Method, system, and graphical user interface for providing word recommendations

• US 9,244,536 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2011
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Kocienda, Kenneth, Ording, Bas
• Primary Examiner(s): HONG, STEPHEN S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vaughn, Gregory J
• Application Number:
  US13/310,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20120079412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 715/200, 715/230, 715/231, 715/255, 715/261, 715/263, 715/268, 715/271
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs

Abstract

One aspect of the invention involves a method that includes: in a first area of the touch screen, displaying a current character string being input by a user with the keyboard; in a second area of the touch screen, displaying the current character string or a portion thereof and a suggested replacement for the current character string; replacing the current character string in the first area with the suggested replacement if the user activates a delimiter key on the keyboard; replacing the current character string in the first area with the suggested replacement if the user performs a first gesture on the suggested replacement displayed in the second area; and keeping the current character string in the first area if the user performs a second gesture on the current character string or the portion thereof displayed in the second area.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a portable electronic device with a display and a keyboard;

receiving a plurality of user inputs of characters through the keyboard, and displaying on the display a current character string as input by the user;

displaying a suggested replacement character string for the current character string;

while both the current character string and the suggested replacement string are displayed, receiving a further user input through a punctuation mark key of the keyboard; and

in response to the further user input, replacing the current character string with the suggested replacement character string, and appending a punctuation mark at the end of the replacement character string, the punctuation mark corresponding to the punctuation mark key through which the further user input was received.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the punctuation mark key corresponds to a punctuation mark selected from the group consisting essentially of a comma, a period, an exclamation point, a question mark, and a semicolon.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the display is a touch screen display, and wherein the keyboard is a virtual keyboard displayed on the touch screen display.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the virtual keyboard comprises a display that simultaneously displays a first plurality of virtual keys each associated with a respective letter of the alphabet, and a second plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys each corresponding to a respective punctuation mark.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys comprises a first virtual punctuation mark key corresponding to a comma and a second virtual punctuation mark key corresponding to a period.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying a suggested replacement character string for the current character string comprises displaying a single suggested replacement character string.

7. A portable electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a display;

a keyboard; and

computer readable memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, perform operations comprising;

receiving a plurality of user inputs of characters through the keyboard, and displaying a current character string as input by the user,

displaying a suggested replacement character string for the current character string;

while both the current character string and the suggested replacement string are displayed, receiving a further user input through a punctuation mark key of the keyboard, and

in response to the further user input, replacing the current character string with the suggested replacement character string, and appending a punctuation mark at the end of the replacement character string, the punctuation mark corresponding to the punctuation mark key through which the further user input was received.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the punctuation mark key corresponds to a punctuation mark selected from the group consisting essentially of a comma, a period, an exclamation point, a question mark, and a semicolon.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the keyboard is a virtual keyboard displayed on the touch screen display.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the virtual keyboard comprises a display that simultaneously displays a first plurality of virtual keys each associated with a respective letter of the alphabet, and a second plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys each corresponding to a respective punctuation mark.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys comprises a first virtual punctuation mark key corresponding to a comma and a second virtual punctuation mark key corresponding to a period.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein displaying a suggested replacement character string for the current character string comprises displaying a single suggested replacement character string.

13. A method, comprising:

at a portable electronic device with a display;

receiving a plurality of user inputs of characters through the keyboard, and displaying on the display a current character string as input by the user,

displaying on the display a suggested replacement character string for the current character string, and

receiving a further user input of a single touch, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to receive the further single user input to perform a selected character string function of a plurality of possible character string functions depending on where the further single user input is received, the plurality of possible character string functions comprising,

replacing the current character string with the suggested replacement character string in response to a single user input at a first location,

replacing the current character string with the suggested replacement character string in combination with a first punctuation mark in response to a single user input at a second location, the second location being a first punctuation mark key on the keyboard corresponding to the first punctuation mark,

replacing the current character string with the suggested replacement character string in combination with a second punctuation mark in response to a single user input at a third location, the third location being a second punctuation mark key on the keyboard corresponding to the second punctuation mark, and

accepting the current character string in response to a single user input at a fourth location.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the display is a touch screen display, and wherein the keyboard is a virtual keyboard displayed on the touch screen display.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the virtual keyboard comprises a display that simultaneously displays a first plurality of virtual keys each associated with a respective letter of the alphabet, and a second plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys each corresponding to a respective punctuation mark.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first punctuation mark key is a virtual punctuation mark key corresponding to the first punctuation mark, and the second punctuation mark key is a virtual punctuation mark key corresponding to the second punctuation mark.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a portable electronic device with a display, cause the portable electronic device to perform a method comprising:

receiving a plurality of user inputs of characters through the keyboard, and displaying on the display a current character string as input by the user,

displaying on the display a suggested replacement character string for the current character string, and

receiving a further user input of a single touch, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to receive the further single user input to perform a selected character string function of a plurality of possible character string functions depending on where the further single user input is received, the plurality of possible character string functions comprising,

replacing the current character string with the suggested replacement character string in response to a single user input at a first location,

replacing the current character string with the suggested replacement character string in combination with a first punctuation mark in response to a single user input at a second location, the second location being a first punctuation mark key on the keyboard corresponding to the first punctuation mark,

replacing the current character string with the suggested replacement character string in combination with a second punctuation mark in response to a single user input at a third location, the third location being a second punctuation mark key on the keyboard corresponding to the second punctuation mark, and

accepting the current character string in response to a single user input at a fourth location.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the display is a touch screen display, and wherein the keyboard is a virtual keyboard displayed on the touch screen display.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the virtual keyboard comprises a display that simultaneously displays a first plurality of virtual keys each associated with a respective letter of the alphabet, and a second plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys each corresponding to a respective punctuation mark.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the first punctuation mark key is a virtual punctuation mark key corresponding to the first punctuation mark, and the second punctuation mark key is a virtual punctuation mark key corresponding to the second punctuation mark.

