[Infowarrior] - IBM patents LOL and IMO

[Richard Forno]

(c/o Anonymous)

United States Patent  7,640,233
December 29, 2009
Resolution of abbreviated text in an electronic communications system

Inventors: Baartman; Randall Paul (Rochester, MN), Carey; James Edward  
(Rochester, MN), Illg; Jason J. (Rochester, MN), Mysak; John Stephen  
(Rochester, MN)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, NY)
Filed: August 29, 2006

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=7,640,233.PN.&OS=PN/7,640,233&RS=PN/7,640,233

Text-based mediums tend to be a preferred means of communication,  
depending on the situation. By their nature, IM, SMS, and e-mail  
typically lend themselves to brief, spontaneous text communication.  
Users are frequently in a hurry, multi-tasking, or possibly on-the-go  
when communicating in these mediums. IM, SMS, and e-mail are therefore  
particularly popular for their convenience in situations where users  
want quick, prompt, real-time communication. Furthermore, typical  
browser chat windows, PDA screens, and mobile phone screens are all  
usually quite compact. Keyboards found on most mobile phones and PDAs  
are also quite compact, often requiring users to type with only a few  
fingers.

These factors have fostered the evolution of shorthand notation,  
wherein users abbreviate words and phrases to communicate using fewer  
keystrokes. For example, typing abbreviations like LOL ("laughing out  
loud") and IMO ("in my opinion") shorten the number of characters  
required in messages and expedite the communication process. However,  
as with any nonverbal communication, the effectiveness of text  
communication is often limited. The use of shorthand in conversational  
writing can make it difficult for people to understand one another. A  
complicating factor is that individual users commonly develop their  
own jargon, so that the shorthand notation of one user does not always  
agree with shorthand notation of another user.

While a number of software applications are available for facilitating  
text communication, such as IM, these applications have failed to  
optimally address the use of shorthand notation and evolving jargon.  
Confusion and misunderstandings often result due to misinterpretation.  
The flow of communication between users is further disrupted when one  
a user stops to ask another user for the meaning of a shorthand term  
rather than proceeding to author a reply.

Therefore, an improved electronic messaging system is needed. In  
particular, there is a need for easier, more efficient, and more  
precise ways to handle shorthand notation and jargon contained within  
text communication. More particularly, it would be desirable to have a  
method for determining the meaning of shorthand notation and jargon  
without interrupting the flow of communication.