Systems and Methods for Identifying and Suggesting Emoticons

Abstract

Various embodiments provide a method that comprises receiving a set of segments from a text field, analyzing the set of segments to determine at least one of a target subtext or a target meaning associated with the set of segments, and identifying a set of candidate emoticons where each candidate emoticon in the set of candidate emoticons has an association between the candidate emoticon and at least one of the target subtext or the target meaning. The method may further comprise presenting the set of candidate emoticons for entry selection at a current position of an input cursor, receiving an entry selection for a set of selected emoticons from the set of candidate emoticons, and inserting the set of selected emoticons into the text field at the current position of the input cursor.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION(S)[0001]The invention(s) described herein generally relate to emoticons. More particularly, the invention(s) relate to systems and methods for identifying and suggesting emoticons during various activities on a computing device.DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART[0002]Originally, emoticons were facial expressions represented by characters (e.g., ASCII characters) commonly found on computer keyboards, such as letters, numbers, and symbols. These original emoticons, once placed in an electronic message or an electronic posting by an author (e.g., electronic bulletin board), were meant to convey the author's mood or to convey / enhance the overall sentiment of the message or the posting. In beginning, these emoticons were limited to expressing moods, such as happiness, anger, sadness, and indifference. Gradually, however, the use of these character-based emoticons characters (hereafter, “character emoticons”) expanded to conveying meanings and messages.[0003]Eventually,...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]An exemplary system comprises a processor, a display module, an input module, a segment analysis module, an emoticon search module, an emoticon suggestion module, and an emoticon selection module. The display module may be configured to display a text field and one or more segments entered into the text field.

[0012]The input module may be configured to receive segment input from a user and to enter the segment input into the text field at an input cursor. The segment analysis module may be configured to receive a set of segments from the text field, wherein the set of segments comprises one or more segments of interest selected relative to a current position of the input cursor in the text field. The segment analysis module may be further configured to use the processor to analyze the set of segments to determine at least one of a target subtext or a target meaning associated with the set of segments. The emoticon search module may be configured to identify a set of candidate emoticons, wherein each candidate emoticon in the set of candidate emoticons has an association between the candidate emoticon and at least one of the target subtext or the target meaning, and wherein the set of candidate emoticons comprises one or more candidate emoticons. The emoticon suggestion module may be configured to present the set of candidate emoticons through the display module for entry selection at the current position of the input cursor. The emoticon selection module may be configured to receive from the input module an entry selection for a set of selected emoticons from the set of candidate emoticons, wherein the set of selected emoticons comprises one or more selected emoticons. The emoticon selection module may be further configured to insert the set of selected emoticons into the text field at the current position of the input cursor.

[0013]In some embodiments, the system further comprises an emoticon datastore comprising one or more emoticons capable of entry into the text field, and wherein the emoticon search module is further configured to identify a set of candidate emoticons on the emoticon datastore.

Problems solved by technology

In beginning, these emoticons were limited to expressing moods, such as happiness, anger, sadness, and indifference.

Unfortunately, with the emergence of graphical emoticons, the number of emoticons a user can choose from has grown vastly.

Due to the expansion in number, usage, availability, and variety of emoticons, it can be quite time consuming, and sometimes overwhelming, for users to browse through and select appropriate emoticons for a given context when participating in emoticon-applicable computing activities.

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