Data searching device

• US 5,678,054 A
• Filed: 10/05/1994
• Issued: 10/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Shibata, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K.
• Application Number:
  US08/318,189
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 395/794, 395/793, 395/795, 364/419.13, 364/419.11, 364/419.14
• US Class Current: 715/259
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/247 Thesauruses; Synonyms

Abstract

A data searching device has a data inputting keyboard, a primary data memory, a secondary data memory and a display. A controller compares data input by the data inputting keyboard with primary data stored in the primary data memory. If the primary data matches the input data, the controller outputs the secondary data related to the primary data to the display. The display has a plurality of display areas, with a first display area displaying a portion of each of the secondary data related to the primary data. A secondary data selector selects one of the secondary data displayed in the first display area, and displays all of the data associated with the selected secondary data in a second display area.

Claims

1. A data searching device comprising:

input means for inputting data;

a memory for storing primary data and a plurality of secondary data related to said primary data;

a display for displaying inputted data;

a selector for selecting inputted data displayed on said display; and

a controller for comparing said input data with said primary data, said controller outputting secondary data related to primary data compared to said input data to said display,

wherein said display has a plurality of display areas, wherein a first display area displays a portion of each of said secondary data related to said primary data, said selector selecting one of said secondary data displayed in said first display area,

wherein a second display area displays all of one of said secondary data selected by said selector.

2. A data searching device according to claim 1, wherein said primary data compared to said input data is displayed in a third display area of said display, and

wherein said first display area, said second display area and said third display area are displayed simultaneously on said display.

3. The data searching device according to claim 2, wherein said primary data comprises a word to be searched for, and wherein each of said secondary data related to said primary data comprises:

a part-of-speech code for said word; and

a definition of said word.

4. The data searching device according to claim 3, wherein each of said secondary data further comprises synonyms of said word corresponding to said definition of said word.

5. The data searching device according to claim 3, wherein a part-of-speech name corresponding to said part-of-speech code, and said definition, are displayed in said first display area, for all of said secondary data related to said primary data,

wherein each of said secondary data is displayed on only one line of said first display area.

6. The data searching device according to claim 5, wherein a cursor is displayed in said first display area, said cursor being moved between each of said secondary data displayed in said first display area by said selector, wherein when said cursor highlights one of said secondary data displayed in said first display area, all of said one of said secondary data is displayed in said second display area.

7. A data searching device comprising:

a data inputting keyboard;

a primary data memory;

a secondary data memory;

a display;

a secondary data selector; and

a controller,

wherein said controller compares data inputted by said data inputting keyboard with primary data stored in said primary data memory, wherein said controller outputs to said display, said secondary data stored in said secondary data memory related to primary data which matches said inputted data, and

wherein said display has a plurality of display areas, wherein a first display area displays a portion of each of said secondary data related to said matching primary data, said selector selecting one of said secondary data displayed in said first display area,

wherein a second display area displays all of one of said secondary data selected by said selector.

8. A data searching device according to claim 7, wherein said matching primary data is displayed in a third display area of said display, and

wherein said first display area, said second display area and said third display area are displayed simultaneously on said display.

9. The data searching device according to claim 8, wherein said primary data comprises a word to be searched for, and wherein each of said secondary data related to said primary data comprises:

a part-of-speech code for said word; and

a definition of said word.

10. The data searching device according to claim 9, wherein each of said secondary data further comprises synonyms of said word corresponding to said definition of said word.

11. The data searching device according to claim 9, wherein a part-of-speech name corresponding to said part-of-speech code, and said definition, are displayed in said first display area, for all of said secondary data related to said primary data,

wherein each of said secondary data is displayed on only one line of said first display area.

12. The data searching device according to claim 11, wherein a cursor is displayed in said first display area, said cursor being moved between each of said secondary data displayed in said first display area by said selector, wherein when said cursor highlights one of said secondary data displayed in said first display area, all of said one of said secondary data is displayed in said second display area.

13. A method of displaying data on a screen of a data searching device, said method comprising the steps of:

inputting data;

storing primary data and a plurality of secondary data related to said primary data;

comparing said input data with said primary data;

displaying a portion of all of said secondary data in a first display area of said screen;

selecting one of said secondary data displayed in said first display area; and

displaying all of said selected secondary data in a second display area of said screen.

14. The method of displaying data on a screen of a data searching device, according to claim 13, which further comprises the step of displaying said primary data in a third display area of said screen, wherein said primary data and said secondary data are displayed simultaneously.

15. The method of displaying data on a screen of a data searching device, according to claim 14, wherein said primary data comprises a word to be searched for, and wherein each of said secondary data related to said primary data comprises:

a part-of-speech code for said word; and

a definition of said word.

16. The method of displaying data on a screen of a data searching device, according to claim 15, wherein each of said secondary data further comprises synonyms of said word corresponding to said definition of said word.

17. The method of displaying data on a screen of a data searching device, according to claim 15, wherein a part-of-speech name corresponding to said part-of-speech code, and said definition, are displayed in said first display area, for all of said secondary data related to said primary data,

wherein each of said secondary data is displayed on only one line of said first display area.

18. The method of displaying data on a screen of a data searching device, according to claim 17, which further comprises the steps of:

displaying a cursor in said first display area to highlight one of said secondary data,

wherein when said cursor highlights said one of said secondary data displayed in said first display area, all of said one of said secondary data is displayed in said second display area.