(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2013/0124550 A1
`OEL et a].
`(43) Pub. Date:
`May 16, 2013
`
`US 20130124550A1
`
`(54) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`OPERATINGA USER INTERFACE
`
`(71) Applicant: Volkswagen AG, Wolfsburg (DE)
`
`(72) Inventors: Peter OEL, Lehre (DE); Moritz
`NEUGEBAUER, Berlin (DE); Michael
`MISCHKE, Hannover (DE); Christoph
`WAELLER’BmunSChW.e1g<DE>;
`Lorenz BOHRER, Berlm (DE), Jens
`EHRKE’ Isenbuenel (DE); Gordon
`SEITZ, Ehra-Lessien (DE); Stefan
`SCHULZ, Berlin (DE); Imke GAUS,
`Berlin (DE); Oliver MEYER, Berlin
`(DE)
`
`(73) Assignee: Volkswagen AG, Wolfsburg (DE)
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 13/668,676
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Nov. 5, 2012
`
`Related US. Application Data
`(63) Continuation of application No. PCT/EP2011/
`001776, ?led on Apr. 9, 2011.
`
`(30)
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`May 4, 2010 (DE) .................. .. DE102010019191.4
`Publication Classi?cation
`
`(51) Int Cl
`2006 01
`G08 F 27/30
`(
`'
`)
`(52) U 5 Cl
`CPC .............................. .. G06F 17/30557 (2013.01)
`USPC
`707/758
`
`........................................................ ..
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`A method and apparatus for operating a user interface is
`provided, in Which a ?rst user input is detected, and a con?
`dence analysis is carried out. Different kinds of system
`responses are generated depending on the result of the con?
`dence analysis, Wherein a ?rst kind of system response com
`prises a system output Which requires a second user input, and
`a second kind of system response comprises the automatic
`selection of a database entry. A third kind of system response
`comprises the ?rst and second features, Wherein the third kind
`of system response automatically changes into the ?rst or
`second kind of system response after the expiry of a period of
`time. In this case, one of the tWo ?rst kinds can be set as a
`standard or “default,” into Which the automatic change then
`takes place after expiry of the period of time Without further
`user interaction.
`
`18
`
`15
`
`Velocity, Patent Owner - Exhibit 2006
`Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. v. Velocity Patent, LLC
`Case No. IPR2015-00276
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication May 16, 2013 Sheet 1 0f 3
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`US 2013/0124550 A1
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`Patent Application Publication May 16, 2013 Sheet 3 of 3
`
`US 2013/0124550 A1
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`

`
`US 2013/0124550 A1
`
`May 16,2013
`
`METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`OPERATING A USER INTERFACE
`
`[0001] This nonprovisional application is a continuation of
`International Application No. PCT/EP2011/001776, Which
`Was ?led on Apr. 9, 2011, and Which claims priority to Ger
`man Patent Application No. DE 10 2010 019 191.4, Which
`Was ?led in Germany on May 4, 2010, and Which are both
`herein incorporated by reference.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
`[0003] The present invention relates to a method for oper
`ating a user interface, in Which a ?rst user input is detected,
`and a con?dence analysis is carried out, during Which the user
`input is compared With a plurality of stored database entries
`and each thus compared database entry is assigned a value of
`a con?dence measure, Which assesses the correspondence
`betWeen the user input and this database entry. Different
`kinds of system responses Which differ from one another in at
`least one feature are generated depending on the result of the
`con?dence analysis, Whereby a ?rst kind of system response
`comprises, as a distinguishing ?rst feature, a system output
`Which requests a second user input, and a second kind of
`system response comprises, as a distinguishing second fea
`ture, the automatic selection of a database entry. The inven
`tion relates further to a corresponding apparatus, especially
`for carrying out this method, and to a vehicle having such an
`apparatus.
