Providing autocomplete suggestions

• US 8,645,825 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2011
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Cornea, Radu C., Weininger, Nicholas B.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUYNH, CONG LAC T
• Application Number:
  US13/222,783
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 715/255, 715/256, 715/257, 715/260
• US Class Current: 715/257
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/232 Orthographic correction, e.g. spell checking or vowelisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing autocomplete suggestions. A computing device can receive an n-gram of characters. Cached autocomplete suggestions can be identified in a local cache of the computing device. Additional autocomplete suggestions can be requested at a first time. The computing device can prevent presentation of the cached autocomplete suggestions until a presentation event occurs. The presentation event can include (i) receiving the requested additional autocomplete suggestions by the computing device or (ii) the end of a predetermined period after the first time. The computing device can determine that that the presentation event has occurred, and in response, can display one or more autocomplete suggestions.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, an n-gram of characters;

identifying, in a local cache of the computing device, cached autocomplete suggestions for the n-gram;

requesting, at a first time and over a network, additional autocomplete suggestions for the n-gram;

preventing, by the computing device, presentation of the cached autocomplete suggestions until a presentation event occurs, wherein the presentation event comprises (i) receiving the requested additional autocomplete suggestions by the computing device or (ii) the end of a predetermined period after the first time;

determining that the presentation event has occurred; and

in response to determining that the presentation event has occurred, presenting one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions or the additional autocomplete suggestions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the presentation event has occurred comprises determining that the predetermined period after the first time has ended;

and

wherein, in response to determining that the presentation event has occurred, presenting the one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions or the additional autocomplete suggestions comprises presenting one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the presentation event has occurred comprises determining that the requested additional autocomplete suggestions have been received by the computing device;

and

wherein, in response to determining that the presentation event has occurred, presenting the one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions or the additional autocomplete suggestions comprises presenting one or more of the received additional autocomplete suggestions.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, in response to determining that the presentation event has occurred, presenting the one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions or the additional autocomplete suggestions comprises presenting one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein preventing, by the computing device, presentation of the cached autocomplete suggestions until the presentation event occurs, wherein the presentation event comprises (i) receiving the requested additional autocomplete suggestions by the computing device or (ii) the end of a predetermined period after the first time comprises:

preventing, by the computing device, presentation of the cached autocomplete suggestions until the earlier of (i) receiving the requested additional autocomplete suggestions by the computing device and (ii) the end of the predetermined period after the first time.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating determining the predetermined period based on a typing speed of a user of the computing device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a network connection type of the computing device; and

determining the predetermined period based on the network connection type.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the additional autocomplete suggestions over the network after the predetermined period has elapsed; and

updating a display to indicate the received additional autocomplete suggestions.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein updating the display to indicate the received additional autocomplete suggestions comprises:

determining that a second presentation event has occurred, the second presentation event corresponding to the end of a predetermined time period after presenting the cached autocomplete suggestions; and

updating the display to indicate the received additional autocomplete suggestions in response to determining that the second presentation event has occurred.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein updating the display to indicate the received additional autocomplete suggestions comprises displaying the additional autocomplete suggestions and the cached autocomplete suggestions.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising, before updating the display to indicate the received autocomplete suggestions, indicating that the display will be altered.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the additional autocomplete suggestions;

determining that the received additional autocomplete suggestions should be presented based on a number of additional autocomplete suggestions received or based on a quality score associated with one or more of the received autocomplete suggestions; and

presenting the additional autocomplete suggestions in response to determining that the additional autocomplete suggestions should be presented.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the additional autocomplete suggestions;

determining that the received additional autocomplete suggestions should be presented based on a number of cached additional autocomplete suggestions identified in the local cache or based on a quality score associated with one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions; and

presenting the received additional autocomplete suggestions in response to determining that the received additional autocomplete suggestions should be presented.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the additional autocomplete suggestions; and

updating the local cache of the computing device based on the received additional autocomplete suggestions.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the additional autocomplete suggestions, the additional autocomplete suggestions that are received being selected based on a usage frequency of text that is input to any of a plurality of devices associated with a user account for a user of the computing device.

