Methods and systems for external localization

• US 7,318,020 B1
• Filed: 10/08/2003
• Issued: 01/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kim, Kim
• Primary Examiner(s): ABEBE, DANIEL DEMELASH
• Application Number:
  US10/681,451
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: 704/2, 704/4
• US Class Current: 704/2
• 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

Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods, systems and computer-readable media for external localization of a software product. This external localization comprises loading a base product having one or more calls to an operating system to load language specific data. A language specific localized product is generated, during loading of the base product, by converting the base product to a localized product using and at least one language map containing language specific data. The localized product is then executed in place of the base product.

Claims

1. A method of external localization of a software product comprising:

loading a base product having one or more calls to an operating system to load language specific data;

converting the base product to a language specific localized product during the loading of the base product using the base product and at least one language map containing language specific data, wherein the language specific data comprises string data that includes one or more placeholders for runtime generated strings; and

executing the localized product in place of the base product.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein converting the base product to a language specific localized product comprises:

intercepting the one or more calls to the operating system to load language specific data;

retrieving language specific data from the language map based on the one or more calls to the operating system; and

inserting the language specific data into the base product to produce the localized product.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more calls to an operating system to load language specific data reference the language specific data in the language map.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the base product is language neutral.

5. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with and readable by the processor and containing a series of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to load a base product having one or more calls to an operating system to load language specific data, convert the base product to a language specific localized product during the loading of the base product using the base product and at least one language map containing language specific data, and execute the localized product in place of the base product, wherein the language specific data in the language map comprises string data that includes one or more placeholders for runtime generated strings.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein converting the base product to a language specific localized product comprises:

intercepting the one or more calls to the operating system to load language specific data;

retrieving language specific data from the language map based on the one or more calls to the operating system; and

inserting the language specific data into the base product to produce the localized product.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more calls to an operating system to load language specific data reference the language specific data in the language map.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the base product is language neutral.

9. A computer readable medium encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process for external localization, said computer process comprising:

loading a base product having one or more calls to an operating system to load language specific data;

converting the base product to a language specific localized product during the loading of the base product using the base product and at least one language map containing language specific data, wherein the language specific data comprises string data that includes one or more placeholders for runtime generated strings; and

executing the localized product in place of the base product.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein converting the base product to a localized product comprises:

intercepting the one or more calls to the operating system to load language specific data;

retrieving language specific data from the language map based on the one or more calls to the operating system; and

inserting the language specific data into the base product to produce the localized product.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the one or more calls to an operating system to load language specific data reference the language specific data in the language map.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the base product is language neutral.

13. A method of generating a software product comprising:

generating a base product comprising computer executable instructions including one or more calls to an operating system to load language specific data; and

generating at least one language map for storing the language specific data, wherein the language specific data in the language map comprises string data that includes one or more placeholders for runtime generated strings.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising generating a translation layer, the translation layer to intercept the one or more calls to the operating system to load language specific data, retrieve language specific data from the language map based on the one or more calls to the operating system, and insert the language specific data into the base product to convert the base product to a localized product.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising distributing the translation layer as part of an operating system.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more calls to an operating system to load language specific data reference the language specific data in the language map.

17. A computer readable medium encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process for external localization, said computer program comprising:

a base product comprising computer executable instructions including one or more calls to an operating system to load language specific data; and

at least one language map for storing the language specific data, wherein the language specific data in the language map comprises string data that includes one or more placeholders for runtime generated strings.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising a translation layer, the translation layer to intercept the one or more calls to the operating system to load language specific data, retrieve language specific data from the language map based on the one or more calls to the operating system, and insert the language specific data into the base product to convert the base product to a localized product.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more calls to an operating system to load language specific data reference the language specific data in the language map.