Automatic language selection for text input in messaging context

• US 8,364,134 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2006
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Rang, Maria, Wong, Marcel
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Application Number:
  US11/915,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20090170536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,440 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/418
• US Class Current: 455/418
• 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

A method of controlling a keypad input mode for a text message entered on an electronic equipment for wireless communication (1) is provided that comprises steps for determining a language setting for the text message (S1) and for setting the keypad input mode to a dictionary-based disambiguation mode related to the determined language setting (S2). The language setting used at the beginning of the text message is hereby determined as the language setting used for the last text message entered on the electronic equipment for wireless communication (1) or as the language determined for a received text message to be replied by the text message, and the language setting used is subject to be changed if a match for a predetermined number of text elements entered for the text message is present in a further dictionary-based disambiguation mode related to a different language setting.

Claims

1. Method of controlling a keypad input mode for a text message entered on an electronic equipment for wireless communication, the method comprising steps for:

determining a language setting for the text message, and

setting the keypad input mode to a dictionary-based disambiguation mode relating to the determined language setting,

whereby the language setting used at the beginning of the text message corresponds to the language setting used for the last text message entered on the electronic equipment for wireless communication or corresponds to the language determined for a received text message to be replied by the text message, and the language setting is subject to be changed if a match for a predetermined number of text elements entered for the text message is present in a further dictionary-based disambiguation mode related to a different language setting,

wherein the language setting used for the text message entered last on the electronic equipment for wireless communication is provided in a data file.

2. Method according claim 1, wherein the language of the received text message to be replied is determined by examining the text elements of the received text message with each of the dictionary-based disambiguation modes available on the electronic equipment for wireless communication and by defining the language of the received text message as the language of the dictionary-based disambiguation mode yielding the highest percentage of matches with a predefined number of text elements at the beginning of the received text message or with all text elements of the message.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the text elements of said predetermined number of entered text elements follow each other without interruption.

4. Method according to claim 1,

wherein a change of the language setting for the text message entered comprises a request for a user confirmation.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein a language setting is determined as the language related to a dictionary-based disambiguation mode, which provides a percentage of matches that equals or exceeds a pre-set threshold value for a text being examined with the dictionary-based disambiguation mode.

6. Electronic equipment for wireless communication according to claim 1 wherein the electronic equipment for wireless communication is formed by a mobile radio terminal.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium with a computer software product for controlling a keypad input mode for a text message entered on an electronic equipment for wireless communication, wherein the electronic equipment has a language-sensitive keypad input mode control for a text message entry, the electronic equipment for wireless communication comprising:

a keypad having at least one key to which more than one character is assigned for alphabetic input,

a language setting determination means for determining a language setting,

a keypad mode control means adapted for controlling the keypad input mode in correspondence to a dictionary-based disambiguation mode relating to a language setting determined by the language setting determination means, whereby the language setting determination means is adapted to determine the language setting used at the beginning of the text message corresponding to the language setting used for the last text message entered on the electronic equipment for wireless communication or corresponding to the language determined for a received text message to be replied by the text message, and the language setting determination means is further adapted to change the language setting if a match for a predetermined number of text elements entered for the text message is present in a further dictionary-based disambiguation mode relating to a different language setting, the computer software product being configured, when loaded into a memory and processed by a data processing means of the electronic equipment for wireless communication to perform thereon a method according to claim 1.

7. Method of controlling a keypad input mode for a text message entered on an electronic equipment for wireless communication, the method comprising steps for:

determining a language setting for the text message, and

setting the keypad input mode to a dictionary-based disambiguation mode relating to the determined language setting,

whereby the language setting used at the beginning of the text message corresponds to the language setting used for the last text message entered on the electronic equipment for wireless communication or corresponds to the language determined for a received text message to be replied by the text message, and the language setting is subject to be changed if a match for a predetermined number of text elements entered for the text message is present in a further dictionary-based disambiguation mode related to a different language setting,

wherein if at least two alternative matches for a text element entered are provided by one or more dictionary-based disambiguation modes, a request for selecting the appropriate match is outputted to the user.

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the language setting used for the text message entered is fixed upon a predetermined number of alternative matches selected by the user being provided by a dictionary-based disambiguation model for the same language.

