Patent ID: 7440941
Filing Date: 2008-10-21
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method comprising performing a machine-executed operation involving instructions, wherein the machine-executed operation is at least one of: A) sending the instructions over transmission media; B) receiving the instructions over transmission media; C) storing the instructions onto a machine-readable storage medium; and D) executing the instructions; wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of: receiving, from a user, a request to search a plurality of files for files that match a query that includes a word, wherein said word is spelled, in said query, according to a particular spelling; determining, for each file in said plurality of files, (a) a first number of times that an alternative spelling of said word occurs in that file, and (b) a second number of times that said particular spelling of said word occurs in that file, and adding said first number, weighted with a first weight, to a first total count that is associated with said with said alternative spelling of said word, and adding said second number, weighted with a second weight, to a second total count that is associated with said particular spelling of said word; selecting the alternative spelling of said word based on a set of factors, wherein said set of factors includes whether the first total count exceeds the second total count; and suggesting said alternative spelling of said word to said user; wherein selecting said alternative spelling includes: (a) establishing a set of candidate spellings, (b) filtering said set of candidate spellings based on how frequently each candidate spelling in said set of candidate spellings was previously selected as an alternative to said query, and (c) selecting said alternative spelling from the filtered set of candidate spellings.