JP2007219896A - Electronic dictionary and control method for electronic dictionary - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic dictionary displaying a retrieval list on a screen, and allowing easy knowing whether a desired character string is registered in the dictionary. <P>SOLUTION: A CPU managing main control of this electronic dictionary retrieves entry word data according with character string data inputted by a user from the head, from the retrieval list stored in a dictionary part. The CPU makes the character string data be displayed in an upper part (a code 22) of a display part 2, and makes the retrieved entry word data be displayed on a left side (a code 23) of the display part 2. The CPU extracts character data to be next inputted from the retrieved entry word data, and makes them be displayed on a right side (a code 21) of the display part 2. Even when cannot know all entry words unless scrolling the screen of the display part 2 because the number of the entry words of the retrieval list is large, the user can know a character to be next inputted by referring to the display of the code 21, and can know whether the desired character string is registered in the dictionary or not. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic dictionary having a dictionary function, and more particularly to a method for searching whether a character string input to the electronic dictionary is registered in the dictionary.

In a conventional electronic dictionary, when a user sequentially inputs characters, the character string input on the display unit is displayed, and a word or phrase starting from the character string is searched for as an entry word, and the search result is displayed on the screen as a search list. Display as. For example, in the case of an English-Japanese dictionary, a search list in which headwords are arranged in alphabetical order is displayed. When there are many headword candidates to be displayed as a search list and not all can be displayed on one screen, the user can know all headwords by scrolling the screen.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 08-287089

However, in the above-mentioned conventional electronic dictionary, when there are many headword candidates, all headwords are not displayed unless the screen is scrolled. Therefore, even if the text is not scrolled, it is even known which character should be input as the next character. I couldn't.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic dictionary capable of easily knowing whether a desired character string is registered in a dictionary in an electronic dictionary that displays a search list on a screen. It is to provide.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an electronic dictionary according to the present invention includes a character input means for inputting characters, a display means, a headword and a translation corresponding to the headword. A dictionary information storage means for storing information; a search means for searching for a headword that matches the character input by the character input means from the beginning from the headwords stored in the dictionary information storage means; and the search means Headword display control means for displaying the searched headword on the display means.

  In the electronic dictionary according to the present invention, the electronic dictionary further includes candidate character notification means for notifying a candidate character following the input character in the searched entry word.

  In the electronic dictionary according to the present invention as set forth in the invention described above, the candidate character notification means displays the candidate character on the display means.

  The electronic dictionary according to the present invention is the electronic dictionary according to the present invention, wherein the character input unit further includes a character key lighting unit that has a character key corresponding to the character and lights the character key. The means is characterized in that the character key corresponding to the candidate character is lit by the character key lighting means.

  Further, the electronic dictionary according to the present invention further comprises a phonetic pronunciation means for generating a voice corresponding to the character in the present invention, and the candidate character notification means sends a voice corresponding to the candidate character to the voice pronunciation means. It is characterized by making it sound.

  In the electronic dictionary according to the present invention, a format for changing a format of a character that matches from the beginning of the character input by the character input unit among the characters of the headword searched by the search unit. The headword display control means further includes a changing means for causing the display means to display the headword after the format change by the format changing means.

  The electronic dictionary control method according to the present invention includes a character input means for inputting characters, a display means, and a dictionary information storage means for storing dictionary information including a headword and a translation corresponding to the headword. The electronic dictionary control method includes: a search procedure for searching whether a headword coinciding with the character input by the character input device from the beginning is stored in the dictionary information storage device; A headword display control procedure for causing the display means to display the headword and a candidate character notification procedure for notifying a candidate character following the input character in the searched headword.

  According to the present invention, even when the number of headwords displayed as a search list is large and all search lists cannot be displayed unless the screen is scrolled, the user can Since it is possible to know a candidate for a character to be input, it is possible to easily know whether there is a possibility that a desired character string is registered in the dictionary.

  In addition, by lighting up the character key corresponding to the candidate character or sounding the sound corresponding to the candidate character, the user can easily check whether the desired character string may be registered in the dictionary without looking at the screen. Can know. Furthermore, in displaying the headwords of the search list, it is possible to determine at a glance how far the input has been made by changing the format of the portion that matches the character string input by the user from the beginning. Also, if the input is wrong, the format is changed up to the character before the erroneously entered character, so that the user can easily know which character was entered incorrectly.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of an electronic dictionary according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, a CPU unit 1 controls processing in each unit in the electronic dictionary. The CPU 11 in the CPU unit 1 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that controls each process performed by the CPU unit 1. Further, the CPU 11 has a function (search means) for searching the word corresponding to the character string input from the keyboard 3 from the dictionary unit 41.

  The display control unit 12 (headword display control means) controls display on the display unit 2. The key lighting control unit 13 instructs the key lighting unit 32 in the keyboard 3 to light up which key. The voice control unit 14 controls the sound generation of the voice in the speaker 6.

