How Smartphones Suggest and Correct Words While You Type

Citation count

35/40

Claim breadth

20/20

Recency

5/20

Assignee scale

20/20

A method, comprising: at a portable electronic device with a touch screen display: in a first area of the touch screen display, displaying a current character string being input by a user with the keyboard; in a second area of the touch screen display that is between the first area and the keyboard, displaying the current character string or a portion thereof and a suggested replacement character string for the current character string on opposite sides of the second area; replacing the current character string in the first area with the suggested replacement character string if the user activates a space bar key on the keyboard; replacing the current character string in the first area with the suggested replacement character string if the user performs a first gesture on the suggested replacement character string displayed in the second area; and keeping the current character string in the first area and adding a space if the user performs a second gesture in the second area on the current character string or the portion thereof displayed in the second area. 2. A method, comprising: at a portable electronic device with a touch screen display: in a first area of the touch screen display, displaying a current character string being input by a user with the keyboard; in a second area of the touch screen display separate from the first area, displaying the current character string or a portion thereof and a suggested replacement character string for the current character string; replacing the current character string in the first area with the suggested replacement character string if the user activates a key on the keyboard associated with a delimiter; replacing the current character string in the first area with the suggested replacement character string if the user performs a first gesture on the suggested replacement character string displayed in the second area; and keeping the current character string in the first area if the user performs a second gesture in the second area on the current character string or the portion thereof displayed in the second area. 3. The method of claim 2 , including adding a space after the current character string if the user performs the second gesture on the current character string or the portion thereof displayed in the second area. 4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the key on the keyboard associated with a delimiter is a space bar key. 5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the delimiter is any of a plurality of predefined delimiters symbols. 6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the keyboard is a soft keyboard that is part of the touch screen display. 7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the keyboard is a physical keyboard that is not a part of the touch screen display. 8. The method of claim 2 , wherein the character strings are words, numbers, or a combination thereof. 9. The method of claim 2 , further comprising: in the second area of the touch screen display, displaying an alternative suggested replacement character string for the current character string; and replacing the current character string in the first area with the alternative suggested replacement character string if the user performs a predefined gesture on the alternative suggested replacement character string in the second area. 10. The method of claim 2 , further comprising adding the current character string to a dictionary in the device if the user performs the second gesture on the current character string displayed in the second area. 11. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first gesture includes one or more taps on the suggested replacement character string displayed in the second area. 12. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second gesture includes one or more taps on the current character string displayed in the second area. 13. The method of claim 2 , further comprising, after replacing the current character string in the first area with the suggested replacement character string, displaying the current character string in place of the suggested replacement character string in the first area if the user performs a third gesture on the suggested replacement character string in the first area. 14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the third gesture comprises a tap gesture or a hover gesture. 15. The method of claim 2 , wherein, in the second area of the touch screen display, the suggested replacement character string and the current character string are on opposite sides of the second area. 16. The method of claim 2 , wherein, in the second area of the touch screen display, the suggested replacement character string is on the left side of the second area and the current character string is on the right side of the second area. 17. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second area is between the first area and the keyboard. 18. A graphical user interface on a portable electronic device with a keyboard and a touch screen display, comprising: a first area of the touch screen display that displays a current character string being input by a user with the keyboard; and a second area of the touch screen display separate from the first area that displays the current character string or a portion thereof and a suggested replacement character string for the current character string; wherein; the current character string in the first area is replaced with the suggested replacement character string if the user activates a key on the keyboard associated with a delimiter; the current character string in the first area is replaced with the suggested replacement character string if the user performs a gesture on the suggested replacement character string in the second area; and the current character string in the first area is kept if the user performs a gesture in the second area on the current character string or the portion thereof displayed in the second area. 19. A portable electronic device, comprising: a touch screen display; one or more processors; memory; and one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, one or more programs including: instructions for displaying, in a first area of the touch screen display, a current character string being input by a user with the keyboard; instructions for displaying, in a second area of the touch screen display separate from the first area, the current character string and a suggested replacement character string for the current character string; instructions for replacing the current character string in the first area with the suggested replacement character string if the user activates a key on the keyboard associated with a delimiter; instructions for replacing the current character string in the first area with the suggested replacement character string if the user performs a first gesture on the suggested replacement character string displayed in the second area; and instructions for keeping the current character string in the first area if the user performs a second gesture in the second area on the current character string or the portion thereof displayed in the second area. 20. A computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a portable electronic device with a touch screen display cause the portable electronic device to: in a first area of the touch screen display, display a current character string being input by a user with the keyboard; in a second area of the touch screen display separate from the first area, display the current character string or a portion thereof and a suggested replacement character string for the current character string; replace the current character string in the first area with the suggested replacement character string if the user activates a key on the keyboard associated with a delimiter; replace the current character string in the first area with the suggested replacement character string if the user performs a first gesture on the suggested replacement character string displayed in the second area; and keep the current character string in the first area if the user performs a second gesture in the second area on the current character string or the portion thereof displayed in the second area. 21. A computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a portable electronic device with a display and a keyboard, cause the portable electronic device to perform a method comprising: receiving a plurality of user inputs of characters through the keyboard, and displaying on the display a current character string as input by the user; displaying a suggested replacement character string for the current character string; while both the current character string and the suggested replacement string are displayed, receiving a further user input through a punctuation mark key of the keyboard; and in response to the further user input, replacing the current character string with the suggested replacement character string, and appending a punctuation mark at the end of the replacement character string, the punctuation mark corresponding to the punctuation mark key through which the further user input was received. 