In-Context Exact (ICE) Matching

• US 20150169554A1
• Filed: 10/20/2014
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SDL PLC (RWS Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: SDL PLC (RWS Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Gillespie, Kevin, Ross, Russell G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,342,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90344 by using string matching techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/47 Machine-assisted translation, e.g. using translation memory

Abstract

Methods, systems and program product are disclosed for determining a matching level of a text lookup segment with a plurality of source texts in a translation memory in terms of context. In particular, the invention determines any exact matches for the lookup segment in the plurality of source texts, and determines, in the case that at least one exact match is determined, that a respective exact match is an in-context exact (ICE) match for the lookup segment in the case that a context of the lookup segment matches that of the respective exact match. The degree of context matching required can be predetermined, and results prioritized. The invention also includes methods, systems and program products for storing a translation pair of source text and target text in a translation memory including context, and the translation memory so formed. The invention ensures that content is translated the same as previously translated content and reduces translator intervention.

Claims

1. A method of determining a matching level of a plurality of source texts stored in a translation memory to a lookup segment to be translated, the method comprising the steps of:

determining any exact matches for the lookup segment in the plurality of source texts; and

determining, in the case that at least one exact match is determined, that a respective exact match is an in-context exact (ICE) match for the lookup segment in the case that a context of the lookup segment matches that of the respective exact match.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the context includes at least two levels.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the ICE match determining step indicates that a respective exact match is an ICE match for the lookup segment only in the case that each context level of the lookup segment matches that of the respective exact match.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, in the case that greater than one ICE match is determined, the ICE match determining step includes prioritizing each ICE match according to a degree of context matching.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the context includes a usage context level and an asset context level.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the ICE match determining step indicates that a respective exact match is an ICE match for the lookup segment only in the case that both the usage context level and the asset context level of the lookup segment matches that of the respective exact match.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising, in the case that greater than one ICE match is determined, the step of prioritizing each ICE match according to a degree of context matching.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the usage context (UC) level includes a preceding UC level and a post UC level, and the prioritizing step includes:

first preferring an ICE match having both previous and post UC levels that match those of the lookup segment over an ICE match having only one of the previous and post UC levels matching those of the lookup segment;

where the first preferring step is non-conclusive, second preferring an ICE match from the same asset as the lookup segment over an ICE match from a different asset; and

where the second preferring step is non-conclusive, third preferring an ICE match with a closest position to a position of the lookup segment within the asset.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising allowing a user to select the ICE match based on the prioritization.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the lookup segment includes a plurality of lookup segments that are substantially identical in terms of content, and

wherein the ICE match determining step includes determining an ICE match for each lookup segment.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one lookup segment has a different ICE match than at least one other lookup segment.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing retrieval of at least one source text based on the matching level.

13. A system for determining a matching level of a plurality of source texts stored in a translation memory to a lookup segment to be translated, the system comprising:

means for determining any exact matches for the lookup segment in the plurality of source texts; and

means for determining, in the case that at least one exact match is determined, that a respective exact match is an in-context exact (ICE) match for the lookup segment in the case that a context of the lookup segment matches that of the respective exact match.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the context includes at least two levels.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the ICE match determining means indicates that a respective exact match is an ICE match for the lookup segment only in the case that each context level of the lookup segment matches that of the respective exact match.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising means for, in the case that greater than one exact match is determined, ranking each exact match according to a degree of context matching.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the context includes a usage context level and an asset context level.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the ICE match determining means indicates that a respective exact match is an ICE match for the lookup segment only in the case that both the usage context level and the asset context level of the lookup segment matches that of the respective exact match.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for, in the case that greater than one ICE match is determined, prioritizing each ICE match according to a degree of context matching.

20. The system of claim 19;

wherein the usage context (UC) level includes a preceding UC level and a post UC level, and the prioritizing means;

first prefers an ICE match having both previous and post UC levels that match those of the lookup segment over an ICE match having only one of the previous and post UC levels matching those of the lookup segment;

where the first preference is non-conclusive, second prefers an ICE match from the same asset as the lookup segment over an ICE match from a different asset; and

where the second preference is non-conclusive, third prefers an ICE match with a closest position to a position of the lookup segment within the asset.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising means for allowing a user to select the ICE match based on the rank.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the lookup segment includes a plurality of lookup segments that are substantially identical in terms of content, and

wherein the ICE match determining means determines an ICE match for each lookup segment.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein at least one lookup segment has a different ICE match than at least one other lookup segment.

