System and method for real time interface translation

• US 20030171911A1
• Filed: 02/03/2003
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John Fairweather
• Original Assignee: John Fairweather
• Inventors: Fairweather, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,369,984 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/427 Parsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4493 Object persistence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 13/0825 the ejection arrangement being of the push-push kind
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/913 Multimedia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/966 Distributed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

A system and method for translating one or more tokens from one language to another is provided. A lookup map mapping characteristics of the tokens in one language and the corresponding characteristics to be used in a foreign language is provided. A set of “content” dictionaries mapping tokens in a base langue into the corresponding token in another language is also provided and, in conjunction with the characteristics of the foreign token, provides the basis for a translated interface. A GUI environment may initiate a request to translate whenever it is about to transmit a token to the interface or the tokens may be trapped prior to receipt by the display. Other tools and functions are also provided that instruct the interface to modify the location, ordering and other attributes of the token as communicated by the interface.

Claims

1. A system for translating tokens from a base language to a foreign language comprising:

a processor, for processing one or more programming instructions;

logically connected to such processor, a lookup map, wherein such lookup map maps characteristics of the token used in a base language to the corresponding characteristics to be used in a foreign language;

logically connected to such map, a dictionary, wherein such dictionary maps a base language token(s) into the corresponding token(s) in a foreign language using characteristics provided by the lookup map;

logically connected to such map, a set of programming instructions that supports a translation callback whenever the set of instructions would normally transmit a token to the interface; and

in communication with such program, an interface, wherein such interface supports one or more of the characteristics provided by the lookup map.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the dictionary has the capacity to store one or more new entries.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein a new entry comprises a base language token without a corresponding token in the foreign language.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein a new entry comprises a foreign language token without a corresponding token in the base language.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the set of programming instructions includes instructions for determining whether the dictionary does not include a base language token/foreign language token pair.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the set of programming instructions includes instructions for creating a new entry whenever the set of instructions determine that the dictionary does not include a base language token/foreign language token pair.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the system includes an additional set of programming instructions for retrieving a foreign language token corresponding to a base language token stored in a new entry in said dictionary.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the system includes an interface for receiving a foreign language token corresponding to a base language token stored in a new entry in said dictionary.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions are executed in real-time with the transmission of the token to the interface.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the tokens being translated include text.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the lookup map maps one or more text characteristics in a base language to one or more text characteristics in a foreign language.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the system further comprises a set of instructions that modifies the text characteristics of the foreign language token prior to display on said interface.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the set of instructions that modifies the text characteristics includes the ability to modify one or more of the following characteristics:

font, font size, style, bounding rectangle, and margin justification.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the set of instructions that modifies text characteristics is Drawstring( ) as defined herein.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein DrawString( ) is capable of translating only a subset of the text that is displayed on said interface.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising electronic memory logically connected to said processor, wherein such memory stores each sets of instructions in the claimed system.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein Drawstring( ) is capable of invoking text interface rendering functionality immediately prior to the modified characteristics being used by the set of programming instructions that supports a translation callback.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the set of programming instructions that supports a translation callback is XL_GetString( ) as defined herein.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the tokens being translated include sound waves.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the tokens being translated include one or more images.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the tokens being translated include one or more dynamic images.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the lookup map maps to characteristics, such as pitch, volume, clarity and inflection.

41. The system of claim 1, the step of receiving a token includes receiving a token having images.

43. The system of claim 1, the step of receiving a token includes receiving a token having dynamic images.

19. The system of 1 above, wherein the system further comprising the claimed lexical analyzer.

20. The system of 1 above, wherein the claimed lexical analyzer creates said dictionary.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the system further comprises the claimed string phrase mappings.

26. A method for translating one or more tokens from a base language to a foreign language prior to being processed by an interface, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving the base language token being translated;

requesting the foreign language token characteristic(s) that correspond to the characteristic(s) of the base language token;

requesting a foreign language token(s) that correspond to the base language token(s) for the for the retrieved foreign language characteristics; and

transmitting said foreign language token to an interface.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of receiving the base language token includes receiving a base language token from a GUI environment.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of receiving the base language token further includes the step of modifying any underlying operating systems used by a GUI environment to trap tokens prior to display on said interface.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of requesting the dimensions of the interface to which the translated token will be transmitted.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of determining the manner in which the token will be communicated by the interface.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of receiving a token includes receiving a token having text.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of requesting a foreign language token includes requesting the foreign language text string associated with the text string in the base language token.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the method further includes the step of order mapping the token(s) prior to transmission to the interface.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of order mapping is performed using sprintf( ) like substitution.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein the method further includes the step of mapping numeric values using an intermediate conversion process.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the method further includes the step of determining the manner in which foreign language text string will be displayed on the interface.

37. The method of claim 26, wherein step of receiving tokens includes receiving tokens provided by a GUI environment.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the method further includes the step of storing the results of translation and translation context such that the real time load of translation is reduced.

39. The system of claim 26, the step of receiving a token includes receiving a token having sound waves.

40. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of requesting a foreign language token includes requesting the foreign language sound waves associated with the sound waves in the base language token.

42. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of requesting a foreign language token includes requesting the foreign language images associated with the images in the base language token.

44. The system of claim 39, wherein the step of requesting foreign language token characteristics includes requesting characteristics such as pitch, volume, clarity and inflection.