Apparatus for displaying dictionary information in dictionary and apparatus for editing the dictionary by using the above apparatus

• US 5,289,376 A
• Filed: 11/20/1990
• Issued: 02/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Yokogawa, Toshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Weinhardt, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUNG TRANS, XUONG MY
• Application Number:
  US07/615,841
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: 364/419
• US Class Current: 704/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/247 Thesauruses; Synonyms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/253 Grammatical analysis; Style critique

Abstract

An apparatus for displaying dictionary information in a dictionary used in a natural language process, the dictionary having a plurality of entry words, small categories corresponding to each entry word and the dictionary information belonging to each small category, each small category being a syntactic category of a corresponding entry word. The apparatus includes a retrieval unit for retrieving the entry word specified by a user in the dictionary and reading out the dictionary information belonging to each small category corresponding to the retrieved entry word from the dictionary, a grouping unit for grouping the small categories corresponding to the retrieved entry word into medium categories, each medium category having one or a plurality of small categories, and a display unit for displaying the dictionary information in the small categories grouped in each medium category.

Claims

1. An apparatus for displaying dictionary information in a dictionary used in a natural language process, said dictionary having a plurality of entry words, small categories corresponding to each entry word and the dictionary information belonging to each small category, each small category being a syntactic category of a corresponding entry word, said apparatus comprising:

retrieval means for retrieving an entry word specified by a user in said dictionary and for reading out the dictionary information belonging to each small category corresponding to the retrieved entry word from said dictionary;

grouping means, responsive to the retrieved entry word retrieved by said retrieval means, for grouping the small categories corresponding to the retrieved entry word into medium categories, each medium category having one or a plurality of small categories; and

display means, coupled to said grouping means, for displaying the dictionary information in the small categories grouped in each medium category.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said grouping means has a table indicating a relationship between the small categories and the medium categories, the small categories being grouped in the medium categories in accordance with said table.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising means for changing said relationship between the small categories and the medium categories in said table.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of a plurality of medium categories form a part of speech of the entry word.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

syntactical functions of the small categories grouped in each medium category are similar to syntactical functions of other small categories in a same medium category.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each entry word is a word in a first language and dictionary information includes an equivalent in a second language.

7. An apparatus for editing a dictionary used in a natural language process, said dictionary having a plurality of entry words, small categories corresponding to each entry word and the dictionary information belonging to each small category, each small category being a syntactic category of a corresponding entry word, said apparatus comprising:

retrieval means for retrieving the entry word specified by a user in said dictionary and for reading out the dictionary information belonging to each small category corresponding to the retrieved entry word from said dictionary;

grouping means, responsive to the retrieved entry word retrieved by said retrieval means, for grouping the small categories corresponding to the retrieved entry word into medium categories, each medium category having one or a plurality of small categories;

display means, coupled to said grouping means, for displaying the dictionary information in the small categories grouped in each medium category;

first modification means for modifying the dictionary information displayed by said display means in accordance with the user'"'"'s instruction; and

renewal means for renewing the dictionary information in said dictionary on the basis of the dictionary information obtained by said first modification means.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said grouping means has a table indicating a relationship between the small categories and the medium categories, the small categories being grouped in the medium categories in accordance with said table.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising means for changing said relationship between the small categories and the medium categories in said table.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of a plurality of medium categories form a part of speech of the entry word.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein syntactical functions of the small categories grouped in each medium category are similar to each other.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein each entry word is a word in a first language and dictionary information includes a equivalent in a second language.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said renewal means has second modification means for modifying the dictionary information belonging to each small category grouped in the medium category corresponding to the dictionary information obtained by said first modification means.