Method and system for filtering and selecting from a candidate list generated by a stochastic input method

• US 7,149,970 B1
• Filed: 06/23/2000
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Chiaki, Reynar, Jeff, Pratley, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Basehoar, Adam L.
• Application Number:
  US09/602,306
• Time in Patent Office: 2,363 Days
• Field of Search: 715/533, 715/541, 715/540, 715/531, 715/532, 704/270, 704/231, 704/251, 704/9, 704/10
• US Class Current: 715/257
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue

Abstract

A computer-implemented method and system for correcting text input from a stochastic input source is provided. After a text component such as a word or phrase is identified as erroneous where, for example, the stochastic input source translated the input incorrectly, a list of alternatives to the erroneous text component is provided to the user via a user interface that pops up directly into the document being prepared. The user begins editing the erroneous text component by typing directly into the document or by spelling aloud, in the case of a speech recognition device. As the user begins editing, the list of alternatives is filtered to provide only alternatives that may match the user'"'"'s editing. With each additional character or letter entered by the user during editing, the list is further filtered. A suggested completion for the user'"'"'s editing may be provided to the user by displaying the suggestion directly in the document.

Claims

1. A method for correcting text input into a text document, comprising the steps of:

receiving a text selection input into the text document from at least one source comprising one of the following;

stochastic and non-stochastic, the text selection comprising two or more text components;

receiving a selection of an erroneous text component from the two or more text components of the text selection;

receiving a command to display a list of alternatives to the erroneous text component;

in response to receiving the command to display the list of alternatives to the erroneous text component, submitting the erroneous text component to a correction scope model to determine if a scope of correction should be adjusted, wherein the correction scope model uses at least a natural language model and an input methods model in determining the scope of correction;

if the correction scope model determines the scope of correction should be adjusted, then receiving from the correction scope model a text unit that includes the erroneous text component and at least one text component from the text selection adjacent the erroneous text component;

displaying a list of alternatives to the text unit via a user interface opened directly into the text document;

after displaying the list of alternatives to the text unit, automatically displaying, directly in the text document, a suggested alternative to the text unit from the list of alternatives to the text unit;

determining if the displayed suggested alternative to the text unit is an acceptable alternative to the text unit;

if the displayed suggested alternative to the text unit is not the acceptable alternative to the text unit, receiving an edit in the text document, the edit comprising a partial entry of the acceptable alternative to the text unit;

filtering the list of alternatives in response to the edit to remove alternatives not associated with the partial entry;

in response to filtering the list of alternatives, displaying a revised list of alternatives containing alternatives associated with the partial entry;

if the revised list of alternatives includes the acceptable alternative to the text unit, selecting the acceptable alternative to the text unit from the revised list;

replacing, directly into the text document, the text unit with the selected acceptable alternative; and

closing the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

if, in response to filtering the list of alternatives, no acceptable alterative to the text unit is identified, receiving additional edits in the text document to further filter the list of alternatives in response to the additional edits; and

if no acceptable alternative to the text unit is identified in response to further filtering of the list of alternatives in response to the additional edits, replacing, directly into the text document, the text unit with the entry comprised of the edit and the additional edits.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

identifying a matching completed alternative text component within the revised list of alternatives containing alternatives associated with the partial entry;

displaying the matching completed alternative text component directly into the text document as a suggested completion for the partial entry;

receiving an acceptance command in association with the suggested completion; and

in response to the acceptance command, replacing, directly into the text document, the text unit with the matching completed alternative text component.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving an edit in the text document includes typing a first character of the acceptable alternative directly into the text document at the location of the text unit.

5. The method of claim 1, whereby the stochastic input source comprises a speech recognition device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of receiving an edit in the text document includes audibly spelling, via the speech recognition device, a first character of the acceptable alternative directly into the text document at the location of the text unit.

7. The method of claim 1, whereby the stochastic input source comprises a hand writing recognition device.

8. The method of claim 7, whereby the step of receiving an edit in the text document includes hand writing, via the hand writing recognition device, a first character of the acceptable alternative directly into the text document at the location of the text unit.

