System and methods for providing runtime spelling analysis and correction

• US 7,296,019 B1
• Filed: 10/25/2004
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Chandrasekar, Raman, Chen, Zhanliang, Sun, Ray, White, Thomas Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu; Kuen S.
• Application Number:
  US10/972,593
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/2, 707/3, 707/5, 707/6, 707/4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/36 Creation of semantic tools, e.g. ontology or thesauri
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/232 Orthographic correction, e.g. spell checking or vowelisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

A system and methods are provided for runtime spelling analysis and correction in a computing system. Misspelled entries or input text is automatically corrected turning the misspelled entries or input text into valid entries or text. The words used for spell checking and correction may be collected through multiple channels or from multiple sources, including words commonly found on the Web, and in users'"'"' entries or input text, as well as words from a standard language lexicon, all of which may be in one or more languages. The word(s) are automatically corrected only when there is a very high confidence that the correction is desirable. In various embodiments, the system implements a plurality of mechanisms with which the user can override the correction if invoked.

Claims

1. A method for providing runtime automatic spelling analysis and correction in a computer system in connection with a service utilizing a query input mechanism, comprising:

receiving from a client computing device a query comprising at least one word;

analyzing the spelling of said at least one word and determining whether said at least one word has a mistake;

identifying at least one alternative word that could be used to replace at least one word having a mistake;

assessing said at least one alternative word with regard to said at least one word with said mistake to derive a confidence calculation, said confidence calculation based at least in part on a set of historical data that indicates said at least one word having the mistake was replaced by said at least one alternative word in a prior query submitted by the client;

performing a query operation utilizing said at least one alternative word if the derived confidence calculation exceeds a predetermined threshold, otherwise performing a query operation utilizing said at least one word having the mistake; and

sending the results of the query to the client computing device for display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a query operation utilizing said at least one word having the mistake comprises:

transmitting link data to the client computing device for displaying a link on the client computing device, wherein the link is operable to transmit a request to perform a query with said at least one alternative word.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a query operation utilizing said at least one alternative word comprises:

transmitting link data to the client computing device for displaying a link on the client computing device, wherein the link is operable to transmit a request to perform a query with said at least one word having the mistake.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a request to the client to select whether to continue the query with the at least one alternative word or to continue the query with the at least one word having the mistake if the derived confidence calculation is within a predetermined range of the predetermined threshold, and then performing the service in accordance with the selection.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein performing a query operation utilizing said at least one word having a mistake comprises:

transmitting link data to the client computing device for displaying a link on the client computing device, wherein the link is operable to submit a request to perform a query with said at least one alternative word.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein performing a query operation utilizing said at least one alternative word comprises:

transmitting link data to the client computing device for displaying a link on the client computing device, wherein the link is operable to submit a request to perform a query with said at least one word having the mistake.

7. A computer-readable medium having computer readable instructions stored upon for providing runtime automatic spelling analysis and correction in connection with a service utilizing a query input mechanism, said computer-readable instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving from a client computing device a query comprising at least one word;

analyzing the spelling of said at least one word and determining whether said at least one word has a mistake;

identifying at least one alternative word that could be used to replace at least one word having a mistake;

assessing said at least one alternative word with regard to said at least one word with said mistake to derive a confidence calculation, said confidence calculation based at least in part on a set of historical data that indicates said at least one word having the mistake was replaced by said at least one alternative word in a prior query submitted by the client;

performing a query operation utilizing said at least one alternative word if the derived confidence calculation accedes a predetermined threshold, otherwise performing a query operation utilizing said at least one word having the mistake; and

sending the results of performing the service to the client computing device for display.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the instructions for performing a query operation utilizing said at least one word having the mistake comprises:

instructions for transmitting link data to the client computing device for displaying a link on the client computing device, wherein the link is operable to transmit a request to perform a query with said at least one alternative word.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the instructions for performing a query operation utilizing said at least one alternative word comprises:

instructions for transmitting link data to the client computing device for displaying a link on the client computing device, wherein the link is operable to transmit a request to perform a query with said at least one word having the mistake.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, further comprising:

instructions for transmitting a request to the client to select whether to continue the query with the at least one alternative word or to continue the query with the at least one word having the mistake if the derived confidence calculation is within a predetermined range of the predetermined threshold, and then performing the service in accordance with the selection of said user.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions for performing a query operation utilizing said at least one word having a mistake comprises:

instructions for transmitting link data to the client computing device for displaying a link on the client computing device, wherein the link is operable to submit a request to perform a query with said at least one alternative word.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions for performing a query operation utilizing said at least one alternative word comprises:

instructions for transmitting link data to the client computing device for displaying a link on the client computing device, wherein the link is operable to submit a request to perform a query with said at least one word having the mistake.

13. A computer-implemented system for providing runtime automatic spelling analysis and correction in connection with a service utilizing a query input mechanism, said system comprising at least one subsystem for:

receiving from a client computing device a original query comprising at least one word;

analyzing the spelling of said at least one word and determining whether said at least one word has a mistake;

if said at least one word has a mistake, identifying at least one alternative word that could be used to replace said at least one word having the mistake;

assessing said at least one alternative word with regard to said at least one word with a mistake to derive a confidence calculation, said confidence calculation based at least in part on a set of historical data that indicates said at least one word having the mistake was replaced by said at least one alternative word in a prior query submitted by the client;

performing a query operation utilizing said at least one alternative word if the derived confidence calculation accedes a predetermined threshold, otherwise performing a query operation utilizing said at least one word having the mistake; and

sending the results of performing the service to the client computing device for display.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one subsystem for performing a query operation utilizing said at least one word having the mistake comprises:

at least one subsystem for transmitting link data to the client computing device for displaying a link on the client computing device, wherein the link is operable to transmit a request to perform a query with said at least one alternative word.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one subsystem for performing a query operation utilizing said at least one alternative word comprises:

at least one subsystem for transmitting link data to the client computing device for displaying a link on the client computing device, wherein the link is operable to transmit a request to perform a query with said at least one word having the mistake.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

at least one subsystem for transmitting a request to the client to select whether to continue the query with the at least one alternative word or to continue the query with the at least one word having the mistake if the derived confidence calculation is within a predetermined range of the predetermined threshold, and then performing the service in accordance with the selection.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one subsystem for performing a query operation utilizing said at least one word having a mistake comprises:

at least one subsystem for transmitting link data to the client computing device for displaying a link on the client computing device, wherein the link is operable to submit a request to perform a query with said at least one alternative word.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one subsystem for performing a query operation utilizing said at least one alternative word comprises:

at least one subsystem for transmitting link data to the client computing device for displaying a link on the client computing device, wherein the link is operable to submit a request to perform a query with said at least one word having the mistake.