`[0004] 2. Description of the Background Art
`[0005] Generic user interfaces have a broad range of appli
`cations for the operation of devices, particularly electronic
`equipment. Particularly, the comparison of user inputs With
`database entries stored in a database are knoWn from the
`technical ?eld of search engines, in Which a user input is
`compared With database entries and the relevance of each
`database entry is calculated by means of an algorithm and an
`associated con?dence measure is output, Which quanti?es the
`relevance. If such a search result is unambiguous, the corre
`sponding database entry is output or a function is carried out
`on its basis. If the search result is not unambiguous, in this
`case either typically a hit list or a system-side query is output.
`In this regard, the user input and system output form a dialog
`like scheme, particularly When a system output responding to
`a user input asks for another user input.
`[0006] Such user interfaces are used in particular When it is
`assumed that detected data are faulty either because of incom
`plete or ambiguous inputs on the part of the user or because of
`system-side imprecise detection, as is the case, for example,
`in speech input in a noisy environment or in manual inputs in
`an environment affected by vibrations. For this reason, such
`interactive user interfaces are used increasingly in vehicles in
`order to improve the operating convenience of the numerous
`operating devices, such as, for example, a navigation system,
`telecommunication devices, or infotainment systems.
`[0007] Further, it must be taken into account in the case of
`a vehicle that the driver is not distracted from the road tra?ic
`during an operating procedure via the user interface. It Was
`proposed for this reason to make possible a multimodal user
`input, Whereby one can sWitch among the possible input
`modalities to the one most advantageous for the user. Com
`mon input modalities include in particular inputs via speech,
`keyboard, touch screen, and non-contact gestures. DE 10
`2008 008 948 A1 describes, for example, such a method in
`
`Which during a multi-part user input a sWitch can be made
`betWeen tWo input modalities during the input as Well.
`[0008] DE 103 13 222 A1, Which corresponds to US. Pat.
`No. 7,809,501, discloses a method for inputting place names
`in Which ambiguous place names are shoWn in a graphic, for
`example, in the corresponding geographic positions on a
`map. The user then has the opportunity to make a rapid and
`unerring selection of the desired place name With the aid of
`this information.
`[0009] DE 100 60 654 C1, Which corresponds to US. Pat.
`No. 7,167,545, describes a method and a device for automati
`cally issuing information by means of a search engine, in
`Which the sought information, together With other associated
`attributes, are stored in the form of data records. A relevance
`check is performed With the stored database entries for a
`search argument input by the user for several attributes stored
`in a data record and via a Weighting With con?dence values
`the data record With the highest total con?dence value is
`output. In the case of several data records With a nearly equal
`con?dence value, the user is asked for further user input on
`the data record until the sought data record Was clearly iden
`ti?ed.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0010] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
`provide a method and a corresponding apparatus for operat
`ing a user interface With system responses of a ?rst and
`second kind With distinguishing ?rst and second features of
`the aforementioned type, Which have an improved dialog
`e?iciency. In particular, the dialog duration and/ or the num
`ber of user interactions are to be reduced.
`[0011] In an embodiment, the method can include a third
`kind of system response having the ?rst and second feature,
`i.e., the features of the ?rst and second kind of system
`responses, Whereby the third kind of system response auto
`matically changes into the ?rst or second kind of system
`response after the elapse of a period of time. System
`responses of a third kind With both features of the ?rst and
`second kind have the advantage that in the case of an ambigu
`ous result of the con?dence analysis both action options of the
`?rst and second type can be provided to the user. In this case,
`one of the tWo kinds recogniZable to the user can be set as the
`standard or “default” to Which the automatic change then
`takes place after elapse of the period of time Without further
`user interaction. The user can thus realiZe Whether in the case
`of an in fact ambiguous or incomplete input on his part the
`system has recogniZed the desired input. This is advanta
`geous, When a further user input, be it only a con?rmation of
`the system-side suggestion, threatens to distract the user from
`another activity, for example, during driving of a vehicle.
