Communication terminal having a text editor application with a word completion feature

• US 7,149,550 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2001
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Korhonen, Panu, Marila, Juha, Hansen, Lars Bohn, Benner, Jens, Pedersen, Claus Aagaard, Kraft, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer, Temica
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONTEE, JOY KIMBERLY
• Application Number:
  US09/993,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20030104839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,841 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/564, 455/550, 345/169, 345/812, 345/352, 707/532, 707/6, 715/533, 715/530, 715/534, 715/535, 704/10, 341/23, 341/22, 341/21
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27463 Predictive input, predictive dialling by comparing the dialled sequence with the content of a telephone directory
• 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

Abstract

The input of words into a text string in a communication terminal is handled by recording a key stroke sequence inputted for characterising one of said words, and comparing said key strokes sequence with candidates in a word completion directory in order to find word completion candidates matching said key stroke sequence. One of said matching word completion candidates is displayed in the display for selection by the user. When the user selects a word which exceeds a first predetermined number of characters the selected word is added to the directory including a plurality of word completion candidates, if the selected word is not present there already.

Claims

1. A method of handling the input of words into a text string in a communication terminal, comprising steps of:

recording a key stroke sequence inputted for characterizing one of said words;

comparing said key stroke sequence with candidates in a word completion directory in order to find word completion candidates matching said key stroke sequence;

displaying one of said matching word completion candidates in a display for selection by the user; and

adding a word selected by the user to said directory including a plurality of word completion candidates, if the selected word exceeds a first predetermined number of characters, and if this word is not present there already,

wherein the user, when the candidate comprises a text string consisting of a plurality of individual words, selects the first candidate word in the text string by pressing a select-key for a period shorter than a predetermined period of time, and selects the entire text string by pressing the select-key for a period longer than the predetermined period of time.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the candidates in the word completion directory comprise a plurality of text strings each consisting of a plurality of individual words and are derived from text messages stored in the communication terminal.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the user, when the candidate comprises a text string consisting of a plurality of individual words, selects the candidate word by word.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the user, when the candidate comprises a text string consisting of a plurality of individual words, selects all the words in the text string of the candidate.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the word completion candidates in the word completion directory are searched for matches when the number of key strokes inputted exceeds a second predetermined number of key strokes.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the second predetermined number of keystrokes is four.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined number of keystrokes is two.

8. A method according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of text strings each consisting of a plurality of words is searched when a third number of key strokes has been inputted.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the third predetermined number of keystrokes is four.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the word completion directory contains words being entered by the user by means of a text editor during a plurality of different sessions.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the word completion directory contains words being entered by the user in a previously terminated message writing session.

12. A method according to any of the claims 1–

11, wherein the key stroke sequence is inputted to a predictive search engine outputting matches matching an ambiguous string of key strokes.

13. A character entry application for use in a communication terminal for entering a text string for use in text applications, and comprising:

text entry keys for entering a key stroke sequence inputted for characterizing a character string;

a word completion directory;

means for recording the inputted key stroke sequence;

means for comparing the inputted key stroke sequence with candidates in the word completion directory in order to find word completion candidates matching the inputted key stroke sequence;

a display for displaying one of said matching word completion candidates;

means for selecting the displayed one of said matching word completion candidates;

means for adding a selected word to said directory including a plurality of word completion candidates, if the selected word exceeds a first predetermined number of characters, and if this word is not present there already; and

a select key means,

wherein the user, when the candidate comprises a text string consisting of a plurality of individual words, selects the first candidate word in the text string by pressing a select-key for a period shorter than a predetermined period of time, and selects the entire text string by pressing the select-key for a period longer than the predetermined period of time.

14. A character entry application according to claim 13, and furthermore comprising a predictive search engine to which the recorded key strokes sequence is inputted, and wherefrom matches matching an ambiguous string of key strokes is outputted in response to the inputted recorded key strokes sequence.

15. A character entry application according to claim 13, wherein the character entry application provides matches matching a string of non-ambiguous keystrokes inputted as the recorded keystrokes sequence.

16. A character entry application according to claim 13, wherein the candidates in the word completion directory comprise a plurality of text strings each consisting of a plurality of individual words and derived from text messages stored in the communication terminal.

17. A character entry application according to claim 16, further comprising selection means by which the user selects the candidate word by word, when the candidate comprises a text string consisting of a plurality of individual words.

18. A character entry application according to claim 16, further comprising selection means by which the user selects all the words in the text string of the candidate, when the candidate comprises a text string consisting of a plurality of individual words.

19. A character entry application according to claim 13, wherein the word completion candidates in the word completion directory are searched for matches, when the number of key strokes inputted exceeds a second predetermined number of key strokes.

20. A character entry application according to claim 19, wherein the second predetermined number of keystrokes is four.

21. A character entry application according to claim 13, wherein the first predetermined number of keystrokes is two.

22. A character entry application according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of text strings each consisting of a plurality of words is searched when a third number of key strokes has been inputted.

23. A character entry application according to claim 22, wherein the third predetermined number of keystrokes is four.

24. A character entry application according to claim 13, wherein the word completion directory contains words that are entered by the user by means of a text editor during a plurality of different sessions.

25. A character entry application according to claim 24, wherein the word completion directory contains words being entered by the user in a previously terminated message writing session.

