Managing real-time handwriting recognition

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media related to a technique for providing handwriting input functionality on a user device. A handwriting recognition module is trained to have a repertoire comprising multiple non-overlapping scripts and capable of recognizing tens of thousands of characters using a single handwriting recognition model. The handwriting input module provides real-time, stroke-order and stroke-direction independent handwriting recognition for multi-character handwriting input. In particular, real-time, stroke-order and stroke-direction independent handwriting recognition is provided for multi-character, or sentence level Chinese handwriting recognition. User interfaces for providing the handwriting input functionality are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a display;   one or more processors; and   memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors,   the one or more programs including instructions for:
 displaying, via the display, a user input interface including a message area; 
 detecting a first set of gestures; 
 in response to detecting the first set of gestures, displaying, via the display, a first text in the message area and a first set of candidates in a candidate display area; 
 detecting an input to view a second set of candidates; 
 in response to detecting the input to view the second set of candidates, displaying the second set of candidates in the candidate display area; 
 while displaying the second set of candidates, detecting an input to select a candidate from the second set of candidates; 
 in response to detecting the input to select the candidate from the second set of candidates:
 replacing the first text in the message area with the selected candidate; and 
 ceasing to display the first set of candidates and the second set of candidates in the candidate display area. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , the one or more programs further include instructions for:
 in accordance with a determination that the input to view the second set of candidates corresponds to a swipe input in the candidate display area, scrolling, on the display, the first set of candidates in the candidate display area.   
     
     
         3 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the user input interface includes a gesture input area that is distinct from the message area, wherein the first set of gestures are detected in the gesture input area, and wherein the candidate display area overlaps the gesture input area. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic device of  claim 3 , the one or more programs further include instructions for:
 reducing visibility of one or more gestures of the first set of gestures displayed in the gesture input area after a threshold amount of time.   
     
     
         5 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , the one or more programs further include instructions for:
 displaying an indication that first text in the message area is tentative; and   in response to exceeding a threshold amount of time, ceasing to display the indication that first text in the message area is tentative.   
     
     
         6 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first text corresponds to a top ranked candidate of the first set of candidates. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , the one or more programs further include instructions for:
 detecting a second set of gestures;   in response to detecting the second set of gestures:
 updating rank of one or more candidates of the first set of candidates; and 
 replacing display of first text in the message area with a revised top ranked candidate of the first set of candidates. 
   
     
     
         8 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , the one or more programs further include instructions for:
 detecting a second set of gestures;   in response to detecting the second set of gestures:
 replacing display of at least one candidate of the first set of candidates with at least one higher ranked candidate in the candidate display area. 
   
     
     
         9 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of gestures correspond to a single gesture and the first text in the message area corresponds to a plurality of characters. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , the one or more programs further include instructions for:
 detecting an input to enlarge at least one candidate displayed in the candidate display area;   in response to detecting the input to enlarge at least one candidate, enlarging the at least one candidate in the candidate display area and at least a portion of the message area.   
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of an electronic device with a display, the one or more programs including instructions for:
 displaying, via the display, a user input interface including a message area;   detecting a first set of gestures;   in response to detecting the first set of gestures, displaying, via the display, a first text in the message area and a first set of candidates in a candidate display area;   detecting an input to view a second set of candidates;   in response to detecting the input to view the second set of candidates, displaying the second set of candidates in the candidate display area;   while displaying the second set of candidates, detecting an input to select a candidate from the second set of candidates;   in response to detecting the input to select the candidate from the second set of candidates:
 replacing the first text in the message area with the selected candidate; and 
 ceasing to display the first set of candidates and the second set of candidates in the candidate display area. 
   
     
     
         12 . A method, comprising:
 at an electronic device with a display:
 displaying, via the display, a user input interface including a message area; 
 detecting a first set of gestures; 
 in response to detecting the first set of gestures, displaying, via the display, a first text in the message area and a first set of candidates in a candidate display area; 
 detecting an input to view a second set of candidates; 
 in response to detecting the input to view the second set of candidates, displaying the second set of candidates in the candidate display area; 
 while displaying the second set of candidates, detecting an input to select a candidate from the second set of candidates; 
 in response to detecting the input to select the candidate from the second set of candidates:
 replacing the first text in the message area with the selected candidate; and 
 ceasing to display the first set of candidates and the second set of candidates in the candidate display area.