`[0012] The change in the system response can occur
`depending on the result of the con?dence analysis. In particu
`lar, the result of the con?dence analysis decides Whether a
`change occurs from the third kind of system response to the
`?rst kind of system response or to the second kind of system
`response. Alternatively or also in addition, the result of the
`con?dence analysis for regulating the length of the time
`period or for con?guring the change betWeen the tWo kinds of
`system response can be included. For example, a change
`could contain a Warning message that the system-side selec
`tion based on the result of the con?dence analysis may be
`incorrect. As a result, a rapid dialog How can be Weighed
`versus a reduced risk of a faulty activation of a function.
`
`

`
`US 2013/0124550 A1
`
`May 16,2013
`
`[0013] In an embodiment of the method of the invention,
`depending on the result of the con?dence analysis, the acti
`vation of a function based on a selected database entry can
`occur immediately or after the elapse of a time period. The
`selection and activation of the function typically occurs based
`on the database entry With the highest con?dence measure.
`For example, in the case of a suf?ciently unambiguous result
`of the con?dence analysis, the activation of a function occurs
`immediately, Whereas in the case of a less unambiguous result
`thereby one Waits for the elapse of the time period. In the ?rst
`case, this has the advantage that the dialog How is accelerated.
`[0014] The time period after Which the automatic change in
`the system response occurs Without further user interaction is
`expediently dimensioned so that an interaction by the user is
`possible. The duration of the time period can be adjusted to
`the particular requirements and typically lies Within the range
`of a feW seconds to several, for example, 10 seconds.
`[0015] Depending on the result of the con?dence analysis,
`advantageously the request for a second user input comprises
`a representation of database entries Whose number is limited
`and/ or Whose assigned values of the con?dence measure are
`above a ?rst threshold value. These so-called hit lists shoW the
`user altemative suggestions, Which he can select quickly and
`conveniently from the indicated list, Without having to make
`a complete neW input.
`[0016] In this case, the values of the con?dence measure
`itself can also be shoWn or visualiZed. For example, the values
`of the con?dence measure are presented as a percentage
`behind the associated database entry or, hoWever, a database
`entry is highlighted in color depending on the value or a siZe
`proportional to the particular value is selected. The user can
`visually perceive and evaluate the result of the con?dence
`analysis better in this Way.
`[0017] In an embodiment of the method of the invention,
`the database entries are assigned positions on a map and the
`database entries are represented graphically at the assigned
`position on the map. After the elapse of the time period, then
`an area around the database entry With the highest con?dence
`measure is Zoomed in automatically. This type of embodi
`ment is especially advantageous for a navigation system in a
`vehicle.
`[0018] In the case that the system-side selection of the
`database entry With the highest con?dence measure does not
`correspond to the desired database entry that the user Wanted
`to select by his user input, it is expedient to integrate a cor
`rection option into the method of the invention. Therefore, it
`can be provided according to the invention that in the case of
`the third kind of system response before the elapse of the time
`period, a second user input can occur on Whose basis the
`activation of the function occurs. The second user input is in
`particular a selection of a shoWn database entry Whose con
`?dence measure has one of the next highest values. It is
`immaterial in this case Whether the function Was already
`activated on the basis of a previously Wrongly selected data
`base entry or this Was provided for only after the elapse of the
`time interval. In the ?rst case, the function execution based on
`the Wrongly selected database entry is expediently termi
`nated.
`[0019] The result of the con?dence analysis is the key con
`dition for controlling the method of the invention. It is
`assumed in a con?dence analysis that data detected on the
`system side, e.g., by incomplete or ambiguous entries or by
`imprecise detection are faulty, as is the case, for example, in
`speech input in a noisy environment or in manual inputs in an
`
`environment affected by vibrations. In particular, the result of
`the con?dence analysis in this case can be unambiguous or
`less unambiguous. Within the meaning of the invention, there
`is an ideal unambiguous result of the con?dence analysis,
`When precisely one database entry With a very high con?
