METHOD OF TEXT TYPE-AHEAD

• US 20080320411A1
• Filed: 06/21/2007
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Yen-Fu, Walker, Keith R., Morgan, Fabian F., White Eagle, Sarah V.
• Granted Patent: US 9,251,137 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/780
• 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

Abstract

Methods and arrangements of text entry are discussed. Embodiments include transformations, code, state machines or other logic to enter text selecting text based upon the number of words in phrases of the text, upon the number of letters in words of the text, or upon other patterns of the text. The method may also involve indexing the selected text, matching text currently being entered by the user into an application to a portion of a segment of the indexed text, and entering a remaining portion of the segment of the indexed text into the application based upon the matching. In many embodiments, the text may be selected from the text entered into any of several applications. In a few embodiments, the text may be selected from sources specified by a user. In further embodiments, the sources may constitute data files.

Claims

1. A method of text entry comprising:

selecting text based upon patterns of the text, the patterns based upon the number of words in phrases of the text or upon the number of letters in words of the text;

indexing the selected text;

matching text currently being entered by the user into an application to a portion of a segment of the indexed text; and

entering a remaining portion of the segment of the indexed text into the application based upon the matching.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

matching text currently being entered by the user into an application to a portion of a single word of the indexed text; and

entering the single word of text into the application based upon the matching.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting comprises selecting text from text entered by the user in a first application and selecting text from text entered in a second application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting comprises:

receiving a specification of sources from a user; and

selecting text from sources of text, based upon the specification of sources.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the receiving comprises receiving a specification of data files.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting comprises selecting text based upon patterns of text specified by the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting comprises selecting text from text entered by the user into a window of an application, wherein the user closed the window without saving the text entered into the window to the application.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the indexing comprises:

indexing a first collection of text entered by the user;

receiving additional text entered by the user; and

incrementally indexing the additional text.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the indexing comprises indexing the selected text at a time based upon a time specified by the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the matching comprises matching text currently being entered by the user into an application to a portion of a segment of the indexed text in response to a keystroke or combination of keystrokes entered by the user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the matching comprises matching the text currently being entered by the user into the application to portions of segments of the indexed text; and

the entering comprises;

displaying the segments of the indexed text to the user through a user interface;

receiving from the user through the user interface a selection of one of the displayed segments of the indexed text; and

entering a remaining portion of the one of the displayed segments of the indexed text.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the displaying comprises displaying the segments of the indexed text in an order specified by a user.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the displaying comprises displaying first a segment of the segments of the indexed text, the segment most frequently selected by the user.

14. An apparatus to enter text into an application, the apparatus comprising:

a selection module to select text based upon patterns of the text, the patterns based upon the number of words in phrases of the text or upon the number of letters in words of the text;

an indexing module to index text selected by the selection module;

a matching module to match text currently being entered by the user into an application to a portion of a segment of the text indexed by the indexing module; and

a text entry module to enter a remaining portion of the segment of the text matched by the matching module into the application.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the selection module comprises a configuration module to receive a specification of sources from a user; and

the selection module is to select text based upon the specification of sources.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the selection module comprises a configuration module to receive a specification of patterns of text from a user; and

the selection module is to select text based upon the specification of patterns of text.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the matching module is to match text currently being entered by the user into an application to portion of segments of the text indexed by the indexing module;

the text entry module comprises a user interface module to;

display the segments of text matched by the matching module to the user; and

receive a selection of one of the displayed segments of the indexed text from the user; and

the text entry module is to enter a remaining portion of the one of the displayed segments of the indexed text.

18. A computer program product to enter text, the computer program comprising a computer

useable medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

select text based upon patterns of the text, the patterns based upon the number of words in phrases of the text or upon the number of letters in words of the text;

index the selected text;

match text currently being entered by the user into an application to a portion of a segment of the indexed text; and

enter a remaining portion of the segment of the indexed text into the application based upon the matching.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to:

match text currently being entered by the user into an application to a portion of a single word of the indexed text; and

enter the single word of text into the application based upon the matching.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer readable program which causes the computer to select text comprises a computer readable program which causes the computer to select text from text entered by the user in a first application and to select text from text entered by the user in a second application.

21. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer readable program which causes the computer to select text comprises a computer readable program which causes the computer to:

receive a specification of sources from a user; and

select text from sources of text, based upon the specification of sources.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the computer readable program which causes the computer to receive a specification of sources comprises a computer readable program which causes the computer to receive a specification of data files.

23. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer readable program which causes the computer to select text comprises a computer readable program which causes the computer to select text based upon patterns of text specified by the user.

24. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer readable program which causes the computer to select text comprises a computer readable program which causes the computer to select text from text entered by the user into a window of an application, wherein the user closed the window without saving the text entered into the window to the application.

25. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer readable program which causes the computer to index the selected text comprises a computer readable program which causes the computer to:

index a first collection of text entered by the user;

receive additional text entered by the user; and

incrementally index the additional text.

26. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer readable program which causes the computer to index the selected text comprises a computer readable program which causes the computer to index the selected text at a time based upon a time specified by the user.

27. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer readable program which causes the computer to match text comprises a computer readable program which causes the computer to match text currently being entered by the user into an application to a portion of a segment of the indexed text in response to a keystroke or combination of keystrokes entered by the user.

28. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein:

the computer readable program which causes the computer to match the text comprises a computer readable program which causes the computer to match the text currently being entered by the user into the application to portions of segments of the indexed text; and

the computer readable program which causes the computer to enter text comprises a computer readable program which causes the computer to;

display the segments of the indexed text to the user through a user interface;

receive from the user through the user interface a selection of one of the displayed segments of the indexed text; and

enter a remaining portion of the one of the displayed segments of the indexed text.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the computer readable program

which causes the computer to display the segments of the indexed text comprises a computer readable program which causes the computer to display the segments of the indexed text in an order specified by a user.

30. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the computer readable program

which causes the computer to display the segments of the indexed text comprises a computer readable program which causes the computer to display first a segment of the segments of the indexed text, the segment most frequently selected by the user.