JP2001290813A - Method and device for japanese syllabary-to-chinese character conversion and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that the efficiency of input operation is bad since KANA (Japanese syllabary) input and alphanumeric input modes need to be switched in character input using a keyboard and the input operation is interrupted at the time of the switching between the modes and the problem that an inputted character needs to be deleted if the switching is forgotten and the character needs to be inputted again after the mode switching. SOLUTION: This device has an input means for inputting characters in KANA input mode, a means for retrieving a word corresponding to a KANA character string inputted by the input means from a Japanese dictionary, a means which generates a candidate word table by converting the inputted character string into alphanumeric characters corresponding to keys to which the KANA is allocated from a key correspondence table when no corresponding word is found by the retrieving means and generates a candidate word table, and a means which displays conversion candidate words stored in a candidate word table as conversion candidates.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a kana-kanji conversion method and apparatus for alphanumeric conversion in a kana input mode and a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-4517 discloses a method of converting alphanumeric characters in a kana input mode for a kana-kanji conversion method. This Kana-Kanji conversion method consists of a conversion table that associates an alphanumeric / Kana key-corresponding identification code 1 with a character code for each "conversion" key-corresponding identification code, and a conversion between identification code 1 and a character code for each identification code 2 I have a table. Each time the "Convert" key is pressed, the Japanese input device refers to the alphanumeric and kana conversion tables, and if there is a corresponding alphanumeric code, displays the reference result and converts it to the character code corresponding to each mode If there is no corresponding alphanumeric code, determine the character string.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-194876 realizes conversion from kana input to an alphanumeric string by a device for generating characters in all modes obtained by keys at the time of character input. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-44550, conversion from a kana input to an alphanumeric string is realized by a key code conversion table. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 10-207882 discloses a Kana-Kanji conversion dictionary that contains information on the spelling of English words and stores the readings and headings of each word required for Kana-Kanji conversion. Has been realized.

[0004]

The above-mentioned known examples are all effective in improving operability. However, there remain problems that cannot be solved for the following reasons.

First, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-4517, there is a problem that the operation of the character input person is interrupted.

First, it is impossible to display all the patterns of an alphanumeric string obtained by key operation at once. The full-width kana is converted to full-width alphanumeric characters, but if the character input user intends another conversion result, it is necessary to input the "conversion" key again.

Further, there is no description about kanji conversion obtained by kana input, and no consideration is given to the fact that there are many types of kanji generally obtained by kana-kanji conversion.

Second, in this known example, no consideration is given to the timing at which the character input person presses the "convert" key after pressing the kana key. In this known example, it is interpreted that kana input is common. However, the spread of personal computers and word processors has increased the number of people who operate keyboards. Also in Japanese input mode, Roman alphabet input is dominant in that beginners get used to keyboard operation faster (you only need to learn the key arrangement of the alphabet). On the other hand, many character inputers who use kana input are accustomed to keyboard input.
This is because the input speed is much faster than Roman alphabet input (one key press is required for one character). If the character input user is accustomed to keyboard operation, the input method is to convert the kana-kanji conversion operation in “more reliable” units to increase the conversion establishment than to convert the long sentence at once, rather than converting it at once. In other words, the timing at which the character input user presses the “conversion” key is a unit that is surely converted (a unit that is meaningful in Japanese). This will minimize rework. In this known example, such a characteristic of the character input user is not taken into consideration, and only the conversion of the alphanumeric mode or the kana input mode when the "conversion" key is detected is described.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-194876 is inefficient because characters in all modes are generated by keys at the time of character input. Is created as a conversion candidate, but conversion in units of words increases the possibility of erroneous conversion.

Next, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-44550, conversion of kana input to alphanumeric strings is realized by a key code conversion table. For example, in a sentence in which Japanese and English words are mixed, Since we do not specify the actions of the character input user when trying to enter words and English words consecutively,
The validity of the conversion cannot be confirmed whether the distinction between Japanese and English words is recognized.

In view of the above, the present invention provides an apparatus capable of converting a character intended by a character input user without interrupting the operation of the character input user in a kana input mode.

[0012]

When the apparatus detects that a "conversion" key intended to convert a certain word is pressed by an input operation, the apparatus according to the arrangement of the keys input up to the detection of the "conversion" key. Search the word dictionary. If there is no corresponding term in the Japanese dictionary and it does not make sense as Japanese, it is converted from the conversion table of the key layout to alphanumeric characters corresponding to the corresponding key, and the converted alphanumeric characters are combined to alphanumeric characters A conversion candidate word is generated and stored in a candidate word table. The contents of the candidate word table are displayed on the display device as a conversion candidate list.

