Communication terminal having a text editor application with a word completion feature

• US 20030104839A1
• Filed: 11/27/2001
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Korhonen, Panu, Kraft, Christian, Marila, Juha, Hansen, Lars Bohn, Pedersen, Claus Aagaard, Benner, Jens
• Granted Patent: US 7,149,550 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• 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
• 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 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation methods for entering alphabetical characters per se G06F3/0237

Abstract

The input of words into a text string in a communication terminal is handled by recording a key stroke sequence inputted for characterising one of said words, and comparing said key strokes sequence with candidates in a word completion directory in order to find word completion candidates matching said key stroke sequence. One of said matching word completion candidates is displayed in the display for selection by the user. When the user selects a word which exceeds a first predetermined number of characters the selected word is added to the directory including a plurality of word completion candidates, if the selected word is not present there already.

Claims

1. A method of handling the input of words into a text string in a communication terminal, comprising steps of:

recording a key stroke sequence inputted for characterizing one of said words;

comparing said key strokes sequence with candidates in a word completion directory in order to find word completion candidates matching said key stroke sequence;

displaying one of said matching word completion candidates in the display for selection by the user; and

adding a word selected by the user to said directory including a plurality of word completion candidates, if the selected word exceeds a first predetermined number of characters, and if this word is not present there already.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the candidates in the word completion directory comprises a plurality text strings each consisting of a plurality of individual words and derived from text messages stored in the communication terminal.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein the user, when the candidate consisting of a text string consisting of a plurality of individual words, selects the candidate word by word.

4. Method according to claim 2, wherein the user, when the candidate consisting of a text string consisting of a plurality of individual words, selects all the words in the text string of the candidate.

5. Method according to claim 2, wherein the user, when the candidate consisting of a text string consisting of a plurality of individual words, selects the first candidate word in the text string by pressing a select-key for a period shorter than a predetermined period of time, and the entire text string by pressing the select-key for a period longer than a predetermined period of time.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the word completion candidates in the word completion directory are searched for matches, when the number of key strokes to be interpreted exceeds a second predetermined number of key strokes.

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein the second predetermined number of keystrokes is four.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined number of keystrokes is two.

9. Method according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of text strings each consisting of a plurality of words is searched when a third number of keystrokes has been entered for the entire text string.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein the third predetermined number of keystrokes is four.

11. Method according to claim 1, wherein the word completion directory contains words being entered by the user by means of a text editor during a plurality of different sessions.

12. Method according to claim 11, wherein the word completion directory contains words being entered by the user in a previously terminated message writing session.

13. Method according to any of the claims 1-12, wherein the key strokes sequence is inputted to a predictive search engine outputting matches matching an ambiguous string of key strokes.

25. A character entry application according to claim 9, wherein the third predetermined number of keystrokes is four.

39. A communication terminal according to claim 9, wherein the third predetermined number of keystrokes is four.

14. A character entry application for use in a communication terminal for entering a text string for use in text applications, and comprising:

text entry keys for entering a key stroke sequence inputted for characterizing a character string;

a word completion directory;

means for recording the inputted key stroke sequence;

means for comparing the inputted key strokes sequence with candidates in the word completion directory in order to find word completion candidates matching the inputted key stroke sequence;

a display for displaying one of said matching word completion candidates;

means for selecting the displayed one of said matching word completion candidates; and

means for adding a selected word to said directory including a plurality of word completion candidates, if the selected word exceeds a first predetermined number of characters, and if this word is not present there already.

15. A character entry application according to claim 14, and furthermore comprising a predictive search engine to which the recorded key strokes sequence is inputted, and wherefrom matches matching an ambiguous string of key strokes is outputted in response to the inputted recorded key strokes sequence.

16. A character entry application according to claim 14, wherein the character entry application provides matches matching a string of non-ambiguous keystrokes inputted as the recorded keystrokes sequence.

17. A character entry application according to claim 14, wherein the candidates in the word completion directory comprises a plurality text strings each consisting of a plurality of individual words and derived from text messages stored in the communication terminal.

