Method and apparatus for displaying natural language structure

• US 6,625,608 B1
• Filed: 08/14/2000
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Watanabe, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Greta
• Assistant Examiner(s): Black, Linh
• Application Number:
  US09/638,161
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 704/1-10, 707/1-205, 715/526, 715/528
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/253 Grammatical analysis; Style critique
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A natural language structure display method for displaying, to represent a word relationship, the structure of a natural language sentence that is input, comprises the steps of: (1) parsing the natural language sentence that is input into predetermined elements; (2) analyzing the word relationships existing between the elements in accordance with the natural language grammar; and (3) displaying and positioning the predetermined elements so as to represent the word relationships obtained at the above step.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a natural language structure comprising the steps of:

a) parsing a natural language sentence that is input to obtain predetermined grammatical elements;

b) performing an analysis, based on a natural language grammar, of the relationships existing between the grammatical elements; and

c) displaying and positioning said grammatical elements in accordance with tree structure-based levels and display attributes so as to visually demonstrate the relationships between said grammatical elements determined at said step b).

2. The natural language structure display method according to claim 1, wherein said elements are displayed by changing said display attribute in accordance with a modification level.

3. The natural language structure display method according to claim 2, wherein to display said elements by changing said display attribute is equivalent to displaying adjacent elements on the same line using the same or different colors.

4. The natural language structure display method according to claim 2, wherein to display said elements by changing said display attribute is equivalent to displaying characters using different color shades in accordance with said modification level.

5. The natural language structure display method according to claim 2, wherein to display said elements by changing said display attribute is equivalent to displaying characters having different font sizes in accordance with said modification level.

6. The natural language structure display method according to claim 2, wherein to display said elements by changing said display attribute is equivalent to displaying characters having different font types in accordance with said modification level.

7. The natural language structure display method according to claim 2, wherein to display said elements by changing said display attribute is equivalent to underlining characters having different thicknesses in accordance with said modification level.

8. The natural language structure display method according to claim 2, wherein to display said elements by changing said display attribute is equivalent to displaying characters having different shading in accordance with said modification level.

9. The natural language structure display method according to claim 2, wherein to display said elements by changing said display attribute is equivalent to omitting characters at a low modification level.

10. The natural language structure display method according to claim 2, wherein to display said elements by changing said display attribute is to display adjacent elements on the same line using the same or different colors, to display characters having different color shades in accordance with said modification level, to display characters having different font sizes in accordance with said modification level, to display characters having different font types in accordance with said modification level, to underline characters having different thicknesses in accordance with said modification level, to display characters having different shading in accordance with said modification level, and to omit characters at a low modification level.

11. A natural language structure display method comprising the steps of:

a) parsing a sentence into predetermined elements;

b) analyzing word relationships existing between said elements in accordance with a grammar of said natural language;

c) defining said elements as nodes, and connecting said nodes in accordance with said word relationships to generate tree structure data;

d) inserting and displaying root nodes and child nodes thereof in said tree structure data vertically, extending from the top to the bottom, following the order wherein said nodes appear in said natural language sentence;

e) adding, to a node list, said child nodes of said parent nodes displayed at said step d);

f) extracting one child node from the first location in said node list;

g) displaying said child node extracted at said step f), when according to said grammar of said natural language the relationship between said child node and said parent node is the nearest, in the same row as said parent node and following the same order wherein said parent node and said child node appear in the natural language sentence;

h) inserting a new row immediately above a row in which said parent node is displayed, when according to said natural language grammar the relationship between said child node extracted at said step f) and said parent node is not the nearest, and when said child node is related to the order wherein said parent node appears in said natural language sentence, and displaying said child node in said new row so that the rear end of said child node is aligned with the front end of said parent node;

i) inserting a new row immediately below a row in which said parent node is displayed, when according to said natural language grammar the relationship between said child node extracted at said step f) and said parent node is not the nearest and when said child node is related to the inverted order wherein said parent node appears in said natural language sentence, and displaying said child node in said new row so that the front end of said child node is aligned with the rear end of said parent node;

j) adding, to said node list, all the child nodes extracted at said step f); and

k) repeating said steps f) to j) until said node list has been exhausted.

