Method, system, and graphical user interface for providing word recommendations

• US 10,592,100 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2016
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Kocienda, Kenneth, Ording, Bas
• Primary Examiner(s): Bloomquist, Keith D
• Application Number:
  US15/003,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20160139805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs

Abstract

One aspect of the invention relates to a method of displaying, in a first area of the display, a current character string being input by a user; displaying, in a second area of the display distinct from the first area, a plurality of suggested replacement character strings; detecting an input from a user; in accordance with a determination that the input selects one of the plurality of suggested replacement character strings, replacing the current character string in the first area of the display with the selected one of the plurality of suggested replacement character strings; and in accordance with a determination that the input confirms the current charactering string, keeping the current character string in the first area on the display.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a display;

one or more processors;

a memory comprising computer instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to;

display, at a location in a first area of the display, a current character string being input by a user;

in response to detecting input of the current character string;

concurrently display, in a second area of the display distinct from the first area, a plurality of suggested replacement character strings, wherein the plurality of suggested replacement character strings displayed in the second area on the display includes a duplicate of the current character string; and

highlight the current character string;

detect an input from a user;

in accordance with a determination that the input selects the current character string at the location in the first area, replace display of the current character string at the location in the first area of the display with a highest ranked suggested replacement string among the plurality of suggested replacement character strings;

in accordance with a determination that the input selects one of the plurality of suggested replacement character strings, replace display of the current character string at the location in the first area of the display with the selected one of the plurality of suggested replacement character strings and cease to display the plurality of suggested replacement character strings in the second area on the display; and

in accordance with a determination that the input confirms the current character string, remove highlighting of the current character string while maintaining display of the current character string at the location in the first area on the display and cease to display the plurality of suggested replacement character strings in the second area on the display.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the computer instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the device to:

in accordance with the determination that the input confirms the current character string, add a space after the current character string at the location in the first area on the display.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the input comprises a finger tap on the second area of the display.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the input comprises activation of a key on a keyboard.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the computer instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the device to:

highlight the selected suggested replacement character string among the plurality of suggested replacement character strings.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the computer instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the device to:

detect an activation of a key on a keyboard that is associated with a delimiter; and

in response to detecting the activation of the key on the keyboard that is with the delimiter, replace the current character string at the location in the first area of the display with a suggested replacement character string that is highest ranked among the plurality of suggested replacement character strings displayed in the second area of the display.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the plurality of suggested replacement character strings are displayed in ranking order based at least on preferences of the user.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein if the current character string is longer than a predefined length, the duplicate of the current character string is a subset of characters in the current character string.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the computer instructions for replacing display of the current character string at the location in the first area of the display with the selected one of the plurality of suggested replacement character strings, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the device to:

cease to display the current character string at the location in the first area of the display; and

display, at the location in the first area of the display, the selected one of the plurality of suggested replacement character strings.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the computer instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the device to:

in response to detecting a second input from a user, display a second plurality of suggested replacement character strings in a balloon graphic extending from the selected one of the plurality of suggested replacement character strings at the location in the first area of the display.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed by a portable electronic device with a display and one or more processors, cause the device to:

display, at a location in a first area of the display, a current character string being input by a user;

in response to detecting input of the current character string;

concurrently display, in a second area of the display distinct from the first area, a plurality of suggested replacement character strings, wherein the plurality of suggested replacement character strings displayed in the second area on the display includes a duplicate of the current character string; and

highlight the current character string;

detect an input from a user;

in accordance with a determination that the input selects the current character string at the location in the first area, replace display of the current character string at the location in the first area of the display with a highest ranked suggested replacement string among the plurality of suggested replacement character strings;

in accordance with a determination that the input selects one of the plurality of suggested replacement character strings, replace display of the current character string at the location in the first area of the display with the selected one of the plurality of suggested replacement character strings and cease to display the plurality of suggested replacement character strings in the second area on the display; and

in accordance with a determination that the input confirms the current character string, remove highlighting of the current character string while maintaining display of the current character string at the location in the first area on the display and cease to display the plurality of suggested replacement character strings in the second area on the display.

