# US 2013/0159919 A1 · Systems and Methods for Identifying and Suggesting Emoticons > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0159919 A1 - Document ID: US20130159919A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/330,357 - Filed: 2011-12-19 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-19 - Inventors: Gabriel Leydon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130159919A1 ## CPC - G06F 40/20: Natural language analysis (semantic analysis of natural language G06F40/30) - G06F 3/0236: {using selection techniques to select from displayed items} - G06F 3/0237: {using prediction or retrieval techniques} - G06F 3/04812: Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects - G06F 3/04817: using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) - G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus - G06F 3/04886: by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus - G06F 40/205: Parsing - G06F 40/274: Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs - G06F 40/289: Phrasal analysis, e.g. finite state techniques or chunking - G06F 40/30: Semantic analysis - G06F 40/40: Processing or translation of natural language (natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30) - H04M 1/7243: with interactive means for internal management of messages - H04W 4/18: Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals - H04L 51/04: Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Various embodiments provide a method that comprises receiving a set of segments from a text field, analyzing the set of segments to determine at least one of a target subtext or a target meaning associated with the set of segments, and identifying a set of candidate emoticons where each candidate emoticon in the set of candidate emoticons has an association between the candidate emoticon and at least one of the target subtext or the target meaning. The method may further comprise presenting the set of candidate emoticons for entry selection at a current position of an input cursor, receiving an entry selection for a set of selected emoticons from the set of candidate emoticons, and inserting the set of selected emoticons into the text field at the current position of the input cursor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: receiving a set of segments from a text field, wherein the set of segments comprises one or more segments of interest selected relative to a current position of an input cursor in the text field; analyzing the set of segments to determine at least one of a target subtext or a target meaning associated with the set of segments; identifying a set of candidate emoticons, wherein each candidate emoticon in the set of candidate emoticons has an association between the candidate emoticon and at least one of the target subtext or the target meaning, and wherein the set of candidate emoticons comprises one or more candidate emoticons; presenting the set of candidate emoticons for entry selection at the current position of the input cursor; receiving an entry selection for a set of selected emoticons from the set of candidate emoticons, wherein the set of selected emoticons comprises one or more selected emoticons; and inserting the set of selected emoticons into the text field at the current position of the input cursor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each association comprises a statistical usage of the candidate emoticon with at least one of the target subtext or the target meaning. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the statistical usage is based on usage by a single user or by a plurality of users. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising updating the statistical usage of the candidate emoticons based on the entry selection for the set of selected emoticons. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the set of segments comprises semantic analysis of the set of segments. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the set of emoticons for entry selection comprises displaying the emoticon, for entry selection, at or near the current position of the input cursor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the set of candidate emoticons for entry selection comprises displaying the set of candidate emoticons, for entry selection, on a physical input device or a virtual input device, wherein the physical input device and the displayed input interface are configured to execute the entry selection. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the virtual input device is displayed in close proximity to the text field. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each segment of interest comprises at least one of a word, a sentence fragment, a sentence, a phrase, or a passage that precedes or follows the current position of the input cursor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the set of candidate emoticons is further based on at least a user preference, a user-related information, or a recipient-related information. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the user-related information includes a user interest, a user ethnicity, a user religion, a user geographic location, a user age, a user relational status, and a user occupation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the recipient-related information includes a recipient's relation to a user, a recipient interest, a recipient ethnicity, a recipient religion, a recipient geographic location, a recipient age, a recipient relational status, and a recipient occupation. ### Claim 13 A system, comprising: a processor; a display module configured to display a text field and one or more segments entered into the text field; an input module configured to receive segment input from a user and to enter the segment input into the text field at an input cursor; a segment analysis module configured to: receive a set of segments from the text field, wherein the set of segments comprises one or more segments of interest selected relative to a current position of the input cursor in the text field, and use the processor to analyze the set of segments to determine at least one of a target subtext or a target meaning associated with the set of segments; an emoticon search module configured to identify a set of candidate emoticons, wherein each candidate emoticon in the set of candidate emoticons has an association between the candidate emoticon and at least one of the target subtext or the target meaning, and wherein the set of candidate emoticons comprises one or more candidate emoticons; an emoticon suggestion module configured to present the set of candidate emoticons through the display module for entry selection at the current position of the input cursor; and an emoticon selection module configured to: receive from the input module an entry selection for a set of selected emoticons from the set of candidate emoticons, wherein the set of selected emoticons comprises one or more selected emoticons, and insert the set of selected emoticons into the text field at the current position of the input cursor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, further comprising an emoticon datastore comprising one or more emoticons capable of entry into the text field, and wherein the emoticon search module is further configured to identify the set of candidate emoticons on the emoticon datastore. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein each association comprises a statistical usage of the candidate emoticon with at least one of the target subtext or the target meaning. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the statistical usage is based on usage by a single user or by a plurality of users. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the emoticon selection module is further configured to update the statistical usage of the candidate emoticons based on the entry selection for the set of selected emoticons. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein analyzing the set of segments comprises semantic analysis of the set of segments. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein presenting the set of emoticons through the display module for entry selection comprises displaying the emoticon, for entry selection, at or near the current position of the input cursor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein presenting the set of candidate emoticons through the display module for entry selection comprises displaying the set of candidate emoticons, for entry selection, through the input module. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein the input module comprises a physical input device or a virtual input device, wherein the physical input device and the virtual input interface are configured to execute the entry selection. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the virtual input device is displayed in close proximity to the text field. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein each segment of interest comprises at least one of a word, a sentence fragment, a sentence, a phrase, or a passage that precedes or follows the current position of the input cursor. ### Claim 24 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein identifying the set of candidate emoticons is further based on at least a user preference, a user-related information, or a recipient-related information. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The system of claim 24, wherein the user-related information includes a user interest, a user ethnicity, a user religion, a user geographic location, a user age, a user relational status, and a user occupation. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The system of claim 24, wherein the recipient-related information includes a recipient's relation to a user, a recipient interest, a recipient ethnicity, a recipient religion, a recipient geographic location, a recipient age, a recipient relational status, and a recipient occupation. ### Claim 27 A system, comprising: a means for receiving a set of segments from a text field, wherein the set of segments comprises one or more segments of interest selected relative to a current position of an input cursor in the text field; a means for analyzing the set of segments to determine at least one of a target subtext or a target meaning associated with the set of segments; a means for identifying a set of candidate emoticons, wherein each candidate emoticon in the set of candidate emoticons has an association between the candidate emoticon and at least one of the target subtext or the target meaning, and wherein the set of candidate emoticons comprises one or more candidate emoticons; a means for presenting the set of candidate emoticons for entry selection at the current position of the input cursor; a means for receiving an entry selection for a set of selected emoticons from the set of candidate emoticons, wherein the set of selected emoticons comprises one or more selected emoticons; and a means for inserting the set of selected emoticons into the text field at the current position of the input cursor.