Automatic sentence punctuation

• US 9,460,067 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2013
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LE, Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: VanBlon, Russell Speight, Beaumont, Suzanne Marion, Holt, Jefferson Logan, Waltermann, Rod D.
• Primary Examiner(s): GUERRA-ERAZO, EDGAR X
• Application Number:
  US14/067,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20150120281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 704/235, 704/243, 704/246, 704/270, 704/270.1, 704/275
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting

Abstract

An aspect provides a method, including: receiving, at an information handling device input component, user input comprising a sentence; identifying, using a processor, the sentence; determining, using the processor, correct punctuation for the sentence identified; determining, using the processor, a confidence level for the correct punctuation determined; and responsive to the confidence level exceeding a predetermined threshold, automatically modifying, using the processor, the sentence based on the correct punctuation determined. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at an information handling device input component, user input comprising a sentence;

inserting, using a processor, the user input in an electronic document;

identifying, using the processor, the sentence;

determining, using the processor, correct punctuation for the sentence identified;

determining, using the processor, a confidence level for the correct punctuation determined; and

responsive to the confidence level exceeding a predetermined threshold, automatically modifying, using the processor, the sentence based on the correct punctuation determined, wherein the automatically modifying comprises correcting existing punctuation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically modifying includes a modification selected from the group of modifications consisting of automatically inserting a missing punctuation mark, and automatically removing an existing punctuation mark.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a trigger event prior to the automatically modifying the sentence based on the correct punctuation determined.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying a sentence includes identifying an end location for the sentence.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the input component comprises a microphone; and

identifying an end location for the sentence comprises identifying a pause in verbal input.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the input component comprises a microphone; and

determining correct punctuation comprises analyzing voice characteristics of the user input.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising responsive to the confidence level not exceeding a predetermined threshold, presenting the user with suggested punctuation.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a location for input of suggested punctuation is maintained as further user input is received.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a location for further user input insertion is not modified as a result of the automatically modifying the sentence based on the correct punctuation determined.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the confidence level is modified based on user feedback.

11. An information handling device, comprising:

an input component;

a processor;

a memory device assessable to the processor and storing code executable by the processor to;

receive, at the input component, user input comprising a sentence;

insert, using the processor;

the user input in an electronic document;

identify, using the processor, the sentence;

determine, using the processor, correct punctuation for the sentence identified;

determine, using the processor, a confidence level for the correct punctuation determined; and

responsive to the confidence level exceeding a predetermined threshold, automatically modify, using the processor, the sentence based on the correct punctuation determined, wherein the automatically modifying comprises correcting existing punctuation.

12. The information handling device of claim 11, wherein to automatically modify includes a modification selected from the group of modifications consisting of automatically inserting a missing punctuation mark, and automatically removing an existing punctuation mark.

13. The information handling device of claim 11, wherein the code is further executable by the processor to detect a trigger event prior to the automatically modifying the sentence based on the correct punctuation determined.

14. The information handling device of claim 11, wherein to identify a sentence includes identifying an end location for the sentence.

15. The information handling device of claim 14, wherein:

the input component comprises a microphone; and

identifying an end location for the sentence comprises identifying a pause in verbal input.

16. The information handling device of claim 11, wherein:

the input component comprises a microphone; and

to determine correct punctuation comprises analyzing voice characteristics of the user input.

17. The information handling device of claim 11, wherein the code is further executable by the processor to, responsive to the confidence level not exceeding a predetermined threshold, present the user with suggested punctuation.

18. The information handling device of claim 17, wherein a location for input of suggested punctuation is maintained as further user input is received.

19. The information handling device of claim 11, wherein the confidence level is modified based on user feedback.

20. A program product, comprising:

a storage device having computer readable program code stored therewith, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to receive, at an information handling device input component, user input comprising a sentence;

computer readable program code configured to insert, using a processor, the user input in an electronic document;

computer readable program code configured to identify, using the processor, the sentence;

computer readable program code configured to determine, using the processor, correct punctuation for the sentence identified;

computer readable program code configured to determine, using the processor, a confidence level for the correct punctuation determined; and

computer readable program code configured to, responsive to the confidence level exceeding a predetermined threshold, automatically modify, using the processor, the sentence based on the correct punctuation determined, wherein the automatically modifying comprises correcting existing punctuation.