26. A communication terminal for entering a text string for use in text applications, comprising:

text entry keys for entering a key stroke sequence inputted for characterizing a character string;

a word completion directory;

means for recording the inputted key stroke sequence;

means for comparing the inputted key stroke sequence with candidates in the word completion directory in order to find word completion candidates matching the inputted key stroke sequence;

means for displaying one of said matching word completion candidates;

means for selecting the displayed one of said matching word completion candidates;

means for adding a selected word to said directory including a plurality of word completion candidates, if the selected word exceeds a first predetermined number of characters, and if this word is not present there already; and

a select key means,

wherein the user, when the candidate comprises a text string consisting of a plurality of individual words, selects the first candidate word in the text string by pressing a select-key for a period shorter than a predetermined period of time, and selects the entire text string by pressing the select-key for a period longer than the predetermined period of time.

27. A communication terminal according to claim 26, and furthermore comprising a predictive search engine to which the recorded key strokes sequence is inputted, and wherefrom matches matching an ambiguous string of key strokes is outputted in response to the inputted recorded key strokes sequence.

28. A communication terminal according to claim 26, wherein the character entry application provides matches matching a string of non-ambiguous keystrokes inputted as the recorded keystrokes sequence.

29. A communication terminal according to claim 26, wherein the candidates in the word completion directory comprise a plurality of text strings each consisting of a plurality of individual words and derived from text messages stored in the communication terminal.

30. A communication terminal according to claim 29, further comprising selection means by which the user selects the candidate word by word, when the candidate comprises a text string consists of a plurality of individual words.

31. A communication terminal according to claim 29, further comprising selection means by which the user selects all the words in the text string of the candidate, when the candidate comprises a text string consists of a plurality of individual words.

32. A communication terminal according to claim 26, wherein the word completion candidates in the word completion directory are searched for matches, when the number of key strokes inputted exceeds a second predetermined number of key strokes.

33. A communication terminal according to claim 32, wherein the second predetermined number of keystrokes is four.

34. A communication terminal according to claim 26, wherein the first predetermined number of keystrokes is two.

35. A communication terminal according to claim 29, wherein the plurality of text strings each consisting of a plurality of words is searched when a third number of key strokes has been inputted.

36. A communication terminal according to claim 35, wherein the third predetermined number of keystrokes is four.

37. A communication terminal according to claim 26, wherein the word completion directory contains words being entered by the user by means of a text editor during a plurality of different sessions.

38. A communication terminal according to claim 37, wherein the word completion directory contains words being entered by the user in a previously terminated message writing session.

39. A method of handling input of words into an input text string displayed on a communication terminal, comprising steps of:

receiving a character sequence inputted by a user;

adding the character sequence to the input text string displayed on the communication terminal;

comparing said character sequence with candidates in a word completion directory in order to find word completion candidates matching said character sequence, wherein at least one of the word completion candidates comprises a multi-word text string;

displaying a matching multi-word completion candidate for selection by the user; and

in response to a user selection of the matching multi-word completion candidate, adding text from the multi-word completion candidate selected by the user to said input text string displayed on the communication terminal,

wherein if the user selects the matching multi-word completion candidate by pressing a select key for a period shorter than a predetermined period of time, then only the first word in the multi-word completion candidate is added to the input text string displayed on the communication terminal, and

wherein if the user selects the matching multi-word completion candidate by pressing the select key for a period longer than a predetermined period of time, then the entire multi-word completion candidate is added to the input text string displayed on the communication terminal.

40. One or more computer readable media storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed on a computer system, perform a method comprising:

receiving a character sequence inputted by a user;

adding the character sequence to the input text string displayed on the communication terminal;

comparing said character sequence with candidates in a word completion directory in order to find word completion candidates matching said character sequence, wherein at least one of the word completion candidates comprises a multi-word text string;

displaying a matching multi-word completion candidate for selection by the user; and

in response to a user selection of the matching multi-word completion candidate, adding text from the multi-word completion candidate selected by the user to said input text string displayed on the communication terminal,

wherein if the user selects the matching multi-word completion candidate by pressing a select key for a period shorter than a predetermined period of time, then only the first word in the multi-word completion candidate is added to the input text string displayed on the communication terminal, and

wherein if the user selects the matching multi-word completion candidate by pressing the select key for a period longer than a predetermined period of time, then the entire multi-word completion candidate is added to the input text string displayed on the communication terminal.

41. A mobile communication terminal, comprising:

a display;

an input comprising one or more character keys and a select key;

a processor, and

a memory having stored thereon machine-executable instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the mobile terminal to perform steps comprising,

receiving a character sequence inputted by a user with the one or more character keys;

adding the character sequence to an input text string displayed on the display of the mobile terminal;

comparing said character sequence with candidates in a word completion directory in order to find word completion candidates matching said character sequence, wherein at least one of the word completion candidates comprises a multi-word text string;

displaying a matching multi-word completion candidate for selection by the user; and

in response to a user selection of the matching multi-word completion candidate, adding text from the multi-word completion candidate selected by the user to said input text string displayed on the mobile terminal,

wherein if the user selects the matching multi-word completion candidate by pressing the select key for a period shorter than a predetermined period of time, then only the first word in the multi-word completion candidate is added to the input text string on the display of the mobile terminal, and

wherein if the user selects the matching multi-word completion candidate by pressing the select-key for a period longer than a predetermined period of time, then the entire multi-word completion candidate is added to the input text string on the display of the mobile terminal.