelled word in the document with the associated correctly spelled word from the corrected before file to effect the correction of the spelling and looping to step (b) to check the spelling of another word in the document;

(g) inputting a correctly spelled word from a user of the computer system;

(h) storing the retrieved misspelled word and the inputted correctly spelled word in the corrected before file; and

(i) replacing the retrieved misspelled word in the document with the inputted correctly spelled word to effect the correction of the spelling, and looping to step (b) to check the spelling of another word in the document.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer system is a word processing system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the document is a word processing document.

4. The method of claim 1, 2, or 3 wherein the step of determining occurs during an initial reading of the document.

5. A method in a computer system for correcting the spelling of words in a document, the system including a dictionary file containing correctly spelled words, the system also including a corrected before file containing misspelled words and associated correctly spelled words comprising the steps of:

retrieving a word from the document;

ascertaining whether the retrieved word is in the dictionary so as to determine if the retrieved word is correctly spelled;

if the retrieved word is not in the dictionary file, determining whether the retrieved word is in the corrected before file as a misspelled word;

if the retrieved word is in the corrected before file, retrieving the associated correctly spelled word from the corrected before file and automatically replacing the retrieved word in the document with the associated correctly spelled word to effect the correction of the spelling.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the computer system includes a dictionary file having a list of correctly spelled words and wherein the method further includes the steps of:

(a) obtaining a word that is to have its spelling checked; and

(b) ascertaining, in response to the step of obtaining, whether the obtained word is in the list of correctly spelled words.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the computer system is a word processing system.

8. The method of claim 5 including the additional step of:

if the retrieved misspelled word is not in the corrected before file, inputting a correctly spelled word from a user of the system and storing the misspelled word and the inputted correctly spelled word in the corrected before file.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the computer system is a word processing system.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the computer system is a word processing system.

11. The method of claim 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 wherein the step of determining occurs during an initial reading of the document.

12. A computer system for correcting the spelling of words in a document, the system having a dictionary file containing only a list of correctly spelled words, comprising:

means for retrieving a word from the document;

means for ascertaining whether the retrieved word is in the list of correctly spelled words in the dictionary file so as to determine if the retrieved word is correctly spelled;

a corrected before file containing a list of misspelled words and associated correctly spelled words;

means for determining whether the retrieved word is in the corrected before file as a misspelled word if the retrieved word is not in the list of correctly spelled words in the dictionary file; and

means for fetching the associated correctly spelled word from the corrected before file and replacing the retrieved word in the document with the associated correctly spelled word, when the retrieved word is in the corrected before file.

13. The computer system of claim 12 wherein the computer system further includes:

(a) means for obtaining a word that is to have its spelling checked;

(b) a dictionary file having a list of correctly spelled words; and

(c) means for ascertaining whether the obtained word is in the list of correctly spelled words.

14. The computer system of claim 13 including means for inputting a correctly spelled word from a user of the computer system and means for storing the misspelled word and the inputted correctly spelled word in the corrected before file, when the retrieved misspelled word is not in the corrected before file.

15. The computer system of claim 12 including means for inputting a correctly spelled word from a user of the computer system and means for storing the misspelled word and the inputted correctly spelled word in the corrected before file, when the retrieved misspelled word is not in the corrected before file.

16. The method of claim 12, 13, 14, or 15 wherein the determining means is invoked during an initial reading of the document.