ADAPTIVE DATABASES

• US 20080126436A1
• Filed: 01/26/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Thorn, Ola Karl
• Granted Patent: US 7,774,334 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• 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

A communication device includes an input device that is configured to receive input from a user and a memory configured to store a first database associated with word prediction. The communication device may also include logic configured to form a connection with a second communication device, where the second communication device includes a second database associated with word prediction. The logic may also be configured to obtain at least part of the second database, store the obtained part of the second database and perform word prediction on the received input using the obtained part of the second database.

Claims

1. A first communication device, comprising:

an input device configured to receive input from a user;

a memory configured to store a first database associated with word prediction; and

logic configured to;

form a connection with a second communication device, the second communication device including a second database associated with word prediction,

obtain at least a portion of the second database,

store at least the portion of the second database in the first communication device, and

perform word prediction on the received input using at least the portion of the second database.

2. The first communication device of claim 1, wherein when storing at least the portion of the second database, the logic is configured to:

merge the portion of the second database with the first database, and

stored the merged databases in the memory.

3. The first communication device of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to:

analyze the second database, and

identify at least one of similarities or differences between the first and second databases.

4. The first communication device of claim 3, wherein the logic is further configured to:

determine whether to store at least the portion of the second database in the first communication device based on the identifying.

5. The first communication device of claim 3, wherein when the identifying at least one of similarities or differences between the first and second databases, the logic is configured to:

identify similarities based on the inclusion of at least one infrequently used word in both the first and second databases.

6. The first communication device of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to:

identify whether a contacts list or address book stored in each of the respective first and second communication devices include at least one same contact, and

store at least the portion of the second database in the first communication device when the contacts list or address book stored in each of the respective first and second communication devices include at least one same contact.

7. The first communication device of claim 1, wherein when performing word prediction, the logic is configured to:

perform word prediction based on a time of day or a period of time.

8. The first communication device of claim 7, wherein when performing word prediction based on the time of day or the period of time, the logic is configured to:

weight a word more frequently input during a first time of day as a more likely word candidate corresponding to the received input when the input was received during the first time of day.

9. The first communication device of claim 1, wherein when obtaining at least the portion of the second database, the logic is configured to:

communicate with the second communication device over a wireless network, and

retrieve at least the portion of the second database without input from the user.

10. The first communication device of claim 1, wherein the first communication device comprises a mobile terminal.

11. In a first mobile terminal storing a first database associated with word prediction, a method comprising:

forming a connection with a second mobile terminal via a wireless network, the second mobile terminal including a second database associated with word prediction;

obtaining at least a portion of the second database;

storing at least the portion of the second database in the first mobile terminal;

receiving input from a user via an alpha-numeric keypad; and

performing word prediction on the received input using the portion of the second database and the first database.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the storing at least a portion of the second database comprises:

merging the second database with the first database.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

analyzing the second database;

identifying at least one of similarities or differences between the first and second databases; and

determining whether to store at least the portion of the second database in the first mobile terminal based on the identifying.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the identifying at least one of similarities or differences between the first and second databases comprises:

identifying similarities based on the inclusion of at least one infrequently used word in both the first and second databases.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

identifying whether a contacts list or address book stored in each of the respective first and second mobile terminals include at least one same contact; and

storing at least the portion of the second database in the first mobile terminal when the contacts list or address book stored in each of the respective first and second mobile terminals include at least one same contact.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the performing word prediction comprises:

weighting a word more frequently input by the user of the first mobile terminal during a first time of day as a more likely word candidate corresponding to the received input when the input was received during the first time of day.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the obtaining comprises:

communicating with the second mobile terminal over a wireless network, and

retrieving at least the portion of the second database without input from the user.

18. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

form a connection with a first mobile terminal via a wireless network;

access a first database of the first mobile terminal, the first database being associated with word prediction;

analyze the first database;

obtain at least a portion of the first database; and

store at least the portion of the first database in a memory.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is included on a second mobile terminal comprising a second database and the instructions for analyzing the first database cause the at least one processor to:

identify at least one of similarities or differences between the first and second databases; and

determine whether to store at least the portion of the first database in the second mobile terminal based on the identifying.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions for identifying at least one of similarities or differences between the first and second databases cause the at least one processor to:

identify similarities based on the inclusion of at least one infrequently used word in both the first and second databases.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions for identifying at least one of similarities or differences between the first and second databases cause the at least one processor to:

identify similarities based on common information stored in a contacts list or address book stored in each of the respective first and second mobile terminals.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions for causing the at least one processor to:

receive user input associated with a text message; and

perform word recognition on the user input using the stored portion of the first database.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor is included on a second mobile terminal and the instructions for causing the at least one processor to perform word recognition cause the at least one processor to:

weight a word more frequently input by the user of the second mobile terminal during a first time of day as a more likely word candidate corresponding to the received input when the input was received during the first time of day.