System and method for converting sentence elements unrecognizable by a computer system into base language elements recognizable by the computer system

• US 5,349,526 A
• Filed: 08/07/1991
• Issued: 09/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Occam Research Corp.
• Original Assignee: Occam Research Corp.
• Inventors: Breen, Patrick, Paushter, Robert, Potts, George W. Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Envall, Jr., Roy N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUNG TRANS, XUONG MY
• Application Number:
  US07/741,306
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 364/419, 364/419.1, 364/419.14, 364/144, 364/419.19, 395/151
• US Class Current: 704/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/253 Grammatical analysis; Style critique

Abstract

A system and method for converting inoperative sentence elements into operative elements in which a set of grammar rules for substituting sentence elements with different elements is established. A sequential comparison between each grammar rule and the sentence elements is then accomplished to find a match between a grammar rule and one or more contiguous sentence elements. A substitution of the matched element for the different elements from the grammar rule is then accomplished. Such sequential comparison and substitution is continued for the entire series of sentence elements to fully convert the sentence to operative elements.

Claims

1. A system for converting sentence elements unrecognizable by a computer system into base language elements recognizable by the computer system, comprising:

means for establishing and storing within the computer system a set of rules for substituting said unrecognizable sentence elements with said base language elements;

means for inputting a sentence of said unrecognizable sentence elements into said computer system;

means for sequentially comparing each rule to each said inputted unrecognizable sentence element to find a match between a rule and one or more contiguous unrecognizable sentence elements;

means for substituting the inputted unrecognizable sentence elements matching the rule with the base language elements as defined by the matching rule; and

means for continuing the sequential comparison and substitution of the said base language elements for said unrecognizable sentence elements to fully convert the sentence to base language elements recognizable by said computer system.

2. The system of claim 1 in which the rules include patterns of unrecognizable sentence elements composed of sub-patterns of individual unrecognizable sentence elements, and pattern substitution instructions for substituting a matched pattern of unrecognizable sentence elements with said base language elements.

3. The system of claim 2 in which said means for sequentially comparing includes means for comparing a first sub-pattern of each grammar rule to a first inputted unrecognizable sentence element until a match is found.

4. The system of claim 3 in which said means for sequentially comparing further includes means for comparing each sub-pattern succeeding said first sub-pattern of the matching rule to each inputted unrecognizable sentence element succeeding said first inputted unrecognizable sentence element until the sub-patterns and elements no longer match or the pattern ends.

5. The system of claim 4 in which said means for substituting is responsive to said means for sequentially comparing for substituting the inputted unrecognizable sentence elements matching the pattern of the rule with base language elements as defined by the rule.

6. The system of claim 3 in which said means for continuing the sequential comparison and substitution includes means for comparing the first sub-pattern of each rule to the next inputted unrecognizable sentence element to find additional matches.

7. The system of claim 6 in which said means for continuing the sequential comparison and substitution further includes means for comparing, for each additional match found, the next sub-pattern of the matching rule to the next inputted unrecognizable sentence element until the sub-patterns and elements no longer match, or the pattern ends.

8. The system of claim 7 in which said means for continuing further includes means for substituting the inputted unrecognizable sentence elements matching the pattern of the rule with said base language elements as defined by the matching rule.

9. A system for converting sentence elements unrecognizable by a computer system into base language elements recognizable by the computer system, comprising:

means for establishing and storing within said computer system a set of rules, each having a pattern of unrecognizable sentence elements composed of sub-patterns of individual unrecognizable sentence elements, and pattern substitution instructions for substituting a pattern of inputted unrecognizable sentence elements with said base language elements;

means for inputting said unrecognizable sentence elements into said computer system;

means for comparing a first sub-pattern of each rule sequentially to each of the inputted unrecognizable sentence elements until a match is found;

means for comparing each sub-pattern succeeding said first sub-pattern of the matching rule to each inputted unrecognizable sentence element succeeding said first inputted unrecognizable sentence element until the sub-patterns and elements no longer match, or the entire pattern is matched; and

means for substituting the inputted unrecognizable sentence elements matching the pattern with said base language elements as defined by the matching rule.