12. A natural language structure display method comprising the steps of:

a) parsing a sentence into predetermined elements;

b) analyzing word relationships existing between said elements in accordance with a grammar of said natural language;

c) defining said elements as nodes, and connecting said nodes in accordance with said word relationships to generate tree structure data;

d) displaying root nodes in said tree structure data;

e) adding, to a node list, said child nodes of said parent nodes displayed at said step d);

f) extracting one child node from the first location in said node list;

g) displaying said child node extracted at said step f), when according to said grammar of said natural language the relationship between said child node and said parent node is the nearest, in the same row as said parent node and following the same order wherein said parent node and said child node appear in the natural language sentence;

h) inserting a new row immediately above a row in which said parent node is displayed, when according to said natural language grammar the relationship between said child node extracted at said step f) and said parent node is not the nearest, and when said child node is related to the order wherein said parent node appears in said natural language sentence, and displaying said child node in said new row so that the rear end of said child node is aligned with the front end of said parent node;

i) inserting a new row immediately below a row in which said parent node is displayed, when according to said natural language grammar the relationship between said child node extracted at said step f) and said parent node is not the nearest and when said child node is related to the inverted order wherein said parent node appears in said natural language sentence, and displaying said child node in said new row so that the front end of said child node is aligned with the rear end of said parent node;

j) adding, to said node list, all the child nodes extracted at said step f); and

k) repeating said steps f) to j) until said node list has been exhausted.

13. The natural language structure display method according to claim 12, wherein said elements are displayed by changing said display attribute in accordance with a modification level.

14. The natural language structure display method according to claim 13, wherein to display said elements by changing said display attribute is equivalent to displaying adjacent elements on the same line using the different colors.

15. The natural language structure display method according to claim 13, wherein to display said elements by changing said display attribute is equivalent to displaying characters using different color shades in accordance with said modification level.

16. The natural language structure display method according to claim 13, wherein to display said elements by changing said display attribute is equivalent to displaying characters having different font sizes in accordance with said modification level.

17. The natural language structure display method according to claim 13, wherein to display said elements by changing said display attribute is equivalent to displaying characters having different font types in accordance with said modification level.

18. The natural language structure display method according to claim 13, wherein to display said elements by changing said display attribute is equivalent to underlining characters having different thicknesses in accordance with said modification level.

19. The natural language structure display method according to claim 13, wherein to display said elements by changing said display attribute is equivalent to displaying characters having different shading in accordance with said modification level.

20. The natural language structure display method according to claim 13, wherein to display said elements by changing said display attribute is equivalent to omitting characters at a low modification level.

21. The natural language structure display method according to claim 13, wherein to display said elements by changing said display attribute is to display adjacent elements on the same line using the different colors, to display characters having different color shades in accordance with said modification level, to display characters having different font sizes in accordance with said modification level, to display characters having different font types in accordance with said modification level, to underline characters having different thicknesses in accordance with said modification level, to display characters having different shading in accordance with said modification level, and to omit characters at a low modification level.

22. An apparatus for displaying a natural language structure comprising:

input means for entering a natural language sentence;

parsing means for parsing said natural language sentence to obtain predetermined elements;

analysis means for analyzing a relationship existing between said elements based on a natural language grammar; and

display means for displaying and positioning said elements in accordance with tree structure-based levels and display attributes to visually represent said relationship between said elements ascertained by said analysis means.

23. The natural language structure display apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising highlighting means for displaying said elements by changing said display attribute in accordance with a modification level.

24. The natural language structure display apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said highlighting means displays adjacent elements on the same line using the different colors.

25. The natural language structure display apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said highlighting means displays characters using different color shades in accordance with said modification level.

26. The natural language structure display apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said highlighting means displays characters having different font sizes in accordance with said modification level.

27. The natural language structure display apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said highlighting means displays characters having different font types in accordance with said modification level.

28. The natural language structure display apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said highlighting means underlines characters having different thicknesses in accordance with said modification level.

29. The natural language structure display apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said highlighting means displays characters having different shading in accordance with said modification level.

30. The natural language structure display apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said highlighting means omits characters at a low modification level.

31. The natural language structure display apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said highlighting means displays adjacent elements on the same line using the different colors, displays characters having different color shades in accordance with said modification level, displays characters having different font sizes in accordance with said modification level, displays characters having different font types in accordance with said modification level, underlines characters having different thicknesses in accordance with said modification level, displays characters having different shading in accordance with said modification level, and omits characters at a low modification level.

