Pattern-based translation method and system

Claim 2

A data processing system implemented method of translating a text written in a source language into a target language, said method comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of translation patterns, wherein each of said plurality of translation patterns includes a source language pattern, a target language pattern corresponding to said source language pattern, a variable corresponding to said source language pattern, and a variable corresponding to said target language pattern; determining if a portion of said text corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns; representing a first source language pattern with a first variable and a first target language pattern corresponding to said first source language pattern with a second variable in response to a determination that said portion of said text corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns; determining if said portion of said text represented by said first variable corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns having a nested structure in which at least said first variable is embedded; and representing a second source language pattern with a third variable and a second target language pattern corresponding to said second source language pattern with a fourth variable in response to a determination that said portion of said text represented by said first variable corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns having a nested structure in which at least said first variable is embedded.

Claim 3

A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of representing a second source language pattern with a third variable and a second target language pattern corresponding to said second source language pattern with a fourth variable further comprises the steps of: determining if a target language pattern having a nested structure in which said second variable is embedded corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns; and representing a second source language pattern with a third variable and a second target language pattern corresponding to said second source language pattern with a fourth variable in response to a determination that a target language pattern having a nested structure in which said second variable is embedded corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns.

Claim 4

A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein each said source language pattern and said target language pattern include identity information indicating a characteristic thereof said method further comprising the step of: in response to each of said representing steps, providing identity information of a represented language pattern to a representing variable.

Claim 5

A method as set forth in claim 3, wherein each said representing variable includes an index, said index identifying a source language pattern and target language pattern pair, and wherein said step of providing identity information further comprises the step of: in response to each of said representing steps, selectively providing identity information of a represented language pattern to a representing variable utilizing said index.

Claim 6

A method as set forth in claim 3, wherein said step of determining if said portion of said text represented by said first variable corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns having a nested structure in which at least said first variable is embedded further comprises the step of: determining if said portion of said text represented by said first variable corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns having a nested structure in which at least said first variable is embedded, utilizing said identity information provided to said first variable.

Claim 7

A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of providing a plurality of translation patterns further comprises the steps of: specifying a source language pattern of said translation pattern; specifying a target language pattern of said translation pattern corresponding to said source language pattern; and constructing said translation pattern utilizing said specified source language pattern and said specified target language pattern.

Claim 8

A method as set forth in claim 6, wherein said step of constructing said translation pattern further comprises the steps of: associating a first variable, including an index, with said source language pattern; associating a second variable, including an index, with said target language pattern; and storing said translation pattern within said data processing system for subsequent utilization by said system for translating.

Claim 9

A data processing system for translating a text written in a source language into a target language, comprising: means for providing a plurality of translation patterns, wherein each of said plurality of translation patterns includes a source language pattern, a target language pattern corresponding to said source language pattern, a variable corresponding to said source language pattern, and a variable corresponding to said target language pattern; means for determining if a portion of said text corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns; means for representing a first source language pattern with a first variable and a first target language pattern corresponding to said first source language pattern with a second variable in response to a determination that said portion of said text corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns; means for determining if said portion of said text represented by said first variable corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns having a nested structure in which at least said first variable is embedded; and means for representing a second source language pattern with a third variable and a second target language pattern corresponding to said second source language pattern with a fourth variable in response to a determination that said portion of said text represented by said first variable corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns having a nested structure in which at least said first variable is embedded.

Claim 10

A data processing system for translating a text written in a source language into a target language, comprising: means for providing a plurality of translation patterns, wherein each of said plurality of translation patterns includes a source language pattern, a target language pattern corresponding to said source language pattern, a variable corresponding to said source language pattern, and a variable corresponding to said target language pattern; means for determining if a portion of said text corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns; means for representing a first source language pattern with a first variable and a first target language pattern corresponding to said first source language pattern with a second variable in response to a determination that said portion of said text corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns; means for determining if said portion of said text represented by said first variable corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns having a nested structure in which at least said first variable is embedded; and means for representing a second source language pattern with a third variable and a second target language pattern corresponding to said second source language pattern with a fourth variable in response to a determination that said portion of said text represented by said first variable corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns having a nested structure in which at least said first variable is embedded.

Claim 11

A data processing system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said means for representing a second source language pattern with a third variable and a second target language pattern corresponding to said second source language pattern with a fourth variable further comprises: means for determining if a target language pattern having a nested structure in which said second variable is embedded corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns; and means for representing a second source language pattern with a third variable and a second target language pattern corresponding to said second source language pattern with a fourth variable in response to a determination that a target language pattern having a nested structure in which said second variable is embedded corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns.

Claim 12

A data processing system as set forth in claim 8, wherein each said source language pattern and said target language pattern include identity information indicating a characteristic thereof, said data processing system further comprising: means for providing identity information of a represented language pattern to a representing variable.

