Information processing device and information processing method

• US 8,600,930 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2009
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sata, Ichiko, Iida, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Yicun
• Application Number:
  US13/055,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20110231432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• Field of Search: 707/899, 704 2- 10, 704/277
• US Class Current: 707/602
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/242 Dictionaries

Abstract

Provided is a conversation assistance device which enables a user to easily search for a desired content. The conversation assistance device includes an input unit, a memory unit, a processing unit, and an output unit. A template database stored in the memory unit includes a plurality of templates. Each of the templates associates category sentences in a plurality of languages with a keyword. A keyword is specified by one keyword expression and one or more character inputs (keyword reading). When the input unit receives any of the plurality of character inputs, an example sentence selection unit retrieves one of the templates having a keyword corresponding to the input character.

Claims

1. An information processing device comprising:

an input unit receiving a character input representing one of a plurality of expressions of a keyword;

an output unit externally outputting information; and

a memory unit storing data, wherein

said data contains

a plurality of stored keywords,

a plurality of contents, each being stored in association with at least one of said plurality of stored keywords, and

keyword data indicating each keyword of said plurality of stored keywords as being associated with a plurality of potential character inputs corresponding semantically to the keyword but differing in expression,

said information processing device further comprising a processing unit that retrieves, from among said plurality of stored keywords based on said keyword data, a keyword stored in association with the plurality of potential character inputs which plurality includes the character input that was received by said input unit, and causes said output unit to output one of said plurality of contents corresponding to the retrieved keyword.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein

each of said plurality of contents contains data for display of an associated one of said plurality of keywords and explanation data corresponding to the associated keyword, and

said processing unit causes said output unit to output said data for display of the retrieved keyword and said explanation data of the retrieved keyword.

3. The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein

said data for display contains an expression of one of said plurality of keywords, and

said data for display of each of two or more of said plurality of keywords having said expression in common further contains data for distinction specific to each of said two or more of said plurality of keywords.

4. The information processing device according to claim 3, wherein

said expression is a first language expression described in a first language,

said explanation data is in a second language expression that expresses each of said plurality of keywords in a second language different from said first language, and

said data for display of each of said two or more of said plurality of keywords having said first language expression in common and differing in said second language expression contains said first language expression and said data for distinction.

5. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein

each of said plurality of contents contains a first example sentence described in a first language and a second example sentence describing said first example sentence in a second language different from said first language, and

said processing unit causes said output unit to output said first example sentence and said second example sentence corresponding to the retrieved keyword.

6. The information processing device according to claim 5, wherein each of said plurality of keywords corresponds to sentence end expressions of said first example sentence and said second example sentence.

7. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein

said keyword data associates one of said plurality of keywords with a plurality of partial character inputs, and

when said input unit receives all of said plurality of partial character inputs, said processing unit retrieves the one of said plurality of keywords corresponding to said plurality of partial character inputs, and causes said output unit to output said content corresponding to the retrieved keyword.

8. An information processing method to be performed by an information processing device including a memory unit storing data, comprising the step of receiving a character input representing one of a plurality of expressions of a keyword, wherein

said data contains

a plurality of stored keywords,

a plurality of contents, each being stored in association with at least one of said plurality of stored keywords, and

keyword data indicating each keyword of said plurality of stored keywords as being associated with a plurality of potential character inputs corresponding semantically to the keyword but differing in expression,

said information processing method further comprising the steps of:

retrieving, from among said plurality of stored keywords based on said keyword data, a keyword stored in association with the plurality of potential character inputs which plurality includes the character input that was received; and

outputting one of said plurality of contents corresponding to the retrieved keyword.

9. The information processing method according to claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of contents contains data for display of an associated one of said plurality of keywords and explanation data corresponding to the associated keyword,

said information processing method further comprising the step of outputting said data for display of the retrieved keyword and said explanation data of the retrieved keyword.

10. The information processing method according to claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of contents contains a first example sentence described in a first language and a second example sentence describing said first example sentence in a second language different from said first language,

said information processing method further comprising the step of outputting said first example sentence and said second example sentence corresponding to the retrieved keyword.

11. The information processing method according to claim 8, wherein

said keyword data associates one of said plurality of keywords with a plurality of partial character inputs, and

in said step of retrieving one of said plurality of keywords, when all of said plurality of partial character inputs are received, the one of said plurality of keywords corresponding to said plurality of partial character inputs is retrieved.