Browser-based spell checker

• US 7,584,426 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2004
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Singh, Sanjeev, Rakowski, Brian D., Chang, Bay-Wei W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong; Stephen S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vaughn; Gregory J
• Application Number:
  US10/914,013
• Publication Number:
  US 20050223326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,852 Days
• Field of Search: 715/500, 715/531, 715/532, 715/533, 715/540, 715/200, 715/256, 715/259, 715/257, 715/271
• US Class Current: 715/257
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads

Abstract

A system and method is provided for a spell checker that includes sending a document to a spelling server which returns the document with associated spelling information, though the document could also be provided to a spelling assistant on the local machine. The spelling information includes identification of potentially misspelled words and one or more replacements words. The document is displayed to identify the potentially misspelled words in a visually distinctive manner. The replacement words are displayed near the potentially misspelled word in response to a user activity, such as clicking on the identified words. The misspelled word is replaced with the word selected by the user from the replacement words. The user may extend the area of text to be modified by clicking on extension buttons to the left and right of the potentially misspelled word.

Claims

1. A method of providing a spell checker, comprising:

at a client;

sending a document to be spell checked to a spelling server;

receiving from the spelling server spelling information associated with the document, the spelling information including identification of a potentially misspelled word and one or more replacement words;

while displaying the document on a display device, identifying the potentially misspelled word in a visually distinctive manner;

displaying the one or more replacement words in response to a user initiated activity associated with the potentially misspelled word;

displaying an edit choice; and

replacing, in response to a selection of the edit choice by the user, the potentially misspelled word with an inline text input area comprising a box displayed within the displayed document and inline with text surrounding the potentially misspelled word, the text input area including the potentially misspelled word.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user initiated activity includes receiving a selection signal from an input device, the selection signal associated with the user selected potentially misspelled word.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying one or more replacement words includes displaying the one or more replacement words in an area of the display device adjacent the potentially misspelled word.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein displaying one or more replacement words includes displaying the one or more replacement words in a pop-down window below the potentially misspelled word.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more replacement words are displayed until a replacement word is selected by the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the one or more replacement words is a word phrase.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the text input area has an expansion button to enable expansion of the text input area.

8. A method of providing a spell checker, comprising:

at a client;

sending a document to be spell checked to a spelling server;

receiving from the spelling server spelling information associated with the document, the spelling information including identification of a plurality of potentially misspelled words, and one or more replacement words for each identified potentially misspelled word;

while displaying the document on a display device, identifying the plurality of potentially misspelled words in a visually distinctive manner;

displaying the one or more replacement words for a user selected one of the potentially misspelled words in response to a user initiated activity associated with the user selected potentially misspelled word;

displaying an edit choice; and

replacing, in response to a selection of the edit choice by the user, the user selected potentially misspelled word with an inline text input area comprising a box displayed within the displayed document and inline with text surrounding the user selected potentially misspelled word, the text input area including the user selected potentially misspelled word.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the identifying identifies all of the potentially misspelled words in the document.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein displaying one or more replacement words includes displaying the one or more replacement words in an area of the display device adjacent the potentially misspelled word.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein displaying one or more replacement words includes displaying the one or more replacement words in a pop-down window adjacent and below the potentially misspelled word.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the text input area has an expansion button to enable expansion of the text input area.

13. A method of providing a spell checker, comprising:

at a client;

sending a document to be spell checked to a spelling server;

receiving from the spelling server spelling information associated with the document, the spelling information including identification of first text and one or more replacement text options;

displaying the document on a display device;

identifying the first text in a visually distinctive manner;

displaying the one or more replacement text options in response to a first user initiated activity associated with the first text;

displaying an edit choice; and

in response to user selection of the edit choice, replacing the first text with an inline text input area comprising a box displayed within the displayed document and inline with text surrounding the first text, the text input area including the first text.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the text input area has an expansion button to enable expansion of the text input area.

15. A method of providing a spell checker, comprising:

providing a document composed in a web browser to be spell checked to a spelling assistant;

receiving from the spelling assistant spelling information associated with the document, the spelling information including identification of a plurality of potentially misspelled words, and one or more replacement words for each identified potentially misspelled word;

while displaying the document in a web browser window on a display device, identifying the plurality of potentially misspelled words in a visually distinctive manner;

displaying in the web browser window the one or more replacement words for a user selected one of the potentially misspelled words in response to a user initiated activity associated with the user selected potentially misspelled word;

displaying an edit choice; and

in response to user selection of the edit choice, replacing the user selected potentially misspelled word with an inline text input area comprising a box displayed within the displayed document and inline with text surrounding the user selected potentially misspelled word, the text input area including the user selected potentially misspelled word.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the identifying identifies all of the potentially misspelled words in the document.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein displaying one or more replacement words includes displaying the one or more replacement words in an area of the display device adjacent the potentially misspelled word.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein displaying one or more replacement words includes displaying the one or more replacement words in a pop-down window adjacent and below the potentially misspelled word.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the text input area has an expansion button to enable expansion of the text input area.

