Machine translation method and source/target text display method

• US 6,047,252 A
• Filed: 06/30/1997
• Issued: 04/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kinoshita, Satoshi, Kumano, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Isen, Forester W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EDOUARD, PATRICK NESTOR
• Application Number:
  US08/886,153
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 704/2-7, 707/51 B, 707/536, 345/115, 395/200.48, 395/200.36
• US Class Current: 704/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/47 Machine-assisted translation, e.g. using translation memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/58 Use of machine translation, e.g. for multi-lingual retrieval, for server-side translation for client devices or for real-time translation

Abstract

A source text output file provided with link information for a plurality of component units of a second language text corresponding to the component units of a first language text is obtained and a target text output file provided with link information for a plurality of component units of the first language text corresponding to the component units of the second language text is obtained. The obtained source text output file and target text output file are supplied to a display means and both the source text and the target text are displayed in correspondence with each other for example on an existing single Internet browser by use of a specification of an existing hyper text. More specifically, the first language text and the second language text are displayed in separate fields (windows) on the above browser, only the first language text or the second language text is scrolled according to user request, and a component unit of the second language text or the first language text corresponding to the first language text or the second language text currently being displayed is displayed.

Claims

1. A machine translation method in which, a plurality of text files are browsed, and a desired one of the texts is selected and translated, said method comprising the steps of:

dividing a text of a first language subject to translation into a plurality of component units;

generating a plurality of component units of a second language by translating said plurality of component units of the first language text;

adding link information for component units of the second language text to each of the component units of said first language text; and

adding link information for component units of the first language text to each of the component units of said second language text.

2. A machine translation method according to claim 1, wherein said component unit of at least one of said first language text and said second language text is composed of lower level component units which are made hierarchically with two or more levels, said method further comprising:

adding said link information to be added to said first language text and said second language text corresponding to each of the levels.

3. A machine translation method according to claim 1, wherein said component unit of at least one of said first languages text and said second language text is a paragraph or a sentence.

4. A machine translation method according to claim 1, wherein the first language text and the second language text to which said link information is added is hyper text.

5. A machine translation apparatus in which, a plurality of text files are browsed, and a desired one of the text is selected and translated, said apparatus comprising:

a dividing means for dividing a text of a first language subject to translation into a plurality of component units;

a generating means for generating a plurality of component units of a second language by translating said plurality of component units of the first language text; and

a link information adding means for adding link information for component units of the second language text to each of the component units of said first language text and adding link information for component units of the first language text to each of the component units of said second language text.

6. A machine translation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said component unit of at least one of said first language text and said second language text is composed of lower level component units which are made hierarchically with two or more levels, said link information adding means adding said link information for said first language text and said second language text in correspondence with each other to each level.

7. A machine translation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said component unit of at least one of said first language text and said second language text is a paragraph or a sentence.

8. A machine translation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first language text and the second language text to which said link information is added is hyper text.

9. A machine translation apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a display means for displaying said first language text and said second language text in correspondence with each other.

10. A source/target text display method for displaying a component unit of a first language text subject to translation and a said second language text which is a result of translation while said component unit of said first language text is supplied with link information for a corresponding component unit of second language text and said component unit of said second language text is supplied with link information for a corresponding component unit of first language text, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying said first language text and said second language text in separate display fields;

scrolling, when an instruction for scrolling said first language text or said second language text, instructed first language text or second language text; and

displaying, when an instruction for displaying a component unit of said language text or said first language text corresponding to a specified component unit of said first language text or second language text being displayed is input, the component unit of said second language text or first language text according to said link information attached to the specified component unit of said first language text or second language text.

11. A source/target text display method according to claim 10, wherein when the component unit of said second language text or first language text is displayed according to said link information, the component unit of said corresponding second language text or first language text is displayed at a position equivalent to the position in a window in which the specified component unit of said first language text or second language text is displayed.

12. A source/target text display method according to claim 10, wherein said component unit of at least one of said first language text and said second language text is composed of lower level component units which are made hierarchically with two or more levels, said method further comprising:

adding said link information to be added to said first language text and said second language text corresponding to each of the levels.

13. A source/target text display method according to claim 10, wherein said component unit of at least one of said first language text and said second language text is a paragraph or a sentence.

14. A computer-readable medium having computer program code means embodied therein for causing a plurality of text files to be browsed, and a desired one of the texts to be selected and translated, the computer readable program code means comprising:

instruction means for causing a computer to divide a text of a first language subject to translation into a plurality of component units;

instruction means for causing a computer to generate a plurality of component units of a second language text by translating said plurality of the component units; and

instruction means for causing a computer to add link information for the component unit of the second language text to a corresponding component unit of said first language text and add link information for the component unit of the first language text to a corresponding unit of said second language text.

15. A computer-readable medium comprising:

instruction means for causing a computer to input a first language text subject to translation and a second language text which is a result of translation, a component unit of said first language text being provided with link information for a corresponding component unit of the second language text and a component unit of said second language text being provided with link information for a corresponding component unit of the first language text;

instruction means for causing a computer to display said first language text and said second language text in separate display fields;

instruction means for causing a computer to scroll, when an instruction for scrolling the first language text or second language text is input, an instructed one of said first language text or said second language text; and

instruction means for causing a computer to display, when an instruction for displaying a component unit of a second language text or a first language text corresponding to a specified component unit of said first language text or said second language text currently being displayed is input, the component unit of the second language text or first language text according to link information attached to a corresponding component unit of said first language text or said second language text.