32. A natural language structure display apparatus comprising:

input means for entering a natural language sentence;

parsing means for parsing a sentence into predetermined elements;

analysis means for analyzing word relationships existing between said elements in accordance with a grammar of said natural language;

tree structure data generation means for defining said elements as nodes, and for connecting said nodes in accordance with said word relationships to generate tree structure data;

first display means for inserting and displaying root nodes and child nodes thereof in said tree structure data vertically, extending from the top to the bottom, following the order wherein said nodes appear in said natural language sentence;

node list addition means for adding, to a node list, said child nodes of said parent nodes displayed by said first display means;

node extraction means for extracting one child node from the first location in said node list;

second display means for displaying said child node extracted by said node extraction means, when according to said grammar of said natural language the relationship between said child node and said parent node is the nearest, in the same row as said parent node and following the same order wherein said parent node and said child node appear in the natural language sentence;

third display means for inserting a new row immediately above a row in which said parent node is displayed, when according to said natural language grammar the relationship between said child node extracted by said extraction means and said parent node is not the nearest, and when said child node is related to the order wherein said parent node appears in said natural language sentence, and for displaying said child node in said new row so that the rear end of said child node is aligned with the front end of said parent node;

fourth display means for inserting a new row immediately below a row in which said parent node is displayed, when according to said natural language grammar the relationship between said child node extracted by said extraction means and said parent node is not the nearest and when said child node is related to the inverted order wherein said parent node appears in said natural language sentence, and for displaying said child node in said new row so that the front end of said child node is aligned with the rear end of said parent node;

node list addition means for adding, to said node list, all the child nodes extracted by said extraction means; and

repeating means for repeating said node extraction means, said second to fourth display means and said node list addition means until said node list has been exhausted.

33. A natural language structure display apparatus comprising:

input means for entering a natural language sentence;

parsing means for parsing a sentence into predetermined elements;

analysis means for analyzing word relationships existing between said elements in accordance with a grammar of said natural language;

tree structure data generation means for defining said elements as nodes, and for connecting said nodes in accordance with said word relationships to generate tree structure data;

first display means for displaying root nodes in said tree structure data;

node list addition means for adding, to a node list, said child nodes of said parent nodes displayed by said first display means;

node extraction means for extracting one child node from the first location in said node list;

second display means for displaying said child node extracted by said node extraction means, when according to said grammar of said natural language the relationship between said child node and said parent node is the nearest, in the same row as said parent node and following the same order wherein said parent node and said child node appear in the natural language sentence;

third display means for inserting a new row immediately above a row in which said parent node is displayed, when according to said natural language grammar the relationship between said child node extracted by said extraction means and said parent node is not the nearest, and when said child node is related to the order wherein said parent node appears in said natural language sentence, and for displaying said child node in said new row so that the rear end of said child node is aligned with the front end of said parent node;

fourth display means for inserting a new row immediately below a row in which said parent node is displayed, when according to said natural language grammar the relationship between said child node extracted by said extraction means and said parent node is not the nearest and when said child node is related to the inverted order wherein said parent node appears in said natural language sentence, and for displaying said child node in said new row so that the front end of said child node is aligned with the rear end of said parent node;

node list addition means for adding, to said node list, all the child nodes extracted by said extraction means; and

repeating means for repeating said node extraction means, said second to fourth display means and said node list addition means until said node list has been exhausted.

34. The natural language structure display apparatus according to claim 33, further comprising highlighting means for highlighting said elements in accordance with a modification level.

35. The natural language structure display apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said highlighting means displays adjacent elements on the same line using the different colors.

36. The natural language structure display apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said highlighting means displays characters using different color shades in accordance with said modification level.

37. The natural language structure display apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said highlighting means displays characters having different font sizes in accordance with said modification level.

38. The natural language structure display apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said highlighting means displays characters having different font types in accordance with said modification level.

39. The natural language structure display apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said highlighting means underlines characters having different thicknesses in accordance with said modification level.

40. The natural language structure display apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said highlighting means displays characters having different shading in accordance with said modification level.

41. The natural language structure display apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said highlighting means omits characters at a low modification level.

