System, method, and product for dynamically propagating translations in a translation-memory system

• US 6,345,243 B1
• Filed: 05/27/1998
• Issued: 02/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lionbridge US, Inc. (Lionbridge Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lionbridge Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Clark, Jonathan P.
• Primary Examiner(s): EDOUARD, PATRICK NESTOR
• Application Number:
  US09/085,468
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 704/2-8, 704/10, 707/530, 707/536
• US Class Current: 704/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/47 Machine-assisted translation, e.g. using translation memory

Abstract

A computer-implemented system, method, and product are provided to propagate an externally produced translation of a first occurrence of a word, phrase, or other group of characters to be translated (referred to herein as a “translatable source segment”) in a first source file to at least one occurrence of a corresponding target segment in one or more target files of a target project. The corresponding target segment corresponds with a second occurrence of the translatable source segment in any of the one or more source files. The source files may have the same file format, or two or more of the source files may have different file formats. Also, two or more source files may have character formats that are different from each other, and/or they may be written in different languages. In one implementation, the propagator propagates the externally produced translation to all corresponding target segments in the target project that correspond with the translatable source segment. Also, the propagator may propagate the externally produced translation to user-selected corresponding target segments in the target project that corresponds with the translatable source segment. The externally produced language translation may be generated by a human translator, or by a machine translation tool. In one embodiment, the externally produced language translation is derived from a legacy file. Also, the externally produced language translation may be derived from a corresponding target segment that corresponds with the translatable source segment.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium having encoded therein program instructions which when executed by a computer under control of an appropriate operating system provide a translation memory system that translates translatable source segments in one or more source files of a source project, including program instructions which, when executed, provide a propagation tool that propagates an externally produced translation of a first occurrence of a translatable source segment in a first source file to at least one occurrence of a corresponding target segment in one or more target files of a target project, wherein the corresponding target segment corresponds with a second occurrence of the translatable source segment in any of the one or more source files.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the source files have a same file format.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

at least one source file has a file format different than that of at least one other source file.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

at least one source file has a character format different than that of at least one other source file.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

at least one source file has text written in a different language than that of at least one other source file.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

the propagation tool is constructed and arranged to propagate the externally produced translation to all corresponding target segments in the target project that correspond with the translatable source segment.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

the propagation tool is constructed and arranged to propagate the externally produced translation to at least one user-selected corresponding target segment in the target project that corresponds with the translatable source segment.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

the externally produced translation is provided to the propagation tool only once.

9. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

the externally produced language translation is generated by a human translator.

10. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

the externally produced language translation is generated by a machine translation tool.

11. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

the externally produced language translation is derived from a legacy file.

12. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

the externally produced language translation is derived from a corresponding target segment that corresponds with the translatable source segment.

13. A translation memory system for translating translatable source segments in one or more source files of a source project, the system comprising a computer executing a program which provides a propagation tool which propagates an externally produced translation of a first occurrence of a translatable source segment in a first source file to at least one occurrence of a corresponding target segment in one or more target files of a target project, wherein the corresponding target segment corresponds with a second occurrence of the translatable source segment in any of the one or more source files.

14. The translation memory system of claim 13, wherein:

at least one source file has a file format different than that of at least one other source file.

15. The translation memory system of claim 13, wherein:

the externally produced translation is propagated to all corresponding target segments in the target project that correspond with the translatable source segment.

16. The translation memory system of claim 13, wherein:

the externally produced translation is propagated to at least one user-selected corresponding target segment in the target project that corresponds with the translatable source segment.

17. The translation memory system of claim 13, wherein:

the externally produced language translation is derived from a corresponding target segment that corresponds with the translatable source segment.

18. A translation memory system having a computer and a program executed by the computer for translating translatable source segments in one or more source files of a source project and storing the translated translatable source segments in corresponding target segments of one or more target files of a target project, further including a propagation tool program executing on the computer to associate at least one of a plurality of source-target pairs in at least one source-target database, wherein each source-target pair includes a translatable source segment and a corresponding target segment, wherein the corresponding target segment corresponds with the translatable source segment, and wherein all translatable source segments of the associated at least source-target pairs are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation.

