US6473729B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Word phrase translation using a phrase index
Assignee: Xerox Corp
•
Filing: 1999-12-20
•
Granted: 2002-10-29
•
Expires: 2019-12-20
Abstract
Abstract A system and method are provided for translating an input text from a natural source language to a natural target language. The system stores a database that contains a plurality of pairs of text fragments with each pair including a text fragment in the source language and a corresponding text fragment in the target language. Each text fragment contains at least one word phrase and represents a primary grammatical unit such as a sentence or a clause. For translating a word phrase, the database is queried using a phrase index of the database, where the phrase index indexes text fragments by word phrases. Word phrases are noun phrases or word phrases. Alternatively, word phrases are predicates involving at least one verb and one noun or adjective used as a noun. The system further comprises a phrase extractor for extracting a word phrase from a text fragment of an input text.
Inventors
- 👤 Michel Gastaldo
- 👤 Gregory Grefenstette
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 22:51
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F40/00; G06F40/40; G06F40/42; G06F40/45
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for translating a word phrase from a first natural language to a second natural language, said word phrase being a group of two or more associated words, the method comprising the steps of: inputting a text written in the first language; extracting said word phrase from said text; querying a database for said extracted word phrase using a phrase index of said database; said phrase index indexing text fragments by word phrases; said text fragments representing a primary grammatical unit including at least one clause; the database containing pairs of text fragments, each pair including a text fragment of the first language and a corresponding text fragment of the second language; and obtaining a translation of said extracted word phrase based on one of the pairs of text fragments revealed during the step of querying the database.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for translating a word phrase from a first natural language to a second natural language, said word phrase being a group of two or more associated words, the method comprising the steps of: inputting a text written in the first language; extracting said word phrase from said text; querying a database for said extracted word phrase using a phrase index of said database; said phrase index indexing text fragments by word phrases; said text fragments representing a primary grammatical unit including at least one clause; the database containing pairs of text fragments, each pair including a text fragment of the first language and a corresponding text fragment of the second language; and obtaining a translation of said extracted word phrase based on one of the pairs of text fragments revealed during the step of querying the database.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said word phrase is a noun phrase.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said word phrase is a verb phrase.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said word phrase is a predicate involving at least one verb and one noun or adjective used as a noun.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining a translation includes the step of presenting to a user the revealed pairs of text fragments.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining a translation includes the step of presenting to a user proposed translations of the extracted word phrase based on the revealed pairs of text fragments.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of obtaining a translation further comprises the step of approving one of the revealed translations by the user and using the approved translation as translation of the extracted word phrase.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said word phrase is extracted from a text fragment of said input text, and the step of obtaining a translation includes the step of sorting the revealed pairs of text fragments according to the number of word phrases common with said text fragment of said input text.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of extracting a word phrase includes the step of selecting a word of said input text and determining the word phrase comprising said selected word.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said primary grammatical units are sentences.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of querying the database for the extracted phrase includes the step of querying the database for all word phrases partly matching the extracted phrase.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining a translation includes querying a terminology base.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
142 words
A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for translating a word phrase from a first natural language to a second natural language by performing the steps of: inputting a text written in the first language; extracting said word phrase from said text, said word phrase being a group of two or more associated words; querying a database for said extracted word phrase using a phrase index of said database; said phrase index indexing text fragments by word phrases; said text fragments representing a primary grammatical unit including at least one clause; the database containing pairs of text fragments, each pair including a text fragment of the first language and a corresponding text fragment of the second language; and obtaining a translation of said extracted word phrase based on one of the pairs of text fragments revealed during the step of querying the database.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
142 words
A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for translating a word phrase from a first natural language to a second natural language by performing the steps of: inputting a text written in the first language; extracting said word phrase from said text, said word phrase being a group of two or more associated words; querying a database for said extracted word phrase using a phrase index of said database; said phrase index indexing text fragments by word phrases; said text fragments representing a primary grammatical unit including at least one clause; the database containing pairs of text fragments, each pair including a text fragment of the first language and a corresponding text fragment of the second language; and obtaining a translation of said extracted word phrase based on one of the pairs of text fragments revealed during the step of querying the database.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
