Translating apparatus, dictionary search apparatus, and translating method

• US 6,151,570 A
• Filed: 10/10/1996
• Issued: 11/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Fuji, Masaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Isen, Forester W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EDOUARD, PATRICK NESTOR
• Application Number:
  US08/728,852
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: 704/1-7, 704/277, 707/536
• US Class Current: 704/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/242 Dictionaries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/44 Statistical methods, e.g. probability models
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/55 Rule-based translation

Abstract

If a context process range extending unit cannot obtain context information required by a context processing unit, from a range to be translated, it extends the context process range. Then, the context processing unit performs a context process, and passes extracted context information to a translation processing unit in order to perform translation, based on the extended context process range.

Claims

1. A translating apparatus, comprising:

translation target range setting means for setting a range to be translated in an original text;

context process range setting means for setting a context process range in the original text which is at least partially different from the range to be translated; and

translation processing means for translating an original text in the range to be translated into a translated text, based on a context in the context process range.

2. A translating apparatus, comprising:

input means for inputting a range to be translated in an original text;

display means for displaying the original text;

context process range setting means for setting a context process range in the original text;

context processing means for performing a context process for the original text; and

translation processing means for translating an original text in the range to be translated into translated text, based on a context in the context process range.

3. The translating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said context processing means makes a field estimation.

4. The translating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said context processing means makes a document type estimation.

5. The translating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said context processing means estimates an abbreviation.

6. The translating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said context processing means estimates a reference destination.

7. The translating apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

translation range identifying means for identifying a sentence to be translated, based on the range to be translated, when the range to be translated in the original text, which is displayed by said displaying means, is input from said input means.

8. The translating apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

translation range identifying means for identifying a group of sentences to be translated, based on the range to be translated, when the range to be translated in the original text, which is displayed by said displaying means, is input from said input means.

9. The translating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

if an inline tag is included in the original text, said translation range identifying means identifies the sentence to be translated by ignoring the inline tag.

10. The translating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

said displaying means highlights the sentence to be translated, which is identified by said translation range identifying means.

11. The translating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

said displaying means highlights a first word having a plurality of translated words, and a second word closest to a location of the first word, among words which identify a translated word of the first word.

12. The translating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

said displaying means highlights the sentence to be translated, which is identified by said translation range identifying means, by using a first means, and highlights the context process range set by said context process range setting means, by using a second means.

13. The translating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

said displaying means highlights a word at a reference destination and a word at a reference source.

14. The translating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

said displaying means highlights an abbreviation and its complete name.

15. The translating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

if the translated text cannot be identified for the original text, said context process range setting means extends the context process range.

16. The translating apparatus according to claim 15, wherein:

said context process range setting means extends the context process range in sentences until the translated text can be determined for the original text.

17. The translating apparatus according to claim 16, wherein:

said context process range setting means extends the context process range in paragraphs which correspond to the range to be translated, until the translated text can be determined for the original text.

18. The translating apparatus according to claim 15, wherein:

said context process range setting means determines a direction to which the context process range is extended, according to a type of a context process.

19. The translating apparatus according to claim 16, wherein:

said context process range setting means extends the context process range in sentences in a forward direction until the translated text can be determined for the original text.

20. The translating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

if the range to be translated in the original text straddles a plurality of paragraphs, said context process range setting means sets each context process range in correspondence with each of ranges to be translated, which are divided in paragraphs.

21. The translating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

if an inline tag is included in the original text, said context process range setting means removes the inline tag from the context process range.

22. The translating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

said context process range setting means comprises;

boundary detecting means for detecting a boundary of context; and

terminating means for terminating an extension of the context process range at the boundary, when said boundary detecting means detects the boundary of context.

23. A translating apparatus, comprising:

input means for inputting a range to be translated in an original text;

context process range setting means for setting a context process range in the original text;

context processing means for performing a context process for the original text;

translation processing means for translating at least that part of the original text which is in the range to be translated into a translated text, based on context in the context process range; and

displaying means for displaying context information in correspondence with the range to be translated in the original text.

24. The translating apparatus according to claim 23, wherein:

if the translated text cannot be determined for the original text, said displaying means displays a plurality of pieces of context information, as candidates.

25. The translating apparatus according to claim 23, wherein:

the context information includes a field name, a document type name, a complete name corresponding to an abbreviation, or a word at a reference destination.

26. A translating apparatus, comprising:

translation target range setting means for setting a range to be translated in an original text;

context processing means for dividing the range to be translated into paragraphs in order to perform a context process, if the range to be translated in the original text straddles a plurality of paragraphs; and

translation processing means for translating the original text in the range to be translated into a translated text, based on context of each paragraph.

27. A dictionary search apparatus, comprising:

searching means for searching a translated word for an original word;

context process range setting means for setting a context process range in an original text;

context processing means for performing a context process for the original text; and

determining means for determining a translated word for the original word, based on context in the context process range.

28. The dictionary search apparatus according to claim 27, wherein:

if the translated word for the original word cannot be determined, said context process range setting means extends the context process range.

29. The dictionary search apparatus according to claim 28, wherein:

said context process range setting means extends the context process range in sentences until the translated word for the original word can be determined.

30. The dictionary search apparatus according to claim 27, wherein:

said context processing means makes a field estimation.

31. The dictionary search apparatus according to claim 27, wherein:

said context processing means estimates an abbreviation.

32. A translating method, comprising the steps of:

specifying a portion of an original text as a range to be translated;

setting a context process range in the original text, at least a portion of which is different from the range to be translated; and

translating the original text within the range to be translated, based on context of the context process range.

33. A translating method, comprising the steps of:

specifying a portion of an original text as a range to be translated;

setting a context process range in the original text, at least a portion of which is different from the range to be translated;

referencing a second original word within the context process range, if a first translated word belonging to a first field and a second translated word belonging to a second field, exist for a first original word in the range to be translated in the original text; and

selecting the first translated word for the first original word, if the second original word belongs to the first field.

34. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program used to direct a computer to perform the functions of:

specifying a portion of an original text as a range to be translated;

setting a context process range in the original text, at least a portion of which is different from the range to be translated; and

translating the original text within the range to be translated, based on context of the context process range.

35. A translating apparatus, comprising:

a translation target range setting unit that sets a range to be translated in an original text;

a context process range setting unit that sets a context process range in the original text which is at least partially different from the range to be translated; and

a translation processor that translates an original text in the range to be translated into a translated text based on a context in the context process range.

36. A translating apparatus, comprising:

a input receiving a range to be translated in an original text;

a display displaying the original text;

a context process range setting unit that sets context process range in the original text;

a context processor performing a context process for the original text; and

a translation processor translating an original text in the range to be translated into translated text based on a context in the context process range.

37. A translating apparatus, comprising:

an input receiving a range to be translated in an original text;

a context process range setting unit that sets a context process range in the original text;

a context processor performing a context process for the original text;

a translation processor translating at least that part of the original text which is in the range to be translated into a translated text based on context in the context process range; and

a display displaying context information in correspondence with the range to be translated in the original text.

38. A translating apparatus, comprising:

a translation target range setting unit that sets a range to be translated in an original text;

a context processor dividing the range to be translated into paragraphs to perform a context process, if the range to be translated in the original text straddles a plurality of paragraphs; and

a translation processor translating the original text in the range to be translated into a translated text based on context of each paragraph.

39. A dictionary search apparatus, comprising:

a search unit that searches for translations for an original word;

a context process range setting unit that sets a context process range in an original text when a plurality of translation exists for the original word;

a context processor that determines a context of the text in the context processing range; and

a determining unit that selects a translation from among the plurality of translations for the original word based on the determined context.