`dence measure is determined. A less unambiguous result is
`characterized by the fact that, for example, no or a plurality of
`database entries With a very high con?dence measure are
`determined.
`[0020] The con?dence measure in this case can be calcu
`lated in a different Way and, for example, expressed as a
`percentage, as is knoWn, e.g., from the ?eld of search engines.
`The calculation basis used in the speci?c case is not critical
`and can be adapted to the circumstances present. If the data
`base entries concern individual Words, a comparison could be
`made on a letter basis and the correspondence of the letters
`enter into the con?dence measure as a percentage. Further,
`the con?dence measure for frequently selected database
`entries could be increased, When an increased probability of a
`neW selection can be assumed here.
`[0021] The result of the con?dence analysis according to
`the invention therefore typically comprises Whether the high
`est value of the con?dence measure exceeds a second thresh
`old value. This second threshold value typically is very high
`close to a possible optimum (e.g., >90%). Alternatively or
`also in addition, the result also includes hoW many values of
`the con?dence measure exceed this second threshold value.
`Alternatively or also in addition, it can be taken into account
`Whether the difference betWeen the highest and one of the
`next highest values of the con?dence measure falls beloW a
`third threshold value. This third threshold value is typically
`small, particularly small compared With the second threshold
`value (e.g., <l0%).
`[0022] It can be provided in embodiments of the method of
`the invention that the type of graphic presentation depends on
`the result of the con?dence analysis. For example, a hit list
`depending on the result can be shoWn the smaller the more
`unambiguous the result.
`[0023] Alternatively or also in addition, depending on the
`results of the con?dence analysis, a system response can
`comprise further features. For example, acoustic or haptic
`signals can be output to make the user aWare multimodally of
`the speci?c result.
`[0024] If a plurality of display surfaces or a very large
`display surface is available, depending on the result of the
`con?dence analysis, the system output can occur on the dif
`ferent display surfaces or at different positions on a display
`surface. If based on the con?dence analysis With high prob
`ability a correctly selected database entry is to be assumed, a
`hit list can be shoWn at a less prominent position on the
`display surface or on a secondary display surface, Which is
`advantageous particularly When a function Was already acti
`vated in parallel, Which requires a major part of the display
`surface itself. As a result, the risk of distraction for the user is
`reduced, particularly When it is assumed that the user Would
`not like to see another selection or Would not like to enter a
`correction.
`[0025] The apparatus of the invention for operating a user
`interface comprises means for detecting user inputs, an inter
`face to a functional device in Which database entries are
`stored, and a display surface for the visual presentation of
`system outputs. It comprises further a control unit for carry
`ing out a con?dence analysis, Whereby comparisons can be
`made betWeen user inputs and a plurality of stored database
`
`

`
`US 2013/0124550 A1
`
`May 16,2013
`
`entries and each of the compared database entries can be
`assigned a value of a con?dence measure, Which assesses the
`correspondence of the user input to this database entry. Dif
`ferent system responses Which differ from one another in at
`least one feature can be generated by the control unit depend
`ing on the result of the con?dence analysis, Whereby a ?rst
`kind of system response comprises, as a distinguishing ?rst
`feature, a system output Which requests a second user input,
`and a second kind of system response comprises, as a distin
`guishing second feature, the automatic selection of a database
`entry. In this case, the control unit can generate a third kind of
`system response Which comprises the ?rst and second feature,
`Whereby the third kind of system response automatically
`changes into the ?rst or second kind of system response after
`the elapse of a period of time. The apparatus is particularly
`suitable for carrying out the method of the invention. Thus, it
`also has the advantages of the method of the invention.
`[0026] According to an embodiment of the invention, a
`vehicle is equipped With such an apparatus for operating a
`user interface.