9. The method of claim 1, whereby the stochastic input source comprises a vision-based recognition device for recognizing sign language or other gestures.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, perform the method of claim 1.

11. A computer system operative to perform the method of claim 1.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the correction scope model determines the scope of correction should not be adjusted, then displaying the list of alternatives to the erroneous text component via a user interface opened directly into the text document;

after displaying the list of alternatives, receiving an edit to the erroneous text component directly into the erroneous text component in the text document, the edit comprising a partial entry of a desired alterative to the erroneous text component;

filtering the list of alternatives in response to the edit to remove alternatives not associated with the partial entry;

in response to filtering the list of alternatives, displaying a revised list of alternatives containing alternatives associated with the partial entry;

selecting an alternative to the erroneous text component from the revised list;

replacing, directly into the text document, the erroneous text component with the selected alternative; and

closing the user interface.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the suggested alternative to the text unit is displayed directly in the text document in reverse video presentation.

14. A method for correcting text input into a text document, comprising the steps of:

receiving a text selection input into the text document comprising two or more text components from at least one source comprising one of the following;

stochastic and non-stochastic;

receiving a selection of an erroneous text component from the two or more text components of the text selection;

receiving a command to display a list of alternatives to the erroneous text component;

in response to receiving the command to display the list of alternatives to the erroneous text component, submitting the erroneous text component to a correction scope model to determine if a scope of correction should be adjusted, wherein the correction scope model uses at least a natural language model and an input methods model in determining the scope of correction;

if the correction scope model determines the scope of correction should be adjusted, then receiving from the correction scope model a text unit that includes the erroneous text component and at least one text component from the text selection adjacent the erroneous text component;

displaying a list of alternatives to the text unit via a user interface opened directly into the text document;

after displaying the list of alternatives to the text unit, automatically displaying, directly in the text document, a suggested alternative to the text unit from the list of alternatives to the text unit;

determining if the displayed suggested alternative to the text unit is an acceptable alternative to the text unit;

if the displayed suggested alternative to the text unit is not the acceptable alternative to the text unit, receiving an edit in the text document, the edit comprising a partial entry of the acceptable alternative to the text unit;

filtering the list of alternatives in response to the edit to remove alternatives not associated with the partial entry;

in response to filtering the list of alternatives, displaying a revised list of alternatives containing alternatives associated with the partial entry;

if, in response to filtering the list of alternatives, no acceptable alternative to the text unit is identified, receiving additional edits to the text unit directly into the text unit in the text document to further filter the list of alternatives in response to the additional edits;

after receiving each of the additional edits, displaying a further revised list of alternatives containing alternatives associated with an entry comprised of the edit and the additional edits;

if no acceptable alternative to the text unit is identified in response to further filtering of the list of alternatives in response to the additional edits, replacing, directly into the text document, the text unit with the entry comprised of the edit and the additional edits; and

closing the user interface.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of receiving an edit in the text document includes typing a first character of the acceptable alternative directly into the text document at the location of the text unit.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of receiving an edit in the text document includes audibly spelling, via a speech recognition device, a first character of the acceptable alternative directly into the text document at the location of the text unit.

17. The method of claim 14 whereby the step of receiving an edit in the text document includes hand writing, via a hand writing recognition device, a first character of the acceptable alternative directly into the text document at the location of the text unit.

18. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, perform the method of claim 14.

19. A computer system operative to perform the method of claim 14.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

if the correction scope model determines the scope of correction should not be adjusted, then displaying the list of alternatives to the erroneous text component via a user interface opened directly into the text document;

after displaying the list of alternatives, receiving an edit to the erroneous text component directly into the erroneous text component in the text document, the edit comprising a partial entry of a desired alterative to the erroneous text component;

filtering the list of alternatives in response to the edit to remove alternatives not associated with the partial entry;

in response to filtering the list of alternatives, displaying a revised list of alternatives containing alternatives associated with the partial entry;

if, in response to filtering the list of alternatives, no acceptable alternative to the erroneous text component is identified, receiving additional edits to the erroneous text component directly into the erroneous text component in the text document to further filter the list of alternatives in response to the additional edits;

after receiving each of the additional edits, displaying a further revised list of alternatives containing alternatives associated with an entry comprised of the edit and the additional edits;

if no acceptable alternative to the erroneous text component is identified in response to further filtering of the list of alternatives in response to the additional edits, replacing, directly into the text document, the erroneous text component with the entry comprised of the edit and the additional edits; and

closing the user interface.

