Linguistic retrieval system and method

• US 7,177,797 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2000
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semantic Compaction Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Semantic Compaction Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Baker, Bruce R., Micher, Jeffrey C., Babst, Ju, Andres, Paul, Cameron, Marianne, Miller, Doug N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil; Richemond
• Assistant Examiner(s): SPOONER, LAMONT M
• Application Number:
  US09/652,036
• Time in Patent Office: 2,357 Days
• Field of Search: 704/1, 704/9, 704/10, 715/534, 707/3
• US Class Current: 704/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs

Abstract

A system, method and article of manufacture utilize word chunks to enhance word prediction. At least one of selectable words and word chunks are displayed in response to receipt of an input character. Thereafter, a selection of a displayed word or word chunk is received, and in response to receiving selection of a displayed word chunk, selectable words including the selected word chunk are displayed. A word chunk includes a word portion used in the formation of other words and includes a predetermined identifier, identifying it as a word chuck. Thus, the combination of chunking of parts of agglutinated words in combination with letter input activations reduces the overall number of input activations to complete a word, and further reduces the amount of choices to select from at any point during retrieval of the word. Accordingly, for such agglutinating languages such as German, for example, word chunks can be used to speed up word prediction and thereby eliminate unnecessary, time consuming, and sometimes difficult inputting of many individual characters.

Claims

1. A word prediction method, comprising:

displaying at least one of selectable words and word chunks in response to receipt of an input character;

receiving a selection of one of the displayed words or word chunks; and

displaying at least one of selectable words and word chunks including a selected word chunk, in response to receiving selection of a displayed word chunk, wherein a word chunk includes a predetermined identifier, identifying it as a word chunk, and wherein the words and word chunks are in an agglutinated language.

2. The word prediction method of claim 1, wherein the word chunks includes a word portion used in the formation of other words.

3. The word prediction method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined identifier is a tilde.

4. The word prediction method of claim 1, wherein the words and word chunks are in the German language.

5. The word prediction method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying at least one morph of a selected word in response to receiving selection of one of the displayed words.

6. The word prediction method of claim 1, wherein the input character is an alphabetic character.

7. The word prediction method of claim 1, wherein the input character includes a symbol.

8. The word prediction method of claim 1, wherein the input character includes a symbol sequence.

9. The word prediction method of claim 1, wherein the selection of one of the displayed words or word chunks is received from an input device.

10. The word prediction method of claim 1, wherein words and word chunks beginning with the input character are displayed in response to receipt of the input character.

11. The word prediction method of claim 1, wherein the selectable words and/or word chunks, displayed in response to receiving selection of one of the displayed word chunks, include at least one additional word chunk including the previously selected word chunk.

12. The word prediction method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, in response to receiving selection of one of the word chunks including the previously selected word chunk, at least one of selectable words and word chunks including the word chunk including the previously selected word chunk.

13. The word prediction method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the displayable words and word chunks in a database.

14. The word prediction method of claim 13, wherein the step of storing includes storing at least one code in association with each word and word chunk in the database.

15. The word prediction method of claim 14, wherein the codes include morph codes, and wherein morphs of the selected word are displayed in response to receipt of a selection of one of the displayed words including associated morph codes.

16. The word prediction method of claim 15, wherein the codes include frequency codes, with words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively high frequency code being displayed before words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively low frequency code.

17. The word prediction method of claim 14, wherein the codes include frequency codes, with words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively high frequency code being displayed before words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively low frequency code.

58. The word prediction method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying at least one morph of a selected word, in response to receiving selection of one of the displayed words.

18. A word prediction system, comprising:

a database, adapted to store a plurality of words and word chunks;

a display adapted to display at least one of the stored words and word chunks for selection; and

a controller, adapted to retrieve at least one of words and word chunks associated with an input character from the database in response to receipt of the input character, and to control the display to display at least one of selectable words and word chunks including a selected word chunk in response to receiving selection of one of the displayed word chunks, wherein the selected word chunk includes a predetermined identifier, identifying it as a word chunk, and wherein the words and word chunks are in an agglutinated language.

19. The word prediction system of claim 18, wherein the word chunks includes a word portion used in the formation of other words.

20. The word prediction system of claim 18, wherein the predetermined identifier is a tilde.

21. The word prediction system of claim 18, wherein the words and word chunks are in the German language.

22. The word prediction system of claim 18, wherein the database further stores morphing codes and the controller is further adapted to control the display to generate and display stored morphs of the selected word in response to receipt of a selection of one of the displayed words.

23. The word prediction system of claim 18, wherein the input character is an alphabetic character.

24. The word prediction system of claim 18, wherein the input character includes a symbol.

25. The word prediction system of claim 18, wherein the input character includes a symbol sequence.

26. The word prediction system of claim 18, further comprising:

an input device, adapted to input a character and/or select one of the displayed words or word chunks.