`[0027] Further scope of applicability of the present inven
`tion Will become apparent from the detailed description given
`hereinafter. HoWever, it should be understood that the
`detailed description and speci?c examples, While indicating
`preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by Way of
`illustration only, since various changes and modi?cations
`Within the spirit and scope of the invention Will become
`apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed descrip
`tion.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`[0028] The present invention Will become more fully
`understood from the detailed description given hereinbeloW
`and the accompanying draWings Which are given by Way of
`illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present
`invention, and Wherein:
`[0029] FIG. 1 shoWs schematically the structure of an
`exemplary embodiment of the apparatus of the invention for
`operating a user interface;
`[0030] FIGS. 2a-2c shoW graphic illustrations of database
`entries, Which Were generated according to an exemplary
`embodiment of the method of the invention;
`[0031] FIG. 3 shoWs schematically the structure of a hit list,
`Which Was generated according to an exemplary embodiment
`of the method of the invention; and
`[0032] FIGS. 4a-4b shoW schematically the assignment of
`the kinds of system responses depending on the result of the
`con?dence analysis according to an exemplary embodiment
`of the method of the invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`[0033] The exemplary embodiment described beloW
`relates to the use of the apparatus and of the method in a
`vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle. A user interface in the
`vehicle can be provided to the vehicle passengers by Way of
`the method and the apparatus. It is pointed out, hoWever, that
`the apparatus and the method can be used in the same Way in
`other devices as Well, such as, for example, portable devices.
`[0034] The structure of an exemplary embodiment of the
`apparatus of the invention for operating a user interface is
`illustrated schematically in FIG. 1. A display surface 10 in a
`vehicle is connected via a control unit 13 to means 11 for the
`manual input and means 12 for speech input. Control unit 13
`
`is connected via an interface 14 to data bus 18 in the vehicle,
`by Way of Which the control unit has access to a database 15.
`Database 15 in this case can be a comprehensive database in
`Which all data accumulating in the vehicle for the diverse
`functional devices can be retrieved. Each functional device
`comprises in addition a separate database 15 in Which the data
`speci?c to the functional device are stored. The functional
`devices are, for example, a permanently installed navigation
`system 16 or also one that can be removed from the vehicle
`and a functional system 17 With a Wireless interface, e.g., a
`cellular telephone.
`[0035] The means 12 for speech input comprise a micro
`phone for receiving acoustic signals, a softWare module for
`voice activity detection, and an adaptive ?lter for noise can
`cellation. The voice activity detection and the adaptive ?lter
`alternatively can also be localiZed in other hardWare and be
`interconnected, for example, via control unit 13 to the means
`12 for speech input. The means 11 for the manual input can be
`con?gured as a keyboard or manual operating elements, e. g.,
`rotating push button. Display surface 10 may have totally or
`in areas a touch-sensitive surface, so that manual inputs can
`be made also via the display surface. For example, a keyboard
`can be displayed on a section of display surface 10 and
`manual input can occur by touching of a displayed key.
`[0036] Different information can be displayed graphically
`on display surface 10. In particular, the information concerns
`database entries 21 Which are stored in one of the databases 15
`and are displayed according to the method of the invention,
`described further in detail beloW, on a geographic map or also
`in the form of a hit list 20. In the shoWn exemplary embodi
`ment, display surface 10 is divided into a primary display
`surface 10a, Which is con?gured as a large display, and into a
`secondary display surface 10b. Display surfaces 10a and 10b
`in this case can be separated physically and spatially from one
`another. Inparticular, the primary display surface 10a extends
`over Wide parts of the cockpit in the vehicle, so that, for
`example, it extends substantially over the entire Width of the
`vehicle or is projected onto the Windshield as a so-called
`head-up display.
`[0037] Control unit 13 is con?gured to carry out the method
`of the invention. It comprises a processor for running a pro
`gram to perform a con?dence analysis and for controlling
`system responses and a data memory for storing the results.
