Dictionary updating system, updating processing server, terminal, control method, program and recording medium

• US 20040148381A1
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Miyahira, Tomohiro, Itoh, Harumi, Beppu, Hidenobu
• Application Number:
  US10/740,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20040148381A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/316 Indexing structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/242 Dictionaries

Abstract

A dictionary updating system is provided. In one embodiment, the system comprises a terminal having a first dictionary for converting input conversion source information to conversion destination information and an updating processing server for updating the first dictionary of the terminal via a network. The terminal comprises a first dictionary storage unit for storing the first dictionary, a conversion processing information storage unit for storing conversion processing information obtained during processing of converting the conversion source information to the conversion destination information using the first dictionary, and a conversion processing information transmitting unit for transmitting the conversion processing information to the updating processing server. The updating processing server comprises a dictionary updating information generating unit for generating dictionary updating information for updating the first dictionary according to the conversion processing information and a dictionary updating information transmitting unit for transmitting the dictionary updating information to the terminal.

Claims

1. A dictionary updating system comprising a terminal having a first dictionary for converting input conversion source information to conversion destination information and an updating processing server for updating said first dictionary of said terminal via a network,

said terminal, comprising:

first dictionary storage means for storing said first dictionary;

conversion processing information storage means for storing conversion processing information obtained during processing of converting said conversion source information to said conversion destination information on the basis of said first dictionary; and

conversion processing information transmitting means for transmitting said conversion processing information to said updating processing server,

said updating processing server, comprising;

dictionary updating information generating means for generating dictionary updating information for updating said first dictionary on the basis of said conversion processing information; and

dictionary updating information transmitting means for transmitting said dictionary updating information to said terminal.

2. The dictionary updating system according to claim 1, wherein said updating processing server further comprises second dictionary storage means for storing a second dictionary for converting the conversion source information to the conversion destination information,

wherein said dictionary updating information generating means selects information to be added to said first dictionary, from said second dictionary, on the basis of said conversion processing information, and generates the information as said dictionary updating information.

3. The dictionary updating system according to claim 2, wherein said first dictionary storage means stores said first dictionary for translating said conversion source information written in a first language to said conversion destination information written in a second language;

said conversion processing information storage means stores information for associating said conversion source information with a certainty factor of a translation result, as said conversion processing information;

said updating processing server further comprises translation means for translating said received conversion source information by means of said second dictionary and outputting the certainty factor of the translation; and

if said received certainty factor associated with said conversion source information is lower than the certainty factor in the case of being translated by said translation unit, said dictionary updating information generating means selects the information used for the translation of said conversion source information by said translation means, from said second dictionary, and generates the information as said dictionary updating information.

4. The dictionary updating system according to claim 3, wherein if said certainty factor of the translation in said conversion source information is lower than a predefined reference certainty factor, said conversion processing information storage means stores said conversion source information.

5. The dictionary updating system according to claim 2, wherein said conversion processing information storage means stores said conversion source information which has not been able to be converted with said first dictionary, as said conversion processing information;

and

said dictionary updating information generating means selects the conversion destination information corresponding to said conversion processing information as said dictionary updating information from said second dictionary.

6. The dictionary updating system according to claim 5, wherein said dictionary updating information generating means further selects the conversion destination information on compound words including said conversion processing information, from said second dictionary.

7. The dictionary updating system according to claim 2, wherein said first dictionary storage means stores a plurality of first sub-dictionaries as said first dictionary;

said conversion processing information storage means stores respective frequencies of use of said plurality of first sub-dictionaries as said conversion processing information;

said conversion processing information transmitting unit transmits the respective frequencies of use of said plurality of first sub-dictionaries as said conversion processing information to said updating processing server;

said second dictionary storage means stores a plurality of second sub-dictionaries associated with said plurality of first sub-dictionaries respectively, as said second dictionary; and

if said frequency of use of one of the first sub-dictionaries is higher than a predefined first frequency, said dictionary updating information generating means generates one of said second sub-dictionaries corresponding to said one of the first sub-dictionaries, as said dictionary updating information.

8. The dictionary updating system according to claim 7, wherein said second dictionary includes said first dictionary;

and

if said frequency of use of another one of said first sub-dictionaries is lower than a predefined second frequency, said dictionary updating information generating means generates a deletion instruction for deleting said another one of the first sub-dictionaries, as said dictionary updating information.

9. The dictionary updating system according to claim 8, wherein said updating processing server further comprises a capacity management means for managing capacity information indicating a free capacity in a storage device provided in said terminal;

and

said dictionary updating information generating means generates said deletion instruction further on condition that the free capacity indicated by said free capacity information is smaller than a predefined capacity.

