Context sensitive auto-correction

• US 9,218,333 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Liensberger, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): ADESANYA, OLUJIMI A
• Application Number:
  US13/601,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20140067371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 704 1- 10
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/232 Orthographic correction, e.g. spell checking or vowelisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/242 Dictionaries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/263 Language identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation methods for entering alphabetical characters per se G06F3/0237

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for adaptively autocorrecting text according to context. Text may be received at a mobile electronic device that was input by a user. The received text may be displayed at a display component of the mobile electronic device. An auto-correct dictionary is selected from a plurality of auto-correct dictionaries. The auto-correct dictionary may be selected based at least on usage information that is representative of a usage context of the mobile electronic device. The displayed text is auto-corrected according to the selected auto-correct dictionary.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a display component capable of at least displaying textual characters;

a text input module that receives text provided by a user to the electronic device, and provides the received text to the display component for display in a user interface; and

an auto-correct module configured to;

determine that the received text switches from a first language to a second language based on usage information;

based on determining that the usage information is representative of a first usage context of the electronic device, automatically switch from a previously-selected first auto-correct dictionary corresponding to the first language to a second auto-correct dictionary corresponding to the second language selected from a plurality of auto-correct dictionaries, and automatically correct the displayed text according to the second auto-correct dictionary, the second language being different from the first language; and

based on determining that the usage information is representative of a second usage context of the electronic device, automatically switch off one or more particular auto-correct terms from the previously-selected first auto-correct dictionary, and automatically correct the displayed text according to the previously-selected first auto-correct dictionary having the one or more particular auto-correct terms switched off.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the usage information indicates an identity of the user.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the usage information indicates a location of the electronic device.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the usage information includes time information that indicates a time at which the displayed text is displayed.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of auto-correct dictionaries includes a third auto-correct dictionary corresponding to the first language that is different from the first auto-correct dictionary.

6. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the usage information further includes date information that indicates a date at which the displayed text is displayed.

7. A method in an electronic device, comprising:

receiving, by an input device of the electronic device, text provided by a user to the electronic device;

displaying the received text at a display component of the electronic device;

performing, in response to determining that the received text switches from a first language to a second language based on usage information;

based on determining that the usage information is representative of a first usage context of the electronic device, automatically switching, by a processor, from a previously-selected first auto-correct dictionary corresponding to the first language to a second auto-correct dictionary corresponding to the second language selected from a plurality of auto-correct dictionaries and automatically correcting the displayed text according to the second auto-correct dictionary; and

based on determining that the usage information is representative of a second usage context of the electronic device, automatically switching off one or more particular auto-correct terms from the previously-selected first auto-correct dictionary, and automatically correcting the displayed text according to the previously-selected first auto-correct dictionary having the one or more particular auto-correct terms switched off.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said automatically switching from a previously-selected first auto-correct dictionary comprises:

automatically switching to the second auto-correct dictionary based at least on an identity of the user.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the second auto-correct dictionary corresponds to an auto-correction dictionary for a language spoken by the user.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said automatically switching from a previously-selected first auto-correct dictionary comprises:

automatically switching to the second auto-correct dictionary based at least on a location of the electronic device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said automatically switching to the second auto-correct dictionary based at least on a location of the electronic device comprises:

determining the location of the electronic device in a location determiner of the electronic device;

comparing the determined location to a plurality of geographic regions associated with the plurality of auto-correct dictionaries; and

switching to the second auto-correct dictionary based at least on said comparing.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said automatically switching from a previously-selected first auto-correct dictionary comprises:

automatically switching to the second auto-correct dictionary based at least on time information indicating a time at which the displayed text is displayed.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said automatically switching to the second auto-correct dictionary based at least on time information indicating a time at which the displayed text is displayed comprises:

determining a date and time at which the displayed text is displayed;

accessing a calendar associated with the user for an appointment at the determined date and time; and

switching to the second auto-correct dictionary based at least on information associated with the appointment.

14. A computer readable storage medium having computer program instructions embodied in said computer readable storage medium for enabling a processor to generate a user interface at a computing device, the computer program instructions comprising:

first computer program instructions that enable the processor to receive text provided by a user to the electronic device;

second computer program instructions that enable the processor to display the received text at a display component of the electronic device; and

third computer program instructions that enable the processor to;

in response to determining that the received text switches from a first language to a second language based on usage information;

based on determining that the usage information is representative of a first usage context of the electronic device, automatically switch from a previously-selected first auto-correct dictionary corresponding to the first language to a second auto-correct dictionary corresponding to the second language selected from a plurality of auto-correct dictionaries, the second auto-correct dictionary including a predetermined list of terms for correction and a corresponding list of correction terms, the usage information including at least location information, and automatically correct the displayed text according to the second auto-correct dictionary, the second language being different from the first language; and

based on determining that the usage information is representative of a second usage context of the electronic device, automatically switch off one or more particular auto-correct terms from the previously-selected first auto-correct dictionary, and automatically correct the displayed text according to the previously-selected first auto-correct dictionary having the one or more particular auto-correct terms switched off.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein said third computer program instructions comprise:

fourth computer program instructions that enable the processor to automatically switch to the second auto-correct dictionary based at least on an identity of the user.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the second auto-correct dictionary corresponds to an auto-correction dictionary for a language spoken by the user.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein said third computer program instructions comprise:

fourth computer program instructions that enable the processor to automatically switch to the second auto-correct dictionary based at least on a location of the electronic device.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein said fourth computer program instructions comprise:

computer program instructions that enable the processor to determine the location of the electronic device in a location determiner of the electronic device;

computer program instructions that enable the processor to compare the determined location to a plurality of geographic regions associated with the plurality of auto-correct dictionaries; and

computer program instructions that enable the processor to switch to the second auto-correct dictionary based at least on said comparing.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein said third computer program instructions comprise:

fourth computer program instructions that enable the processor to automatically switch to the second auto-correct dictionary based at least on time information indicating a time at which the displayed text is displayed.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein said fourth computer program instructions comprise:

computer program instructions that enable the processor to determine a date and time at which the displayed text is displayed;

computer program instructions that enable the processor to access a calendar associated with the user for an appointment at the determined date and time; and

computer program instructions that enable the processor to switch to the second auto-correct dictionary based at least on information associated with the appointment.