`[0038] The method of the invention Will noW be explained
`in greater detail With the use of exemplary embodiments With
`reference to FIGS. 2-4. Whereas in this case illustrations of
`the system responses are described With reference to FIGS. 2a
`to 20 and 3, the con?dence analysis Will be discussed in
`greater detail With reference to FIGS. 4a and 4b. The result of
`the con?dence analysis can be assigned basically in the most
`diverse Way to different representations of the system
`responses, Without being limited to the assignments
`described beloW.
`[0039] Graphic representations With visualizations of data
`base entries, Which Were generated according to an exem
`plary embodiment of the method of the invention, are shoWn
`in FIGS. 2a to 20. The graphic contents of a navigation system
`17 are output on display surface 10 con?gured as a touch
`screen in a vehicle. The user, for example, the driver of the
`vehicle, Would like to input “Berlin” as a neW destination
`address. To this end, he is shoWn a keyboard on display
`surface 10, Which he can operate conveniently by simple
`touching display surface 10. If he must interrupt his user
`input, e.g., because of some other necessary process for driv
`
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`US 2013/0124550 A1
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`
`ing the vehicle, the system performs a comparison on the
`basis of this possibly incomplete entry With all database
`entries 21 in the navigation system and assesses each possible
`hit With a con?dence measure 22.
`[0040] Alternatively, the user input could also have
`occurred using speech. Here, the results could have been
`especially ambiguous, because a high background noise level
`prevails in the vehicle or the user does not speak clearly. The
`database comparison could be made in a similar Way. In
`particular, the user input can have several parts in that, for
`example, street and place names are input or the individual
`parts of the user input occur multimodally, e.g., manually and
`via speech, as is described in the previously cited DE 10 2008
`008 948 A1.
`[0041] In the con?dence analysis, in particular the input
`letters “Ber,” for example, are compared With available data
`base entries 21. In addition, for example, it can be considered
`Which destinations Were recently driven to, What the current
`position of the vehicle is, or Whether other attributes of the
`user input are knoWn, for example, When a street name Was
`speci?ed in a previous search or in a multi-part input.
`[0042] In the exemplary embodiment, several possible hits
`are found Whose determined values of the con?dence mea
`sure 22 are high. Positions 28 on the map are assigned to the
`corresponding database entries 21 and graphically repre
`sented at positions 28. Database entry 21a With the highest
`con?dence measure 22 is selected. On the system side, noW
`further user input is aWaited either in form of a con?rmation
`of selected database entry 21a or in the form of a correction
`input.
`[0043] If the user realiZes that the selected database entry
`21a is not the desired destination, he can input a suitable
`correction, in particular select one of the other displayed
`database entries 21 by touching the particular position 28 on
`the touch screen. If after the elapse of a time period, no further
`user input occurs, an area around position 28a of the already
`selected database entry 21a is Zoomed in automatically, as
`shoWn in FIG. 2b. In this regard, the time period can be
`selected the shorter, the more unambiguous the result of the
`con?dence analysis, particularly When as in the shoWn
`example only three possible results Were identi?ed.
`[0044] It is shoWn in FIG. 20 hoW after the Zooming in on an
`area around the desired city the multi-part user input is com
`pared once more With database entries 21 and noW to identify
`the desired street again three possible hits are shoWn on the
`map at the assigned positions 28. Here as Well, a database
`entry 2111 is again selected and after the elapse of a time
`period Without user input an area around position 2811 around
`the selected database entry 21a Would be Zoomed in auto
`matically (not shoWn).
`[0045] The schematic structure of a hit list 20, Which Was
`generated according to another exemplary embodiment of the
`method of the invention, is shoWn in FIG. 3. Hit list 20
`comprises tWo columns, in Which relevant database entries 21
`are listed in the left column and the associated calculated
`values of con?dence measure 22 are compared in the right
`column. Database entries 21 are sorted in decreasing order of
`the assigned con?dence measure 22. The con?dence measure
`in the exemplary embodiment has values betWeen 02C; 1 .A
`?rst threshold value is set to C:0.8, Whereby in the displaying
`of a hit list only database entries With a con?dence measure
`above this ?rst threshold value are indicated. In addition, the
`display of database entries can be limited to a ?xed number,
`
`for example, to 10 hits, to assure a clear display and not to
`overtax the user, particularly the driver of the vehicle, visu
`ally.