10. The dictionary updating system according to claim 1, wherein said terminal further comprises:

an E-mail transmitting means for transmitting said conversion destination information to which said conversion source information has been converted, to an external terminal via an E-mail;

wherein said conversion processing information transmitting means further transmits said E-mail as said conversion processing information to said updating processing server each time said E-mail is transmitted; and

said dictionary updating information transmitting means creates said dictionary updating information on the basis of said E-mail, and transmits it to said terminal.

11. The dictionary updating system according to claim 10, wherein said conversion processing information transmitting means generates said conversion processing information by exchanging an word order among a plurality of words in a sentence in said E-mail.

12. The dictionary updating system according to claim 1, wherein said conversion processing information transmitting means deletes said conversion processing information stored in said conversion processing information storage means upon transmitting said conversion processing information to said updating processing server.

13. A terminal having a first dictionary for converting input conversion source information to conversion destination information and causing an external updating processing server to update the first dictionary, said terminal comprising:

conversion processing information storage means for storing conversion processing information obtained during processing of converting said conversion source information to said conversion destination information on the basis of said first dictionary;

conversion processing information transmitting means for transmitting said conversion processing information to said updating processing server; and

first dictionary storage means for storing said first dictionary and updating said first dictionary upon receiving dictionary updating information for updating said first dictionary from said updating processing server.

14. The terminal according to claim 13, further comprising translation means for translating said conversion source information written in a first language to said conversion destination information written in a second language, by means of said first dictionary,

wherein said conversion processing information transmitting means transmits information for associating said conversion source information with a certainty factor of a translation result, as said conversion processing information, to said updating processing server;

and

said first dictionary storage means updates said first dictionary on the basis of said dictionary updating information returned by said updating processing server, in response to said certainty factor.

15. The terminal according to claim 13, wherein said conversion processing information storage means stores said conversion source information which has not been able to be converted with said first dictionary, as said conversion processing information;

and

said first dictionary storage means receives the conversion destination information corresponding to said conversion processing information as said dictionary updating information from said updating processing server, and updates said first dictionary by adding said conversion destination information.

16. The terminal according to claim 13, wherein said first dictionary storage means stores a plurality of first sub-dictionaries as said first dictionary;

said conversion processing information storage means stores respective frequencies of use of said plurality of first sub-dictionaries as said conversion processing information;

said conversion processing information transmitting means transmits the respective frequencies of use of said plurality of first sub-dictionaries as said conversion processing information to said updating processing server; and

said first dictionary storage means receives another one of sub-dictionaries associated with one of said first sub-dictionaries having the frequency of use which is higher than a predefined first frequency, from said updating processing server, and updates said first dictionary by adding said another one of sub-dictionaries.

17. An updating processing server for transmitting dictionary updating information for updating a first dictionary for converting input conversion source information to conversion destination information to a terminal having the first dictionary, comprising:

dictionary updating information generating means for receiving conversion processing information obtained during processing of converting said conversion source information to said conversion destination information on the basis of said first dictionary from said terminal and generating dictionary updating information for updating said first dictionary on the basis of the conversion processing information; and

dictionary updating information transmitting means for transmitting said dictionary updating information to said terminal to update said first dictionary.

18. A method of controlling a terminal having a first dictionary for converting input conversion source information to conversion destination information and an updating processing server for updating said first dictionary of said terminal via a network, said method comprising the steps of:

causing said terminal to store said first dictionary;

causing said terminal to store conversion processing information obtained during processing of converting said conversion source information to said conversion destination information on the basis of said first dictionary;

causing said terminal to transmit said conversion processing information to said updating processing server;

causing said updating processing server to generate dictionary updating information for updating said first dictionary on the basis of said conversion processing information; and

causing said updating processing server to make said terminal transmit said dictionary updating information.

19. A program for enabling a computer to serve as an updating processing server for transmitting dictionary updating information for updating a first dictionary for converting input conversion source information to conversion destination information to a terminal having the first dictionary, said program comprising:

dictionary updating information generating subprocesses for generating dictionary updating information for updating said first dictionary on the basis of said conversion processing information upon receiving conversion processing information obtained during processing of converting said conversion source information to said conversion destination information on the basis of said first dictionary from said terminal; and

dictionary updating information transmitting subprocesses for transmitting said dictionary updating information to said terminal to update said first dictionary.

20. A program for enabling a computer to serve as a terminal having a first dictionary for converting input conversion source information to conversion destination information and causing an external updating processing server to update the first dictionary, said program comprising:

conversion processing information storage subprocesses for storing conversion processing information obtained during processing of converting said conversion source information to said conversion destination information on the basis of said first dictionary;

conversion processing information transmitting subprocesses for transmitting said conversion processing information to said updating processing server; and

first dictionary storage subprocesses for storing said first dictionary and updating said first dictionary upon receiving dictionary updating information for updating said first dictionary from said updating processing server.