16. A system comprising:

one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising;

receiving, by the one or more computers, an n-gram of characters;

identifying, in a local cache of the one or more computers, cached autocomplete suggestions for the n-gram;

requesting, at a first time and over a network, additional autocomplete suggestions for the n-gram;

preventing, by the one or more computers, presentation of the cached autocomplete suggestions until a presentation event occurs, wherein the presentation event comprises (i) receiving the requested additional autocomplete suggestions by the one or more computers or (ii) the end of a predetermined period after the first time;

determining that the presentation event has occurred; and

in response to determining that the presentation event has occurred, presenting one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions or the additional autocomplete suggestions.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein determining that the presentation event has occurred comprises determining that the predetermined period after the first time has ended;

and

wherein, in response to determining that the presentation event has occurred, presenting the one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions or the additional autocomplete suggestions comprises presenting one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein determining that the presentation event has occurred comprises determining that the requested additional autocomplete suggestions have been received by the computing device;

and

wherein, in response to determining that the presentation event has occurred, presenting the one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions or the additional autocomplete suggestions comprises presenting one or more of the received additional autocomplete suggestions.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein, in response to determining that the presentation event has occurred, presenting the one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions or the additional autocomplete suggestions comprises presenting one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein preventing, by the one or more computers, presentation of the cached autocomplete suggestions until the presentation event occurs, wherein the presentation event comprises (i) receiving the requested additional autocomplete suggestions by the computing device or (ii) the end of a predetermined period after the first time comprises:

preventing, by the one or more computers, presentation of the cached autocomplete suggestions until the earlier of (i) receiving the requested additional autocomplete suggestions by the computing device and (ii) the end of the predetermined period after the first time.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise determining the predetermined period based on a typing speed of a user of the one or more computers.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying a network connection type of the one or more computers; and

determining the predetermined period based on the network connection type.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving the additional autocomplete suggestions over the network after the predetermined period has elapsed; and

updating a display to indicate the received additional autocomplete suggestions.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein updating the display to indicate the received additional autocomplete suggestions comprises:

determining that a second presentation event has occurred, the second presentation event corresponding to the end of a predetermined time period after presenting the cached autocomplete suggestions; and

updating the display to indicate the received additional autocomplete suggestions in response to determining that the second presentation event has occurred.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein updating the display to indicate the received additional autocomplete suggestions comprises displaying the additional autocomplete suggestions and the cached autocomplete suggestions.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the operations further comprise, before updating the display to indicate the received autocomplete suggestions, indicating that the display will be altered.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving the additional autocomplete suggestions;

determining that the received additional autocomplete suggestions should be presented based on a number of additional autocomplete suggestions received or based on a quality score associated with one or more of the received autocomplete suggestions; and

presenting the additional autocomplete suggestions in response to determining that the additional autocomplete suggestions should be presented.

28. The system of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving the additional autocomplete suggestions;

determining that the received additional autocomplete suggestions should be presented based on a number of cached additional autocomplete suggestions identified in the local cache or based on a quality score associated with one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions; and

presenting the received additional autocomplete suggestions in response to determining that the received additional autocomplete suggestions should be presented.

29. The system of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving the additional autocomplete suggestions; and

updating the local cache of the one or more computers based on the received additional autocomplete suggestions.

30. The system of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise receiving the additional autocomplete suggestions, the additional autocomplete suggestions that are received being selected based on a usage frequency of text that is input to any of a plurality of devices associated with a user account for a user of the one or more computers.

