Predicting candidates using input scopes

• US 8,010,465 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2008
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Robbins, Daryn Elliot, Badger, Eric, Bower, Jason Michael, Linerud, Drew Elliott
• Primary Examiner(s): HOLMES, MICHAEL B
• Application Number:
  US12/037,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20090216690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 706/11
• US Class Current: 706/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2746 Sorting, e.g. according to history or frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27463 Predictive input, predictive dialling by comparing the dialled sequence with the content of a telephone directory
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2748 by matching character strings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications

Abstract

Embodiments are configured to provide one or more candidates based in part on an input identifier associated with an input interface. In an embodiment, a system includes an input method editor (IME) that can be configured to provide one or more candidates based in part on a prediction model and one or more input scope values associated with an input interface. The IME can also operate to store an entered string including one or more associated input scope values to a storage component. The stored information can be used when suggesting candidates.

Claims

1. A system to provide one or more candidates comprising:

a memory component including;

an input history store having stored input data and input identifiers associated with the input data that comprise input scope values; and

,

an input method editor (IME) in communication with the memory component, the IME including;

a prediction component operative to identify one or more potential candidates stored in the memory component based in part on zero or more input characters and a prediction determination, wherein the IME is operative to identify the one or more candidates from the one or more potential candidates based in part on an input identifier associated with an input interface currently in use.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the prediction component is further operative to predict the one or more potential candidates by identifying one or more prefix matching candidates based in part on one or more input characters and a prefix matching operation.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the IME is further operative to present the one or more candidates in a candidate interface associated with an application input field.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the IME is further operative to present the one or more candidates associated with a first input field of a first application based in part on an input to a second input field of a second application, wherein the first input field includes an identical number and type of input scope values as the second input field or a superset of the input scope values that are associated with the second input field.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory component further includes a fixed data store having one or more fixed data sets, and a dictionary, wherein the IME is further operative to suggest the one or more candidates from the fixed data store and the dictionary.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the IME is further operative to use an application programming interface (API) to identify one or more input scope values associated with an application input field.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the IME is further operative to use an API to identify an input scope class associated with a plurality of application input fields.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the IME is further operative to automatically populate the plurality of application input fields with one or more presented candidates using a class instance stored in the input history store.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the IME is further operative to store an input string to the input history store with a default input scope when an input field includes a plurality of associated input scope values.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the IME is further operative to store an input string to the input history store with a collection of input scope values when an input field includes a plurality of associated input scope values.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the IME is further operative to store a collection of input strings to the input history store as an instance of an input scope class when an input form includes a plurality of input fields, and where each input field is assigned one or more input scope values according to an input scope class definition.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising an application having one or more input fields, wherein each input field includes one or more associated input scope values.

13. A computer readable storage medium including executable instructions which, when executed, present one or more candidates by:

receiving user input to a first input interface of a first application;

identifying an input identifier associated with the first input interface of the first application;

storing the user input and the identified input identifier including an entered string with a plurality of input scope values associated with an input field;

receiving user input to a second input interface of a second application;

identifying an input identifier associated with the second input interface of the second application;

predicting one or more candidates based in part on a prediction model, the user input to the second input interface and previously stored input data; and

,

suggesting one or more candidates from the one or more predicted candidates based in part on the identified input identifier associated with the second input interface.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed, are further operative to identify an input scope class associated with a plurality of input fields.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed, are further operative to automatically populate the plurality of input fields with an instance of the identified input scope class based in part on a selection of the one or more presented candidates.

16. A method of suggesting one or more candidate strings based in part on a user input, the method comprising:

defining an input scope class that includes a plurality of input scope values for a plurality of input fields;

determining an input scope value associated with an input interface;

identifying one or more prefix matching candidate strings using zero or more characters input to the input interface;

filtering the one or more prefix matching candidate strings based in part on the input scope value to identify the one or more candidate strings; and

,

presenting the one or more candidate strings in a candidate interface.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing an entered string and the associated input scope value to storage for use in subsequent prediction operations.