Method and system for character sequence checking according to a selected language

• US 7,143,350 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2005
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Appalabattula, Chakrapani, Chai, Steven, Jurion, Benoit J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): DESAI, RACHNA SINGH
• Application Number:
  US11/039,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20050187755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 715/535, 715/536, 704/8, 704/9
• US Class Current: 715/257
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/129 Handling non-Latin characters, e.g. kana-to-kanji conversion

Abstract

A method and system for checking the validity of a sequence of input characters according to the syntactical rules of a selected language is provided. If an input character may not begin a valid sequence of characters, or if the input character may not be appended to a previously input sequence of characters according to the rules of the selected language, the newly input character may be prohibited from being displayed singularly or appended to the previous sequence and displayed on the user'"'"'s computer. Previously input character sequences may be edited by determining the sequence validity context of previously input sequences of characters.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium on which is stored a computer program for checking sequences of characters against rules, wherein the rules define a plurality of valid input sequences of characters for use in creating complex characters, the computer program comprising instructions, which when executed by a computer, perform acts of:

receiving a first character;

receiving a second character;

determining that a sequential order of reception of the first character relative to reception of the second character is consistent with at least one of the valid input sequences of characters comprising;

assigning a first state to the first character according to the rules,

assigning a second state to the second character according to the rules, and

determining that a state transition table includes a state transition from the first state to the second state, the state transition from the first state to the second state indicating that the sequential order of reception of the first character relative to reception of the second character is consistent with the at least one of the valid input sequences of characters wherein determining that the state transition table includes the state transition from the first state to the second state comprises determining that the state transition table includes a cell corresponding to a cross-reference of the first character and the second character, the cell not being blank and not including only type and replacement actions; and

displaying on a display screen a complex character formed by combining at least the first character with the second character prior to receiving additional characters when the sequential order of reception of the first character relative to reception of the second character is consistent with the at least one of the valid input sequences of characters wherein combining at least the first character with the second character comprises combining at least the first character with the second character according to a rule contained in the cell.

2. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 1, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions, which when executed by a computer, perform acts of:

in response to receiving the second character, prohibiting display of the second character on the display screen if the sequential order of reception of the first character relative to reception of the second character is not consistent with at least one of the valid input sequences of characters.

3. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 1, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions, which when executed by a computer, perform acts of:

receiving at least one character prior to receiving the first and second characters, wherein a sequential order of reception of the previously-received character relative to reception of the first character is consistent with at least one of the valid input sequences of characters, and wherein the complex character displayed by the displaying act is formed by combining at least the first character and the second character with the previously-received character.

4. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 1, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions, which when executed by a computer, perform acts of:

receiving a third character; and

displaying the third character in sequence with the complex character.

5. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 1, wherein the displaying act is not performed if the sequential order of reception of the first character relative to reception of the second character is not consistent with any of the valid input sequences of characters.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the rules comprise one or more rules for creating complex characters according to a selected language.

7. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 1, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions, which when executed by a computer, perform acts of:

providing a user interface element operable for selection by a user to enable checking the sequences of characters against the rules; and

performing the displaying act if the user interface element is selected.

8. A computer-readable medium on which is stored a computer program for checking sequences of characters against rules, wherein the rules define a plurality of valid input sequences of characters for use in creating complex characters, the computer program comprising instructions, which when executed by a computer, perform acts of:

receiving a first character;

receiving a second character;

determining that a sequential order of reception of the first character relative to reception of the second character is consistent with at least one of the valid input sequences of characters comprising;

assigning a first state to the first character according to the rules,

assigning a second state to the second character according to the rules, and

determining that a state transition table includes a state transition from the first state to the second state, the state transition from the first state to the second state indicating that the sequential order of reception of the first character relative to reception of the second character is consistent with the at least one of the valid input sequences of characters wherein determining that the state transition table includes the state transition from the first state to the second state comprises determining that the state transition table includes a cell corresponding to a cross-reference of the first character and the second character, the cell not being blank and not including only type and replacement actions;

constructing a complex character in response to reception of the first character and the second character when the sequential order of reception of the first character relative to reception of the second character is consistent with the at least one of the valid input sequences of characters wherein constructing the complex character in response to reception of the first character and the second character comprises constructing the complex character in response to reception of the first character and the second character according to a rule contained in the cell; and

displaying on a display screen the complex character in a first display state as constructed in response to reception of the second character and prior to receiving additional characters.

9. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 8, wherein the constructing and displaying acts are not performed if the sequential order of reception of the first character relative to reception of the second character is not consistent with any of the valid input sequences of characters.

10. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 8, wherein the first display state represents a complete complex character, the computer program further comprising instructions, which when executed by a computer, perform acts of:

receiving a third character; and

displaying the third character in sequence with the complex character in the first display state.

11. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 10, wherein the act of displaying the third character in sequence with the complex character in the first display state is prohibited if the third character does not begin one of the valid input sequences of characters.

12. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 8, wherein the first display state does not represent a complete complex character, the computer program further comprising instructions, which when executed by a computer, perform acts of:

receiving a third character; and

wherein the constructing act further constructs the complex character in response to reception of the third character if a sequential order of reception of the second character relative to reception of the third character is consistent with at least one of the valid input sequences of characters, the displaying act displaying the complex character in a second display state as constructed in response to reception of the third character and prior to receiving additional characters.

13. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 12, wherein the second display state represents a complete complex character.

14. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 12, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions, which when executed by a computer, perform acts of:

prohibiting further construction of the complex character if the sequential order of reception of the third character relative to reception of the second character does not begin one of the valid input sequences of characters, wherein the displaying act maintains display of the complex character in the first display state.

15. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 12, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions, which when executed by a computer, perform acts of:

receiving a fourth character; and

if the second display state does not represent a complete complex character of the selected language, the constructing act further constructing the complex character in response to reception of the fourth character if a sequential order of reception of the third character relative to reception of the fourth character is consistent with at least one of the valid input sequences of characters, wherein the displaying act displays the complex character in a third display state as constructed in response to reception of the fourth character and prior to receiving additional characters.

16. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the third display state represents a complete complex character of the selected language.

17. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 8, wherein the rules comprise one or more rules for creating complex characters according to a selected language.

18. A computer-readable medium as defined in claim 8, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions, which when executed by a computer, perform acts of:

providing a user interface element operable for selection by a user to enable checking the sequences of characters against the rules; and

performing the constructing and displaying acts if the user interface element is selected.

19. A method for checking sequences of characters against rules, wherein the rules define a plurality of valid input sequences of characters for use in creating complex characters, the method comprising:

receiving a first character;

receiving a second character;

determining that a sequential order of reception of the first character relative to reception of the second character is consistent with at least one of the valid input sequences of characters comprising;

assigning a first state to the first character according to the rules,

assigning a second state to the second character according to the rules, and

determining that a state transition table includes a state transition from the first state to the second state, the state transition from the first state to the second state indicating that the sequential order of reception of the first character relative to reception of the second character is consistent with the at least one of the valid input sequences of characters wherein determining that the state transition table includes the state transition from the first state to the second state comprises determining that the state transition table includes a cell corresponding to a cross-reference of the first character and the second character, the cell not being blank and not including only type and replacement actions; and

displaying on a display screen a complex character formed by combining at least the first character with the second character prior to receiving additional characters when the sequential order of reception of the first character relative to reception of the second character is consistent with the at least one of the valid input sequences of characters wherein combining at least the first character with the second character comprises combining at least the first character with the second character according to a rule contained in the cell.

20. A method as defined in claim 19, further comprising:

receiving at least one character prior to receiving the first and second characters, wherein a sequential order of reception of the previously-received character relative to reception of the first character is consistent with at least one of the valid input sequences of characters, and wherein the complex character displayed by the displaying act is formed by combining at least the first character and the second character with the previously-received character.