EP0449230A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Translation method and system for commmunication between speakers of different languages
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1991-03-26
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-03-26
Abstract
Abstract In a communication system such as a telephone system and an electronic mail system with language translating function, wherein between a terminal (1) of a first language and a terminal (2) of a second language, sentences inputted from the first-language terminal are translated into the second-language and the translated sentences are outputted to the second-language terminal words appearing in sentences inputted from the second-language terminal are memorized so that the memorized words are preferentially selected when determining equivalents in later translation of sentences inputted from a first-language terminal. In a type of communication system in which translation is achieved in bi-directional manner between the terminals, words appearing in sentences inputted from the first-language terminal are also memorized so that the memorized words are preferentially selected when determining equivalents in later translation of sentences inputted from the second-language terminal. As means for memorizing an occurring word, a sentence number assigned to an input sentence containing the word may be stored in a word dictionary as activation degree information of the word or an occurring word file (115, 215) may be disposed for sequentially storing therein the occurring word. These items may be stored in combination with terminal user IDs. Various types of function allocation method are possible such as a type wherein input sentence is analyzed by an input terminal so as to send the analyzed information to a destination terminal, which then generates a translated sentence from the received information and a type wherein a translated sentence obtained by a terminal of an input side is sent to a terminal of a destination side.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroyuki Kaji
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 01:59
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F40/00; G06F40/20; G06F40/205; G06F40/211; G06F40/268; G06F40/279; G06F40/289; G06F40/30; G06F40/40; G06F40/42; G06F40/45; G06F40/55; G06F40/58; H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M2203/00; H04M2203/20; H04M2203/2061
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
224 words
A translation method for communication between speakers of different languages in which a terminal of a speaker of a first language is connected to a terminal of a speaker of a second language for a communication therebetween including: a first step (113) of reading in a sentence represented in the first language to the terminal of the first-language speaker; a second step (111, 212) of translating the sentence of the first language into the second language; a third step (213) of outputting the translated sentence of the second language from the terminal of the speaker of the second language; a fourth step (213) of reading in a sentence of the second language to the terminal of the second-language speaker; a fifth step (211, 112) of translating the sentence of the second language into the first language; and a sixth step (113) of outputting the translated sentence of the first language from the terminal of the speaker of the first language, wherein the second step includes a substep (2121) of determining equivalents in the second language for first language words by preferentially selecting words appearing in the sentence read in the fourth step, and the fifth step includes a substep (1121) of determining equivalents in the first language for second language words by preferentially selecting words appearing in the sentence read in the first step.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
192 words
A translation method for communication between speakers of different languages in which a terminal of a speaker of a first language is connected to a terminal of a speaker of a second language for a communication therebetween including: a first step (113) of reading in a sentence represented in the first language to the terminal of the first-language speaker; a second step (111, 212) of translating the sentence of the first language into the second language; a third step (213) of outputting the translated sentence of the second language from the terminal of the speaker of the second language; a fourth step (213) of reading in a sentence of the second language to the terminal of the second-language speaker; a fifth step (211, 1121) of translating the sentence of the second language into the first language; and a sixth step (113) of outputting the translated sentence of the first language from the terminal of the speaker of the first language, wherein the second step includes a substep (2121) of determining equivalents in the second language for first language words by preferentially selecting words appearing in the sentence read in the fourth step.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
169 words
A translation method for communication between speakers of different languages in which a terminal of a speaker of a first language is connected to a terminal of a speaker of a second language for a communication therebetween including: a first step (113) of reading in a sentence represented in the first language to the terminal of the first-language speaker; a second step (111, 212) of translating the sentence of the first language into the second language; a third step (213) of outputting the translated sentence of the second language from the terminal of the speaker of the second language; a fourth step (213) of reading in a sentence of the second language to the terminal of the second-language speaker; a fifth step (113) of outputting the second-language sentence from the terminal of the speaker of the first language, wherein the second step includes a substep (2121) of determining equivalents in the second language for first words by preferentially selecting words appearing in the sentence read in the fourth step.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
121 words
