Method and device for input of text messages from a keypad

• US 5,952,942 A
• Filed: 11/21/1996
• Issued: 09/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dong, Yu, Balakrishnan, Sreeram, Chen, Xixian
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards, Jr., Timothy
• Application Number:
  US08/754,453
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 341/20, 341/22, 341/28, 707/535, 707/536, 704/8, 704/2-4, 704/9, 704/10, 379/353, 379/354, 364/705.01, 364/709.12, 364/709.16, 345/168, 345/169, 345/171, 400/110
• US Class Current: 341/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2748 by matching character strings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation methods for entering alphabetical characters per se G06F3/0237

Abstract

A method of text entry into a device by activating keys of a keypad (16), where a key represents various characters. Input is delivered to a processor (30) corresponding to the keys activated. A dictionary (33) is searched for candidate combinations of characters corresponding to the keys activated. The candidate combinations are rank ordered, for example using language model data and feedback (14, 38) is provided to a user indicating at least a highest rank ordered candidate combination.

Claims

1. A method of text entry into a device comprising the steps of:

activating keys of a keypad, where a key represents a plurality of characters in a first alphabet;

delivering input to a processor corresponding to a set of plural keys activated;

searching a dictionary for a set of alternative characters in a second alphabet, each alternative character ambiguously corresponding to the set of plural keys activated, to thereby provide candidate second alphabet characters;

rank ordering the candidate second alphabet characters utilizing language model data indicative of likelihood of usage in a given language to order the candidate second alphabet characters in order of probability; and

providing feedback to a user indicating at least a highest rank ordered candidate second alphabet character.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of activating a predetermined key to select and enter the highest rank ordered candidate second alphabet character.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of activating one of the keys of the keypad to select and enter one of a plurality of rank ordered candidate second alphabet characters.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the language model data comprises unigram data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the language model data comprises letter trigram data.

6. A device comprising:

a keypad, said keypad having an input area of discrete keys, each key representing plural characters in a first alphabet, and a display area, said input area configured to generate numeric input upon activation of the keys;

display processing circuitry for presenting a graphical image of a second alphabet ideographic character on the display;

a memory having at least alphanumeric recognition data stored therein; and

digital processing circuitry for comparing the numeric input with the alphanumeric recognition data and for rank ordering the candidate second alphabet characters utilizing probability data indicative of likelihood of usage in a given language to order the candidate second alphabet characters in order of probability to provide to the display processing circuitry candidate recognition information including at least one likely candidate second alphabet ideographic character having a highest probability of corresponding to the numeric input value.

7. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving input data from a keypad area of a device having a set of keys, each key representing a plurality of characters such that activation of a key generates an ambiguous input signal having a probability of representing any one of the plurality of characters for that key;

comparing the input data with a dictionary and word bigram language model data to identify at least one likely entry likely to represent the input data; and

displaying the at least one likely entry in a display area of said device.

8. A method comprising the steps of:

comparing input data received from a keypad area of a device with a dictionary, the keypad area comprising a set of keys, each key representing a plurality of characters such that activation of a key generates an ambiguous input signal having a probability of representing any one of the plurality of characters for that key;

identifying candidate words from the dictionary corresponding to the input data;

identifying, using word bigram language model data, at least one likely candidate word having a highest probability of representing the input data;

storing the at least one likely candidate word in memory;

displaying the at least one likely candidate word in a display area of the device; and

editing the at least one likely candidate word presented in the display area through input of the keypad area.

9. A method of processing keypad entry into alphanumeric text, comprising the steps of:

receiving input as a sequence of numeric values;

converting the sequence of numeric values to at least one alphanumeric unit;

comparing the at least one alphanumeric unit with a dictionary to identify candidate words likely to represent the input;

assigning through word bigram data a probability to each of the candidate words; and

displaying a candidate word having a highest probability.

10. A device comprising:

a keypad, said keypad having an input area and a display area, said input area configured to receive numeric input;

display processing circuitry for presenting a graphical image on the display;

a memory having at least alphanumeric recognition data, including word bigram data stored therein; and

digital processing circuitry for comparing the numeric input with the alphanumeric recognition data to provide to the display processing circuitry candidate recognition information including at least one likely candidate word having a highest probability of corresponding to the numeric input value, as determined by the word bigram data.

11. A method of text entry into a device comprising the steps of:

activating keys of a keypad, where a key represents a plurality of characters and activation of each key generates an ambiguous input signal having a probability of representing any one of the plurality of characters for that key;

delivering input to a processor corresponding to the keys activated;

searching a dictionary for words corresponding to the keys activated to provide candidate words;

rank ordering the candidate words utilizing word bigram language model data to order the candidate words in order of probability; and

providing feedback to a user indicating at least a highest rank ordered candidate word.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of activating a predetermined key to select and enter the highest rank ordered candidate word.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of activating one of the keys of the keypad to select and enter one of a plurality of rank ordered candidate words.

14. A text entry device comprising:

a keypad having a set of keys, each key representing a plurality of characters such that activation of a key generates an ambiguous input signal having a probability of representing any one of the plurality of characters for that key;

a dictionary;

word bigram language model data;

an output device; and

a processor coupled to the keypad, dictionary, language model data and output device,

the processor being programmed to receive input corresponding to keys activated, to search for candidate combinations of characters corresponding to the keys activated, to rank order the candidate combinations according to the word bigram language model data and to provide feedback through the output device indicating at least a highest probability rank ordered candidate combination.

15. A method of processing keypad entry into alphanumeric text, comprising the steps of:

receiving input as a sequence of numeric values where each numeric value has a probability of representing any one of a plurality of characters;

converting the sequence of numeric values to at least one alphanumeric unit;

comparing the at least one alphanumeric unit with a dictionary to identify candidate words likely to represent the input;

assigning through word bigram data a probability to each of the candidate words; and

displaying a candidate word having a highest probability data as determined by the word diagram data.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

editing the candidate word having the highest probability.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of comparing the at least one alphanumeric unit with a dictionary is completed through use of a breadth-first search.

18. A device comprising:

a keypad, said keypad having an input area of discrete keys, each key representing a plurality of characters, and a display area, said input area configured to receive numeric input such that activation of a key generates an ambiguous input signal having a probability of representing any one of the plurality of characters for that key;

display processing circuitry for presenting a graphical image on the display;

a memory having at least alphanumeric recognition data stored therein; and

digital processing circuitry for comparing the numeric input with the alphanumeric recognition data and for assigning word bigram probabilities to words represented by the alphanumeric recognition data, to provide to the display processing circuitry candidate recognition information including at least one likely candidate word representing having a highest probability of corresponding to the numeric input value as determined by the word bigram probabilities.

19. A device for text entry comprising:

a memory having instructions and data stored therein that, when executed, cause a digital processor to comprise;

an input;

a dictionary

at least word bigram language model data;

a search algorithm, to search the dictionary for combinations of characters and words corresponding to digits received at the input to provide candidate combinations and words;

a rank ordering function that rank orders the candidate combinations and words according to the word bigram language model data; and

an output to provide feedback indicating at least a highest rank ordered candidate combination or word.