Electronic device and method for predicting word input

• US 8,253,709 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2009
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chi Mei Communication Systems Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Chi Mei Communication Systems Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Chang, Han-Zen, Lin, Shui-Sheng, Chang, Yi-Cheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Tzeng, Fred
• Application Number:
  US12/639,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20100277424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/168, 708/142, 715/261
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs

Abstract

An electronic device and a method for predicting word input include generating a virtual keyboard comprising a plurality of virtual keys and receiving input letters and searching an English word database according to the input letters. The electronic device and the method further include retrieving the one or more possible words that begin with the input letters, confirming one or more virtual keys corresponding to the retrieved one or more possible words, and displaying the confirmed one or more virtual keys different from other virtual keys.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a storage device operable to store an English word database;

a touch panel;

at least one processor; and

one or more programs stored in the storage device and being executable by the at least one processor, the one or more programs comprising;

a generating module that generates a virtual keyboard on a display of the touch panel, the virtual keyboard comprising a plurality of virtual keys;

an inputting module that displays the virtual keyboard on the touch panel when the electronic device is in an editing mode, and receives input letters of an English word;

a searching module that searches the English word database according to the input letters, and retrieves one or more possible words that begin with the input letters if the English word database comprises the one or more possible words;

a confirming module that confirms one or more next possible letters after the input letters as one or more predictive letters according to the one or more possible words, and confirms one or more virtual keys corresponding to the one or more predictive letters; and

a displaying module that highlights the confirmed one or more virtual keys on the virtual keyboard.

2. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more programs further comprise a judging module that determines whether the English word has been finished inputted.

3. The electronic device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the judging module determines whether the English word has been finished inputted by determining if a punctuation on the virtual keyboard is input, a space bar on the virtual keyboard is pressed, or the editing mode is exited.

4. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the searching module further returns a message prompt on the display for prompting that the English word database does not comprise possible word that begins with the input letters.

5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the displaying module highlights the confirmed one or more virtual keys on the virtual keyboard by enhancing brightness of the confirmed one or more virtual keys, embossing the confirmed one or more virtual keys, and/or displaying the confirmed one or more virtual keys and other virtual keys with different colors on the virtual keyboard.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a mobile phone, a notebook computer, or a personal digital assistant.

7. A computer-implemented method for predicting word input used in an electronic device, the electronic device comprising a storage device, the storage device storing an English word database, the method comprising:

generating a virtual keyboard on a display of a touch panel, the virtual keyboard comprising a plurality of virtual keys;

displaying the virtual keyboard on the touch panel of the electronic device when the electronic device is in an editing mode;

receiving input letters of an English word;

searching the English word database according to the input letters, and retrieving one or more possible words that begin with the input letters if the English word database comprises the one or more possible words;

confirming one or more next possible letters after the input letters as one or more predictive letters according to the one or more possible words, and confirming one or more virtual keys corresponding to the one or more predictive letters; and

highlighting the confirmed one or more virtual keys on the virtual keyboard.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

returning a message prompt on the display for prompting that the English word database does not comprise any possible word that begins with the input letters.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether the English word has been finished inputted;

if the English word has been finished inputted, ending this procedure;

if the English word has not been finished inputted, then returning to the step of receiving input letters of an English word.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the English word has been finished inputted is determined by if a punctuation on the virtual keyboard is input, a space bar on the virtual keyboard is pressed, or the editing mode is exited.

11. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the confirmed one or more virtual keys on the virtual keyboard is highlighted by enhancing brightness of the confirmed one or more virtual keys, embossing the confirmed one or more virtual keys, and/or displaying the confirmed one or more virtual keys and other virtual keys with different colors on the virtual keyboard.

12. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the electronic device is a mobile phone, a notebook computer, or a personal digital assistant.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions capable of being executed by a processor to perform a method for predicting word input used in an electronic device, the electronic device comprising a storage device, the storage device storing an English word database ,the method comprising:

generating a virtual keyboard on a display of a touch panel, the virtual keyboard comprising a plurality of virtual keys;

displaying the virtual keyboard on the touch panel of the electronic device when the electronic device is in an editing mode;

receiving input letters of an English word;

searching the English word database according to the input letters, and retrieving one or more possible words that begin with the input letters if the English word database comprises the one or more possible words;

confirming one or more next possible letters after the input letters as one or more predictive letters according to the one or more possible words, and confirming one or more virtual keys corresponding to the one or more predictive letters; and

highlighting the confirmed one or more virtual keys on the virtual keyboard.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as claimed in claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

returning a message prompt on the display for prompting that the English word database does not comprise any possible word that begins with the input letters.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as claimed in claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether the English word has been finished inputted;

if the English word has been finished inputted, ending this procedure;

if the English word has not been finished inputted, then returning to the step of receiving input letters of an English word.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as claimed in claim 15, wherein the English word has been finished inputted is determined by if a punctuation on the virtual keyboard is input, a space bar on the virtual keyboard is pressed, or the editing mode is exited.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as claimed in claim 13, wherein the confirmed one or more virtual keys on the virtual keyboard is highlighted by enhancing brightness of the confirmed one or more virtual keys, embossing the confirmed one or more virtual keys, and/or displaying the confirmed one or more virtual keys and other virtual keys with different colors on the virtual keyboard.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as claimed in claim 13, wherein the electronic device is a mobile phone, a notebook computer, or a personal digital assistant.