METHODS AND DEVICES FOR PROVIDING A TEXT PREDICTION

1 . A method for use in an electronic device including a display and a keyboard, the method comprising:

receiving input reflecting selection of one or more characters through the keyboard;

generating a predicted string of one or more characters based on the received input;

determining a confidence value for the predicted string, based on a determination that the received input associated with a first one of the one or more selected characters reflects more than a single tap on a key of the keyboard; and

displaying the predicted string on the display based on the determined confidence value.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the received input associated with the first one of the one or more selected characters includes at least one of a press on the key of the keyboard longer than a predetermined time period or multiple presses on the key.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the received input associated with the first one of the one or more selected characters includes a first key selection to switch the keyboard from a first keyboard layout to a second keyboard layout, and a second key selection to input the first one of the one or more selected characters on the second keyboard layout.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the predicted string on the display comprises:

determining a display ranking for the predicted string based on the determined confidence value; and

displaying the predicted string based on the determined display ranking.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein determining the confidence value comprises:

determining that the predicted string includes the first one of the one or more selected characters; and

determining a relatively high confidence value for the predicted string relative to another predicted string that does not include the first one of the one or more selected characters.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the relatively high confidence value comprises:

assigning an initial confidence value for the predicted string; and

increasing the initial confidence value to the relatively high confidence value.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the relatively high confidence value comprises:

assigning a confidence value for the predicted string, the assigned confidence value being higher than a confidence value determined for any other predicted string that does not include the first one of the one or more selected characters.

8 . An electronic device, comprising:

a processor;

a display coupled to the processor; and

a keyboard,

wherein the processor is configured to:

receive input reflecting selection of one or more characters through the keyboard;

generate a predicted string of one or more characters based on the received input;

determine a confidence value for the predicted string, based on a determination that the received input associated with a first one of the one or more selected characters reflects more than a single tap on a key of the keyboard; and

display the predicted string on the display based on the determined confidence value.

9 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the received input associated with the first one of the one or more selected characters includes at least one of a press on the key of the keyboard longer than a predetermined time period or multiple presses on the key.

10 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine that the received input associated with the first one of the one or more selected characters includes a first key selection to switch the keyboard from a first keyboard layout to a second keyboard layout; and a second key selection to input the first one of the one or more selected characters on the second keyboard layout.

11 . A method for use in an electronic device including a display and a keyboard, the method comprising:

detecting that a cursor is positioned in the middle of a string of characters displayed on the display;

receiving through the keyboard an edit input preceding the cursor;

generating a predicted string of characters based on the edit input, the predicted string including a first number of characters corresponding to the characters preceding the cursor in the displayed string, and a second number of characters corresponding to the characters following the cursor in the displayed string;

determining a confidence value for the second number of characters in the predicted string; and

displaying the predicted string on the display based on the determined confidence value.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein receiving the edit input comprises at least one of:

receiving a deleting input deleting one or more of the characters preceding the cursor in the displayed string; or

receiving an inserting input inserting one or more characters preceding the cursor.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the confidence value comprises:

determining a probability that the characters following the cursor in the displayed string form a word; and

determining the confidence value based on the determined probability.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

determining if the second number of characters in the predicted string match the characters following the cursor in the displayed string.

15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

determining a first confidence value for the first number of characters in the predicted string;

determining, as a second confidence value, the confidence value for the second number of characters in the predicted string;

determining a display ranking for the predicted string based on the determined first confidence value and the determined second confidence value; and

displaying the predicted string on the display based on the determined display ranking.

16 . An electronic device, comprising:

a processor;

a display coupled to the processor; and

a keyboard,

wherein the processor is configured to:

detect that a cursor is positioned in the middle of a string of characters displayed on the display;

receive through the keyboard an edit input preceding the cursor;

generate a predicted string of characters based on the edit input, the predicted string including a first number of characters corresponding to the characters preceding the cursor in the displayed string, and a second number of characters corresponding to the characters following the cursor in the displayed string;

determine a confidence value for the second number of characters in the predicted string; and

display the predicted string on the display based on the determined confidence value.

17 . The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive at least one of:

a deleting input deleting one or more of the characters preceding the cursor in the displayed string; or

an inserting input inserting one or more characters preceding the cursor.

18 . The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a probability that the characters following the cursor in the first string form a word.

19 . The electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a probability that the characters following the cursor in the displayed string form a word; and

determine the confidence value based on the determined probability.

20 . The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a first confidence value for the first number of characters in the predicted string;

determine, as a second confidence value, the confidence value for the second number of characters in the predicted string;

determine a display ranking for the predicted string based on the determined first confidence value and the determined second confidence value; and

display the predicted string on the display based on the determined display ranking.