164 words
A system for translating an input text from a natural source language to a natural target language, the system comprising: storage means for storing a database containing a plurality of pairs of text fragments; said text fragments representing a primary grammatical unit including at least one clause; each pair including a text fragment in the source language and a corresponding text fragment in the target language, each text fragment containing at least one word phrase, said word phrase being a group of two or more associated words; a phrase extractor for extracting a word phrase from a text fragment of said input text; database retrieval means for retrieving, from said database, pairs of text fragments that contain the extracted word phrase, using a phrase index of said database, said phrase index indexing text fragments by word phrases; and user interface means for allowing a user to select one of said retrieved pairs of text fragments to obtain a translation of the extracted word phrase.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
164 words
A system for translating an input text from a natural source language to a natural target language, the system comprising: storage means for storing a database containing a plurality of pairs of text fragments; said text fragments representing a primary grammatical unit including at least one clause; each pair including a text fragment in the source language and a corresponding text fragment in the target language, each text fragment containing at least one word phrase, said word phrase being a group of two or more associated words; a phrase extractor for extracting a word phrase from a text fragment of said input text; database retrieval means for retrieving, from said database, pairs of text fragments that contain the extracted word phrase, using a phrase index of said database, said phrase index indexing text fragments by word phrases; and user interface means for allowing a user to select one of said retrieved pairs of text fragments to obtain a translation of the extracted word phrase.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 14 , wherein said word phrase is a noun phrase.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 14 , wherein said word phrase is a verb phrase.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 14 , wherein said word phrase is a predicate involving at least one verb and one noun or adjective used as a noun.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 14 , wherein said user interface means is arranged for presenting to a user the retrieved pairs of text fragments.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 14 , wherein said user interface means is arranged for presenting to a user proposed translations of the determined word phrase into the target language based on the retrieved pairs of text fragments.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 14 , wherein said primary grammatical units are sentences.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 14 , wherein said database retrieval means is arranged for retrieving from the database pairs of text fragments containing word phrases partially matching the extracted word phrase.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 14 , further comprising a terminology base to which said database retrieval means has access.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
130 words
A method for generating a text fragment database for use in translating a word phrase from a first natural language into a second natural language, said word phrase being a group of two or more associated words, the method comprising the steps of: inputting a first document containing a text written in the first language; inputting a second document containing said text written in the second language; aligning corresponding text fragments of the first and second documents; said text fragments representing a primary grammatical unit including at least one clause; extracting word phrases from the text fragments of the first document; and generating index information on the extracted word phrases and the aligned text fragments holding the word phrases, to generate a phrase index indexing text fragments by word phrases.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
130 words
A method for generating a text fragment database for use in translating a word phrase from a first natural language into a second natural language, said word phrase being a group of two or more associated words, the method comprising the steps of: inputting a first document containing a text written in the first language; inputting a second document containing said text written in the second language; aligning corresponding text fragments of the first and second documents; said text fragments representing a primary grammatical unit including at least one clause; extracting word phrases from the text fragments of the first document; and generating index information on the extracted word phrases and the aligned text fragments holding the word phrases, to generate a phrase index indexing text fragments by word phrases.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 23 , wherein said word phrases are noun phrases.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 23 , wherein said word phrases are verb phrases.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 23 , wherein said word phrases are predicates involving at least one verb and one noun or adjective used as a noun.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 23 , wherein said primary grammatical units are sentences.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 23 , wherein the steps of inputting, aligning and extracting are repeated for a plurality of paired documents.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 23 , wherein the contents of said plurality of paired documents are of the same field.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
EP0387960A1
Cited
US5311429A
Cited
US5329446A
Cited
JPH0417065A
Cited
US5893134A
Cited
US5867811A
Cited
US5659765A
Cited
US5644774A
Cited
JPH0950435A
Cited
US5983171A
Cited
US6098034A
Cited
US6161083A
Cited
EP0887748A2
Cited
WO2000034890A2
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-10-28 | 2006-04-29 | 2006-10-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-10-28 | 2010-04-29 | 2010-10-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-10-28 | 2014-04-29 | 2014-10-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |