Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface for a Predictive Keyboard

• US 20150347007A1
• Filed: 09/30/2014
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chaudhri, Imran A., Karunamuni, Chanaka G., Beaver, Jason C., Willmore, Christopher P., Jong, Nicholas K., Jon, Tiffany S., Shaffer, Joshua H.
• Granted Patent: US 10,204,096 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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 40/232 Orthographic correction, e.g. spell checking or vowelisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs

Abstract

A method includes displaying a suggestion region above an on-screen keyboard. The suggestion region includes multiple suggested character strings. The method further includes: detecting a gesture that begins within a predefined key of the on-screen keyboard; and responsive to detecting the gesture: in accordance with a determination that the gesture ends within the predefined key, inserting a first character string into a text field; and in accordance with a determination that the gesture ends outside of the predefined key, inserting a second character string into the text field, wherein the second character string is different from the first character string.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a suggestion region above an on-screen keyboard, the suggestion region including multiple suggested character strings;

detecting a gesture that begins within a predefined key of the on-screen keyboard; and

responsive to detecting the gesture;

in accordance with a determination that the gesture ends within the predefined key, inserting a first character string into a text field; and

in accordance with a determination that the gesture ends outside of the predefined key, inserting a second character string into the text field, wherein the second character string is different from the first character string.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined key is a space bar.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first character string is a space character.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second character string is one of the multiple suggested character strings.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the multiple suggested character strings is a prediction of a character string being entered in the text field.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the multiple suggested character strings is an automatic correction of a character string being entered in the text field.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the automatic correction is visually distinguished from other suggested character strings that are not automatic corrections.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the multiple suggested character strings is an automatic completion of a character string entered in the text field.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the multiple suggested character strings is a character string that was just entered in the text field.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the character string that was just entered is displayed within quotation marks in the suggestion region.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple suggested character strings are arranged horizontally within the suggestion region.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a first suggested character string is a character string that was just entered in the text field, a second suggested character string is a best prediction of a character string being entered in the text field, and a third suggested character string is a second-best prediction of a character string being entered in the text field.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first suggested character string is displayed in a left section of the suggestion region, the second suggested character string is displayed in a middle section of the suggestion region, and the third suggested character string is displayed in a right section of the suggestion region.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second suggested character string is an automatic correction.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising displaying the second suggested character string within the predefined key.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the multiple suggested character strings is an automatic correction and the method further comprises displaying a graphical user interface element adjacent to the automatic correction that, when activated, rejects the automatic correction.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting the second character string into the text field comprises:

in accordance with a determination that the gesture corresponds to a particular section of the suggestion region, inserting into the text field a suggested character string displayed within that particular section.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting the second character string into the text field comprises:

in accordance with a determination that the gesture ends within a particular section of the suggestion region, inserting into the text field a suggested character string displayed within that particular section.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising responsive to the gesture including movement of a contact outside of the predefined key, visually distinguishing a first suggested character string from other suggested character strings in the suggestion region.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein visually distinguishing the first suggested character string comprises increasing a height of a section of the suggestion region that includes the first suggested character string.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

detecting a movement of the contact downward into the predefined key; and

responsive to detecting the movement, ceasing to visually distinguish the first suggested character string from other suggested character strings in the suggestion region.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising responsive to the gesture including movement of a contact toward a first side of the suggestion region, visually distinguishing a suggested character string on the first side of the suggestion region from other suggested character strings in the suggestion region.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein visually distinguishing the suggested character string on the first side of the suggestion region comprises increasing a height of a section of the suggestion region that includes the suggested character string on the first side of the suggestion region.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a movement of the contact downward, starting at a location that corresponds to the suggestion region; and

responsive to the movement, ceasing to display the suggestion region.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising responsive to inserting into the text field either the first character string or the second character string, inserting into the text field a space character.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions to:

display a suggestion region above an on-screen keyboard, the suggestion region including multiple suggested character strings;

detect a gesture that begins within a predefined key of the on-screen keyboard; and

responsive to detecting the gesture;

in accordance with a determination that the gesture ends within the predefined key, insert a first character string into a text field; and

in accordance with a determination that the gesture ends outside of the predefined key, insert a second character string into the text field, wherein the second character string is different from the first character string.

27. A system comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions to;

display a suggestion region above an on-screen keyboard, the suggestion region including multiple suggested character strings;

detect a gesture that begins within a predefined key of the on-screen keyboard; and

responsive to detecting the gesture;

in accordance with a determination that the gesture ends within the predefined key, insert a first character string into a text field; and

in accordance with a determination that the gesture ends outside of the predefined key, insert a second character string into the text field, wherein the second character string is different from the first character string; and

a computer processor for executing the instructions.