METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR REMOVING OR REPLACING ON-KEYBOARD PREDICTION CANDIDATES

• US 20130120267A1
• Filed: 07/13/2012
• Published: 05/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Pasquero, Jerome, McKenzie, Donald Somerset, Pinheiro, Gil
• Granted Patent: US 9,652,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• 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 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs

Abstract

Methods and electronic devices are provided for processing prediction candidates in connection with virtual keyboards and touch-sensitive displays. A display area of the touch-sensitive displays a virtual keyboard. Within the virtual keyboard is a plurality of keys, each of at least some of the keys corresponding to one or more different characters of a plurality of characters. The methods and devices may detect a selection of one or more of the keys. The methods and devices may generate one or more sets of characters based on the one or more characters corresponding to the selected key. The methods and devices may display the sets of characters within or substantially within the virtual keyboard. The methods and devices may detect a gesture associated with one of the displayed sets of characters, and, in response to detecting the gesture, remove the one of the displayed sets of characters from the virtual keyboard.

Claims

1. An input method for an electronic device having a touch-sensitive display and a processor, the method comprising:

displaying in a display area of the touch-sensitive display a virtual keyboard;

displaying within the virtual keyboard a plurality of keys, each of at least some of the keys corresponding to one or more different characters of a plurality of characters;

detecting a selection of one or more of the keys;

generating one or more sets of characters based on the one or more characters corresponding to the selected keys;

displaying the sets of characters within or substantially within the virtual keyboard;

detecting a gesture associated with one of the displayed sets of characters; and

removing the one of the displayed sets of characters from the virtual keyboard in response to detecting the gesture.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

waiting, prior to removing the one of the displayed sets of characters from the virtual keyboard, for an event associated with the detected gesture to occur.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the event comprises detecting the gesture at or near the one of the displayed sets of characters for a predetermined period of time.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

modifying, while waiting for the event, the display of the one of the displayed sets of characters.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a replacement set of characters within the virtual keyboard in response to detecting the gesture.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the replacement set of characters has a subsequent candidate input character that is the same as a subsequent candidate input character of the removed set of characters.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the replacement set of characters has a subsequent candidate input character that corresponds to a key that is the same as or adjacent to a key that corresponds to a subsequent candidate input character of the removed set of characters.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed sets of characters are displayed at or near keys corresponding to subsequent candidate input characters of the sets of characters.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

withdrawing the removed set of characters from being generated subsequent to the removal.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

one or more processors;

one or more memories;

instructions stored on the one or more memories, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic device to perform the steps of;

displaying in a display area of the touch-sensitive display a virtual keyboard;

displaying within the virtual keyboard a plurality of keys, each of at least some of the keys corresponding to one or more different characters of a plurality of characters;

detecting a selection of one or more of the keys;

generating one or more sets of characters based on the one or more characters corresponding to the selected keys;

displaying the sets of characters within or substantially within the virtual keyboard;

detecting a gesture associated with one of the displayed sets of characters; and

removing the one of the displayed sets of characters from the virtual keyboard in response to detecting the gesture.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the instructions stored on the one or more memories, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the electronic device to perform the step of:

waiting, prior to removing the one of the displayed sets of characters from the virtual keyboard, for an event associated with the detected gesture to occur.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the event comprises detecting the gesture at or near the one of the displayed sets of characters for a predetermined period of time.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the instructions stored on the one or more memories, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the electronic device to perform the step of:

modifying, while waiting for the event, the display of the one of the displayed sets of characters.

14. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the instructions stored on the one or more memories, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the electronic device to perform the step of:

displaying a replacement set of characters within the virtual keyboard in response to detecting the gesture.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the replacement set of characters has a subsequent candidate input character that is the same as a subsequent candidate input character of the removed set of characters.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the replacement set of characters has a subsequent candidate input character that corresponds to a key that is the same as or adjacent to a key that corresponds to a subsequent candidate input character of the removed set of characters.

17. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the displayed sets of characters are displayed at or near a keys corresponding to subsequent candidate input characters of the sets of characters.

18. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the instructions stored on the one or more memories, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the electronic device to perform the step of:

withdrawing the removed set of characters from being generated subsequent to the removal.

19. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display; and

a processor configured to;

display in a display area of the touch-sensitive screen a virtual keyboard;

display within the virtual keyboard a plurality of keys;

display within the display area a viewing pane configured to hold a predetermined amount of text;

detect selection of one or more of the keys forming a prefix text portion, the prefix text portion comprising one or more characters;

display the prefix text portion in the viewing pane;

determine one or more potential completion text portions as a function of the prefix text portion;

display the one or more potential completion text portions proximate to selected keys of the virtual keyboard, each selected key being selected based on a first character in each of the one or more displayed potential completion text portions;

detect a gesture associated with one of the potential completion text portions; and

responsive at least in part to the detected gesture, alter display of the one of the potential completion text portion associated with the gesture.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, further comprising a linguistic database, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine one or more potential completion text portions as a function of the prefix text portion, the one or more potential completion text portions having the prefix text portion as a prefix and being selected from the linguistic database.