Claim 13

A data processing system as set forth in claim 10, wherein each said representing variable includes an index, said index identifying a source language pattern and target language pattern pair, and wherein said means for providing identity information further comprises: means for selectively providing identity information of a represented language pattern to a representing variable utilizing said index.

Claim 14

A data processing system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said means for determining if said portion of said text represented by said first variable corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns having a nested structure in which at least said first variable is embedded further comprises: means for determining if said portion of said text represented by said first variable corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns having a nested structure in which at least said first variable is embedded, utilizing said identity information provided to said first variable.

Claim 15

A data processing system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said means for providing a plurality of translation patterns further comprises: means for specifying a source language pattern of said translation pattern; means for specifying a target language pattern of said translation pattern corresponding to said source language pattern; and means for constructing said translation pattern utilizing said specified source language pattern and said specified target language pattern.

Claim 16

A data processing system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said means for constructing said translation pattern further comprises: means for associating a first variable, including an index, with said source language pattern; means for associating a second variable, including an index, with said target language pattern; and means for storing said translation pattern within said data processing system for subsequent utilization by said data processing system for translating.

Claim 17

A data processing system as set forth in claim 10, wherein identity information for a source language pattern differs from identity information for a target language pattern corresponding to said source language pattern.

Claim 18

A computer program product to be utilized within a data processing system for translating a text written in a source language into a target language, said computer program product comprising: media usable by said data processing system for storing and executing instruction means; instruction means, embodied within said media, for providing a plurality of translation patterns, wherein each of said plurality of translation patterns includes a source language pattern, a target language pattern corresponding to said source language pattern, a variable corresponding to said source language pattern, and a variable corresponding to said target language pattern; instruction means, embodied within said media, for determining if a portion of said text corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns; instruction means, embodied within said media, for representing a first source language pattern with a first variable and a first target language pattern corresponding to said first source language pattern with a second variable in response to a determination that said portion of said text corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns; instruction means, embodied within said media, for determining if said portion of said text represented by said first variable corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns having a nested structure in which at least said first variable is embedded; and instruction means, embodied within said media, for representing a second source language pattern with a third variable and a second target language pattern corresponding to said second source language pattern with a fourth variable in response to a determination that said portion of said text represented by said first variable corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns having a nested structure in which at least said first variable is embedded.

Claim 19

A computer program product to be utilized within a data processing system for translating a text written in a source language into a target language, said computer program product comprising: media usable by said data processing system for storing and executing instruction means; instruction means, embodied within said media, for providing a plurality of translation patterns, wherein each of said plurality of translation patterns includes a source language pattern, a target language pattern corresponding to said source language pattern, a variable corresponding to said source language pattern, and a variable corresponding to said target language pattern; instruction means, embodied within said media, for determining if a portion of said text corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns; instruction means, embodied within said media, for representing a first source language pattern with a first variable and a first target language pattern corresponding to said first source language pattern with a second variable in response to a determination that said portion of said text corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns; instruction means, embodied within said media, for determining if said portion of said text represented by said first variable corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns having a nested structure in which at least said first variable is embedded; and instruction means, embodied within said media, for representing a second source language pattern with a third variable and a second target language pattern corresponding to said second source language pattern with a fourth variable in response to a determination that said portion of said text represented by said first variable corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns having a nested structure in which at least said first variable is embedded.

Claim 20

A computer program product as set forth in claim 16, wherein said instruction means for representing a second source language pattern with a third variable and a second target language pattern corresponding to said second source language pattern with a fourth variable further comprises: instruction means, embodied within said media, for determining if a target language pattern having a nested structure in which said second variable is embedded corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns; and instruction means, embodied within said media, for representing a second source language pattern with a third variable and a second target language pattern corresponding to said second source language pattern with a fourth variable in response to a determination that a target language pattern having a nested structure in which said second variable is embedded corresponds to a source language pattern within said plurality of translation patterns.

Claim 21

A computer program product as set forth in claim 16, wherein said instruction means for providing a plurality of translation patterns further comprises: instruction means, embodied within said media, for specifying a source language pattern of said translation pattern; instruction means, embodied within said media, for specifying a target language pattern of said translation pattern corresponding to said source language pattern; and instruction means, embodied within said media, for constructing said translation pattern utilizing said specified source language pattern and said specified target language pattern.

Claim 22

A computer program product as set forth in claim 18, wherein said instruction means for constructing said translation pattern further comprises: instruction means, embodied within said media, for associating a first variable, including an index, with said source language pattern; instruction means, embodied within said media, for associating a second variable, including an index, with said target language pattern; and instruction means, embodied within said media, for storing said translation pattern within said data processing system for subsequent utilization by said computer program product.