A method according to Claim 1 or 2 in which the system further including a second-language dictionary (221) containing for each of the words of the second language, in addition to grammatical information and semantic information, activation degree information inversely proportional to a period of time elapsed from when the word last appeared, wherein: said fifth step includes a substep (2113) of updating the activation degree information of words appearing in the sentence read in said fourth step; and said second step includes a substep (2121) of selecting one of the candidates which has a highest value of the activation degree designated by the activation degree information when a plurality of second language equivalent candidates exist for a first language word.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
79 words
A method according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein: said fifth step includes a substep (2113) of registering words appearing in the sentence read in said fourth step to a second occurring word file (215) disposed to store therein words appearing in the sentences of the second language; and said second step includes a substep (2121) of selecting a word stored in the second occurring file when a plurality of second language candidates exist for a first language word.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
106 words
A method according to Claim 4, wherein: the second word dictionary is structured to describe therein activation degree information for each pair of user identifications (IDs) (Figs. 5A and 5B); said first and fourth steps include processing for respectively adding a sender ID and a receiver ID to a sentence inputted thereto; said fifth step includes processing for updating the activation degree information associated with a pair of the receiver ID and the sender ID of the sentence containing the word; and said second step includes processing for selecting an equivalent by referencing the pair of the sender ID and the receiver ID of the sentence.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
107 words
A method according to Claim 5, wherein: the second occurring word file is disposed for each pair of user IDs; said first and fourth steps include processing for respectively adding a sender ID and a receiver ID to a sentence inputted thereto; said fifth step includes processing for registering the word to the second occurring word file associated with the pair of the receiver ID and the sender ID of a sentence containing the word; and said second step includes processing for selecting an equivalent by referencing the second occurring word file associated with the pair of the receiver ID and the sender ID of the sentence.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
252 words
A communication system with translating function wherein when communicating language information between a first terminal (1) for inputting and for outputting information of a first language and a second terminal (2) for inputting and for outputting information of a second language, input sentences of said first and second terminals are respectively translated into the second and first languages of the associated communicating partners respectively associated with said second and first terminals so as to be respectively transmitted thereto comprising: first-language information input means (13) disposed in said first terminal for inputting therein information of the first language; second-language information input means (23) disposed in said second terminal for inputting therein information of the second language; first translation means (11, 21) for translating an input sentence of the first language into information of the second language; second translation means (21, 11) for translating an input sentence of the second language into information of the first language; first equivalent selection means (21, 22) for determining an equivalent in the second language for a first language word in a translation by said first translation means by preferentially selecting a word supplied from said second input means; transmission means (3) for communicating information between said first and second terminals; second-language information output means (24) disposed in said second terminal for outputting a result of a translation achieved by said first translation means; and first-language information output means (14) disposed in said first terminal for outputting a result of a translation accomplished by said second translation means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
A system according to Claim 8 further including second equivalent selection means (11, 12) for determining an equivalent in the first language for a second language word in a translation by said second translation means by preferentially selecting a word supplied from said first input means;
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
285 words
A communication system with transmitting function comprising: at least a terminal (1) of a speaker of a first language and a terminal (2) of a speaker of a second language connected to each other, wherein the terminal of the speaker of the first language includes: a first-language dictionary (121) storing therein grammatical information and semantic information of the first language; a first-language input module (113) for reading therein a sentence of the first language; a first-language analysis module (111) for analyzing the first-language sentence thus read; a first-language generation module (112) for creating a sentence of the first language based on a result of analysis conducted on a sentence of the second language; a first-language output module (113) for outputting the sentence produced by said first-language generation module, and the terminal (2) of the speaker of the second language includes: a second-language dictionary (221) storing therein grammatical information and semantic information of the second language; a second-language input module (213) for reading therein a sentence of the second language; a second-language analysis module (211) for analyzing the first-language sentence thus read; a second-language generation module (212) for creating a sentence of the second language based on a result of analysis conducted by said first-language analysis module on a sentence of the first language; and a second-language output module (213) for outputting the sentence produced by said second-language generation module, arbitrary said terminal of the first-language speaker transmitting a result of the analysis conducted on a sentence of the first language to said terminal of the second-language speaker, arbitrary said terminal of the second-language speaker transmitting a result of the analysis conducted on a sentence of the second language to said terminal of the first-language speaker.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
