Compiling word usage frequencies

• US 8,346,533 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Yen-Fu, Dunsmoir, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): PULLIAS, JESSE SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US12/270,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20090063483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 704/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/216 using statistical methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/06 Foreign languages with audible presentation of material to be studied G09B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/183 using context dependencies, e.g. language models

Abstract

A system for assisting a user who is learning a language to prioritize words to be learned in order of usage frequency is disclosed. A frequency determination program running on a computer determines the frequency of usage of each word at a list of locations provided by the user. Different algorithms to identify what constitutes a word are employed depending upon the language of the source data. The total number of words at each location and their usage frequency found during the user session, along with a total number of words and their usage frequency for all user sessions performed regardless of location, are calculated and made available to the user. The user can view usage frequencies for words from a single location, a group of locations, or all user sessions performed.

Claims

1. A computer system for compiling word usage frequencies comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories and one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to perform a search of one or more locations identified in an interface for one or more alphabet based words in a Latin based language or one or more graphic based words in a Sino-Tibetan language, wherein the program instructions to perform the search trace to a depth of one or more hyperlinks in the one or more locations linking one or more linked locations, and wherein the program instructions to perform the search further search the one or more linked locations;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to determine a first number, the first number equaling a number of times at least one graphic based word that matches an entry in a graphic dictionary is present at the one or more locations and the one or more linked locations;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to determine a second number, the second number equaling a number of times an alphabet-based word is present at the one or more locations and the one or more linked locations; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to receive, via the interface, the one or more locations, the depth, and a designation of a minimum number of words in each of the one or more locations and in each of the one or more linked locations.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the graphic dictionary is in a Unicode format, and wherein the computer system further comprises program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to convert data from a graphic format to the Unicode format.

3. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to display on the interface a ratio, a percentage, and one of the first number and the second number.

4. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to access a word list;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to calculate a total number of words in the word list;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to calculate, for each word in the word list, a usage frequency;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to store, in the word list, the total number of words in the word list and the usage frequency for each word in the word list; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to display a cumulative word usage frequency in a single location, in a group of locations, or across a plurality of user sessions.

5. A computer program product for compiling word usage frequencies, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices, to perform a search of one or more locations identified in an interface for one or more alphabet based words in a Latin based language or one or more graphic based words in a Sino-Tibetan language, wherein the program instructions to perform the search trace to a depth of one or more hyperlinks in the one or more locations linking one or more linked locations, and wherein the program instructions to perform the search further search the one or more linked locations;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices, to determine a first number, the first number equaling a number of times at least one graphic based word that matches an entry in a graphic dictionary is present at the one or more locations and the one or more linked locations;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices, to determine a second number, the second number equaling a number of times an alphabet-based word is present at the one or more locations and the one or more linked locations; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices, to receive, via the interface, the one or more locations, the depth, and a designation of a minimum number of words in each of the one or more locations and in each of the one or more linked locations.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the graphic dictionary is in a Unicode format, and wherein the computer program product further comprises program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices, to convert data from a graphic format to the Unicode format.

7. The computer program product of claim 5 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices, to access a word list;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices, to calculate a total number of words in the word list;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices, to calculate, for each word in the word list, a usage frequency;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices, to store, in the word list, the total number of words in the word list and the usage frequency for each word in the word list; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices, to display a cumulative word usage frequency in a single location, in a group of locations, or across a plurality of user sessions.

8. The computer program product of claim 5, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices, to display on the interface a ratio, a percentage, and one of the first number and the second number.

9. A method for compiling word usage frequencies comprising:

a computer performing a search of one or more locations identified in an interface for one or more alphabet based words in a Latin based language or one or more graphic based words in a Sino-Tibetan language, wherein the computer performing the search comprises the computer tracing to a depth of one or more hyperlinks in the one or more locations linking one or more linked locations, and wherein the computer performing the search further comprises the computer further searching the one or more linked locations;

the computer determining a first number, the first number equaling a number of times at least one graphic based word that matches an entry in a graphic dictionary is present at the one or more locations and the one or more linked locations; and

the computer determining a second number, the second number equaling a number of times an alphabet-based word is present at the one or more locations and the one or more linked locations and

the computer receiving, via the interface, the one or more locations, the depth, and a designation of a minimum number of words in each of the one or more locations and in each of the one or more linked locations.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

the computer storing a total number words present at each of the one or more locations and the one or more linked locations, and a cumulative usage frequency for one or more words found in one or more searches; and

the computer, responsive to a request, directing a display device to display a total number of times the one or more words appears at each of the one or more locations and the one or more linked locations, the total number of words present at each of the one or more locations and the one or more linked locations, the cumulative usage frequency, and a percentage associated with each of the one or more words.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

the computer calculating one or more word frequency ratios for each of the one or more words by dividing a first total number of times each of the one or more words is present at each of the one or more locations and each of the one or more linked locations by a second total number of words present at each of the one or more locations and each of the one or more linked locations; and

the computer directing the display device to display one or more word frequency ratios for each of the one or more words.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

the computer displaying on the interface a ratio, a percentage, and one of the first number and the second number.

13. A computer system comprising one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices and program instructions which are stored on the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by the one or more processors via the one or computer-readable memories and when executed by the one or more processors perform the method of claim 9.

14. A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices and computer-readable program instructions which are stored on the one or more storage devices and when executed by one or more processors, perform the method of claim 9.