24. The system of claim 13, further comprising the means for allowing retrieval of at least one source text based on the matching level.

25. A program product stored on a computer readable medium for determining a matching level of a plurality of source texts stored in a translation memory to a lookup segment to be translated, the computer readable medium comprising program code for performing the following steps:

determining any exact matches for the lookup segment in the plurality of source texts; and

determining, in the case that at least one exact match is determined, that a respective exact match is an in-context exact (ICE) match for the lookup segment in the case that a context of the lookup segment matches that of the respective exact match.

26. The program product of claim 25, wherein the context includes at least two levels.

27. The program product of claim 26, wherein the ICE match determining step indicates that a respective exact match is an ICE match for the lookup segment only in the case that each context level of the lookup segment matches that of the respective exact match.

28. The program product of claim 27, further comprising, in the case that greater than one exact match is determined, ranking each exact match according to a degree of context matching.

29. The program product of claim 26, wherein the context includes a usage context level and an asset context level.

30. The program product of claim 29, wherein the ICE match determining step indicates that a respective exact match is an ICE match for the lookup segment only in the case that both the usage context level and the asset context level of the lookup segment matches that of the respective exact match.

31. The program product of claim 29, further comprising, in the case that greater than one exact match is determined, ranking each exact match according to a degree of context matching.

32. The program product of claim 31, wherein the usage context (UC) level includes a preceding UC level and a post UC level, and the prioritizing step includes:

first preferring an ICE match having both previous and post UC levels that match those of the lookup segment over an ICE match having only one of the previous and post UC levels matching those of the lookup segment;

where the first preferring step is non-conclusive, second preferring an ICE match from the same asset as the lookup segment over an ICE match from a different asset; and

where the second preferring step is non-conclusive, third preferring an ICE match with a closest position to a position of the lookup segment within the asset.

33. The program product of claim 32, further comprising allowing a user to select the ICE match based on the rank.

34. The program product of claim 25, wherein the lookup segment includes a plurality of lookup segments that are substantially identical in terms of content, and

wherein the ICE match determining step includes determining an ICE match for each lookup segment.

35. The program product of claim 34, wherein at least one lookup segment has a different ICE match than at least one other lookup segment.

36. The program product of claim 25, further comprising the step of allowing retrieval of at least one source text based on the matching level.

37. A method of storing a translation pair of source text and target text in a translation memory, the method comprising the steps of:

assigning a context to the translation pair; and

storing the context with the translation pair.

38. The method of 12, wherein the context includes a usage context level and an asset context level.

39. A system for storing a translation pair of source text and target text in a translation memory, the system comprising:

means for assigning a context to the translation pair; and

means for storing the context with the translation pair.

40. The system of 39, wherein the context includes a usage context level and an asset context level.

41. A program product stored on a computer readable medium for storing a translated text segment for storage in a translation memory, the computer readable medium comprising program code for performing the following steps:

assigning a context to the translated text segment; and

storing the context with the translated text segment.

42. A translation memory comprising:

a plurality of source texts for comparison to a lookup segment; and

a context identifier for each source text.

43. The translation memory of claim 42, wherein the context identifier includes a usage context portion and an asset context portion.

44. A client-side system for interacting with a translation system including a translation memory, the system comprising:

means for assigning a segment identifier to a segment to be translated by the translation system, the segment identifier indicating a usage context of the segment; and

means for communicating the segment identifier assignment for storage as part of the translation memory.

45. A program product stored on a computer readable medium for interacting with a translation system including a translation memory having a plurality of source texts, the computer readable medium comprising program code for performing the following steps:

assigning a segment identifier to a segment to be translated by the translation system, the segment identifier indicating a usage context of the segment; and

communicating the segment identifier assignment for storage as part of the translation memory.