132 words
A system according to Claim 10 further including: occurring first language word store means (115) for being used by said first-language generation module to determine an equivalent in the first language for a word of the second language in a generation of a sentence of the first language, thereby enabling said first-language generation module to preferentially select a word already appeared in a sentence read by said first-language input module; and occurring second-language word store means (215) for being used by said second-language generation module to determine an equivalent in the second language for a word of the first language in a generation of a sentence of the second language, thereby enabling said second-language generation module to preferentially select a word already appeared in a sentence read by said second-language input module.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
195 words
A system according to Claim 10, wherein said second-language dictionary contains for each word of the second language, in addition to the grammatical information and the semantic information, activation degree information (Figs. 5A and 5B) inversely proportional to a period of time elapsed from when the word last appeared or activation degree information described for each pair of sender and receiver terminal IDs; said second-language analysis module includes a step (2113) for updating activation degree information of a word which appears in a sentence thus read or which corresponds to a pair of the receiver ID and the sender ID of a sentence containing the word; said second-language generation module includes a step (2121) operative when a plurality of second-language equivalent candidates exist for a first-language word for selecting a candidate therefrom which has a highest activation degree or for referencing activation degree information associated with a pair of the sender ID and the receiver ID of a sentence under a translation, thereby selecting an equivalent for the first-language word; and said first-language and second-language input modules respectively include steps for respectively adding a sender ID and a receiver ID to a sentence inputted thereto.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
229 words
A communication system for executing a method of any one of claims 4 to 7 and translating function comprising at least a terminal (1) of a speaker of a first language and at least a terminal (2) of a speaker of a second language (Fig. 6B) wherein: said first-language speaker's terminal includes: a first occurring word file (115) for storing words appearing in a first-language input operation; a first-language input module (113) for reading the first language; a first occurring word registration module (1113) for registering occurring words to said first occurring word file; a second translation module (211, 112) for translating a sentence of the second language into the first language; a first-language output module (113) for outputting the first language; and said second-language speaker's terminal includes: a second occurring word file (215) for storing words appearing in a second-language input operation; a second-language input module (213) for reading the second language; a second occurring word registration module (2113) for registering occurring words to said second occurring word file; a first translation module (111, 212) for translating a sentence of the first language into the second language; and a second-language output module (213) for outputting the second language, arbitrary said first-language speaker's terminal transmitting a first-language sentence to arbitrary said second-language speaker's terminal, arbitrary said second-language speaker's terminal transmitting a second-language sentence to arbitrary said first-language speaker's terminal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
249 words
A communication system for executing a method of any one of claims 4 to 7 and with translating function comprising at least a terminal (1) of a speaker of a first language and at least a terminal (2) of a speaker of a second language (Fig. 6A) wherein: said first-language speaker's terminal includes: a second occurring word file (215) for storing words appearing in second language input operation; a first-language input module (113) for reading the first language; a second occurring word registration module (2113) for registering occurring words to said second occurring word file; a first translation module (111, 212), for translating a sentence of the first language into the second language; a first-language output module (113) for outputting the first languages; and said second-language speaker's terminal includes: a first occurring word file (115) for storing words appearing in a first language input operation; a second-language input module (213) for reading the second language; a first occurring word registration module (1113) for registering occurring words to said second occurring word file; a second translation module (211, 112) for translating a sentence of the second language into the first language; and a second-language output module (213) for outputting the second language, arbitrary said first-language speaker's terminal transmitting a first-language sentence and a translated sentence thereof in the second language to arbitrary said second-language speaker's terminal, arbitrary said second-language speaker's terminal transmitting a second-language sentence and a translated sentence thereof in the first language to arbitrary said first-language speaker's terminal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
112 words
An information retrieval method between different languages comprising: a first translation step of translating an enquiry sentence of a first language into an enquiry sentence of a second language; a retrieval step of achieving a retrieval through a second-language data base loaded with text information of second language for attaining text information matching the translated enquiry sentence; and a second translation step of translating the retrieved second-language text information into a text of the first language, wherein said translation step from the second language into the first language included a substep of determining a first-language equivalent for a second language word by preferentially selecting a word appeared in the first-language enquiry sentence.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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