21. A method, comprising:

at portable electronic device with a touch screen display;

receiving a plurality of user inputs of characters through a virtual keyboard that simultaneously displays a first plurality of virtual keys each associated with a respective single letter of the alphabet, and a second plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys each corresponding to a respective punctuation mark,

displaying on the touch screen display a current character string as input by the user,

displaying on the display a suggested replacement character string for the current character string,

in response to a first user input at a first location, replacing the current character string with the suggested replacement character string,

in response to a second user input at a virtual punctuation mark key corresponding to a first punctuation mark, replacing the current character string with the suggested replacement character string in combination with the first punctuation mark, and

in response to a third user input at a third location, accepting the current character string.

22. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a portable electronic device with a touch screen display, cause the portable electronic device to perform a method comprising:

receiving a plurality of user inputs of characters through a virtual keyboard that simultaneously displays a first plurality of virtual keys each associated with a respective single letter of the alphabet, and a second plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys each corresponding to a respective punctuation mark,

displaying on the touch screen display a current character string as input by the user,

displaying on the display a suggested replacement character string for the current character string,

in response to a first user input at a first location, replacing the current character string with the suggested replacement character string,

in response to a second user input at a virtual punctuation mark key corresponding to a first punctuation mark, replacing the current character string with the suggested replacement character string in combination with the first punctuation mark, and

in response to a third user input at a third location, accepting the current character string.

23. A method comprising:

at a portable electronic device with a touch screen display;

receiving a plurality of user character inputs through the touch screen display of the portable electronic device, wherein the user character inputs are received through a virtual keyboard displayed on the touch screen, wherein the virtual keyboard simultaneously displays a first plurality of virtual keys each associated with a respective single letter of the alphabet, and a second plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys;

displaying on the touch display a current character string as input by a user;

while displaying the current character string, also displaying a suggested replacement character string for the current character string, wherein at the time a suggested replacement character string is displayed, the portable electronic device is able to receive a plurality of possible user single touch inputs that will result in selection of the suggested replacement character string, and wherein said plurality of possible user single touch inputs includes actuation of one of the plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys;

receiving a single touch user selection input through one of the plurality of the virtual punctuation mark keys; and

in response to the single touch user selection input, replacing the current character set with the suggested replacement character set and adding at the end of said character set a punctuation mark corresponding to the virtual punctuation mark key through which the input was received.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the plurality of possible single touch user inputs that will result in selection of the suggested replacement character string includes inputs that are not associated with a virtual punctuation mark key.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the plurality of possible single touch user inputs that are not associated with a virtual punctuation mark key and that will result in selection of the suggested replacement character string comprises a single touch input through the space bar of the virtual keyboard.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the plurality of possible single touch user inputs that are not associated with a virtual punctuation mark key and that will result in selection of the suggested replacement character string comprises a single touch input at the location of the displayed suggested replacement character set.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys comprises virtual punctuation mark keys respectively associated with a comma and a period.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys further comprises virtual punctuation mark keys respectively associated with an exclamation point and a semicolon.

29. A portable electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a touch screen display; and

computer readable memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, perform operations comprising;

receiving a plurality of user character inputs through the touch screen display of the portable electronic device, wherein the user character inputs are received through a virtual keyboard displayed on the touch screen, wherein the virtual keyboard simultaneously displays a first plurality of virtual keys each associated with a respective single letter of the alphabet, and a second plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys;

displaying on the touch display a current character string as input by a user;

while displaying the current character string, also displaying a suggested replacement character string for the current character string, wherein at the time a suggested replacement character string is displayed, the portable electronic device is able to receive a plurality of possible user single touch inputs that will result in selection of the suggested replacement character string, and wherein said plurality of possible user single touch inputs includes actuation of one of the plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys;

receiving a single touch user selection input through one of the plurality of the virtual punctuation mark keys; and

in response to the single touch user selection input, replacing the current character set with the suggested replacement character set and adding at the end of said character set a punctuation mark corresponding to the virtual punctuation mark key through which the input was received.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the plurality of possible single touch user inputs that will result in selection of the suggested replacement character string includes inputs that are not associated with a virtual punctuation mark key.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the plurality of possible single touch user inputs that are not associated with a virtual punctuation mark key and that will result in selection of the suggested replacement character string comprises a single touch input through the space bar of the virtual keyboard.

32. The device of claim 30, wherein the plurality of possible single touch user inputs that are not associated with a virtual punctuation mark key and that will result in selection of the suggested replacement character string comprises a single touch input at the location of the displayed suggested replacement character set.

33. The device of claim 29, wherein the plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys comprises virtual punctuation mark keys respectively associated with a comma and a period.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein the plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys further comprises virtual punctuation mark keys respectively associated with an exclamation point and a semicolon.