18. A character entry application according to claim 17 and comprising selection means by means of which the user selects the candidate word by word, when the candidate consisting of a text string consists of a plurality of individual words.

19. A character entry application according to claim 17, and comprising selection means by means of which the user selects all the word in the text string of the candidate, when the candidate consists of a text string consisting of a plurality of individual words.

20. A character entry application according to claim 17, and comprising a select-key by means of which the user selects the first candidate word in the text string by pressing the select-key for a period shorter than a predetermined period of time, and the entire text string by pressing the select-key for a period longer than a predetermined period of time, when the candidate consisting of a text string consists of a plurality of individual words.

21. A character entry application according to claim 14, wherein the word completion candidates in the word completion directory are searched for matches, when the number of key strokes to be interpreted exceeds a second predetermined number of key strokes.

22. A character entry application according to claim 21, wherein the second predetermined number of keystrokes is four.

23. A character entry application according to claim 14, wherein the first predetermined number of keystrokes is two.

24. A character entry application according to claim 17, wherein the plurality of text strings each consisting of a plurality of words is searched when a third number of key strokes has been entered for the entire text string.

26. A character entry application according to claim 14, wherein the word completion directory contains words that are entered by the user by means of a text editor during a plurality of different sessions.

27. A character entry application according to claim 26, wherein the word completion directory contains words being entered by the user in a previously terminated message writing session.

28. A communication terminal having character entry application for entering a text string for use in text applications, and comprising:

text entry keys for entering a key stroke sequence inputted for characterizing a character string;

a word completion directory;

means for recording the inputted key stroke sequence;

means for comparing the inputted key strokes sequence with candidates in the word completion directory in order to find word completion candidates matching the inputted key stroke sequence;

a display for displaying one of said matching word completion candidates;

means for selecting the displayed one of said matching word completion candidates; and

means for adding a selected word to said directory including a plurality of word completion candidates, if the selected word exceeds a first predetermined number of characters, and if this word is not present there already.

29. A communication terminal according to claim 28, and furthermore comprising a predictive search engine to which the recorded key strokes sequence is inputted, and wherefrom matches matching an ambiguous string of key strokes is outputted in response to the inputted recorded key strokes sequence.

30. A communication terminal according to claim 28, wherein the character entry application provides matches matching a string of non-ambiguous keystrokes inputted as the recorded keystrokes sequence.

31. A communication terminal according to claim 28, wherein the candidates in the word completion directory comprises a plurality text strings each consisting of a plurality of individual words and derived from text messages stored in the communication terminal.

32. A communication terminal according to claim 31, and comprising selection means by means of which the user selects the candidate word by word, when the candidate consisting of a text string consists of a plurality of individual words.

33. A communication terminal according to claim 31, and comprising selection means by means of which the user selects all the word in the text string of the candidate, when the candidate consisting of a text string consists of a plurality of individual words.

34. A communication terminal according to claim 31, and comprising a select-key by means of which the user selects the first candidate word in the text string by pressing the select-key for a period shorter than a predetermined period of time, and the entire text string by pressing the select-key for a period longer than a predetermined period of time, when the candidate consists of a text string consisting of a plurality of individual words.

35. A communication terminal according to claim 28, wherein the word completion candidates in the word completion directory are searched for matches, when the number of key strokes to be interpreted exceeds a second predetermined number of key strokes.

36. A communication terminal according to claim 35, wherein the second predetermined number of keystrokes is four.

37. A communication terminal according to claim 28, wherein the first predetermined number of keystrokes is two.

38. A communication terminal according to claim 31, wherein the plurality of text strings each consisting of a plurality of words is searched when a third number of keystrokes has been entered for the entire text string.

40. A communication terminal according to claim 28, wherein the word completion directory contains words being entered by the user by means of a text editor during a plurality of different sessions.

41. A communication terminal according to claim 40, wherein the word completion directory contains words being entered by the user in a previously terminated message writing session.