19. The translation memory system of claim 18, wherein:

a plurality of the sufficiently similar translatable source segments are the same.

20. The translation memory system of claim 18, wherein:

a plurality of the sufficiently similar translatable source segments are morphologically similar.

21. The translation memory system of claim 18, wherein:

the propagation tool program includes instructions to propagate an externally produced translation of the translatable source segment to each corresponding target segment that is paired with the translatable source segment in one or more of the plurality of source-target pairs.

22. The translation memory system of claim 18, wherein:

the at least one associated source-target pairs are associated by at least one first pointer that points from each associated source-target pair to a page in a pair-occurrence pointer book having one or more pages, each page having one or more second pointers that each point back to one associated source-target pair, wherein the translatable source segments of each associated source-target pair pointed to by each of the one or more second pointers of each page are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation.

23. The translation memory system of claim 22, wherein:

each sufficiently similar translatable source segment is the same as every other sufficiently similar translatable source segment.

24. The translation memory system of claim 22, wherein:

each page is separately addressable by each of a plurality of user-translators.

25. The translation memory system of claim 22, wherein:

each page is separately distributable to each of a plurality of user-translators.

26. The translation memory system of claim 18, wherein:

each source-target pair is stored in a record of the at least one source-target database, each record having an indicator indicating when an externally produced translation of the translatable source segment of the record is to be propagated to the corresponding target segment of the record.

27. The translation memory system of claim 18, wherein:

each source-target pair is stored in a record of the at least one source-target database, each record having a first pointer to a page in a pair-occurrence pointer book having one or more pages, each page having one or more second pointers that each point back to one of the associated source-target-pair records, wherein the translatable source segments of each associated source-target-pair record pointed to by each of the one or more second pointers of each page are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation.

28. The translation memory system of claim 27, wherein:

each sufficiently similar translatable source segment is the same as every other sufficiently similar translatable source segment.

29. The translation memory system of claim 18, comprising:

a leverager constructed and arranged to match at least one legacy translatable source segment in a legacy file with at least one translatable source segment in the at least one source-target database, and

generate a corresponding target segment that corresponds with the at least one translatable source segment, wherein the generated corresponding target segment is a copy of a legacy corresponding target segment that corresponds with the at least one legacy translatable source segment.

30. The translation memory system of claim 18, comprising:

a pair-pointer book generator constructed and arranged to generate a pair-occurrence pointer book having one or more separately addressable and distributable pages, each page having one or more pointers that each point to one source-target pair, wherein each translatable source segment of each source-target pair pointed to by each of the one or more pointers of each page is the same.

31. A translation memory system having a computer and a program executed by the computer for translating translatable source segments in one or more source files of a source project and storing the translated translatable source segments in corresponding target segments of one or more target files of a target project, further including a propagation tool program executing on the computer to associate at least one of a plurality of source-target pairs in at least one source-target database, wherein each source-target pair includes a translatable source segment and a corresponding target segment, wherein the corresponding target segment corresponds with the translatable source segment, and wherein all translatable source segments of the associated at least source-target pairs are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation;

a pair-pointer book generator constructed and arranged to generate a pair-occurrence pointer book having one or more separately addressable and distributable pages, each page having one or more pointers that each point to one source-target pair, wherein each translatable source segment of each source-target pair pointed to by each of the one or more pointers of each page is the same; and

an inconsistent translation resolver and propagation flag setter constructed and arranged to search each source-target pair pointed to by each pointer in at least one page and to identify a conflict when a first corresponding target segment of a first source-target pair pointed to by a first pointer of a first page of the at least one page is different than a second corresponding target segment of a second source-target pair pointed to by a second pointer of the first page, and user-determined propagation indicators associated with the first and second source target pairs are enabled, wherein the propagation indicator indicates when an externally produced translation of the translatable source segment of the record is to be propagated to the corresponding target segment of the record.