12. The medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed by the device, further cause the device to:

in accordance with the determination that the input confirms the current character string, add a space after the current character string at the location in the first area on the display.

13. The medium of claim 11, wherein the input comprises a finger tap on the second area of the display.

14. The medium of claim 11, wherein the input comprises activation of a key on a keyboard.

15. The medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed by the device, further cause the device to:

highlight the selected suggested replacement character string among the plurality of suggested replacement character strings.

16. The medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed by the device, further cause the device to:

detect an activation of a key on a keyboard that is associated with a delimiter; and

in response to detecting the activation of the key on the keyboard that is with the delimiter, replace the current character string at the location in the first area of the display with a suggested replacement character string that is highest ranked among the plurality of suggested replacement character strings displayed in the second area of the display.

17. The medium of claim 11, wherein the plurality of suggested replacement character strings are displayed in ranking order based at least on preferences of the user.

18. The medium of claim 11, wherein if the current character string is longer than a predefined length, the duplicate of the current character string is a subset of characters in the current character string.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions for replacing display of the current character string at the location in the first area of the display with the selected one of the plurality of suggested replacement character strings, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the device to:

cease to display the current character string at the location in the first area of the display; and

display, at the location in the first area of the display, the selected one of the plurality of suggested replacement character strings.

20. The medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed by the device, further cause the device to:

in response to detecting a second input from a user, display a second plurality of suggested replacement character strings in a balloon graphic extending from the selected one of the plurality of suggested replacement character strings at the location in the first area of the display.

21. A method comprising:

at a portable electronic device with a display;

displaying, at the location in a first area of the display, a current character string being input by a user;

in response to detecting input of the current character string;

concurrently displaying, in a second area of the display distinct from the first area, a plurality of suggested replacement character strings, wherein the plurality of suggested replacement character strings displayed in the second area on the display includes a duplicate of the current character string; and

highlighting the current character string;

detecting an input from a user;

in accordance with a determination that the input selects the current character string at the location in the first area, replacing display of the current character string at the location in the first area of the display with a highest ranked suggested replacement string among the plurality of suggested replacement character strings;

in accordance with a determination that the input selects one of the plurality of suggested replacement character strings, replacing display of the current character string at the location in the first area of the display with the selected one of the plurality of suggested replacement character strings and ceasing to display the plurality of suggested replacement character strings in the second area on the display; and

in accordance with a determination that the input confirms the current character string, removing highlighting of the current character string while maintaining display of the current character string at the location in the first area on the display and ceasing to display and cease to display the plurality of suggested replacement character strings in the second area on the display.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising in accordance with the determination that the input confirms the current character string, adding a space after the current character string at the location in the first area on the display.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the input comprises a finger tap on the second area of the display.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the input comprises activation of a key on a keyboard.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising highlighting the selected suggested replacement character string among the plurality of suggested replacement character strings.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

detecting an activation of a key on a keyboard that is associated with a delimiter; and

in response to detecting the activation of the key on the keyboard that is with the delimiter, replacing the current character string at the location in the first area of the display with a suggested replacement character string that is highest ranked among the plurality of suggested replacement character strings displayed in the second area of the display.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the plurality of suggested replacement character strings are displayed in ranking order based at least on preferences of the user.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein if the current character string is longer than a predefined length, the duplicate of the current character string is a subset of characters in the current character string.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein replacing display of the current character string at the location in the first area of the display with the selected one of the plurality of suggested replacement character strings comprises:

ceasing to display the current character string at the location in the first area of the display; and

displaying, at the location in the first area of the display, the selected one of the plurality of suggested replacement character strings.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

in response to detecting a second input from a user, display a second plurality of suggested replacement character strings in a balloon graphic extending from the selected one of the plurality of suggested replacement character strings at the location in the first area of the display.