Index for electronic string of symbols

1. A method comprising:

by a computing device, accessing a string of symbols associated with a predetermined word;

by the computing device, dividing the string of symbols into one or more string components each comprising at least one of the symbols;

by the computing device, associating each of the string components with a string-position identifier based on at least one predetermined rule;

by the computing device, associating an additional string component with one of the string-position identifiers associated with the string components, wherein the additional string component is different from the string component associated with that string-position identifier; and

by the computing device, generating a stored record associated with the word, wherein the stored record comprises:

the one or more string components and their respective associated string-position identifiers; and

the additional string component and its associated string-position identifier;

wherein the additional string component:

has a phonetic similarity to the string component associated with the same string-position identifier associated with the additional string component;

comprises a first symbol having a corresponding first input key being located near a second input key on a symbol-input layout of a client computing device, the second input key corresponding to one of the symbols associated with the string component associated with the same string-position identifier associated with the additional string component;

is defined by a user of the client computing device;

is determined from past usage of the client computing device; or

is determined from past usage of one or more other client computing devices.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, by the computing device:

associating one or more other string components with each of one or more other string-position identifiers; and

storing in the record the other string components and their respective associated other string-position identifiers.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the string of symbols comprises a word.

4. A method comprising:

by a computing device, receiving a string of symbols input by a user of client computing device;

by the computing device, dividing the received string of symbols into one or more received string components each comprising at least one of the symbols;

by the computing device, associating each of the received string components with a string-position identifier;

by the computing device, accessing a plurality of records, each record associated with a predetermined word and a corresponding predetermined string of symbols, each record comprising:

one or more second string components each associated with a second string-position identifier based on at least one predetermined rule, each of the second string components comprising at least one of the predetermined string of symbols; and

an additional string component associated with one of the second string-position identifiers, wherein the additional string component is different from the second string component associated with that second string-position identifier;

by the computing device, comparing, for each of one or more of the accessed records, at least some of the received string components and their associated string-position identifiers with at least some of the second string components and the additional string component and their associated second string-position identifiers of the accessed record;

by the computing device, selecting based on the comparison one or more of the compared records; and

by the computing device, providing the predetermined word associated with at least one of the selected records for display to the user;

wherein the additional string component:

has a phonetic similarity to the second string component associated with the same second string-position identifier associated with the additional string component;

comprises a first symbol having a corresponding first input key being located near a second input key on a symbol-input layout of the client computing device, the second input key corresponding to one of the symbols associated with the second string component associated with the same second string-position identifier associated with the additional string component;

is defined by a user of the client computing device;

is determined from past usage of the client computing device; or

is determined from past usage of one or more other client computing devices.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the string of symbols input by the user of the client computing device comprises a partially-completed word; and

the predetermined word provided for display to the user is a completed word.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the partially-completed string of symbols input by the user of the client computing device comprises a partially-completed query or portion of the query; and

the predetermined word provided for display to the user comprises a completed query or portion of the query.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the string of symbols input by the user of the client computing device comprises a misspelled word; and

the predetermined word provided for display to the user is a correctly-spelled word.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the selected record associated with the predetermined word provided for display to the user comprises a set of string components and associated respective string-position identifiers that match the received string components and their respective string-position identifiers, wherein set of string components and their respective string-position identifiers are selected from the one or more second string components and the additional string component and their respective second string-position identifiers.

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein selecting based on the comparison comprises scoring the selected record associated with the predetermined word provided for display.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the score is based one or more weights, each weight associated with at least one of the received string components.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein a value of at least one of the weights depends at least in part on a similarity between the respective string-position identifier associated with the received string component associated with the weight and the second string-position identifier of a corresponding second string component in the selected record associated with the predetermined word provided for display.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the score is based on a sum of the weights.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the score of the selected record associated with the predetermined word provided for display is greater than a predetermined threshold score.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of providing further comprises providing the predetermined words respectively associated with a plurality of the selected records for display to the user ordered according to their score.

15. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:

receive a string of symbols input by a user of client computing device;

divide the received string of symbols into one or more received string components each comprising at least one of the symbols;

associate each of the received string components with a string-position identifier;

access a plurality of records, each record associated with a predetermined word and a corresponding predetermined string of symbols, each record comprising:

one or more second string components each associated with a second string-position identifier based on at least one predetermined rule, each of the second string components comprising at least one of the predetermined string of symbols; and

an additional string component associated with one of the second string-position identifiers, wherein the additional string component is different from the second string component associated with that second string-position identifier;

compare for each of one or more of the accessed records, at least some of the received string components and their associated string-position identifiers with at least some of the second string components and the additional string component and their associated second string-position identifiers of the accessed record;

select based on the comparison one or more of the compared records; and

provide the predetermined word associated with at least one of the selected records for display to the user;

wherein the additional string component:

has a phonetic similarity to the second string component associated with the same second string-position identifier associated with the additional string component;

comprises a first symbol having a corresponding first input key being located near a second input key on a symbol-input layout of the client computing device, the second input key corresponding to one of the symbols associated with the second string component associated with the same second string-position identifier associated with the additional string component;

is defined by a user of the client computing device;

is determined from past usage of the client computing device; or

is determined from past usage of one or more other client computing.