32. A translation memory system having a computer and a program executed by the computer for translating translatable source segments in one or more source files of a source project and storing the translated translatable source segments in corresponding target segments of one or more target files of a target project, further including a propagation tool program executing on the computer to associate at least one of a plurality of source-target pairs in at least one source-target database, wherein each source-target pair includes a translatable source segment and a corresponding target segment, wherein the corresponding target segment corresponds with the translatable source segment, and wherein all translatable source segments of the associated at least source-target pairs are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation;

a pair-pointer book generator constructed and arranged to generate a pair-occurrence pointer book having one or more separately addressable and distributable pages, each page having one or more pointers that each point to one source-target pair, wherein each translatable source segment of each source-target pair pointed to by each of the one or more pointers of each page is the same; and

an inconsistent translation resolver and propagation flag setter constructed and arranged to search each source-target pair pointed to by each pointer in at least one page and to identify a conflict when a first corresponding target segment of a first source-target pair pointed to by a first pointer of a first page of the at least one page is different than a second corresponding target segment of a second source-target pair pointed to by a second pointer of the first page.

33. The propagation tool of claim 32, wherein:

the inconsistent translation resolver and propagation flag setter sets the second corresponding target segment to be the same as the first corresponding target segment based upon a user selection of the first corresponding target segment.

34. A method for translating translatable source segments in one or more source files of a source project to generate corresponding target segments of one or more target files of a target project, comprising:

(1) associating at least one of a plurality of source-target pairs in at least one source-target database, wherein each source-target pair includes a translatable source segment and a corresponding target segment, wherein the corresponding target segment corresponds with the translatable source segment, and wherein all translatable source segments of the associated at least one source-target pairs are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation;

(2) propagating an externally produced translation of the translatable source segment to each corresponding target segment that is paired with the translatable source segment in one or more of the plurality of source-target pairs.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

(3) storing each source-target pair in a record of the at least one source-target database; and

(4) generating for each record an indicator indicating when an externally produced translation of the translatable source segment of the record is to be propagated to the corresponding target segment of the record.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

(3) storing each source-target pair in a record of the at least one source-target database; and

(4) generating for each record a first pointer to a page in a pair-occurrence pointer book having one or more pages, each page having one or more second pointers that each point back to one of the associated source-target-pair records, wherein the translatable source segments of each associated source-target-pair record pointed to by each of the one or more second pointers of each page are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation.

39. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

(3) matching at least one legacy translatable source segment in a legacy file with at least one translatable source segment in the at least one source-target database, and

(4) generating a corresponding target segment that corresponds with the at least one translatable source segment, wherein the generated corresponding target segment is a copy of a legacy corresponding target segment that corresponds with the at least one legacy translatable source segment.

40. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

(3) generating a pair-occurrence pointer book having one or more separately addressable and distributable pages, each page having one or more pointers that each point to one source-target pair, wherein each translatable source segment of each source-target pair pointed to by each of the one or more pointers of each page is the same.

35. A method for translating translatable source segments in one or more source files of a source project to generate corresponding target segments of one or more target files of a target project, comprising:

(1) associating at least one of a plurality of source-target pairs in at least one source-target database, wherein each source-target pair includes a translatable source segment and a corresponding target segment, wherein the corresponding target segment corresponds with the translatable source segment, and wherein all translatable source segments of the associated at least one source-target pairs are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation; and

(2) propagating an externally produced translation of the translatable source segment to each corresponding target segment that is paired with the translatable source segment in one or more of the plurality of source-target pairs;

wherein the step of associating comprises;

(a) generating at least one first pointer to associate the at least one associated source-target pairs, wherein the first pointer points from each associated source-target pair to a page in a pair-occurrence pointer book having one or more pages; and

(b) generating for each page one or more second pointers that each point back to one associated source-target pair, wherein the translatable source segments of each associated source-target pair pointed to by each of the one or more second pointers of each page are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein:

each page is separately addressable by each of a plurality of user-translators.

