In-context exact (ICE) matching

• US 8,874,427 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2011
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SDL PLC (RWS Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: SDL Enterprise Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Ross, Russ, Gillespie, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): COLUCCI, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US13/175,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20120095747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 704/4, 704/9, 704/260, 704/251, 704/2, 704/235, 704/270, 704/277, 704/5, 341/107, 715/708, 715/532, 715/268, 707/3, 707/797, 707/5
• US Class Current: 704/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90344 by using string matching techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/47 Machine-assisted translation, e.g. using translation memory

Abstract

Methods, systems and program product are disclosed for determining matching level of a text lookup segment with a plurality of source texts in a translation memory in terms of context. The invention determines exact matches for the lookup segment in the plurality of source texts, and determines, in the case that at least one exact match is determined, that a respective exact match is an in-context exact match for the lookup segment in the case that a context of the lookup segment matches that of the respective exact match. Degree of context matching required can be predetermined, and results prioritized. The invention also includes methods, systems and program products for storing a translation pair of source text and target text in a translation memory including context, and the translation memory so formed. The invention ensures that content is translated the same as previously translated content and reduces translator intervention.

Claims

1. A method for determining an in context exact (ICE) match from context matching levels of a plurality of translation memory source texts stored in a translation memory to a lookup segment to be translated, the method comprising:

assigning a usage context hash code to the lookup segment and an asset hash code to the lookup segment;

determining any exact matches for the lookup segment and the plurality of translation memory source texts;

calculating for each exact match a context matching level based on;

a match between the usage context hash code for the lookup segment and a usage context hash code assigned to a segment of a translation memory source text, and

a match between the asset hash code for the lookup segment and an asset context hash assigned to the segment of the translation memory source text; and

determining, for each exact match if the segment of the translation memory source text providing the exact match is an ICE match for the lookup segment based on the calculated context matching level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the translation memory source text providing the exact match includes at least two assigned context hash codes.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the ICE match determining step indicates if each exact match is an ICE match for the lookup segment only in the case that each context hash code of the lookup segment matches a respective assigned context hash code of the translation memory source text providing the exact match.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, in the case that greater than one ICE match is determined, the ICE match determining step includes prioritizing each ICE match according to a degree of context level matching.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the ICE match determining step indicates that a respective exact match is an ICE match for the lookup segment only in the case that both the assigned usage context hash code and the assigned asset context hash code matches the respective context hash code of the lookup segment.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in the case that greater than one ICE match is determined, the step of prioritizing each ICE match according to a degree of context hash code matching.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the assigned usage context (UC) hash code includes a preceding UC hash code and a post UC hash code, and the prioritizing step includes:

first preferring an ICE match having both previous and post UC context hash codes that match those of the lookup segment over an ICE match having only one of the previous and post UC context hash codes matching those of the lookup segment; and

where the first preferring step is non-conclusive, second preferring an ICE match from a same asset as the lookup segment over an ICE match from a different asset; and

where the second preferring step is non-conclusive, third preferring an ICE match with a closest position to a position of the lookup segment within the asset.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising allowing a user to select the ICE match based on the prioritization.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the lookup segment includes a plurality of lookup segments that are substantially identical in terms of content, and wherein the ICE match determining step includes determining an ICE match for each lookup segment.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one lookup segment has a different ICE match than at least one other lookup segment.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing retrieval of at least one translation memory source text based on the matching of an assigned context hash code.

12. A system for determining an in context exact (ICE) match from context matching levels of a plurality of translation memory source texts stored in a translation memory to a lookup segment to be translated, the system comprising:

means for assigning a usage context hash code to the lookup segment and an asset hash code to the lookup segment;

means for determining any exact matches for the lookup segment and the plurality of translation memory source texts;

means for calculating for each exact match a context matching level based on;

a match between the usage context hash code for the lookup segment and a usage context hash code assigned to a segment of a translation memory source text, and

a match between the asset hash code for the lookup segment and an asset context hash code assigned to the segment of the translation memory source text; and

means for determining, if the translation memory source text providing the exact match is an ICE match for the lookup segment based on the calculated context matching level.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the translation memory source text providing the exact match includes at least two assigned context hash codes.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the ICE match determining means indicates if each exact match is an ICE match for the lookup segment only in the case that each context hash code of the lookup segment matches a respective assigned context hash code of the translation memory source text providing the exact match.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising means for, in the case that greater than one exact match is determined, ranking each exact match according to a degree of context level matching.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the ICE match determining means indicates that a respective exact match is an ICE match for the lookup segment only in the case that both the assigned usage context hash code and the assigned asset context hash code matches the respective context hash code of the lookup segment.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising means for, in the case that greater than one ICE match is determined, prioritizing each ICE match according to a degree of context hash code matching.

