Collecting and utilizing user correction feedback to improve handwriting recognition

• US 7,881,534 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2006
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Leung, Brian, Sailor, Richard K., Revow, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu; Tom Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Conway; Thomas A
• Application Number:
  US11/455,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20070292031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,688 Days
• Field of Search: 382181-231, 704231-270, 715224-226, 707 1- 10, 700/90, 700/104
• US Class Current: 382/186
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/387 using human interaction, e.g. selection of the best displayed recognition candidate

Abstract

Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for using user corrections to help improve handwriting recognition operations. The system tracks user corrections to recognition results. The system receives handwritten input from the user and performs a recognition operation to determine a top recognized word. The prior corrections made by the user are analyzed to calculate a ratio of times the user has corrected the top recognized word to a particular other word as opposed to correcting the particular other word to the top recognized word. If the ratio meets or exceeds a required minimum, then at least one secondary source is optionally analyzed to determine if the particular other word is used a certain number of times more frequently than the top recognized word in the secondary source. The system performs a swap of the top recognized word with the particular other word when the required criteria are met.

Claims

1. A method for using prior corrections of a user to improve recognition operations comprising:

receiving a handwritten input from a user;

performing a recognition operation to determine a top recognized word;

analyzing a history of prior corrections by the user to calculate a ratio comprising a forward quantity of corrections from the top recognized word to a particular word over a backward quantity of corrections from the particular word to the top recognized word; and

if the ratio meets or exceeds a desired minimum, then swapping the particular word for the top recognized word and displaying the particular word on a display device as a recognition result.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the history of prior corrections by the user is stored in a data store.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the analysis comprises determining if a secondary source also reveals that the user has used the particular word a required number of times more often than the top recognized word before the swapping is performed.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the secondary source includes a plurality of emails authored by the user.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the secondary source includes a plurality of word processing documents authored by the user.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the required number of times is at least 10.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising providing a visual indicator on the display device to indicate that the swapping occurred.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising providing a prompt to the user to confirm the swapping before the swapping occurs.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the ratio is at least 3 to 1.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform the method of claim 1.

11. A computer-readable medium comprising a tangible article of manufacture having computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform a method comprising:

tracking a history of corrections made by a user to one or more recognition results;

receiving a handwritten input from the user;

performing a recognition operation on the handwritten input to determine a top recognized word;

analyzing the history of corrections made by the user to calculate a ratio of times the user has corrected the top recognized word to a particular other word as opposed to correcting the particular other word to the top recognized word;

if the ratio meets or exceeds a required minimum, then analyzing at least one secondary source to determine if the particular other word is used a certain number of times more frequently than the top recognized word in the secondary source; and

if analysis of the secondary source reveals that the certain number of times is satisfied, performing a swap of the top recognized word with the particular other word.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, the method comprising:

upon performing the swap, displaying the particular other word on a display device to the user.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, the method comprising:

storing the history of corrections in a data store.