41. A method for translating translatable source segments in one or more source files of a source project to generate corresponding target segments of one or more target files of a target project, comprising:

(1) associating at least one of a plurality of source-target pairs in at least one source-target database, wherein each source-target pair includes a translatable source segment and a corresponding target segment, wherein the corresponding target segment corresponds with the translatable source segment, and wherein all translatable source segments of the associated at least one source-target pairs are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation;

(2) propagating an externally produced translation of the translatable source segment to each corresponding target segment that is paired with the translatable source segment in one or more of the plurality of source-target pairs;

(3) generating a pair-occurrence pointer book having one or more separately addressable and distributable pages, each page having one or more pointers that each point to one source-target pair, wherein each translatable source segment of each source-target pair pointed to by each of the one or more pointers of each page is the same;

(4) searching each source-target pair pointed to by each pointer in at least one page; and

(5) identifying a conflict when a first corresponding target segment of a first source-target pair pointed to by a first pointer of a first page of the at least one page is different than a second corresponding target segment of a second source-target pair pointed to by a second pointer of the first page.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein step (5) further comprises:

(a) determining when a user-determined propagation indicator associated with the second source target pair is enabled, wherein the propagation indicator indicates when an externally produced translation of the translatable source segment of the record is to be propagated to the corresponding target segment of the record; and

(b) setting the second corresponding target segment to be the same as the first corresponding target segment based upon a user selection of the first corresponding target segment.

43. A computer system having at least one processor and a propagation tool constructed and arranged to cooperate with the at least one processor to propagate an externally produced translation of a first occurrence of a translatable source segment in a first source file to at least one occurrence of a corresponding target segment in one or more target files of a target project, wherein the corresponding target segment corresponds with a second occurrence of the translatable source segment in any of the one or more source files.

44. A computer system having at least one processor and a computer program executed by said processor such that execution of the program provides a translation memory system to translate translatable source segments in one or more source files of a source project and store the translated translatable source segments in corresponding target segments of one or more target files of a target project, wherein the translation memory system includes a propagation tool constructed and arranged to associate at least one of a plurality of source-target pairs in at least one source-target database, wherein each source-target pair includes a translatable source segment and a corresponding target segment, wherein the corresponding target segment corresponds with the translatable source segment, and wherein all translatable source segments of the associated at least one source-target pairs are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation.

45. The computer system of claim 44, wherein:

a plurality of the sufficiently similar translatable source segments are the same.

46. The computer system of claim 44, wherein:

the propagation tool is constructed and arranged to propagate an externally produced translation of the translatable source segment to each corresponding target segment that is paired with the translatable source segment in one or more of the plurality of source-target pairs.

47. The computer system of claim 44, wherein:

the at least one associated source-target pairs are associated by at least one first pointer that points from each associated source-target pair to a page in a pair-occurrence pointer book having one or more separately addressable and deliverable pages, each page having one or more second pointers that each point back to one associated source-target pair, wherein the translatable source segments of each associated source-target pair pointed to by each of the one or more second pointers of each page are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation.

48. The computer system of claim 44, wherein:

each source-target pair is stored in a record of the at least one source-target database, each record having an indicator indicating when an externally produced translation of the translatable source segment of the record is to be propagated to the corresponding target segment of the record.

49. The computer system of claim 44, wherein:

each source-target pair is stored in a record of the at least one source-target database, each record having a first pointer to a page in a pair-occurrence pointer book having one or more pages, each page having one or more second pointers that each point back to one of the associated source-target-pair records, wherein the translatable source segments of each associated source-target-pair record pointed to by each of the one or more second pointers of each page are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation.

50. Storage media that contains software that, when executed on an appropriate computing system, performs a method for translating translatable source segments in one or more source files of a source project to generate corresponding target segments of one or more target files of a target project, the method comprising:

(1) associating at least one of a plurality of source-target pairs in at least one source-target database, wherein each source-target pair includes a translatable source segment and a corresponding target segment, wherein the corresponding target segment corresponds with the translatable source segment, and wherein all translatable source segments of the associated at least one source-target pairs are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation;

(2) propagating an externally produced translation of the translatable source segment to each corresponding target segment that is paired with the translatable source segment in one or more of the plurality of source-target pairs.

53. The storage media of claim 50, wherein the method further comprises:

(3) storing each source-target pair in a record of the at least one source-target database; and

(4) generating for each record an indicator indicating when an externally produced translation of the translatable source segment of the record is to be propagated to the corresponding target segment of the record.