27. The word prediction system of claim 18, wherein the display includes a touch screen, adapted to permit selection of one of the displayed words or word chunks.

28. The word prediction system of claim 18, wherein words and word chunks beginning with the input character are displayed in response to receipt of the input character.

29. The word prediction system of claim 18, wherein the selectable words and/or word chunks, displayed in response to receiving selection of one of the displayed word chunks, include at least one additional word chunk including the previously selected word chunk.

30. The word prediction system of claim 18, wherein the controller is further adapted to retrieve and control the display to display at least one of words and word chunks including the word chunk including the previously selected word chunk, in response to receiving selection of the word chunk including the previously selected word chunk.

31. The word prediction system of claim 18, wherein the database further includes at least one code stored in association with each word and word chunk.

32. The word prediction system of claim 31, wherein the codes include morph codes, and wherein the controller is further adapted to control the display to display morphs of the selected word in response to receipt of a selection of one of the displayed words including associated morph codes.

33. The word prediction system of claim 32, wherein the codes include frequency codes, with words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively high frequency code being displayed before words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively low frequency code.

34. The word prediction system of claim 31, wherein the codes include frequency codes, with words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively high frequency code being displayed before words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively low frequency code.

35. An article of manufacture for use in conjunction with a computer, comprising:

a first code segment for causing the computer to display at least one of selectable words and word chunks in response to receipt of an input character; and

a second code segment for causing the computer to display at least one of selectable words and word chunks including a selected word chunk, in response to receiving selection of one of the displayed word chunks, wherein the selected word chunk includes a predetermined identifier, identifying it as a word chunk, and wherein the words and word chunks are in an agglutinated language.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 35, wherein the word chunks include a word portion used in the formation of other words.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 35, wherein the predetermined identifier is a tilde.

38. The article of manufacture of claim 35, wherein the words and word chunks are in the German language.

39. The article of manufacture of claim 35, further comprising:

a third code segment for causing the computer to display at least one morph of a selected word in response to receiving selection of one of the displayed words.

40. The article of manufacture of claim 35, wherein the input character is an alphabetic character.

41. The article of manufacture of claim 35, wherein the input character includes a symbol.

42. The article of manufacture of claim 35, further comprising:

a third code segment for causing the computer to receive a selected word or word chunk from an input device.

43. The article of manufacture of claim 35, wherein words and word chunks beginning with the input character are displayed in response to receipt of the input character.

44. The article of manufacture of claim 35, wherein the selectable words and/or word chunks, displayed in response to receiving selection of one of the displayed word chunks, include at least one additional word chunk including the previously selected word chunk.

45. The article of manufacture of claim 35, further comprising:

a third code segment for causing the computer to display, in response to receiving selection of the word chunk including the previously selected word chunk, at least one of selectable words and word chunks including the word chunk including the previously selected word chunk.

46. The article of manufacture of claim 35, further comprising:

a third code segment for causing the computer to interact with a database, the database storing the displayable words and word chunks.

47. The article of manufacture of claim 46, wherein the database stores at least one code in association with each word and word chunk stored in the database.

48. The article of manufacture of claim 47, wherein the codes include morph codes, and wherein the third code segment causes the computer to display morphs of the selected word in response to receipt of one of the displayed words including associated morph codes.

49. The article of manufacture of claim 48, wherein the codes include frequency codes, and wherein the third code segment causes the computer to display words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively high frequency code before words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively low frequency code.

50. The article of manufacture of claim 47, wherein the codes include frequency codes, and wherein the third code segment causes the computer to display words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively high frequency code before words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively low frequency code.

51. A word prediction method, comprising:

displaying at least one of selectable words and word chunks including an input character, in response to receipt of the input character; and

replacing the input character with a selected word chunk in response to receiving selection of one of the displayed word chunks, wherein the selected word chunk is subsequently used in place of the input character for further word prediction, wherein the selected word chunk includes a predetermined identifier, identifying it as a word chunk, and wherein the words and word chunks are in an agglutinated language.

52. The word prediction method of claim 51, further comprising:

displaying at least one of selectable words and word chunks including a selected word chunk, in response to receiving selection of a displayed word chunk.

53. The word prediction method of claim 52, wherein the selectable words and/or word chunks, displayed in response to receiving selection of one of the displayed word chunks, include at least one additional word chunk including the previously selected word chunk.

54. The word prediction method of claim 53, further comprising:

displaying, in response to receiving selection of a word chunk including the previously selected word chunk, at least one of selectable words and word chunks including the word chunk including the previously selected word chunk.

55. The word prediction method of claim 51, wherein a word chunk includes a word portion used in the formation of other words.

56. The word prediction method of claim 51, wherein the predetermined identifier is a tilde.

57. The word prediction method of claim 51, wherein the words and word chunks are in the German language.

59. The word prediction method of claim 51, further comprising:

storing the displayable words and word chunks in a database.

