Scoring predictions based on prediction length and typing speed

• US 9,524,290 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Pasquero, Jerome, Griffin, Jason Tyler, McCulloch McKenzie, Donald Somerset
• Primary Examiner(s): JACKSON, JAKIEDA R
• Application Number:
  US13/601,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20140067372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• Field of Search: 704/9
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs

Abstract

A method that includes receiving an input, determining, by the processor, a likelihood that a predicted string associated with the received input matches an intended input string, where the determination is a function of at least one of a length of the predicted string and a typing speed associated with the received input, and displaying the predicted string.

Claims

1. An input method for a communication device having a hardware processor, the method comprising:

receiving, through a virtual keyboard displayed on a touchscreen of the communication device, an input string;

determining a typing speed associated with the received input;

generating, by the hardware processor, predicted strings stored in a dictionary memory of the communication device, where contextual data is sued when generating the predicted string;

assigning, by the hardware processor, a higher likelihood to longer predicted strings associated with the received input matches an intended input string when a typing speed associated with the received input increases;

assigning, to the predicted string, a score associated with the determined likelihood, wherein the score is independent of the length of the predicted string if the typing speed is below a predetermined speed threshold;

determining whether to display the predicted string based at least on the score;

displaying, on virtual keyboard of the communication device, one or more predicted strings at or near the input string and based on the determined likelihoods of the predicted strings; and

determining, by the hardware processor, whether one of the predicting strings matched the intended input string based on user input or omission of user input within a predetermined period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising decreasing the score if the difference between the length of the predicted string and the length of the input is smaller than a length threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the length threshold is a function of a reaction time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the length threshold is a function of the typing speed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the length threshold is in direct relationship with the typing speed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring the typing speed by calculating an average typing speed across a predetermined number of input characters.

7. An electronic device comprising a display and a hardware processor, the hardware processor configured to perform:

receiving, through a virtual keyboard displayed on a touchscreen of the communication device, an input string;

determining a typing speed associated with the received input;

generating, by the hardware processor, predicted strings stored in a dictionary memory of the communication device, where contextual data is sued when generating the predicted string;

assigning, by the hardware processor, a higher likelihood to longer predicted strings associated with the received input matches an intended input string when a typing speed associated with the received input increases;

assigning, to the predicted string, a score associated with the determined likelihood, wherein the score is independent of the length of the predicted string if the typing speed is below a predetermined speed threshold;

determining whether to display the predicted string based at least on the score;

displaying, on virtual keyboard of the communication device, one or more predicted strings at or near the input string and based on the determined likelihoods of the predicted strings; and

determining, by the hardware processor, whether one of the predicting strings matched the intended input string based on user input or omission of user input within a predetermined period of time.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

decreasing the score if the difference between the length of the predicted string and the length of the input is smaller than a length threshold.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the length threshold is a function of a reaction time.

10. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the length threshold is a function of the typing speed.

11. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the length threshold is in direct relationship with the typing speed.

12. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

measuring the typing speed by calculating an average typing speed across a predetermined number of input characters.