54. The storage media of claim 50, wherein the method further comprises:

(3) storing each source-target pair in a record of the at least one source-target database; and

(4) generating for each record a first pointer to a page in a pair-occurrence pointer book having one or more pages, each page having one or more second pointers that each point back to one of the associated source-target-pair records, wherein the translatable source segments of each associated source-target-pair record pointed to by each of the one or more second pointers of each page are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation.

51. Storage media that contains software that, when executed on an appropriate computing system, performs a method for translating translatable source segments in one or more source files of a source project to generate corresponding target segments of one or more target files of a target project, the method comprising:

(1) associating at least one of a plurality of source-target pairs in at least one source-target database, wherein each source-target pair includes a translatable source segment and a corresponding target segment, wherein the corresponding target segment corresponds with the translatable source segment, and wherein all translatable source segments of the associated at least one source-target pairs are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation;

(2) propagating an externally produced translation of the translatable source segment to each corresponding target segment that is paired with the translatable source segment in one or more of the plurality of source-target pairs; and

the step of associating comprising

(a) generating at least one first pointer to associate the at least one associated source-target pairs, wherein the first pointer points from each associated source-target pair to a page in a pair-occurrence pointer book having one or more pages; and

(b) generating for each page one or more second pointers that each point back to one associated source-target pair, wherein the translatable source segments of each associated source-target pair pointed to by each of the one or more second pointers of each page are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation.

52. The storage media of claim 51, wherein:

each page is separately addressable by each of a plurality of user-translators.

55. A computer program product for use with an appropriate computing system, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having embodied therein computer readable program code method steps for translating translatable source segments in one or more source files of a source project to generate corresponding target segments of one or more target files of a target project, the method steps comprising:

(1) associating at least one of a plurality of source-target pairs in at least one source-target database, wherein each source-target pair includes a translatable source segment and a corresponding target segment, wherein the corresponding target segment corresponds with the translatable source segment, and wherein all translatable source segments of the associated at least one source-target pairs are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation;

(2) propagating an externally produced translation of the translatable source segment to each corresponding target segment that is paired with the translatable source segment in one or more of the plurality of source-target pairs.

57. The computer program product of claim 55, wherein:

each page is separately addressable by each of a plurality of user-translators.

58. The computer program product of claim 55, wherein the method steps further comprise:

(3) storing each source-target pair in a record of the at least one source-target database; and

(4) generating for each record an indicator indicating when an externally produced translation of the translatable source segment of the record is to be propagated to the corresponding target segment of the record.

59. The computer program product of claim 55, wherein the method steps further comprise:

(3) storing each source-target pair in a record of the at least one source-target database; and

(4) generating for each record a first pointer to a page in a pair-occurrence pointer book having one or more pages, each page having one or more second pointers that each point back to one of the associated source-target-pair records, wherein the translatable source segments of each associated source-target-pair record pointed to by each of the one or more second pointers of each page are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation.

56. A computer program product for use with an appropriate computing system, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having embodied therein computer readable program code method steps for translating translatable source segments in one or more source files of a source project to generate corresponding target segments of one or more target files of a target project, the method steps comprising:

(1) associating at least one of a plurality of source-target pairs in at least one source-target database, wherein each source-target pair includes a translatable source segment and a corresponding target segment, wherein the corresponding target segment corresponds with the translatable source segment, and wherein all translatable source segments of the associated at least one source-target pairs are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation;

(2) propagating an externally produced translation of the translatable source segment to each corresponding target segment that is paired with the translatable source segment in one or more of the plurality of source-target pairs;

wherein the step of associating comprises;

(a) generating at least one first pointer to associate the at least one associated source-target pairs, wherein the first pointer points from each associated source-target pair to a page in a pair-occurrence pointer book having one or more pages; and

(b) generating for each page one or more second pointers that each point back to one associated source-target pair, wherein the translatable source segments of each associated source-target pair pointed to by each of the one or more second pointers of each page are sufficiently similar to each other that they are translated by a same externally produced translation.