31. A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by the one or more computers, an n-gram of characters;

identifying, in a local cache of the one or more computers, cached autocomplete suggestions for the n-gram;

requesting, at a first time and over a network, additional autocomplete suggestions for the n-gram;

preventing, by the one or more computers, presentation of the cached autocomplete suggestions until a presentation event occurs, wherein the presentation event comprises (i) receiving the requested additional autocomplete suggestions by the one or more computers or (ii) the end of a predetermined period after the first time;

determining that the presentation event has occurred; and

in response to determining that the presentation event has occurred, presenting one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions or the additional autocomplete suggestions.

32. The computer storage medium of claim 31, wherein determining that the presentation event has occurred comprises determining that the predetermined period after the first time has ended;

and

wherein, in response to determining that the presentation event has occurred, presenting the one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions or the additional autocomplete suggestions comprises presenting one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions.

33. The computer storage medium of claim 31, wherein determining that the presentation event has occurred comprises determining that the requested additional autocomplete suggestions have been received by the computing device;

and

wherein, in response to determining that the presentation event has occurred, presenting the one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions or the additional autocomplete suggestions comprises presenting one or more of the received additional autocomplete suggestions.

34. The computer storage medium of claim 33, wherein, in response to determining that the presentation event has occurred, presenting the one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions or the additional autocomplete suggestions comprises presenting one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions.

35. The computer storage medium of claim 31, wherein preventing, by the one or more computers, presentation of the cached autocomplete suggestions until the presentation event occurs, wherein the presentation event comprises (i) receiving the requested additional autocomplete suggestions by the computing device or (ii) the end of a predetermined period after the first time comprises:

preventing, by the one or more computers, presentation of the cached autocomplete suggestions until the earlier of (i) receiving the requested additional autocomplete suggestions by the computing device and (ii) the end of the predetermined period after the first time.

36. The computer storage medium of claim 31, wherein the operations further comprise determining the predetermined period based on a typing speed of a user of the one or more computers.

37. The computer storage medium of claim 31, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying a network connection type of the one or more computers; and

determining the predetermined period based on the network connection type.

38. The computer storage medium of claim 31, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving the additional autocomplete suggestions over the network after the predetermined period has elapsed; and

updating a display to indicate the received additional autocomplete suggestions.

39. The computer storage medium of claim 38, wherein updating the display to indicate the received additional autocomplete suggestions comprises:

determining that a second presentation event has occurred, the second presentation event corresponding to the end of a predetermined time period after presenting the cached autocomplete suggestions; and

updating the display to indicate the received additional autocomplete suggestions in response to determining that the second presentation event has occurred.

40. The computer storage medium of claim 38, wherein updating the display to indicate the received additional autocomplete suggestions comprises displaying the additional autocomplete suggestions and the cached autocomplete suggestions.

41. The computer storage medium of claim 38, wherein the operations further comprise, before updating the display to indicate the received autocomplete suggestions, indicating that the display will be altered.

42. The computer storage medium of claim 31, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving the additional autocomplete suggestions;

determining that the received additional autocomplete suggestions should be presented based on a number of additional autocomplete suggestions received or based on a quality score associated with one or more of the received autocomplete suggestions; and

presenting the additional autocomplete suggestions in response to determining that the additional autocomplete suggestions should be presented.

43. The computer storage medium of claim 31, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving the additional autocomplete suggestions;

determining that the received additional autocomplete suggestions should be presented based on a number of cached additional autocomplete suggestions identified in the local cache or based on a quality score associated with one or more of the cached autocomplete suggestions; and

presenting the received additional autocomplete suggestions in response to determining that the received additional autocomplete suggestions should be presented.

44. The computer storage medium of claim 31, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving the additional autocomplete suggestions; and

updating the local cache of the one or more computers based on the received additional autocomplete suggestions.

45. The computer storage medium of claim 31, wherein the operations further comprise receiving the additional autocomplete suggestions, the additional autocomplete suggestions that are received being selected based on a usage frequency of text that is input to any of a plurality of devices associated with a user account for a user of the one or more computers.