If the Japanese dictionary is searched and if there is a corresponding conversion candidate, the kanji conversion candidate word is extracted into a candidate word table, and further converted into the alphanumeric characters corresponding to the key and converted. Generate alphanumeric conversion candidate words by combining alphanumeric characters "and add the alphanumeric conversion candidate words to the candidate word table from which the kanji conversion candidate words have already been extracted. The contents of the candidate word table are displayed on the display device as conversion candidates.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The kana-kanji conversion apparatus of the present invention can be used in a kana input mode without changing a series of conversion operations of a character input person in a normal input operation (key input) → (pressing a “convert” key). This is a device that allows alphabetical characters to be input.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention. The kana-kanji conversion device 102 includes an input unit 110 and a Japanese conversion unit.
111, a character conversion unit 112, a key correspondence table 113, a candidate word table 114, a word registration unit 115, and an output unit 116.

When the input unit 110 of the kana-kanji conversion device detects a key input from the input device 101 by the character input user, the kana-kanji conversion unit 111 converts the kana-kanji character using the input key arrangement using the Japanese dictionary 103. Do the processing. Further, the character conversion unit 112 performs a kana to alphanumeric conversion process with reference to the key correspondence table 113. The conversion candidate words converted by the Japanese conversion unit 111 and the character conversion unit 112 are stored in the candidate word table 114. Detailed processing of the kana-kanji conversion device will be described with reference to FIG. The output unit 116 displays the conversion candidate words stored in the candidate word table 114 on the display device (104). The word registration unit 115 performs a process of registering the conversion candidate words converted by the character conversion unit 112 in the Japanese dictionary.

The processing flow of the kana-kanji conversion device will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the input unit detects a character input from the keyboard by the character input user and a "conversion" key pressed by the character input user (S201, S202), the Japanese conversion unit searches the Japanese dictionary (S203). If there is a corresponding word, a candidate word table is generated by extracting the corresponding kanji conversion candidate word (S204).

If there is no corresponding word, it is determined whether the word is registered in the Japanese dictionary (S205). If not, the word is converted to an alphanumeric character corresponding to the key detected by the character conversion unit. Yes (S206). If there is no corresponding word in the search of the Japanese dictionary (the word does not make sense), the character conversion process starts immediately, and the time until the conversion candidate word is displayed is shortened.

FIG. 3 shows a key correspondence table used for conversion into alphanumeric characters. The key correspondence table is a table showing which characters correspond to which alphanumeric characters according to the key arrangement of the keyboard. The key correspondence table stores the correspondence of alphanumeric characters corresponding to the kana characters on the keyboard in a table format. For example, in the Kana input mode,
If you enter, the alphanumeric character corresponding to this
e ". In addition, "Shi
Considering the case where the "ft" key is pressed, the case with the "Shift" key is also described. Even if the above "te" is displayed on the display device, "Shif"
It can be seen from this table that if there is a "t" key, it will be "We".

The key correspondence table shown in FIG.
Although it corresponds to the keyboard of the layout, the embodiment can be realized for other keyboards by preparing a key correspondence table according to the key layout of the corresponding keyboard.

After the character conversion unit converts the characters into alphanumeric characters in step S206, an alphanumeric pattern is formed by combining half-width, full-width, uppercase, lowercase, and uppercase characters (S207). A candidate word table as a word is generated (S208). By generating all possible alphanumeric patterns, the character input user can immediately select the target word from the conversion candidates.

If a candidate word table containing kanji conversion candidate words has already been generated in step S204, the alphanumeric conversion candidate words are added to the end of the table.

FIG. 4 shows an image of the candidate word table.
Shown in FIG. 4 is a candidate word table in a case where "Kakui" is input in the kana input mode. If there are kanji conversion candidate words in the Japanese dictionary, the Japanese conversion unit generates a candidate word table and stores the corresponding conversion candidate word group 401 in the candidate word table. Next, when the character conversion unit generates the alphabetic character conversion candidate word group 402, it is added after it.

Next, the word registration unit registers the candidate alphanumeric conversion word in the Japanese dictionary (S209). At the time of word registration, for example, registration is made in a word registration list of the Japanese dictionary, and the list is searched at the next conversion to determine whether or not the word is in the Japanese dictionary. In other words, this means that a list that can be distinguished from words in the Japanese dictionary is created in advance with words registered by the word registration unit.

By registering in the Japanese translation dictionary,
From the next time, you can search for the corresponding alphanumeric conversion candidate word only by searching the Japanese dictionary.

Finally, the output unit displays the contents of the candidate word table as conversion candidates (S210). The character input person selects and confirms a target candidate word from the conversion candidates. For the character input person, all the kanji conversion candidate words and alphanumeric conversion candidate words obtained by the pressed key can be obtained at once by pressing the "conversion" key. This is the same as the operation of selecting a target kanji from a plurality of kanji candidates performed in the normal kana-kanji conversion process, and is not a special operation. Operability can be further improved without interrupting the operation of the character input user.

