Performing autocomplete of content

• US 10,110,708 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2016
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
• Inventors: Zhang, Liming
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, EDWARD J
• Application Number:
  US15/387,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20170163770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/10 Text processing natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30; processing or translation of natural language G06F40/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/505 considering the load
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols

Abstract

Performing autocomplete of content is disclosed, including: generating a status lock configured to control sending requests to a server; generating a first suggestion request that includes a user input character; in response to an indication that the status lock is available, acquiring the status lock for the first suggestion request and sending the first suggestion request to the server; and in response to receipt of suggested content corresponding to the character from the server, releasing the status lock.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating a first suggestion request that includes a user input character;

determining that a status lock associated with controlling transmission of requests to a server is available including by determining that a value of the status lock indicates availability, wherein the status lock that is available indicates that suggested content corresponding to a previous suggestion request has been received from the server;

determining that a wait queue includes one or more previously input characters, wherein, prior to the one or more previously input characters included in the wait queue being sent to the server, a sequence of the one or more previously input characters included in the wait queue is modifiable in response to a user input edit with respect to content input in an input interface;

generating a second suggestion request based at least in part on the one or more previously input characters stored in the wait queue and the user input character included in the first suggestion request;

causing the status lock to be unavailable including by updating the value associated with the status lock to indicate unavailability, wherein the status lock that is unavailable indicates that suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request has not been received from the server; and

sending the second suggestion request to the server.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising clearing the wait queue.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

subsequent to the second suggestion request being sent to the server, receiving a new user input character;

determining that the status lock is unavailable including by determining that the value associated with the status lock indicates that the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request has not been received from the server; and

storing the new user input character in the wait queue.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

subsequent to the second suggestion request being sent to the server, receiving a new user input character;

determining that the status lock is unavailable including by determining that the value associated with the status lock indicates that the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request has not been received from the server;

storing the new user input character in the wait queue;

determining that a preset wait period has elapsed; and

in response to the determination that the preset wait period has elapsed;

generating a third suggestion request that includes the new user input character that is stored in the wait queue;

determining that the status lock is available including by determining that the value associated with the status lock indicates that the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request has been received from the server;

causing the status lock to be unavailable including by updating the value associated with the status lock to indicate that suggested content corresponding to the third suggestion request has not been received from the server; and

sending the third suggestion request to the server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the second suggestion request comprises:

generating a character string based at least in part on the one or more previously input characters and the user input character; and

including the character string in the second suggestion request.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the server, the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request; and

displaying the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the server, the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request;

modifying the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request including by deleting a portion of the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request that corresponds to a receipt of a selection to delete a character; and

displaying the modified suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request comprises one or more of the following:

a predicted set of one or more characters, a previously stored set of one or more characters, and a corrected spelling associated with a set of one or more characters.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the status lock comprises a global variable.

10. A computer program product, the computer program product is embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

generating a first suggestion request that includes a user input character;

determining that a status lock associated with controlling transmission of requests to a server is available including by determining that a value of the status lock indicates availability, wherein the status lock that is available indicates that suggested content corresponding to a previous suggestion request has been received from the server;

determining that a wait queue includes one or more previously input characters, wherein, prior to the one or more previously input characters included in the wait queue being sent to the server, a sequence of the one or more previously input characters included in the wait queue is modifiable in response to a user input edit with respect to content input in an input interface;

generating a second suggestion request based at least in part on the one or more previously input characters stored in the wait queue and the user input character included in the first suggestion request;

causing the status lock to be unavailable including by updating the value associated with the status lock to indicate unavailability, wherein the status lock that is unavailable indicates that suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request has not been received from the server; and

sending the second suggestion request to the server.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

subsequent to the second suggestion request being sent to the server, receiving a new user input character;

determining that the status lock is unavailable including by determining that the value associated with the status lock indicates that the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request has not been received from the server; and

storing the new user input character in the wait queue.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

subsequent to the second suggestion request being sent to the server, receiving a new user input character;

determining that the status lock is unavailable including by determining that the value associated with the status lock indicates that the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request has not been received from the server;

storing the new user input character in the wait queue;

determining that a preset wait period has elapsed; and

in response to the determination that the preset wait period has elapsed;

generating a third suggestion request that includes the new user input character that is stored in the wait queue;

determining that the status lock is available including by determining that the value associated with the status lock indicates that the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request has been received from the server;

causing the status lock to be unavailable including by updating the value associated with the status lock to indicate that suggested content corresponding to the third suggestion request has not been received from the server; and

sending the third suggestion request to the server.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein generating the second suggestion request comprises:

generating a character string based at least in part on the one or more previously input characters and the user input character; and

including the character string in the second suggestion request.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, from the server, the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request; and

displaying the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request.

15. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, from the server, the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request;

modifying the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request including by deleting a portion of the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request that corresponds to a receipt of a selection to delete a character; and

displaying the modified suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request.

16. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request comprises one or more of the following:

a predicted set of one or more characters, a previously stored set of one or more characters, and a corrected spelling associated with a set of one or more characters.

17. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the status lock comprises a global variable.

18. A system, comprising:

one or more processors configured to;

generate a first suggestion request that includes a user input character;

determine that a status lock associated with controlling transmission of requests to a server is available including to determine that a value of the status lock indicates availability, wherein the status lock that is available indicates that suggested content corresponding to a previous suggestion request has been received from the server;

determine that a wait queue includes one or more previously input characters, wherein, prior to the one or more previously input characters included in the wait queue being sent to the server, a sequence of the one or more previously input characters included in the wait queue is modifiable in response to a user input edit with respect to content input in an input interface;

generate a second suggestion request based at least in part on the one or more previously input characters stored in the wait queue and the user input character included in the first suggestion request;

cause the status lock to be unavailable including to update the value associated with the status lock to indicate unavailability, wherein the status lock that is unavailable indicates that suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request has not been received from the server; and

send the second suggestion request to the server; and

one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors and configured to provide the one or more processors with instructions.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

subsequent to the second suggestion request being sent to the server, receive a new user input character;

determine that the status lock is unavailable including to determine that the value associated with the status lock indicates that the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request has not been received from the server; and

store the new user input character in the wait queue.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

subsequent to the second suggestion request being sent to the server, receive a new user input character;

determine that the status lock is unavailable including to determine that the value associated with the status lock indicates that the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request has not been received from the server;

store the new user input character in the wait queue;

determine that a preset wait period has elapsed; and

in response to the determination that the preset wait period has elapsed;

generate a third suggestion request that includes the new user input character that is stored in the wait queue;

determine that the status lock is available including to determine that the value associated with the status lock indicates that the suggested content corresponding to the second suggestion request has been received from the server;

cause the status lock to be unavailable including to update the value associated with the status lock to indicate that suggested content corresponding to the third suggestion request has not been received from the server; and

send the third suggestion request to the server.