21. A method for correcting text input into a text document, comprising the steps of:

receiving a text selection input into said text document comprising two or more text components from at least one source comprising one of the following;

stochastic and non-stochastic;

receiving a selection of an erroneous text component from the two or more text components of the text selection;

receiving a command to display a list of alternatives to the erroneous text component;

in response to receiving the command to display the list of alternatives to the erroneous text component, submitting the erroneous text component to a correction scope model to determine if a scope of correction should be adjusted, wherein the correction scope model uses at least an input methods model in determining the scope of correction;

if the correction scope model determines the scope of correction should be adjusted, then receiving from the correction scope model a text unit that includes the erroneous text component and at least one text component from the text selection adjacent the erroneous text component;

displaying a list of alternatives to the text unit via a user interface opened directly into the text document;

after displaying the list of alternatives to the text unit, automatically displaying, directly in the text document, a suggested alternative to the text unit from the list of alternatives to the text unit;

determining if the displayed suggested alternative to the text unit is an acceptable alternative to the text unit;

if the displayed suggested alternative to the text unit is not the acceptable alternative to the text unit, receiving an edit to the text unit directly in the text document, the edit comprising a partial entry of the acceptable alternative to the text unit;

filtering the list of alternatives in response to the edit to remove alternatives not associated with the partial entry;

in response to filtering the list of alternatives, displaying a revised list of alternatives containing alternatives associated with the partial entry;

identifying a matching completed alternative text component within the revised list of alternatives that may be displayed as a suggested completion for the partial entry;

displaying the matching completed alternative text component directly into the text document as a suggested completion for the partial entry;

receiving an acceptance command in association with the suggested completion;

in response to the acceptance command, replacing, directly into the text document, the text unit with the matching completed alternative text component; and

closing the user interface.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

if no matching completed alternative text component is identified, receiving additional edits in the text document to further filter the revised list of alternatives in response to the additional edits;

after receiving each of the additional edits, displaying a further revised list of alternatives containing alternatives associated with an entry comprised of the edit and the additional edits;

if no matching completed alternative text component that may be displayed as a suggested completion of the entry comprised of the edit and the additional edits is identified in response to further filtering of the revised list of alternatives in response to the additional edits, then accepting the partial entry comprised of the edit and the additional edits as a substitute for the text unit; and

entering the entry comprised of the edit and the additional edits as a substitute for the text unit.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of receiving an edit in the text document includes typing a first character of the acceptable alternative directly into the text document at the location of the text unit.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of receiving an edit in the text document includes audibly spelling, via a speech recognition device, a first character of the acceptable alternative directly into the text document at the location of the text unit.

25. The method of claim 21 whereby the step of receiving an edit in the text document includes hand writing, via a hand writing recognition device, a first character of the acceptable alternative directly into the text document at the location of the text unit.

26. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed by a computer, perform the method of claim 21.

27. A computer system operative to perform the method of claim 21.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

if the correction scope model determines the scope of correction should not be adjusted, then displaying the list of alternatives to the erroneous text component via a user interface opened directly into the text document;

after displaying the list of alternatives, receiving an edit to the erroneous text component directly into the erroneous text component in the text document, the edit comprising a partial entry of a desired alterative to the erroneous text component;

filtering the list of alternatives in response to the edit to remove alternatives not associated with the partial entry;

in response to filtering the list of alternatives, displaying a revised list of alternatives containing alternatives associated with the partial entry;

identifying a matching completed alternative text component within the revised list of alternatives that may be displayed as a suggested completion for the partial entry;

displaying the matching completed alternative text component directly into the text document as a suggested completion for the partial entry;

receiving an acceptance command in association with the suggested completion;

in response to the acceptance command, replacing, directly into the text document, the erroneous text component with the matching completed alternative text component; and

closing the user interface.