21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium with a computer software product for controlling a keypad input mode for a text message entered on an electronic equipment for wireless communication, wherein the electronic equipment has a language-sensitive keypad input mode control for a text message entry, the electronic equipment for wireless communication comprising:

a keypad having at least one key to which more than one character is assigned for alphabetic input,

a language setting determination means for determining a language setting,

a keypad mode control means adapted for controlling the keypad input mode in correspondence to a dictionary-based disambiguation mode relating to a language setting determined by the language setting determination means, whereby the language setting determination means is adapted to determine the language setting used at the beginning of the text message corresponding to the language setting used for the last text message entered on the electronic equipment for wireless communication or corresponding to the language determined for a received text message to be replied by the text message, and the language setting determination means is further adapted to change the language setting if a match for a predetermined number of text elements entered for the text message is present in a further dictionary-based disambiguation mode relating to a different language setting, the computer software product being configured, when loaded into a memory and processed by a data processing means of the electronic equipment for wireless communication to perform thereon a method according to claim 7.

9. Method of controlling a keypad input mode for a text message entered on an electronic equipment for wireless communication, the method comprising steps for:

determining a language setting for the text message, and

setting the keypad input mode to a dictionary-based disambiguation mode relating to the determined language setting,

whereby the language setting used at the beginning of the text message corresponds to the language setting used for the last text message entered on the electronic equipment for wireless communication or corresponds to the language determined for a received text message to be replied by the text message, and the language setting is subject to be changed if a match for a predetermined number of text elements entered for the text message is present in a further dictionary-based disambiguation mode related to a different language setting,

wherein if for a predefined number of text elements at the beginning of a text message, the percentage of matches obtained with each dictionary-based disambiguation mode available on the electronic equipment for wireless communication is below a pre-set threshold value, the language setting is determined to be a default language setting or to be an instruction for setting the keypad input mode to multitap-mode.

22. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium with a computer software product for controlling a keypad input mode for a text message entered on an electronic equipment for wireless communication, wherein the electronic equipment has a language-sensitive keypad input mode control for a text message entry, the electronic equipment for wireless communication comprising:

a keypad having at least one key to which more than one character is assigned for alphabetic input,

a language setting determination means for determining a language setting,

a keypad mode control means adapted for controlling the keypad input mode in correspondence to a dictionary-based disambiguation mode relating to a language setting determined by the language setting determination means, whereby the language setting determination means is adapted to determine the language setting used at the beginning of the text message corresponding to the language setting used for the last text message entered on the electronic equipment for wireless communication or corresponding to the language determined for a received text message to be replied by the text message, and the language setting determination means is further adapted to change the language setting if a match for a predetermined number of text elements entered for the text message is present in a further dictionary-based disambiguation mode relating to a different language setting, the computer software product being configured, when loaded into a memory and processed by a data processing means of the electronic equipment for wireless communication to perform thereon a method according to claim 9.

10. Method of controlling a keypad input mode for a text message entered on an electronic equipment for wireless communication, the method comprising steps for:

determining a language setting for the text message, and

setting the keypad input mode to a dictionary-based disambiguation mode relating to the determined language setting,

whereby the language setting used at the beginning of the text message corresponds to the language setting used for the last text message entered on the electronic equipment for wireless communication or corresponds to the language determined for a received text message to be replied by the text message, and the language setting is subject to be changed if a match for a predetermined number of text elements entered for the text message is present in a further dictionary-based disambiguation mode related to a different language setting,

wherein the language setting determined for a received message is stored in relation to a phone-book entry related to the sender of the received message and used with as the language setting for a subsequent message destined to said sender.

23. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium with a computer software product for controlling a keypad input mode for a text message entered on an electronic equipment for wireless communication, wherein the electronic equipment has a language-sensitive keypad input mode control for a text message entry, the electronic equipment for wireless communication comprising:

a keypad having at least one key to which more than one character is assigned for alphabetic input,

a language setting determination means for determining a language setting,

a keypad mode control means adapted for controlling the keypad input mode in correspondence to a dictionary-based disambiguation mode relating to a language setting determined by the language setting determination means, whereby the language setting determination means is adapted to determine the language setting used at the beginning of the text message corresponding to the language setting used for the last text message entered on the electronic equipment for wireless communication or corresponding to the language determined for a received text message to be replied by the text message, and the language setting determination means is further adapted to change the language setting if a match for a predetermined number of text elements entered for the text message is present in a further dictionary-based disambiguation mode relating to a different language setting, the computer software product being configured, when loaded into a memory and processed by a data processing means of the electronic equipment for wireless communication to perform thereon a method according to claim 10.

11. Electronic equipment for wireless communication with a language-sensitive keypad input mode control for a text message entry, the electronic equipment for wireless communication comprising:

a keypad having at least one key to which more than one character is assigned for alphabetic input,

a language setting determination means for determining a language setting,

a keypad mode control means adapted for controlling the keypad input mode in correspondence to a dictionary-based disambiguation mode relating to a language setting determined by the language setting determination means, whereby the language setting determination means is adapted to determine the language setting used at the beginning of the text message corresponding to the language setting used for the last text message entered on the electronic equipment for wireless communication or corresponding to the language determined for a received text message to be replied by the text message, and the language setting determination means is further adapted to change the language setting if a match for a predetermined number of text elements entered for the text message is present in a further dictionary-based disambiguation mode relating to a different language setting, and

comprising a storage means which is adapted to store a file comprising information concerning the language setting used for the last text message entered on the electronic equipment for wireless communication.