10. A system for converting sentence elements unrecognizable by a computer system into base language elements recognizable by said computer system, comprising:

means for establishing and storing within said computer system a set of rules, each having a pattern of unrecognizable sentence elements composed of sub-patterns of individual unrecognizable sentence elements, and pattern substitution instructions for substituting inputted unrecognizable sentence elements with base language elements;

means for inputting a sentence of said unrecognizable sentence elements into said computer system;

means for comparing a first sub-pattern of each rule sequentially to a first inputted unrecognizable sentence element until a match is found;

means for comparing each sub-pattern succeeding said first sub-pattern of the matching rule to each inputted unrecognizable sentence element succeeding said first inputted unrecognizable sentence element until the sub-patterns and elements no longer match, or the entire pattern is matched;

means for substituting the inputted unrecognizable sentence elements matching the pattern with said base language elements as defined by the matching rule; and

means for continuing the sequential comparison, comparison of the next sub-pattern, and substitution until there are no more matches between any rule pattern and any set of contiguous inputted unrecognizable sentence elements for fully converting the inputted unrecognizable sentence to base language elements recognizable by said computer system.

11. A method for converting sentence elements unrecognizable by a computer system into base language elements recognizable by said computer system, comprising:

establishing and storing within said computer system a set of rules for substituting said inputted unrecognizable sentence elements with said base language elements;

inputting a sentence of said unrecognizable sentence elements into said computer system;

sequentially comparing each rule to each said inputted unrecognizable sentence element to find a match between a rule and one or more contiguous unrecognizable sentence elements;

substituting the inputted unrecognizable sentence elements matching the rule with the base language elements as defined by the matching rule; and

continuing the sequential comparison and substitution of base language elements for inputted unrecognizable sentence elements to fully convert the sentence to base language elements recognizable by the computer system.

12. The method of claim 11 in which the rules include patterns of unrecognizable sentence elements composed of sub-patterns of individual unrecognizable sentence elements, and pattern substitution instructions for substituting a matched pattern of inputted unrecognizable sentence elements with base language elements.

13. The method of claim 12 in which sequentially comparing includes comparing a first sub-pattern of each rule to a first inputted unrecognizable sentence element until a match is found.

14. The method of claim 13 in which sequentially comparing further includes comparing each sub-pattern succeeding said first sub-pattern of the matching rule to each inputted unrecognizable sentence element succeeding said first inputted unrecognizable sentence element until the sub-patterns and elements no longer match, or the pattern ends.

15. The method of claim 14 in which the step of substituting is responsive to the sequential comparison for substituting inputted unrecognizable sentence elements matching the pattern of the matching rule with base language elements as defined by the rule.

16. The method of claim 12 in which continuing the sequential comparison and substitution includes comparing the first sub-pattern of each rule to the next inputted unrecognizable sentence element to find additional matches.

17. The method of claim 16 in which continuing the sequential comparison and substitution further includes comparing, for each additional match, the next sub-pattern of the matching rule to the next inputted unrecognizable sentence element until the sub-patterns and elements no longer match, or the pattern ends.

18. The method of claim 17 in which continuing the sequential comparison and substitution further includes substituting inputted unrecognizable sentence elements matching the pattern of the matching rule with said base language elements as defined by the matching rule.

19. A method of converting sentence elements unrecognizable by a computer system into base language elements recognizable by the computer system, comprising;

establishing and storing within said computer system a set of rules, each having a pattern of unrecognizable sentence elements composed of sub-patterns of individual unrecognizable sentence elements and pattern substitution instructions for substituting a pattern of inputted unrecognizable sentence elements with base language elements;

inputting said unrecognizable sentence elements into said computer system;

comparing a first sub-pattern of each rule sequentially to each of the inputted unrecognizable sentence elements until a match is found;

comparing each sub-pattern succeeding said first sub-pattern of the matching rule to each inputted unrecognizable sentence element succeeding said first inputted unrecognizable sentence element until the sub-patterns and elements no longer match, or the entire pattern is matched; and

substituting the inputted unrecognizable sentence elements matching the pattern of the rule with said base language elements as defined by the matching rule.

20. A method for converting sentence elements unrecognizable by a computer system into base language elements recognizable by said computer system, comprising:

establishing and storing within said computer system a set of grammar rules, each having a pattern of unrecognizable sentence elements composed of sub-patterns of individual unrecognizable sentence elements, and pattern substitution instructions for substituting inputted unrecognizable sentence elements with base language elements;

inputting a sentence of said unrecognizable sentence elements into said computer system;

comparing a first sub-pattern of each rule sequentially to a first inputted unrecognizable sentence element until a match is found;

comparing each sub-pattern succeeding said first sub-pattern of the matching rule to each inputted unrecognizable sentence element succeeding said first inputted unrecognizable sentence element until the sub-patterns and elements no longer match, or the entire pattern is matched;

substituting the inputted unrecognizable sentence elements matching the pattern of the rule with said base language elements as defined by the matching rule; and

continuing the sequential comparison, comparison of the next sub-pattern, and substitution, until there are no more matches between any rule pattern and any set of contiguous inputted unrecognizable sentence elements for fully converting the inputted unrecognizable sentence to base language elements recognizable by said computer system.