Since the word for which the alphanumeric conversion candidate word has been generated is registered in the Japanese dictionary, the character conversion process is not required at the next conversion. The processing at the time of the next conversion will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. When a character input from the keyboard by the character input person and a press of the "conversion" key by the character input person are detected (S201, S202), the Japanese dictionary is searched (S201).
203). If the corresponding word is registered as a word registration word in the Japanese dictionary, a candidate word table is generated by extracting the corresponding alphanumeric conversion candidate word from the Japanese dictionary (S211). In order to determine whether a word is registered as a word registration word, for example, a search can be made by searching a word registration list of a Japanese dictionary or the like. If a list is created using words registered by the word registration unit, words can be distinguished from words in the Japanese dictionary in advance.

The contents of the finally generated candidate word table are displayed as conversion candidates (S210). The character input person selects and confirms the intended candidate word from the conversion candidates. It is conceivable that a mistake in switching modes by a character input user may occur many times, and in that case, it is fully expected that the same kana character will be converted to alphanumeric characters. Once the converted word is registered in the Japanese dictionary, the time until the conversion candidate is displayed can be reduced.

FIG. 5 shows a screen image of the processing procedure.
Shown in In FIG. 5, an example of a sentence “Create a name file on a GUI screen” will be described. The input mode remains the kana input mode from the beginning to the end. First, "Michimoi" corresponds to the same key as name in kana input mode where you should originally enter name in alphanumeric mode
Is input (501). Here, when the "Conversion" key is pressed in the same manner as in the normal input processing, the conversion candidates shown in (511) are displayed, and the corresponding name is selected from the candidates and confirmed (50).
2). The process of displaying the conversion candidates is as described in FIG.

The next "File" is converted by a normal "Convert" key (503, 504), and when the next GUI is input, the "Kinani" corresponding to the same key as the GUI is input as described above. Is input (505). Since the conversion candidates shown in (512) are displayed, the corresponding GUI is selected and confirmed from among them (506). Or later,
"On screen" and "Create" can be converted with the usual "Convert" key (507-510).

[0032]

According to the present invention, even if a character is erroneously input in the kana input mode as an alphanumeric mode, re-conversion is not required, and alphanumeric characters can be input without interrupting the operation of the character input user. It is effective in improving operability. Taking advantage of the characteristics of the character input user, first search the Japanese dictionary possessed by the normal Kana-Kanji conversion process, and then enter the character conversion process to alphanumeric characters. Become.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration for realizing the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for realizing the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a key correspondence table.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a candidate word table.

FIG. 5 is a screen image of a processing procedure for realizing the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 input device, 102 kana-kanji conversion device, 103 Japanese dictionary, 104 display device, 110 input unit, 111 Japanese conversion unit, 112 character conversion unit, 113 key correspondence table, 114
Candidate word table, 115: word registration unit, 116: output unit.

Claims (6)

[Claims] An input unit for inputting a character in a kana input mode, a unit for searching a word corresponding to a kana character string input by the input unit from a Japanese dictionary, and no corresponding word is detected by the search unit. Means for converting the kana from the key correspondence table to alphanumeric characters corresponding to the key to which the kana is assigned, extracting an alphanumeric conversion candidate word and generating a candidate word table, and a conversion candidate word stored in the candidate word table A kana-kanji conversion device, comprising means for displaying as a conversion candidate. 2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising: registering, in a Japanese dictionary, an alphanumeric conversion candidate word generated by converting a kana from a key correspondence table into an alphanumeric character corresponding to a key to which the kana is assigned; If conversion candidate words are registered,
A kana-kanji conversion device comprising means for displaying conversion candidates only by searching the Japanese dictionary from the next time. 3. An input unit for inputting a character in a kana input mode, a unit for searching a Japanese dictionary for a word corresponding to a kana character input by the input unit, and a case where the search unit finds a corresponding word. Means to generate a candidate word table from which the kanji conversion candidate words have been extracted, and further converts from the key correspondence table to alphanumeric characters corresponding to the key to which the kana is assigned, to extract the alphanumeric conversion candidate words, 2. A kana-kanji conversion device comprising: means for adding to a candidate word table that has been generated; and means for displaying conversion candidate words stored in the candidate word table as conversion candidates. 4. An input unit for recognizing a character input in a kana input mode of an input device, a Japanese conversion unit for retrieving a word corresponding to a kana character string recognized by the input unit from a Japanese dictionary, A character conversion unit that converts a kana from the key correspondence table to an alphanumeric character corresponding to the key to which the kana is assigned, extracts an alphanumeric conversion candidate word and generates a candidate word table when there is no corresponding word in the dictionary, A kana-kanji conversion method comprising: an output unit that outputs a conversion candidate word stored in a candidate word table to a display device as a conversion candidate. 5. A word registration unit according to claim 4, wherein an alphanumeric conversion candidate word generated by converting from a key correspondence table into an alphanumeric character corresponding to a key to which the kana is assigned is registered in a Japanese dictionary, A kana-kanji conversion method characterized by having an output unit for outputting to the display device as a conversion candidate only the conversion result of the Japanese conversion unit from the next time when an alphanumeric conversion candidate word is registered. 6. A computer-readable recording medium on which a program for executing an apparatus is recorded in order to realize the first, second and third embodiments.