12. Electronic equipment for wireless communication according to claim 11, wherein the language setting determination means is adapted to determine the language of the received text message to be replied by examining the text elements of the received text message with each of the dictionary-based disambiguation modes available on the electronic equipment for wireless communication and by defining the language of the received text message as the language of the dictionary-based disambiguation mode yielding the highest percentage of matches with a predefined number of text elements at the beginning of the received text message or with all text elements of the message.

13. Electronic equipment for wireless communication according to claim 11, wherein the language setting determination means is adapted to change the language setting only for the text elements of said predetermined number of entered text elements following each other without interruption.

14. Electronic equipment for wireless communication according to claim 11, wherein the language setting determination means is adapted to request a user confirmation before changing the language setting and to change the language setting in response to the user confirmation.

15. Electronic equipment for wireless communication according to claim 11, wherein the language setting determination means is adapted to determine a language setting as the language related to a dictionary-based disambiguation mode that provides a percentage of matches, which equals or exceeds a pre-set threshold value for a text being examined with the dictionary-based disambiguation mode.

16. Electronic equipment for wireless communication with a language-sensitive keypad input mode control for a text message entry, the electronic equipment for wireless communication comprising:

a keypad having at least one key to which more than one character is assigned for alphabetic input,

a language setting determination means for determining a language setting,

a keypad mode control means adapted for controlling the keypad input mode in correspondence to a dictionary-based disambiguation mode relating to a language setting determined by the language setting determination means, whereby the language setting determination means is adapted to determine the language setting used at the beginning of the text message corresponding to the language setting used for the last text message entered on the electronic equipment for wireless communication or corresponding to the language determined for a received text message to be replied by the text message, and the language setting determination means is further adapted to change the language setting if a match for a predetermined number of text elements entered for the text message is present in a further dictionary-based disambiguation mode relating to a different language setting, and

wherein the language setting determination means is adapted to request a user selection for selecting an appropriate match out of at least two alternative matches provided by one or more dictionary-based disambiguation modes for a text element entered.

17. Electronic equipment for wireless communication according to claim 16, wherein the language setting determination means is further adapted to fix the language setting used for the text message upon a predetermined number of alternative matches selected by the user being provided by a dictionary-based disambiguation model for the same language.

18. Electronic equipment for wireless communication with a language-sensitive keypad input mode control for a text message entry, the electronic equipment for wireless communication comprising:

a keypad having at least one key to which more than one character is assigned for alphabetic input,

a language setting determination means for determining a language setting,

a keypad mode control means adapted for controlling the keypad input mode in correspondence to a dictionary-based disambiguation mode relating to a language setting determined by the language setting determination means, whereby the language setting determination means is adapted to determine the language setting used at the beginning of the text message corresponding to the language setting used for the last text message entered on the electronic equipment for wireless communication or corresponding to the language determined for a received text message to be replied by the text message, and the language setting determination means is further adapted to change the language setting if a match for a predetermined number of text elements entered for the text message is present in a further dictionary-based disambiguation mode relating to a different language setting, and

wherein the language setting determination means is adapted to determine the language setting to be a default language setting or to be an instruction for setting the keypad input mode to multitap- mode if a predefined number of text elements at the beginning of a text message show a percentage of matches that is below a pre-set value with each dictionary-based disambiguation mode available on the electronic equipment for wireless communication.

19. Electronic equipment for wireless communication with a language-sensitive keypad input mode control for a text message entry, the electronic equipment for wireless communication comprising:

a keypad having at least one key to which more than one character is assigned for alphabetic input,

a language setting determination means for determining a language setting,

a keypad mode control means adapted for controlling the keypad input mode in correspondence to a dictionary-based disambiguation mode relating to a language setting determined by the language setting determination means, whereby the language setting determination means is adapted to determine the language setting used at the beginning of the text message corresponding to the language setting used for the last text message entered on the electronic equipment for wireless communication or corresponding to the language determined for a received text message to be replied by the text message, and the language setting determination means is further adapted to change the language setting if a match for a predetermined number of text elements entered for the text message is present in a further dictionary-based disambiguation mode relating to a different language setting, and

wherein the electronic equipment for wireless communication is adapted to store a language setting determined for a received message in relation to a phone-book entry related to the sender of the received message and is further adapted to set said language setting at the beginning of a following text message destined to said sender.