`[0046] The assignment of the kinds of system responses
`depending on the result of the con?dence analysis according
`to an exemplary embodiment of the method of the invention is
`shoWn schematically in FIGS. 4a and 4b. The result of the
`con?dence analysis is categoriZed in a results table 24 as a
`3x3 matrix, in that tWo criteria are tested for exceeding or
`falling beloW tWo threshold values. The ?rst criterion is the
`testing Whether the highest occurring value C of con?dence
`measure 22 exceeds the second threshold values C:0.8 and
`C:0.9. The second criterion is the testing Whether the value
`AC of the difference 23 betWeen the highest and second
`highest value C of the con?dence measure 22 falls beloW the
`third threshold value AC:0.l and AC:0.2.
`
`[0047] The result of the con?dence analysis is the more
`unambiguous, the further right and further to the top the result
`is in results table 24. Thus, in matrix ?eld A13 the con?dence
`measure of the most relevant database entry is high (>0.9) and
`the distance to the next database entry is also high (>02).
`Accordingly, the result in matrix ?elds A31-A33 is ambigu
`ous.
`
`[0048] It is therefore sensible to assign the ambiguous
`search results represented by matrix ?elds A31-A33 to a
`system response of the ?rst kind I, de?ned by the value range
`25, Which asks for a second user input. It cannot be assumed
`in this case based on the ?rst user input that the desired
`database entry can be accurately recogniZed and selected
`system-side. To avoid false activations, a second user input in
`the dialog How can therefore lead to the desired result more
`rapidly. In particular, the second user input can be supported
`and accelerated in that database entries 21 With the highest
`values of con?dence measure 22, as described, for example,
`in FIG. 3, are shoWn, Which increases the recognition and the
`convenience during the second user input, e.g., a selection by
`touching the touch-sensitive display surface 10.
`[0049] Similarly, an unambiguous search result, repre
`sented by the matrix ?eld A13, can be assigned to a system
`response of the second kind II, de?ned by the value range 26.
`Based on the ?rst user input it can be assumed that the desired
`database entry can be recogniZed accurately and selected
`system-side. To avoid unnecessary further system-side que
`ries to the user, therefore immediately based on the selected
`database entry 21 a function can be carried out, Which accel
`erates the dialog How and rapidly leads to the desired result.
`
`[0050] The other matrix ?elds are assigned to a system
`response of the third kind III, de?ned by the value range 27. In
`this case, both a selection of database entry 21 With the
`highest con?dence measure 22 occurs and also a system-side
`request for a second user input. In this case, as in the shoWn
`example, the system response of the third kind III can be
`divided into several value ranges 27a and 27b. The result for
`the con?dence analysis is more unambiguous for value range
`2711 than for value range 27b. It is provided therefore for value
`range 2711 to generate a system response of the kind IIIa, in
`Which based on the selected database entry 2111 a function is
`carried out immediately, Whereas for value range 27b a sys
`tem response of the kind IIIb is generated, in Which the
`function is carried out only after the elapse of a time period. In
`both cases, a hit list 20, for example, according to FIG. 3, can
`be displayed as support to accelerate a possible second user
`
`

`
`US 2013/0124550 A1
`
`May 16,2013
`
`input as a correction for a wrongly selected database entry
`21a. After the elapse of a time period, hit list 20 is again
`hidden.
`[0051] The method of the invention can be designed in a
`very different Way to be adapted to the particular circum
`stances. The adaptations relate particularly to the input and
`output modalities, the assignment to the kind of system
`responses depending on the con?dence analysis, and the spe
`ci?c design of the presentation. They can be preset in this case
`and optimiZed for the application or also be con?gurable by
`the user himself.
`[0052] The input and output modalities for the user input
`and the sy