18. The system of claim 17;

wherein the assigned usage context (UC) hash code includes a preceding UC hash code and a post UC level hash code, and the prioritizing means;

first prefers an ICE match having both previous and post UC hash codes that match those of the lookup segment over an ICE match having only one of the previous and post UC hash codes matching those of the lookup segment;

where the first preference is non-conclusive, second prefers an ICE match from the same asset as the lookup segment over an ICE match from a different asset; and

where a second preference is non-conclusive, third prefers an ICE match with a closest position to a position of the lookup segment within the asset.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for allowing a user to select the ICE match based on a rank.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the lookup segment includes a plurality of lookup segments that are substantially identical in terms of content, and wherein the ICE match determining means determines an ICE match for each lookup segment.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein at least one lookup segment has a different ICE match than at least one other lookup segment.

22. The system of claim 12, further comprising the means for allowing retrieval of at least one translation memory source text based on the matching of an assigned context hash code.

23. A program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium for determining an in context exact (ICE) match from context matching levels of a plurality of translation memory source texts stored in a translation memory to a lookup segment to be translated, the computer readable medium comprising program code for performing the following steps:

assigning a usage context hash code to the lookup segment and an asset hash code to the lookup segment;

determining any exact matches for the lookup segment and the plurality of translation memory source texts;

calculating for each exact match a context matching level based on;

a match between the usage context hash code for the lookup segment and a usage context hash code assigned to a segment of a translation memory source text, and

a match between the asset hash code for the lookup segment and an asset context hash code assigned to the segment of the translation memory source text; and

determining, for each exact match if the segment of the translation memory source text providing the exact match is an ICE match for the lookup segment based on the calculated context matching level.

24. The program product of claim 23, wherein the translation memory source text providing the exact match includes at least two assigned context hash codes.

25. The program product of claim 24, wherein the ICE match determining step indicates if each exact match is an ICE match for the lookup segment only in the case that each context hash code of the lookup segment matches a respective assigned context hash code of the translation memory source text providing the exact match.

26. The program product of claim 25, further comprising, in the case that greater than one exact match is determined, ranking each exact match according to a degree of context level matching.

27. The program product of claim 24, wherein the ICE match determining step indicates that a respective exact match is an ICE match for the lookup segment only in the case that both the assigned usage context hash code and the assigned asset context hash code matches the respective context hash code of the lookup segment.

28. The program product of claim 24, further comprising, in the case that greater than one exact match is determined, ranking each exact match according to a degree of context hash code matching.

29. The program product of claim 28, wherein the assigned usage context (UC) hash code includes a preceding UC hash code and a post UC hash code, and the prioritizing step includes:

first preferring an ICE match having both previous and post UC hash codes that match those of the lookup segment over an ICE match having only one of the previous and post UC hash codes matching those of the lookup segment;

where the first preferring step is non-conclusive, second preferring an ICE match from a same asset as the lookup segment over an ICE match from a different asset; and

where the second preferring step is non-conclusive, third preferring an ICE match with a closest position to a position of the lookup segment within the asset.

30. The program product of claim 29, further comprising allowing a user to select the ICE match based on a rank.

31. The program product of claim 23, wherein the lookup segment includes a plurality of lookup segments that are substantially identical in terms of content, and wherein the ICE match determining step includes determining an ICE match for each lookup segment.

32. The program product of claim 31, wherein at least one lookup segment has a different ICE match than at least one other lookup segment.

33. The program product of claim 23, further comprising the step of allowing retrieval of at least one translation memory source text based on the matching of an assigned context hash code.