Device, method, and graphical user interface for a predictive keyboard

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10255267-B2
Application number	US-201414503147-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2014
Priority date	May 30, 2014
Publication date	Apr 9, 2019
Grant date	Apr 9, 2019

Abstract

A method includes displaying a set of one or more suggestions including one or more character strings that are suggested replacements for a first set of one or more entered characters. The method further includes: while displaying the set of suggestions, receiving one or more additional entered characters; and after receiving the additional entered characters, updating the set of suggestions based on an updated set of entered characters that includes the first set of entered characters and the additional entered characters. The updating comprises changing a first suggestion in the set of suggestions from a first character string that is a suggested replacement for the first set of entered characters to a second character string that is a suggested replacement for the updated set of entered characters.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
at a computer system with a display and one or more input devices:
displaying, on the display, a set of one or more suggestions including one or more character strings that are suggested replacements for a first set of one or more entered characters;
while displaying the set of suggestions, receiving, via the one or more input devices, one or more additional entered characters; and
in response to receiving the one or more additional entered characters, automatically updating the set of suggestions based on an updated set of entered characters that includes the first set of entered characters and the one or more additional entered characters, wherein the updating comprises:
changing a first suggestion in the set of suggestions from a first character string that is a suggested replacement for the first set of entered characters to a second character string that is a suggested replacement for the updated set of entered characters based on an analysis of the one or more additional characters by the computer system, comprising:
determining, by the computer system, a maintained portion of the first character string that is identical to a corresponding portion of the second character string;
determining, by the computer system, an inserted portion of the second character string that is inserted relative to the maintained portion of the first character string, the inserted portion having a sequence of characters that includes a first character followed by a second character; and
while displaying the maintained portion of the first character string, displaying, on the display, an animated transition of the first character string changing to the second character string, wherein the animated transition includes sequentially displaying the characters of the inserted portion of the second character string after the maintained portion of the first character string, wherein sequentially displaying the characters includes:
 displaying, on the display, the first character of the inserted portion without displaying the second character of the inserted portion; and
 subsequently, after displaying the first character of the inserted portion without displaying the second character of the inserted portion, concurrently displaying, on the display, the first character and the second character of the inserted portion.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying, on the display, the one or more input devices, wherein the one or more input devices includes a keyboard;
receiving, via the one or more input devices, inputs of the first set of one or more entered characters; and
displaying, on the display, proximate to the one or more input devices, a suggestion region that includes the set of one or more suggestions.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein sequentially displaying the characters further comprises:
displaying, on the display, an individual character using a height less than a height of characters within the maintained portion of the first character string; and
after displaying the individual character, increasing the individual character's height.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein an anchor point that corresponds to a bottom of the individual character remains at a fixed location relative to the maintained portion of the first character string as the individual character's height increases.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein sequentially displaying the characters further comprises:
displaying, on the display, an individual character using an opacity less than an opacity of the maintained portion of the first character string; and
after displaying the individual character, increasing the individual character's opacity.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the characters of the inserted portion of the second character string are displayed starting with a left-most character and ending with a right-most character of the inserted portion of the second character string.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein changing the first suggestion from the first character string to the second character string further comprises:
determining, by the computer system, a deleted portion of the first character string that is deleted relative to the second character string, the deleted portion having a second sequence of characters; and
while displaying the maintained portion of the first character string, sequentially removing the characters of the deleted portion of the first character string.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein sequentially removing the characters comprises decreasing a height of an individual character.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein sequentially removing the characters comprises decreasing an opacity of an individual character until the individual character disappears.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the characters of the deleted portion are removed starting with a right-most character and ending with a left-most character of the deleted portion.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein changing the first suggestion from the first character string to the second character string further comprises moving the maintained portion of the first character string to a location where the corresponding portion appears within the second character string when the second character string is displayed.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising while sequentially displaying the characters of the inserted portion of the second character string, moving the displayed maintained portion of the first character string.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein changing the first suggestion from the first character string to the second character string further comprises:
determining, by the computer system, a replaced portion of the first character string that is replaced by a replacement portion of the second character string, the replaced portion having a second sequence of characters and the replacement portion having a third sequence of characters; and
while displaying the maintained portion of the first character string, sequentially replacing characters of the replaced portion with characters of the replacement portion.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein changing the first suggestion from the first character string to the second character string further comprises:
determining, by the computer system, a second maintained portion of the first character string and a second corresponding portion of the second character string that match;
determining, by the computer system, a replaced portion of the first character string that is between the maintained portion of the first character string and the second maintained portion of the first character string, the replaced portion having a second sequence of characters;
determining, by the computer system, a replacement portion of the second character string that is between the corresponding portion of the second character string and the second corresponding portion of the second character string, the replacement portion having a third sequence of characters; and
while displaying the maintained portion of the first character string and the second maintained portion of the first character string, sequentially replacing characters of the replaced portion with characters of the replacement portion.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the replacement portion is longer than the replaced portion, and wherein sequentially replacing characters of the replaced portion with characters of the replacement portion comprises:
determining, by the computer system, a first portion of the replacement portion that is equal in length to the replace

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Chaudhri Imran A
• Karunamuni Chanaka G
• Jon Tiffany S
• Beaver Jason C
• Shaffer Joshua H
• Willmore Christopher P
• Jong Nicholas K

Classifications

• G06F3/04883

  for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text · CPC title

• G06F3/0237

  using prediction or retrieval techniques · CPC title

• G06F3/0236 Primary

  using selection techniques to select from displayed items · CPC title

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F40/274 Primary

  Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs · CPC title