Automatic word completion system for partially entered data

• US 6,377,965 B1
• Filed: 11/07/1997
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hachamovitch, Dean J., Fries, Edward J., Fein, Ronald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBINSON, GRETA LEE
• Application Number:
  US08/965,916
• Time in Patent Office: 1,628 Days
• Field of Search: 707/533, 707/531, 707/530, 707/534, 707/500, 707/507, 707/513, 707/5, 707/104
• US Class Current: 715/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs

Abstract

A word completion system that can automatically predict unrestricted word completions for data entries in an unstructured portion of a data file. The word completion system applies prediction criteria to avoid annoying the user by displaying an excessive number of wrong suggestions. Suggested word completions, which may change as the user types a partial data entry, are displayed in a non-disruptive manner and selected using traditional acceptance keystrokes, such as the “tab” key or the “enter” key. The word completion system may be deployed on an individual application program basis or on a application-independent basis. Because different word suggestion lists may be appropriate for different application programs, and for different data files created with the same application program, the word completion system allows the user to select one or more suggestion lists for use with each data file. A user interface allows the user to customize each suggestion list on an on-going basis. Each suggestion list may contain dynamic word completions that are tied to dynamic parameters maintained by the computer system, such as the time, date, registered user, and so forth. Each suggestion list may also be tied to contextual information, such as structured data fields or context labels assigned manually or by a document-creation aid known as a “wizard.”

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

monitoring data entry into a data file associated with a program module running on a computer system;

identifying a partial one of the data entries in an unstructured portion of the data file;

selecting a suggestion list comprising a plurality of associated name-completion pairs to be used in connection with the word completion utility, each name-completion pair including a name entry and a completion entry;

identifying a set of completion entries in the suggestion list that corresponds to the partial data entry;

applying a prediction criterion to the set of completion entries and the partial data entry;

selecting an unambiguously-identified entry from the set of completion entries; and

displaying the unambiguously-identified entry as a word completion suggestion for the partial data entry.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein selecting an unambiguously-identified entry further comprises selecting a most-recently used entry corresponded to the partial data entry from a most-recently used buffer.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein selecting an unambiguously-identified entry further comprises selecting a highest-probability-ranked entry corresponded to the partial data entry from a probability-ranked dictionary.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein applying a prediction criterion further comprises applying a multi-word back-chain algorithum to the set of completion entries.

5. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

monitoring data entry into a data file associated with a program module running on a computer system;

identifying a partial one of the data entries in an unstructured portion of the data file;

selecting a suggestion list comprising a plurality of associated name-completion pairs, each name-completion pair including a name entry and a completion entry;

identifying a particular one of the name entries in the suggestion list that corresponds to the partial data entry;

applying prediction criteria to the particular name entry, the particular completion entry, and the partial data entry; and

if the prediction criteria are met, displaying the completion entry associated with the particular name entry as a word completion suggestion for the partial data entry.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a command indicating acceptance of the completion entry;

replacing the partial data entry with the completion entry in the data file;

identifying a character immediately following the command indicating acceptance of the completion entry;

determining whether the character is a delimiter character; and

if the character is not a delimiter character, inserting a space character in the data file between the completion entry and the character.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein:

the partial data entry includes a predefined property; and

the suggestion list is limited to name-completion pairs in which the completion entries include the predefined property.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein:

the partial data entry is received in a portion of the data file that has been assigned a context label; and

the suggestion list is associated with the context label.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the particular completion entry is tied to a dynamic parameter maintained by the computer system.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the dynamic parameter is selected from the group including a current date and a registered user of the computer system.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, further comprising the step of receiving user input defining the particular name and its associated completion entry.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the prediction criteria comprises a first condition that the partial data entry include a certain number of characters.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the prediction criteria further comprises a second condition that the completion entry include a certain number of characters more than the partial data entry.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the prediction criteria further comprises a third condition that the partial data entry unambiguously correspond to the particular name entry with respect to all of the name entries in the suggestion list.

15. In a computer system, a method for suggesting word completions for partial data entries within data files open in a plurality of application programs, comprising the steps of:

running a word completion utility on the computer system;

selecting a suggestion list comprising a plurality of associated name-completion pairs to be used in connection with the word completion utility, each name-completion pair including a name entry and a completion entry;

running a first application program on the computer system;

opening a first data file in the first application program and receiving a first partial data entry into the first data file;

identifying a first name entry in the suggestion list that corresponds to the first partial data entry;

applying prediction criteria to the first partial data entry, the first name entry, and a first completion entry associated with the first name entry; and

if the prediction criteria are met, displaying the first completion entry as a word completion suggestion for the first partial data entry;

running a second application program on the computer system;

opening a second data file in the second application program and receiving a second partial data entry into the second data file;

identifying a second name entry in the suggestion list that corresponds to the second partial data entry;

applying the prediction criteria to the second partial data entry, the second name entry, and the second completion entry associated with the second name entry; and

if the prediction are met, displaying the second completion entry as a word completion suggestion for the second partial data entry.

16. The method of claim 15, where in the first partial data entry is received in an unstructured portion of the first data file.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a command indicating acceptance of the completion entry associated with the first name entry for the first partial data entry;

replacing the first partial data entry with the completion entry associated with the first name entry in the first data file;

receiving a character immediately following the command indicating acceptance of the completion entry associated with the first name entry;

determining whether the character is a delimiter character; and

if the character is not a delimiter character, inserting a space character in the first data file completion entry associated with the first name entry and the character.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the first partial data entry is includes a predefined property;

the suggestion list as applied in connection with the first partial data entry is limited to name-completion pairs in which the completion entries include the predefined property;

the second partial data entry does not include the predefined property; and

the suggestion list as applied in connection with the second partial data entry is not limited to name-completion pairs in which the completion entries include the predefined property.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the first partial data entry is received in a portion of the first data file that has been assigned a context label; and

the suggestion list is associated with the context label.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the completion entry associated with the first name entry is tied to a dynamic parameter maintained by the computer system.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the dynamic parameter is selected from the group including a current date and a registered user of the computer system.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of receiving user input defining the first name and its associated completion entry.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the prediction criteria comprises:

a first condition that the first partial data entry include a certain number of characters;

a second condition that the completion entry associated with the first name entry include a certain number of characters more that the first partial data entry; and

a third condition that the first partial data entry unambiguously correspond to the first name entry with respect to all of the name entries in the suggestion list.

24. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

running a word completion utility on a computer system;

running an application program on the computer system;

opening a data file in the application program and receiving a partial data entry in an unstructured portion of the data file;

receiving a command indicating a suggestion list comprising a plurality of associated name-completion pairs to be used in connection with the word completion utility, each name-completion pair including a name entry and a completion entry, the suggestion list including,

at least one name-completion pair that has been defined previously by user input, and

at least one name-completion pair that is tied to a dynamic parameter maintained by the computer system;

identifying a particular one of the name entries in the suggestion list that corresponds to the partial data entry;

applying prediction criteria including,

a first condition that the partial data entry include a certain number of characters,

a second condition that the completion entry include a certain number of characters more than the partial data entry, and

a third condition that the partial data entry unambiguously correspond to the particular name entry with respect to all of the name entries in the suggestion list; and

if the prediction criteria are met, displaying the completion entry associated with the particular name entry as a word completion suggestion for the partial data entry.