42. The natural language structure display apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said highlighting means displays adjacent elements on the same line using the different colors, displays characters having different color shades in accordance with said modification level, displays characters having different font sizes in accordance with said modification level, displays characters having different font types in accordance with said modification level, underlines characters having different thicknesses in accordance with said modification level, displays characters having different shading in accordance with said modification level, and omits characters at a low modification level.

43. Apparatus for displaying a natural language structure comprising:

at least one processor configured to perform the operations of;

a) parsing a natural language sentence that is input to obtain predetermined grammatical elements;

b) performing an analysis, based on a natural language grammar, of the relationships existing between the grammatical elements; and

c) displaying and positioning said grammatical elements in accordance with tree structure-based levels and display attributes so as to visually demonstrate the relationships between said grammatical elements determined by said operation b).

44. A natural language structure display apparatus comprising:

at least one processor configured to perform the operations of;

a) parsing a sentence into predetermined elements;

b) analyzing word relationships existing between said elements in accordance with a grammar of said natural language;

c) defining said elements as nodes, and connecting said nodes in accordance with said word relationships to generate tree structure data;

d) inserting and displaying root nodes and child nodes thereof in said tree structure data vertically, extending from the top to the bottom, following the order wherein said nodes appear in said natural language sentence;

e) adding, to a node list, said child nodes of said parent nodes displayed at said step d);

f) extracting one child node from the first location in said node list;

g) displaying said child node extracted at said step f), when according to said grammar of said natural language the relationship between said child node and said parent node is the nearest, in the same row as said parent node and following the same order wherein said parent node and said child node appear in the natural language sentence;

h) inserting a new row immediately above a row in which said parent node is displayed, when according to said natural language grammar the relationship between said child node extracted at said step f) and said parent node is not the nearest, and when said child node is related to the order wherein said parent node appears in said natural language sentence, and displaying said child node in said new row so that the rear end of said child node is aligned with the front end of said parent node;

i) inserting a new row immediately below a row in which said parent node is displayed, when according to said natural language grammar the relationship between said child node extracted at said step f) and said parent node is not the nearest and when said child node is related to the inverted order wherein said parent node appears in said natural language sentence, and displaying said child node in said new row so that the front end of said child node is aligned with the rear end of said parent node;

j) adding, to said node list, all the child nodes extracted at said step f); and

k) repeating said steps f) to j) until said node list has been exhausted.

45. A natural language structure display apparatus comprising:

at least one processor configured to perform the operations of;

a) parsing a sentence into predetermined elements;

b) analyzing word relationships existing between said elements in accordance with a grammar of said natural language;

c) defining said elements as nodes, and connecting said nodes in accordance with said word relationships to generate tree structure data;

d) displaying root nodes in said tree structure data;

e) adding, to a node list, said child nodes of said parent nodes displayed at said step d);

f) extracting one child node from the first location in said node list;

g) displaying said child node extracted at said step f), when according to said grammar of said natural language the relationship between said child node and said parent node is the nearest, in the same row as said parent node and following the same order wherein said parent node and said child node appear in the natural language sentence;

h) inserting a new row immediately above a row in which said parent node is displayed, when according to said natural language grammar the relationship between said child node extracted at said step f) and said parent node is not the nearest, and when said child node is related to the order wherein said parent node appears in said natural language sentence, and displaying said child node in said new row so that the rear end of said child node is aligned with the front end of said parent node;

i) inserting a new row immediately below a row in which said parent node is displayed, when according to said natural language grammar the relationship between said child node extracted at said step f) and said parent node is not the nearest and when said child node is related to the inverted order wherein said parent node appears in said natural language sentence, and displaying said child node in said new row so that the front end of said child node is aligned with the rear end of said parent node;

j) adding, to said node list, all the child nodes extracted at said step f); and

k) repeating said steps f) to j) until said node list has been exhausted.

46. An article of manufacture for displaying a natural language structure, comprising a machine readable medium containing one or more programs which when executed implement the steps of:

a) parsing a natural language sentence that is input to obtain predetermined grammatical elements;

b) performing an analysis, based on a natural language grammar, of the relationships existing between the grammatical elements; and

c) displaying and positioning said grammatical elements in accordance with tree structure based levels and display attributes so as to visually demonstrate the relationships between said grammatical elements determined at said step b).