Formatting module, system and method for formatting an electronic character sequence

Abstract

There is provided a formatting module configured to format spaces in an electronic character sequence. The formatting module supports at least one language and comprises a language identifier configured to identify whether the electronic character sequence is written in a supported language, and a character identifier configured to identify a particular character or a particular sequence of characters in the electronic character sequence. The formatting module is configured to format spaces in the electronic character sequence on the basis of the language identified and the particular character identified or the particular sequence of characters identified, when a supported language is identified. A system and method for formatting text are also provided.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a processor;   memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to:   identify whether an electronic character sequence is written in a supported language;   identify a particular character or a particular sequence of characters in the electronic character sequence; and   format spaces in the electronic character sequence on the basis of the language identified and the particular character or sequence of characters identified, when the supported language is identified.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions that format spaces in the electronic character sequence insert and/or delete spaces in the electronic character sequence. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the memory stores:
 at least one set of rules, each rule relating to a particular character or sequence of characters to be identified in the electronic character sequence; 
 wherein each rule is associated with one or more actions which describe the format of spaces to be applied to the electronic character sequence given a supported language and the particular character or sequence of characters; 
   wherein the instructions configure the processor to:
 compare each rule of one of the at least one set of rules to the electronic character sequence to identify whether a rule is applicable; 
 format spaces in the electronic character sequence by applying the one or more actions associated with the applicable rule to the electronic character sequence. 
   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the instructions configure the processor to compare each rule of one of the at least one set of rules to the electronic character sequence only when a supported language is identified. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system supports a plurality of languages and the instructions further configure the processor to identify the most likely language of the supported languages that the electronic character sequence is written in. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions configure the processor to identify a punctuation mark and is configured to format the spaces either side of the punctuation mark on the basis of the punctuation mark. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions configure the processor to identify a particular context in the electronic character sequence, and format the spaces in the electronic character sequence on the basis of the context. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions configure the processor to identify a punctuation mark in the electronic character sequence and format the spaces either side of the punctuation mark on the basis of the category of punctuation mark. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more actions comprise a sequence of actions, wherein when a rule is found to be applicable, the instructions configure the processor to apply the sequence of actions to the electronic character sequence. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the memory comprises a plurality of sets of rules, one set of rules for each language that is supported, and the instructions configure the processor to compare each rule of the set of rules that corresponds to the most likely language to the electronic character sequence. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the memory comprises sets of rules relating to each language, each family of languages, and all languages in the world and wherein the rules are applied in a hierarchal structure such that, once a supported language has been identified, the instructions configure the processor to first compare each rule from the set of rules specific to that language, followed by each rule from the set of rules applicable to the family of languages to which that language belongs, followed by each rule of the set of rules which are applicable to all languages until an applicable rule is identified or no applicable rule is identified and all rules are exhausted. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the instructions configure the processor to compare the rules in a specific predetermined order, wherein the set of rules comprises context rules, character rules and category rules and the processor is configured to compare the rules in the following order until an applicable rule is identified or no applicable rule is identified and all rules are exhausted: context rules, character rules, and then category rules. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the particular character identified in the electronic character sequences is a punctuation mark; and   the instructions configure the processor to format spaces in the electronic character sequence on the basis of the language in which the electronic character sequence is written, the punctuation mark identified, and a context of the punctuation mark, when a supported language is identified.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions configure the processor further
 to generate a corrected electronic character sequence from the electronic character sequence; and   format spaces in the corrected electronic character sequence when a supported language is identified.   
     
     
         16 . A system, comprising:
 a processor;   memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to;   receive an electronic character sequence;
 identify which language the electronic character sequence is most likely written in; 
 correct the electronic character sequence on the basis of the identified language 
 generate a corrected electronic character sequence; 
 identify a particular character or a particular sequence of characters in the corrected electronic character sequence; and 
 format spaces in the corrected electronic character sequence on the basis of the language identified and the particular character or the particular sequence of characters identified. 
   
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising:
 identifying whether an electronic character sequence is written in a supported language;   identifying a particular character or a particular sequence of characters in the electronic character sequence;   formatting spaces in the electronic character sequence on the basis of the language identified and the particular character or sequence of characters identified, when a supported language is identified.   
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising identifying the most likely language of the electronic character sequence. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 comparing each rule of one of at least one set of rules, each rule defining the formatting of spaces in the electronic character sequence, to the electronic character sequence to identify whether a rule is applicable to the character sequence;   identifying that a particular rule is applicable to the character sequence; and   applying the applicable rule to the electronic character sequence to format the spaces in the electronic character sequence.   
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein identifying a particular character comprises identifying a punctuation mark and formatting the spaces in the electronic character sequence comprises formatting the spaces either side of the punctuation mark on the basis of the form of the punctuation mark. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein identifying a particular sequence of characters comprises identifying a particular context and formatting the spaces in the electronic character sequence comprises formatting the spaces on the basis of the context. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein identifying a particular character comprises identifying a punctuation mark and formatting the spaces in the electronic character sequence comprises formatting the spaces either side of the punctuation mark on the basis of the category of punctuation mark. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the rules are compared in a specific predetermined order, wherein the set of rules comprises context rules, character rules and category rules, and the method comprises comparing the rules in the following order until an applicable rule is identified or no applicable rule is identified and all rules are exhausted: context rules, character rules, and then category rules. 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions which, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to:
 identify whether an electronic character sequence is written in a supported language;   identify a particular character or a particular sequence of characters in the electronic character sequence; and   format spaces in the electronic character sequence on the basis of the language identified and the particular character or sequence of characters identified, when a supported language is identified.