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US5893133A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Keyboard for a system and method for processing Chinese language text

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1995-08-16
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Granted: 1999-04-06
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Expires: 2015-08-16
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Abstract

Abstract Phonetic Chinese (Pinyin and BPMF) is entered into a computer system and accurately converted into the Hanzi form. The system has a keyboard with diacritic keys (and corresponding ASCII coding) that permit the user to annotate each entered phonetic text syllable with a diacritic that indicates the tone of the syllable. A process executing on the system determines that a syllable has been entered when a diacritic (or delimiter) key is struck. An entered phonetic syllable is then compared to a list of acceptable phonetic syllables and abbreviations. If the entered syllable is on the list, the correctly spelled and accented syllable is stored in memory and displayed on a phonetic portion of a graphical display. The process continues for succeeding syllables until a delimiter is entered. Upon encountering a delimiter, the word string (defined as the string of characters between two delimiters) is analyzed using morphological and syntactical processes and/or a statistical language model to unambiguously determine the proper Hanzi characters that represent the word(s) in the word string. The unique Hanzi translation is stored in memory and displayed on a Hanzi portion of the graphical interface.

Inventors

  • 👤 Chenjun Julian Chen

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 20:01
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/018; G06F40/00; G06F40/40; G06F40/53

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 69 words
A keyboard for entering Chinese language text into a computer system, the keyboard comprising: a set of syllable input keys, each syllable input keys representing one or more characters; a space bar at the bottom of the keyboard split into two or more sections; a set of tone keys, each tone key representing one or more tones, at least one of the sections being one of the tones keys.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 69 words
A keyboard for entering Chinese language text into a computer system, the keyboard comprising: a set of syllable input keys, each syllable input keys representing one or more characters; a space bar at the bottom of the keyboard split into two or more sections; a set of tone keys, each tone key representing one or more tones, at least one of the sections being one of the tones keys.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 31 words
A keyboard, as in claim 1, where there are four tones represented in the set of tone keys, the four tones including high tone, rising tone, low tone, and falling tone.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 33 words
A keyboard, as in claim 1, where there are five tones represented in the set of tone keys, the five tones including no tone, high tone, rising tone, low tone, and falling tone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 43 words
A keyboard, as in claim 1, where the keyboard is a US English keyboard and one or more of the set of tone keys replaces a punctuation key on the US English keyboard, the punctuation key being at a side of the keyboard.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 42 words
A keyboard, as in claim 1, where the keyboard is a US English keyboard and one or more of the set of tone keys is grouped with a group of "arrow" keys on the keyboard. Cancel claim 6 without prejudice or disclaimer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 36 words
A keyboard, as in claim 1, where the space bar sections include one or more left sections, one or more right sections and a middle section that is between the left sections and the right sections.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 34 words
A keyboard, as in claim 6, where the middle section is a space key and one or more of the left and right sections is a tone key that represents one or more tones.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 30 words
A keyboard, as in claim 6, where the middle section represents a no tone diacritic and one or more of the left and right sections represent one or more tone.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 33 words
A keyboard, as in claim 8 where one of the left sections represents a raising tone, a first right section represents a falling tone, and a second right section represents a low tone.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 82 words
A means for entering Chinese language text into a computer system, the means comprising: a set of syllable input keys means, each syllable input key means representing one or more characters; a space bar means located at the bottom of the keyboard, the space bar means split into two or more sections, and; a set of tone key means, each tone key means representing one or more tone values, at least one of the tone key means being one of the sections.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 82 words
A means for entering Chinese language text into a computer system, the means comprising: a set of syllable input keys means, each syllable input key means representing one or more characters; a space bar means located at the bottom of the keyboard, the space bar means split into two or more sections, and; a set of tone key means, each tone key means representing one or more tone values, at least one of the tone key means being one of the sections.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2002-04-05 2002-10-05 2003-04-06 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2006-04-05 2006-10-05 2007-04-06 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2010-04-05 2010-10-05 2011-04-06 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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