Patent ID: 8296484
Filing Date: 2012-10-23
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for predicting characters input into a reduced-key keypad comprising a plurality of multi-character keys, the method comprising: using a processor cooperating with the reduced-key keypad to populate a multi-level rule tree comprising a plurality of rules, each rule predicting a character in a current input word, rules in a respective level predicting a numbered character position in the current input word; said multi-level rule tree comprising a plurality of branches connecting the plurality of rules together; each branch associated with a respective two-character sequence in the current input word, an upper level rule for predicting a first character in the respective two-character sequence, and a lower level rule for predicting a second character in the respective two-character sequence, each rule having a counter value representing a number of correct predictions; for each previously correct prediction of the current input word using a respective rule, using the processor to increment the corresponding counter value in the multi-level rule tree to weight the respective rule; using the processor to delete from the multi-level rule tree at least one rule having a weight value less than a threshold value; and using the processor to weight subsequent predictions of other input characters based upon the counter values in the multi-level rule tree.