Language module and method for use with text processing devices

• US 20030144830A1
• Filed: 01/22/2002
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZI Corporation of Canada Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Zi Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Williams, Roland E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,949,513 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/018 Input/output arrangements for oriental characters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/58 including a multilanguage function

Abstract

A verbal interface appliance uses an attachable language-specific processing module to perform language-specific tasks. The language module implements an API by which the appliance can submit language-specific processing requests. The appliance submits data representing a user input gesture and receives both data representing appropriate feedback to the user in the language implemented by the language module and one or more candidates selected as likely interpretations of the user'"'"'s input gesture. The language module also provides font data lookup service to the appliance. The language module can support more than one written language and can support more than one textual input mode.

Claims

1. A language module (i) which is attachable to an appliance, (ii) which is configured to communicate with the appliance when so attached, and (iii) which is configured to perform language-specific tasks at the request of the appliance by:

receiving an instruction for language-specific processing from the appliance; and

sending resulting data of the language-specific processing to the appliance.

2. The language module of claim 1 wherein the language module is configured to perform language-specific tasks according to a subject language at the requests of the appliance by also:

receiving data representing a character in the subject language; and

sending data specifying a graphical representation of the character to the appliance.

3. The language module of claim 1 wherein the language module is configured to perform language-specific tasks according to a subject language at the request of the appliance by also:

receiving data representing a user input gesture; and

sending data representing one or more language units of the subject language in accordance with the user input gesture.

4. The language module of claim 3 wherein the language units are characters.

5. The language module of claim 3 wherein the language units are words.

6. The language module of claim 3 wherein the language units are phrases.

7. The language module of claim 3 wherein sending comprises:

selecting the one or more language units according to one or more preceding language units which were previously specified by the user.

8. The language module of claim 7 wherein selecting comprises:

determining word-continuation relationships between the preceding language units and the one or more language units.

9. The language module of claim 7 wherein selecting comprises:

determining name-continuation relationships between the preceding language units and the one or more language units.

10. The language module of claim 3 wherein the language module is configured to perform language-specific tasks according to the subject language at the request of the appliance by also:

sending data representing one or more language unit components which are of the subject language and which correspond to the user input gesture.