Contextual Input Method

Abstract

A input method selects a character from a plurality of characters of a logographic script, and identifies characters proximate the selected character. One or more candidate characters are then selected based on a composition input and the proximate characters.

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 selecting a character from a plurality of characters of a logographic script, the plurality of characters displayed on an output device;   defining a context window having a context window size that corresponds to a number of characters;   aligning the context window with respect to the selected character;   selecting a first set of proximate characters, the first set of proximate characters having a first cardinality equal to the number of characters, and each of proximate characters in the first set of proximate characters being characters proximate to the selected character and within the context window;   receiving a composition input;   identifying candidate characters based on the composition input, the selected character and the first set of proximate characters;   selecting a second set of proximate characters based on a number of candidate characters exceeding one or more threshold numbers, the second set of proximate characters having a second cardinality that is different from the first cardinality, the selecting the second set comprising:
 selecting, as the second set of proximate characters, the first set of proximate characters and one or more additional characters proximate to the first set of proximate characters when the number of candidate characters exceeds a first threshold number; or 
 selecting, as the second set of proximate characters, a proper subset of the first set of proximate characters when the candidate characters do not exceed a second threshold number that is less than the first threshold number; and 
   identifying one or more new candidate characters based on the composition input, the selected character, and the second set of proximate characters.   
     
     
         2 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 selecting a character from a plurality of characters of a logographic script, the plurality of characters displayed on an output device;   selecting a first set of proximate characters, the first set of proximate characters having a first cardinality, and each of proximate characters in the first set of proximate characters being characters proximate to the selected character;   receiving a composition input;   identifying candidate characters based on the composition input, the selected character and the first set of proximate characters;   selecting a second set of proximate characters based on a number of candidate characters exceeding one or more threshold numbers, the second set of proximate characters having a second cardinality that is different from the first cardinality, and wherein:
 the second set of proximate characters includes the first set of proximate characters and one or more additional characters proximate to the first set of proximate characters; or 
 the second set of proximate characters is a proper subset of the first set of proximate characters; 
   identifying one or more new candidate characters based on the composition input, the selected character, and the second set of proximate characters.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein selecting a first set of proximate characters having a first cardinality comprises selecting proximate characters that are not separated by a sentence break. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein selecting a second set of proximate characters based on a number of candidate characters exceeding one or more threshold numbers comprises selecting the one or more additional characters when the number of candidate characters exceeds a first threshold number. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , selecting a second set of proximate characters based on a number of candidate characters exceeding one or more threshold numbers comprises deselecting one or more of the proximate characters in the first set of proximate characters when the candidate characters do not exceed a second threshold number. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein selecting a first set of proximate characters comprises selecting the first set of proximate characters so that the set of proximate characters are centered on the selected character. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein selecting a second set of proximate characters based on a number of candidate characters exceeding one or more threshold numbers comprises:
 selecting the one or more additional characters when the number of candidate characters exceeds a first threshold number; and   deselecting one or more of the proximate characters in the first set of proximate characters when the candidate characters do not exceed a second threshold number;   wherein the second threshold number is less than the first threshold number.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising:
 identifying one or more candidate characters based on the composition input and an input session; and   comparing the one or more candidate characters based on the composition input, the selected character and the proximate characters to the one or more candidate characters based on the composition input and the input session.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising:
 ranking the candidate characters based on the comparison; and   presenting the candidate characters according to the rank.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the characters comprises Hanzi characters; and   the composition input comprises one or more Pinyin syllables.   
     
     
         11 . A system, comprising:
 a data store storing an association of composition inputs, context information, and characters, wherein one or more of the characters is associated with a plurality of composition inputs and the context information;   an input engine stored in computer readable medium and comprising instructions executable by a processing device that upon such execution cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:   selecting a character from a plurality of characters of a logographic script, the plurality of characters displayed on an output device;   selecting a first set of proximate characters, the first set of proximate characters having a first cardinality, and each of proximate characters in the first set of proximate characters being characters proximate to the selected character;   receiving a composition input;   identifying candidate characters based on the composition input, the selected character and the first set of proximate characters;   selecting a second set of proximate characters based on a number of candidate characters exceeding one or more threshold numbers, the second set of proximate characters having a second cardinality that is different from the first cardinality, and wherein:
 the second set of proximate characters includes the first set of proximate characters and one or more additional characters proximate to the first set of proximate characters; or 
 the second set of proximate characters is a proper subset of the first set of proximate characters; 
   identifying one or more new candidate characters based on the composition input, the selected character, and the second set of proximate characters.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein selecting a first set of proximate characters having a first cardinality comprises selecting proximate characters that are not separated by a sentence break. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the input engine comprises instructions executable by a processing device that upon such execution cause the processing device to:
 selecting the one or more additional characters when the number of candidate characters exceeds a first threshold number; and   deselecting one or more of the proximate characters in the first set of proximate characters when the candidate characters do not exceed a second threshold number;   wherein the second threshold number is less than the first threshold number.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein selecting a first set of proximate characters comprises selecting the first set of proximate characters so that the set of proximate characters are centered on the selected character. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the input engine comprises instructions executable by a processing device that upon such execution cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:
 identifying one or more candidate characters based on the composition input and an input session; and   comparing the one or more candidate characters based on the composition input, the selected character and the proximate characters to the one or more candidate characters based on the composition input and the input session.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the input engine comprises instructions executable by a processing device that upon such execution cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:
 determining common characters based on the comparison; and   present the common characters as candidate character selections.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the characters comprises Hanzi characters; and   the composition input comprises one or more Pinyin syllables.   
     
     
         18 . Software stored in a computer readable storage device and comprising instructions executable by a computer and upon such execution cause the computer to perform operations comprising:
 selecting a character from a plurality of characters of a logographic script, the plurality of characters displayed on an output device;   defining a context window having a context window size that corresponds to a number of characters;   aligning the context window with respect to the selected character;   selecting a first set of proximate characters, the first set of proximate characters having a first cardinality equal to the number of characters, and each of proximate characters in the first set of proximate characters being characters proximate to the selected character and within the context window;   receiving a composition input;   identifying candidate characters based on the composition input, the selected character and the first set of proximate characters;   selecting a second set of proximate characters based on a number of candidate characters exceeding one or more threshold numbers, the second set of proximate characters having a second cardinality that is different from the first cardinality, and wherein:
 the second set of proximate characters includes the first set of proximate characters and one or more additional characters proximate to the first set of proximate characters; or 
 the second set of proximate characters is a proper subset of the first set of proximate characters; 
   identifying one or more new candidate characters based on the composition input, the selected character, and the second set of proximate characters.