Productivity tool for language translators

• US 6,993,473 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2001
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Equality Translation Services
• Original Assignee: Equality Translation Services
• Inventors: Cartus, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): McFadden, Susan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sked, Matthew J.
• Application Number:
  US09/944,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20030046062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: 704/2, 704/277
• US Class Current: 704/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting

Abstract

A computer-assisted method of assisting a language translator. The method includes highlighting an area of source text to be translated into a target language and allowing insertion of text in the target language following the highlighted area of source text. The method also includes removing the highlighted area of source text after insertion of text in the target language.

Claims

1. A computer-assisted method of assisting a human language translator, comprising:

highlighting a first unit of source text to be translated into a target language based upon a first value of a source-unit start variable and a first value of a source-unit end variable;

allowing insertion of translated text following the highlighted first unit of source text, wherein the inserted translated text is manually translated into the target language by the human language translator from the highlighted first unit of source text;

performing a comparative statistical analysis between the highlighted first unit of source text and the inserted translated text; and

removing the highlighted first unit of source text after insertion of the translated text.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if a second unit of source text is available for translation; and

highlighting the second unit of source text based upon a second value of the source-unit start variable and a second value of the source-unit end variable when the second unit of source text is available for translation.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the execution of the method is a first iteration of the method.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining the first unit of source text prior to highlighting the first unit of source text.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing the method for each paragraph of source text in a document.

6. An apparatus for assisting a human language translator, comprising:

means for highlighting a first unit of source text to be translated into a target language based upon a first value of a source-unit start variable and a first value of a source-unit end variable;

means for allowing insertion of translated text following the high-lighted first unit of source text, wherein the inserted translated text is manually translated into the target language by the human language translator from the highlighted first unit of source text;

means for performing a comparative statistical analysis between the highlighted first unit of source text and the inserted translated text; and

means for removing the highlighted first unit of source text after insertion of the translated text.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

means for determining if a second unit of source text is available for translation; and

means for highlighting the second unit of source text based upon a second value of the source-unit start variable and a second value of the source-unit end variable when the second unit of source text is available for translation.

8. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

highlight a first unit of source text to be translated into a target language based upon a first value of a source-unit start variable and a first value of a source-unit end variable;

allow for insertion of translated text following the highlighted first unit of source text, wherein the inserted translated text is manually translated into the target language by a human language translator from the highlighted first unit of source text;

perform a comparative statistical analysis between the highlighted first unit of source text and the inserted translated text; and

remove the highlighted first unit of source text after insertion of the translated text.

9. The medium of claim 8 having stored thereon further instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

determine if a second unit of source text is available for translation; and

highlight the second unit of source text based upon a second value of the source-unit start variable and a second value of the source-unit end variable when the second unit of source text is available for translation.

10. An apparatus for assisting a human language translator, comprising:

a source text unit definition module for defining a unit of source text to be translated into a target language based upon a value of a source-unit start variable and a value of a source-unit end variable;

a target text unit definition module for defining a unit of target text and for performing a comparative statistical analysis between the defined unit of source text and the defined unit of target text, wherein the defined unit of target text is defined at least in part based upon a translated text that is manually translated into the target language by the human language translator from the defined unit of source text;

an entry preparation module for preparing for an entry of the unit of target text by the human language translator; and

a source text unit delete module for deleting the unit of source text.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising an execution check module.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a cursor paragraph module.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a cursor move module.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a non-empty paragraph find module.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a move module.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a character scan module.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a variable reinitialization module.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a stop module.

19. A translation system, comprising:

a word processor; and

a translation tool in communication with the word processor, the translation tool comprising;

a source text unit definition module for defining a unit of source text to be translated into a target language based upon a value of a source-unit start variable and a value of a source-unit end variable;

a target text unit definition module for defining a unit of target text and for performing a comparative statistical analysis between the defined unit of source text and the defined unit of target text, wherein the defined unit of target text is defined at least in part based upon a translated text that is manually translated into the target language by the human language translator from the defined unit of source text;

an entry preparation module for preparing for an entry of the unit of target text by the human language translator; and

a source text unit delete module for deleting the unit of source text.