Ambiguous Input Disambiguation and Selective Prediction Suppression

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Solution Overview

Problem

Handheld electronic devices face user confusion due to the wide variety of disambiguation and prediction results during text input, leading to increased attention and effort required from the user.

Innovation Solution

The device employs a disambiguation routine and prediction routine that selectively suppresses completions in certain situations, such as when the user actuates a specific key, to provide only disambiguated interpretations, reducing distraction and facilitating input by focusing on the desired interpretation without unnecessary completions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If both disambiguation results and prediction results are provided simultaneously, then the user has more options and completions available, but the user becomes confused and requires more attention and effort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of text input assistanceVSAvoiduser cognitive load

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the display of completion results based on the current input state. When the input is ambiguous, only disambiguation results are shown. When the input becomes unambiguous, prediction results are then displayed. This dynamic switching resolves the contradiction by adapting the information presented to the user's current needs without overwhelming them.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system periodically re-evaluates the ambiguity status of the input as the user types. It transitions between showing only disambiguation results and showing prediction results based on this periodic assessment. This periodic action ensures that the user receives appropriate assistance at each stage of input without constant confusion from too many options.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Productivity

If prediction results are always displayed, then the user can save keystrokes by selecting completions, but the user is distracted from selecting the correct disambiguated interpretation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetext input efficiencyVSAvoidinput accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system preemptively suppresses prediction results when the input is ambiguous, preventing the harmful distraction before it occurs. By detecting ambiguity in advance, the system blocks prediction results that would otherwise interfere with the user's ability to select the correct disambiguated interpretation, thus maintaining input accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The display of prediction results is made dynamic rather than static. Prediction results are shown only when the input is unambiguous, and suppressed when ambiguity is detected. This dynamic behavior allows the system to optimize for productivity when appropriate while maintaining accuracy when needed, resolving the contradiction between these two goals.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9043700B2Handheld electronic device and associated method providing disambiguation of an ambiguous input and selectively providing prediction of future characters

Publication Date: 2015.05.26 MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LTD

AI summary

A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with disambiguation software and prediction software. In response to an ambiguous input, the system provides one or more disambiguated interpretations of the ambiguous input. In some circumstances, the system can additionally provide one or more completions, i.e., predictions of future characters. However, in other circumstances the outputting of completions of an ambiguous input can be suppressed in order to avoid distracting the user and to provide more meaningful results to the user.