60. The word prediction method of claim 59, wherein the step of storing includes storing at least one code in association with each word and word chunk in the database.

61. The word prediction method of claim 60, wherein the codes include morph codes, and wherein morphs of the selected word are displayed in response to receipt of a selection of one of the displayed words including associated morph codes.

62. The word prediction method of claim 61, wherein the codes include frequency codes, with words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively high frequency code being displayed before words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively low frequency code.

63. The word prediction method of claim 60, wherein the codes include frequency codes, with words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively high frequency code being displayed before words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively low frequency code.

64. A word prediction system, comprising:

a database, adapted to store a plurality of words and word chunks;

a display adapted to display at least one of stored words and word chunks for selection; and

a controller, adapted to retrieve at least one of words and word chunks associated with an input character from the database in response to receipt of the input character, and to replace the input character with a selected word chunk in response to receiving selection of one of the displayed word chunks, wherein the selected word chunk is subsequently used in place of the input character for word predictions, wherein the selected word chunk includes a predetermined identifier, identifying it as a word chunk, and wherein the words and word chunks are in an agglutinated language.

65. The word prediction system of claim 64, wherein the word chunks includes a word portion used in the formation of other words.

66. The word prediction system of claim 64, wherein the predetermined identifier is a tilde.

67. The word prediction system of claim 64, wherein the words and word chunks are in the German language.

68. The word prediction system of claim 64, wherein the controller is further adapted to control the display to display at least one of selectable words and word chunks including a selected word chunk, in response to receiving selection of one of the displayed word chunks.

69. The word prediction system of claim 64, wherein the database further stores morphs of words and the controller is further adapted to control the display to display stored morphs of the selected word in response to receipt of a selection of one of the displayed words.

70. The word prediction system of claim 64, further comprising:

an input device, adapted to input a character and/or select one of the displayed words or word chunks.

71. The word prediction system of claim 64, wherein the display includes a touch screen, adapted to permit selection of one of the displayed words or word chunks.

72. The word prediction system of claim 64, wherein the selectable words and/or word chunks, displayed in response to receiving selection of one of the displayed word chunks, include at least one additional word chunk including the previously selected word chunk.

73. The word prediction system of claim 64, wherein the controller is further adapted to retrieve and control the display to display at least one of words and word chunks including the word chunk including the previously selected word chunk, in response to receiving selection of the word chunk including the previously selected word chunk.

74. The word prediction system of claim 64, wherein the database further includes at least one code stored in association with each word and word chunk.

75. The word prediction system of claim 74, wherein the codes include morph codes, and wherein the controller is further adapted to control the display to display morphs of the selected word in response to receipt of a selection of one of the displayed words including associated morph codes.

76. The word prediction system of claim 75, wherein the codes include frequency codes, with words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively high frequency code being displayed before words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively low frequency code.

77. The word prediction system of claim 74, wherein the codes include frequency codes, with words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively high frequency code being displayed before words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively low frequency code.

78. An article of manufacture for use in conjunction with a computer, comprising:

a first code segment for causing the computer to display at least one of selectable words and word chunks in response to receipt of any input character; and

a second code segment for causing the computer to replace the input character with a selected word chunk in response to receiving selection of one of the displayed word chunks, and for causing the computer to subsequently use the selected word chunk in place of the input character for further word prediction, wherein the selected word chunk includes a predetermined identifier, identifying it as a word chunk and wherein the words and word chunks are in an agglutinated language.

79. The article of manufacture of claim 78, wherein a word chunk includes a word portion used in the formation of other words.

80. The article of manufacture of claim 78, wherein the predetermined identifier is a tilde.

81. The article of manufacture of claim 78, wherein the words and the word chunks are in the German language.

82. The article of manufacture of claim 78, further comprising:

a third code segment for causing the computer to display at least one morph of a selected word in response to receiving selection of one of the displayed words.

83. The article of manufacture of claim 78, further comprising:

a third code segment for causing the computer to display, in response to receiving selection of the word chunk including the previously selected word chunk, at least one of selectable words and word chunks including the word chunk including the previously selected word chunk.

84. The article of manufacture of claim 78, further comprising:

a third code segment for causing the computer to interact with a database, the database storing the displayable words and word chunks.

85. The article of manufacture of claim 84, wherein the database stores at least one code in association with each word and word chunk stored in the database.

86. The article of manufacture of claim 85, wherein the codes include morph codes, wherein the third code segment causes the computer to display morphs of the selected word in response to receipt of one of the displayed words including associated morph codes.

87. The article of manufacture of claim 86, wherein the codes include frequency codes, and wherein the third code segment cause the computer to display words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively high frequency code before words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively low frequency code.

88. The article of manufacture of claim 85, wherein the codes include frequency codes, and wherein the third code segment cause the computer to display words and word chunks associated with the input character and a relatively high frequency code before words and word chunks associate with the input character and a relatively low frequency code.