Method and system of handling the selection of alternates for recognized words

• US 7,440,896 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2006
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lui, Charlton E., Altman, Dan W., Williamson, Peter H.
• Primary Examiner(s): ABEBE, DANIEL DEMELASH
• Application Number:
  US11/553,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20070053592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 704/251, 704/235, 715/728, 382/187, 382/189
• US Class Current: 704/251
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/387 using human interaction, e.g. selection of the best displayed recognition candidate
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue

Abstract

Methods and systems for facilitating the selection of alternates for hand written word. Rules select words user based on operating modes and cursor positions and sequential orderings. User interfaces can also be used to select words and to provide alternates for the selected words having alternates. Words that the recognizer believes correct to a high actual or relative probability may be skipped over in automatic processes, and the display of words that the recognizer is less confident are correct can be modified. The user can adjust such sensitivity settings for determining the probability of correctness.

Claims

1. A method for a computing device selecting words for which alternate words are to be displayed, the method comprising:

identifying a set of words in which each of a plurality of the words has respective corresponding alternate words that are displayed by a user interface when a corresponding one of the plurality of words is selected from the set of words;

determining whether the current editing mode of the computing device, the editing mode being either cursor mode or selection mode;

based upon the determined editing mode, selecting a particular word from the set of words having alternates according to the current editing mode of the computing device and according to rules that indicate the selection of said particular word is to be based on one or more of;

(a) determined proximity of a cursor to the particular word when the computing device is in the current editing mode,

(b) determined sequential ordering and placement of the particular word subsequent to a previously selected word when the computing device is in the current editing mode;

or

(c) a determined first occurrence of any word within a selection of multiple words that have alternates; and

providing alternates for the selected word through a user interface.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the selection of the particular word is further based on the selected word, including utilizing probability information to determine whether a word in the set that has alternates associated therewith will be considered as having alternates for purposes of providing alternates therefore.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the determined proximity of a cursor to the particular word includes locating the cursor within a word having alternates.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the determined proximity of a cursor to the particular word includes locating the cursor adjacent to a word having alternates.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein upon determining that the cursor is not within any word having alternates the method further includes locating a first word having alternates and while advancing a pointer through the set of words to the first word having alternates.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the word relative to the cursor position comprises determining if a cursor that indicates the cursor position is placed on a word having alternates associated therewith.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein determining if the cursor is placed on a word having alternates associated therewith comprises moving a pointer to the beginning of the word.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein identification of the set of words includes receiving a user selection of a plurality of words.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user selection of the plurality of words is entered with the use of a pen down and drag function.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein providing alternates for the selected particular word with the user interface includes displaying the user interface next to the selected particular word.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the user interface provides an option to select a next or previous word of the set that has alternates associated therewith.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the user interface is repositioned to be displayed proximate the selected next or previous word that has alternates associated therewith.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further includes receiving user input corresponding to a sensitivity level for determining whether words will be considered as having alternates associated therewith.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising modifying the display of said plurality the words having respective corresponding alternate words.

15. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein selecting the particular one of the words from the set of words is determined according to the proximity of the cursor to the particular word when the computing device is in the current editing mode.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein selecting the particular one of the words from the set of words is determined according to a sequential ordering and placement of the particular word subsequent to a previously selected word when the computing device is in the current editing mode.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein selecting the particular one of the words from the set of words is determined by identifying the first occurrence of any word within the selection of multiple words that have alternates.

18. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the current editing mode comprises a cursor mode and wherein the set of words are entered by handwriting into a computing device.

19. A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions for implementing a method for selecting words for which alternate words are to be displayed, and wherein the method comprises the method of claim 1.

20. A computer program product as recited in claim 19, wherein the computer program product comprises a computing device and wherein the computer-readable storage media includes memory.