Input assistance device, input assistance method and storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016283446-A1
Application number	US-201415033961-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 18, 2014
Priority date	Nov 25, 2013
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

To provide an input assistance device, an input assistance method and a storage medium which can present a character string to be suggested to a user in consideration of a probability of being inputted first in a character string. An input assistance device is for assisting a user to input a character string, the device includes: a character string determining unit that determines a character string to be suggested relating to the inputted kana character string, in the case that a user inputs a kana character string by use of index structure, the index structure recording therein a word together with its kana-reading and the index structure indicating whether or not it is probable that the word is inputted first at a time of inputting a character string; and a suggested candidate presenting unit that presents the character string to be suggested, which is determined, as a suggested candidate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An input assistance device for assisting a user to input a character string, comprising:
a character string determining unit that determines a character string to be suggested relating to the inputted kana character string, in the case that a user inputs a kana character string by use of index structure,
the index structure recording therein a word together with its kana-reading and
the index structure indicating whether or not it is probable that the word is inputted first at a time of inputting a character string; and
a suggested candidate presenting unit that presents the character string to be suggested, which is determined, as a suggested candidate.

2 . The input assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein
on the basis of the index structure, the character string determining unit determines a character string to be suggested, and wherein
the character string to be suggested relating to the inputted kana character string and
the character string to be suggested including a word having the probability of being inputted first at a time of inputting, as the character.

3 . The input assistance device according to claim 2 , wherein
in the index structure, in the case that a word is recorded and at least a head portion of a kana-reading of the word is identical with the inputted kana character string, the character string determining unit determines a character string, which includes the word, as the character string to be suggested on the condition that the word has the probability of being inputted first at the time of inputting, and in the index structure, in the case that at least a head portion of a kana-reading of a word, which is generated by concatenating plural and consecutive words existing in a character string, is identical with the inputted kana character string, the character string determining unit determines a character string, which includes the plural and consecutive words, as the character string to be suggested on the condition that a head word of the plural and consecutive words has the probability of being inputted first at the time of inputting.

4 . The input assistance device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an index structure constructing unit that divides a candidate for the character string to be suggested into a plurality of partial character strings, by use of a dictionary in which description of a word and a kana-reading of the word are associated each other, judges whether or not it is probable that the partial character string is inputted first at the time of inputting the kana character string, per the partial character string out of the plural character strings, and constructs the index structure, in which a kana-reading of the partial character string is defined as a key, based on a result of the judge.

5 . The input assistance device according to claim 4 , wherein
on the basis of statistical data of the partial character string, the index structure constructing unit judges whether or not it is probable that the partial character string is inputted first at the time of inputting the kana character string.

6 . The input assistance device according to claim 4 , wherein
on the basis of a predetermined rule, the index structure constructing unit judges whether or not it is probable that the partial character string is inputted first at the time of inputting the kana character string.

7 . The input assistance device according to claim 5 , wherein
the index structure constructing unit further sets a score to each of the candidates for the character string to be suggested, based on the statistical data, and the suggested candidate presenting unit sets a priority order to each of the character strings to be suggested on the basis of the score, and presents the character strings as the suggested candidate in the priority order, in the case that there are a plurality of the character strings to be suggested which are determined.

8 . The input assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein
the suggested candidate presenting unit presents a portion, which is included by the character string to be suggested that is determined and which is related to the inputted kana character string, in a form different from another portion form.

9 . An input assistance method for assisting a user to input a character string by use of a computer, the method, comprising processing of:
determining a character string to be suggested relating to the inputted kana character string, in the case that a user inputs a kana character string by use of index structure,
the index structure recording therein a word together with its kana-reading and
the index structure indicating whether or not it is probable that the word is inputted first at a time of inputting a character string; and
presenting the character string to be suggested, which is determined, as a suggested candidate.

10 . The input assistance method according to claim 9 , wherein
in the determining, determining a character string to be suggested based on the index structure, and wherein the character string to be suggested relating to the inputted kana character string and the character string to be suggested including a word having the probability of being inputted first at a time of inputting, as the character.

11 . The input assistance method according to claim 10 , wherein
in the determining, in the index structure, in the case that a word is recorded and at least a head portion of a kana-reading of the word is identical with the inputted kana character string, a character string which includes the word is determined as the character string to be suggested on the condition that the word has the probability of being inputted first at the time of inputting, and in the determining, in the index structure, in the case that at least a head portion of a kana-reading of a word, which is generated by concatenating plural and consecutive words in a character string, is identical with the inputted kana character string, a character string which includes the plural and consecutive words is determined as the character string to be suggested on the condition that a head word of the plural and consecutive words has the probability of being inputted first at the time of inputting.

12 . The input assistance method according to claim 9 , further comprising processing of constructing an index structure, wherein
dividing a candidate for the character string to be suggested into a plurality of partial character strings, by use of a dictionary in which description of a word and a kana-reading of the word are associated each other, judging whether or not it is probable that the partial character string is inputted first at the time of inputting the kana character string, per the partial character string out of the plural character strings, and constructing the index structure, in which a kana-reading of the partial character string is defined as a key, based on a result of the judge.

13 . The input assistance method according to claim 12 , wherein
in the constructing, judging whether or not it is probable that the partial character string is inputted first at the time of inputting the kana character string based on statistical data of the partial character string.

14 . The input assistance method according to claim 12 , wherein
in the constructing, based on a predetermined rule, judging whether or not it is probable that the partial character string is inputted first at the time of inputting the kana character string.

15 . (canceled)

16 . (c

Assignees

• Nec Solution Innovators Ltd

Inventors

• Okajima Yuzuru
• Yamamoto Kosuke

Classifications

• G06F3/0237 Primary

  using prediction or retrieval techniques · CPC title

• G06F3/04895

  Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting · CPC title

• G06F40/129 Primary

  Handling non-Latin characters, e.g. kana-to-kanji conversion · CPC title

• G06F40/274

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

• G06F3/02

  Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials · CPC title