CA2582748A1

CA2582748A1 - Translation input method

Info

Publication number: CA2582748A1
Application number: CA002582748A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Junfeng Tan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-03-12
Filing date: 2007-03-12
Publication date: 2008-09-12

Abstract

Translation Input Method (TIM) is an input method that was designed to input words and phrases by entering the same meaning characters of another language through a translation mechanism. This method can be typically applied in computer area for keyboard input.

Description

DESCRIPTION

1. This invention relates to computer peripheral technology, and more particularly, to a data input method and device for use with a computer system, which allows the user to input all kinds of language into the computer system.

2. As to some ideographic languages, like East Asian (EA) languages (Chinese, Japanese, Korean), the number of characters to represent can be in the tens of thousands, which makes the using a one-to-one character to keyboard key model next to impossible. To allow for users to input these characters (Destination Characters), some Input Methods have been devised and usually can be classified in three main types:

= by typing in the character's numeric encoding index = by pronunciation or phonetic representation = by stroke count or structure of characters The first method has been almost out of the market, because nobody can memorize the all encoding index of the characters. The second and the third methods are based on certain rules, can be used smoothly after training, but it's the privilege of those who are familiar this language as native language, for else, using these two input method is almost as difficult as using the first one.

Here we introduced the fourth input method:

= Input Method by Translation (or Translation Input Method)

3. It is therefore an objective of this invention to provide a data input method, based on a multi-language dictionary and a translation mechanism, which allows the user to input words and phrases by entering another language's characters with the same meaning. Or we put it in this way that the user input unfamiliar words by entering the same meaning word in a familiar language. Here, 'unfamiliar" can be understand that the user knows a word but does not know exactly how to spell or write or pronounce, or just does not know how to input this word in this language.

,w,~..

1 p IY

4. Here we defined:

Destination Character is the character which you want to finally get, and the language of this character will be called as destination language;

Input Character is the character you actually input to this method and the language of this character will be called as input language.

5. Most people have the experience that East Asian language is most intricate, difficult to read, write and memorize. Translation Input Method will make a great convenience to those who are using or learning some other languages. For example here:

6. An English man who knows little Chinese has to make a survey on Chinese market by intemet. What he is going to do is to enter Chinese words 't-jg' means 'BUSINESS' into Google searching bar, unfortunately he forgets how to write or pronounce this words in Chinese, so what should he do?

7. Here's the solution with Translation Input Method:
1. Active TRANSLATE INPUT METHOD;
2. Choose English as Input Language;

3. Choose Chinese as Destination Language;
4. Input alphabetic 'business';

5. He will get a candidate list:

1 {[-S*11 2 tY10'II'ff 3 [it~)1;

This candidate list will ring a bell for this English man, if he still has no idea how to choose, he can read the detailed English interpretation followed by every candidate.

6. Choose the candidate 't l' by press '3';

7. Now he got the Chinese word in the edit area of the Google search bar;
Note:

The detailed interpretation appears as an option to help your decision.
Step 2 & 3 can be predefined and keep the status until you change it.

8. The above just an example of English-Chinese, in fact it's the same with all other languages, such as English-French, French-Korean, English-Japanese and so forth.

9. This Translation Input Method would not be as fast as some other input method, but it's easy to understood and use, and has the ability to help you solve some problems which can't be settled down with other input methods, such as when you completely don't know the exact word with which to express your idea. Almost every one has this experience that "it is on the tip of my tongue, but I just can't get it out".

10. Any way, maybe this method does not suit to every one, but I'm quite sure it will help someone and can be used extensively.

Claims

Translation Input Method (TIM) is an input method which employs a translation mechanism to input one language characters by entering the same meaning characters in another language. The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A method for input by translation comprising the steps of:
a) Choose Input Language and Destination Language;

b) Enter characters of the Input language you chose at the step a);

c) Compare the input characters within the Multi-Language database and find the characters of the Destination Language that have the same meaning.

d) Retrieve the characters of the Destination Language; there could be one or more candidates.
e) Optionally display said candidates list.

f) Choose a candidate as your final input in the Destination Language.

2. The method of Claim 1, wherein said Language is any native language that presents a certain meaning;

3. The method of Claim 1, wherein said Language includes abbreviation, words and phrases and some new word popular in internet (like u=you).

4. The method of Claim 1, wherein said multi-language means two or more language.

5. The method of Claim 1, wherein said multi-language database is the database that stored the languages information and the relationship of words between different languages.

6. The method of Claim 1, wherein said multi-language stored one or more languages information.

7. The method of Claim 1, wherein said multi-language database acts as multi-language dictionary.

8. The method of Claim 1, wherein said Input language is the language whose characters will be actually entered to this method, this character will be named as input character.

9. The method of Claim 1, wherein said Destination language is the language whose characters you want to finally get, and this character will be named as destination character;

10. The method of Claim 1, wherein said Input Language could be any language in the multi-language database, or hybrid.

11. The method of Claim 1, wherein said Destination Language could be any language in the multi-language database, or hybrid.

12. The method of Claim 1, wherein said meaning match means two characters' meaning is same or almost same or close or can be replaced by each other in some certain circumstance.

13. The method of Claim 5, wherein said relationship defined how close the two words are in meanings, syntax, phraseology and expression.

14. The method of Claim 5, wherein said relationship is the relationship between two words not only in one language, but also in two different languages. This is the foundation of translation mechanism.

15. A system for receiving input characters entered by a user and generating textual output in another language, said system comprising:

a) A. user input device having a plurality of input means;

b) A multi-language database containing the relationship between each words and phrases among these languages;

c) Rules that defined how to retrieve candidates from said database;
d) An output device for displaying one or more candidate characters.

16. The system of Claim 15, wherein said relationship stored in the database comprises:

a) The relationship that the words have the same meaning with an appointed word or phrase in the same language.

b) The relationship that the words have the same meaning with an appointed word or phrase in another language.

c) The relationship that the words can replace this appointed word or phrase in the same language.
d) The relationship that the words can replace this appointed word or phrase in another language.

e) The relationship that a word or phrase with its variation which include part of speech, tense, derivation, etyma, affix, syncope, breviary and verbal.

f) The relationship between words, phrases and typical sentences, noting the applicability and the position to these sentences in certain circumstance.

g) The relationship with guidance including the detailed comments and demonstration about the words and phrases to help the user choose a more appropriate candidate.

17. The system of Claim 15, wherein said same meaning means same or almost same or close or can be replaced with each other in some certain circumstance.

18. The system of Claim 15, wherein said rules for retrieving, comprises the steps of:
a) Comparing entries with the characters in the input language database;

b) Choosing a candidate according to said relationship.

19. A mechanism of translation that is based on said relationship and said rules.