22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the punctuation mark key corresponds to a punctuation mark selected from the group consisting essentially of a comma, a period, an exclamation point, a question mark, and a semicolon. 23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the display is a touch screen display, and wherein the keyboard is a virtual keyboard displayed on the touch screen display. 24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the virtual keyboard comprises a display that simultaneously displays a first plurality of virtual keys each associated with a respective letter of the alphabet, and a second plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys each corresponding to a respective punctuation mark. 25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 24 , wherein the plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys comprises a first virtual punctuation mark key corresponding to a comma and a second virtual punctuation mark key corresponding to a period. 26. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein displaying a suggested replacement character string for the current character string comprises displaying a single suggested replacement character string. 27. A portable electronic device, comprising: one or more processors; a touch screen display; and computer readable memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, perform operations comprising: receiving a plurality of user inputs of characters through the keyboard, and displaying a current character string as input by the user, displaying a suggested replacement character string for the current character string; while both the current character string and the suggested replacement string are displayed, receiving a further user input through a punctuation mark key of the keyboard, and in response to the further user input, replacing the current character string with the suggested replacement character string, and appending a punctuation mark at the end of the replacement character string, the punctuation mark corresponding to the punctuation mark key through which the further user input was received. 28. A portable electronic device, comprising: one or more processors; a display; a keyboard; and computer readable memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, perform operations comprising: receiving a plurality of user inputs of characters through the keyboard, and displaying on the display a current character string as input by the user, displaying on the display a suggested replacement character string for the current character string, and receiving a further user input of a single touch, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to receive the further single user input to perform a selected character string function of a plurality of possible character string functions depending on where the further single user input is received, the plurality of possible character string functions comprising, replacing the current character string with the suggested replacement character string in response to a single user input at a first location, replacing the current character string with the suggested replacement character string in combination with a first punctuation mark in response to a single user input at a second location, the second location being a first punctuation mark key on the keyboard corresponding to the first punctuation mark, replacing the current character string with the suggested replacement character string in combination with a second punctuation mark in response to a single user input at a third location, the third location being a second punctuation mark key on the keyboard corresponding to the second punctuation mark, and accepting the current character string in response to a single user input at a fourth location. 29. The portable electronic device of claim 28 , wherein the display is a touch screen display, and wherein the keyboard is a virtual keyboard displayed on the touch screen display. 30. The portable electronic device of claim 29 , wherein the virtual keyboard comprises a display that simultaneously displays a first plurality of virtual keys each associated with a respective letter of the alphabet, and a second plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys each corresponding to a respective punctuation mark. 31. The portable electronic device of claim 30 , wherein the first punctuation mark key is a virtual punctuation mark key corresponding to the first punctuation mark, and the second punctuation mark key is a virtual punctuation mark key corresponding to the second punctuation mark. 32. A portable electronic device, comprising: one or more processors; a touch screen display; and computer readable memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, perform operations comprising, receiving a plurality of user inputs of characters through a virtual keyboard that simultaneously displays a first plurality of virtual keys each associated with a respective single letter of the alphabet, and a second plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys each corresponding to a respective punctuation mark, displaying on the touch screen display a current character string as input by the user, displaying on the display a suggested replacement character string for the current character string, in response to a first user input at a first location, replacing the current character string with the suggested replacement character string, in response to a second user input at a virtual punctuation mark key corresponding to a first punctuation mark, replacing the current character string with the suggested replacement character string in combination with the first punctuation mark, and in response to a third user input at a third location, accepting the current character string. 33. A computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a portable electronic device with a touch screen display, cause the portable electronic device to perform a method comprising: receiving a plurality of user character inputs through the touch screen display of the portable electronic device, wherein the user character inputs are received through a virtual keyboard displayed on the touch screen, wherein the virtual keyboard simultaneously displays a first plurality of virtual keys each associated with a respective single letter of the alphabet, and a second plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys; displaying on the touch display a current character string as input by a user; while displaying the current character string, also displaying a suggested replacement character string for the current character string, wherein at the time a suggested replacement character string is displayed, the portable electronic device is able to receive a plurality of possible user single touch inputs that will result in selection of the suggested replacement character string, and wherein said plurality of possible user single touch inputs includes actuation of one of the plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys; receiving a single touch user selection input through one of the plurality of the virtual punctuation mark key; and in response to the single touch user selection input, replacing the current character set with the suggested replacement character set and adding at the end of said character set a punctuation mark corresponding to the virtual punctuation mark key through which the input was received. 34. The computer readable storage medium of claim 33 , wherein the plurality of possible single touch user inputs that will result in selection of the suggested replacement character string includes inputs that are not associated with a virtual punctuation mark key. 35. The computer readable storage medium of claim 34 , wherein the plurality of possible single touch user inputs that are not associated with a virtual punctuation mark key and that will result in selection of the suggested replacement character string comprises a single touch input through the space bar of the virtual keyboard. 36. The computer readable storage medium of claim 34 , wherein the plurality of possible single touch user inputs that are not associated with a virtual punctuation mark key and that will result in selection of the suggested replacement character string comprises a single touch input at the location of the displayed suggested replacement character set. 37. The computer readable storage medium of claim 33 , wherein the plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys comprises virtual punctuation mark keys respectively associated with a comma and a period. 38. The computer readable storage medium of claim 37 , wherein the plurality of virtual punctuation mark keys further comprises virtual punctuation mark keys respectively associated with an exclamation point and a semicolon.