20. A method of providing a spell checker, comprising:

providing a document composed in a web browser to be spell checked to a spelling assistant;

receiving from the spelling assistant spelling information associated with the document, the spelling information including identification of first text and one or more replacement text options;

while displaying the document in a web browser window on a display device, identifying the first text in a visually distinctive manner;

displaying in the web browser window the one or more replacement text options in response to a first user initiated activity associated with the first text;

displaying an edit choice; and

replacing, in response to a selection of the edit choice by the user, the first text with an inline text input area comprising a box displayed within the displayed document and inline with text surrounding the first text, the text input area including the first text.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the text input area has an expansion button to enable expansion of the text input area.

22. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium for use in conjunction with a client system, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for sending from the client system a document to be spell checked to a spelling server;

instructions for receiving from the spelling server spelling information associated with the document, the spelling information including identification of a plurality of potentially misspelled words, and one or more replacement words for each identified potentially misspelled word;

instructions for displaying the document on a display device and for identifying the plurality of potentially misspelled words in a visually distinctive manner while displaying the document;

instructions for displaying the one or more replacement words for a user selected one of the potentially misspelled words in response to a user initiated activity associated with the user selected potentially misspelled word;

instructions for displaying an edit choice; and

instructions for in response to user selection of the edit choice, replacing the user selected potentially misspelled word with an inline text input area comprising a box displayed within the displayed document and inline with text surrounding the potentially misspelled word, the text input area including the user selected potentially misspelled word.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the instructions for displaying one or more replacement words includes displaying the one or more replacement words in an area of the display device adjacent the potentially misspelled word.

24. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the instructions for displaying one or more replacement words includes displaying the one or more replacement words in a pop-down window adjacent and below the potentially misspelled word.

25. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the text input area has an expansion button to enable expansion of the text input area.

26. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium for use in conjunction with a client system, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for sending from the client system a document to be spell checked to a spelling server;

instructions for receiving from the spelling server spelling information associated with the document, the spelling information including identification of first text and one or more replacement text options;

instructions for displaying the document on a display device and for identifying the first text in a visually distinctive manner while displaying the document;

instructions for displaying the one or more replacement text options in response to a first user initiated activity associated with the first text;

instructions for displaying an edit choice; and

instructions for in response to user selection of the edit choice, replacing the first text with an inline text input area comprising a box displayed within the displayed document and inline with text surrounding the first text, the text input area including the first text.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein the text input area has an expansion button to enable expansion of the text input area.

28. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium for use in conjunction with a client system, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for providing a document composed in a web browser to be spell checked to a spelling assistant;

instructions for receiving from the spelling assistant spelling information associated with the document, the spelling information including identification of a plurality of potentially misspelled words, and one or more replacement words for each identified potentially misspelled word;

instructions for displaying the document in a web browser window on a display device and for identifying the plurality of potentially misspelled words in a visually distinctive manner while displaying the document;

instructions for displaying in the web browser window the one or more replacement words for a user selected one of the potentially misspelled words in response to a user initiated activity associated with the user selected potentially misspelled word;

instructions for displaying an edit choice; and

instructions for in response to user selection of the edit choice, replacing one of the potentially misspelled words the user selected potentially misspelled word with an inline text input area comprising a box displayed within the displayed document and inline with text surrounding the potentially misspelled word, the text input area including the user selected potentially misspelled word.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the instructions for displaying one or more replacement words includes displaying the one or more replacement words in an area of the display device adjacent the potentially misspelled word.

30. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the instructions for displaying one or more replacement words includes displaying the one or more replacement words in a pop-down window adjacent and below the potentially misspelled word.

31. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the text input area has an expansion button to enable expansion of the text input area.

32. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium for use in conjunction with a client system, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for providing a document composed in a web browser to be spell checked to a spelling assistant;

instructions for receiving from the spelling assistant spelling information associated with the document, the spelling information including identification of first text and one or more replacement text options;

instructions for displaying the document in a web browser window on a display device and for identifying the first text in a visually distinctive manner while displaying the document;

instructions for displaying in the web browser window the one or more replacement text options in response to a first user initiated activity associated with the first text;

instructions for displaying an edit choice; and

instructions for replacing, in response to a selection of the edit choice by the user, the first text with an inline text input area comprising a box displayed within the displayed document and inline with text surrounding the first text, the text input area including the first text.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the text input area has an expansion button to enable expansion of the text input area.

34. A client system, comprising:

means for sending a document to be spell checked to a spelling server;

means for receiving from the spelling server spelling information associated with the document, the spelling information including identification of a potentially misspelled word and one or more replacement words;

means for displaying the document on a display device;

means for identifying the potentially misspelled word in a visually distinctive manner while the document is displayed;

means for displaying the one or more replacement words in response to a user initiated activity associated with the potentially misspelled word;

means for displaying an edit choice; and

means for replacing, in response to a selection of the edit choice by the user, the potentially misspelled word with an inline text input area comprising a box displayed within the displayed document and inline with text surrounding the potentially misspelled word, the text input area including the potentially misspelled word.

35. The client system of claim 34, wherein the text input area has an expansion button to enable expansion of the text input area.