  The display unit 2 (display unit) is a display that displays data input or searched under the control of the display control unit 12 in the CPU unit 1. The keyboard 3 has character keys and various function keys for inputting Japanese characters, English characters, numbers, and the like. The key input unit 31 detects pressing of each key by the user and outputs a detection signal to the CPU unit 1. The key lighting unit 32 (character key lighting means) lights a key designated by the key lighting control unit 13 in the CPU unit 1.

  A ROM (Read Only Memory) 4 is a memory for storing programs and data used in the CPU unit 1. The dictionary unit 41 (dictionary information storage means) stores, for example, the contents of an English-Japanese dictionary, a Japanese-English dictionary, and the like. That is, the dictionary unit 41 serves as storage means for storing a plurality of words or sentences as headword data and storing the respective meanings and the like in a plurality of languages. For example, in the case of an English-Japanese dictionary, a search list in which entry word data is arranged in alphabetical order is stored. The changed font unit 42 holds data related to the font of text data displayed on the display unit 2.

  A RAM (Random Access Memory) 5 is a memory that temporarily stores data used by the CPU unit 1 and the like. The speaker 6 (speech sound generation means) is for sound production based on an input from the sound control unit 14.

Next, the operation of the above-described embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing word search processing in the electronic dictionary of FIG. FIG. 3 is an example of a screen displayed on the display unit 2.

  In FIG. 2, the key input unit 31 receives an input by an operation from the user, and outputs a key input signal corresponding to the input key to the CPU 11. CPU11 will perform the process according to this key input signal, if a key input signal is input from the key input part 31 (step S201).

  If the key input in step S201 is not a character key (step S202: No), the process returns to step S201 again, and processing according to the key input signal from the key input unit 31 is performed. On the other hand, if the key input in step S201 is a character key (step S202: Yes), the CPU 11 accumulates character data corresponding to the character key as character string data in a buffer provided as a data storage area in the RAM 5. (Step S203).

  If the character data stored in the buffer in step S203 is the first input character data, the CPU 11 searches the keyword list beginning with the character data from the search list of the dictionary unit 41, and searches the keyword data. Is displayed on the display unit 2.

  At this time, the CPU 11 instructs the display control unit 12 to display the character (candidate character) to be input from the keyboard 3 as the next one character, that is, the second character of the entry word data. The display control unit 12 displays character data of the second character on the display unit 2 in accordance with an instruction from the CPU 11 and informs the user of a character candidate to be input next.

  The processing after step S204 is processing when the character data stored in the buffer in step S203 is the second and subsequent character data. In the following, the third character “goo” has already been input, and the fourth character. The process when “d” is input in step S202 will be specifically described. In this example, the character string data stored in the buffer in step S203 is “good”.

  When the accumulation of the character data in the buffer is completed, the CPU 11 erases the one-character display (part indicated by reference numeral 21 in FIG. 3, which will be described later in detail in step S208) displayed on the display unit 2 at the previous character key input. (Step S204), headword data that matches the character string data “good” stored in the buffer from the top is searched from the search list (Step S205).

  If there is matching word data in the search list (step S206: Yes), the CPU 11 instructs the display control unit 12 to display the character string data “good” stored in the buffer as an input list on the display unit 2. . The display control unit 12 displays the character string data “good” on the upper part of the display unit 2 (in the frame indicated by reference numeral 22 in FIG. 3) in accordance with an instruction from the CPU 11.

  Further, the CPU 11 instructs the display control unit 12 to display the matched headword data on the display unit 2 as a headword candidate. In accordance with an instruction from the CPU 11, the display control unit 12 displays the headword data in alphabetical order one line at a time on the left part of the display unit 2 (in the frame indicated by reference numeral 23 in FIG. 3) (step S207: headword display control). means).

  Subsequently, the CPU 11 extracts character data (candidate character) of the next character of the character string data “good” stored in the buffer from the matched entry word data, and displays the character data on the display unit 2. The display control unit 12 is instructed (step S208: candidate character notification means).

  In accordance with an instruction from the CPU 11, the display control unit 12 displays it as a single character candidate (candidate character) to be input next on the right side of the display unit 2 (in the frame indicated by reference numeral 21 in FIG. 3). When the display of the candidate characters is finished, the CPU 11 finishes the word search process and performs the process from step S201 when the key input signal is input again from the key input unit 31.

  On the other hand, if there is no headword data that matches the character string data stored in the buffer from the beginning (step S206: No), the CPU 11 displays the character string data stored in the buffer on the display unit 2 as an input list. The display control unit 12 is instructed. Further, the CPU 11 searches the headword data in the search list for the headword data close to the character string data stored in the buffer according to a preset rule, and instructs the display control section 12 to display it as a search list on the display section 2. (Step S209).

  Note that the list of headwords displayed in step S207 (in the frame indicated by reference numeral 23 in FIG. 3) is displayed as a character string, one per line. If there are a large number of headwords, all of the headwords are displayed on the display unit 2. The headword cannot be displayed. In such a case, the user cannot be notified of all headword candidates unless the screen of the display unit 2 is scrolled.

  On the other hand, the maximum number of characters to be input next displayed in step S208 is determined in advance (for example, 26 characters from A to Z in the alphabet), and the maximum number is displayed. Since the necessary area is limited even if it is performed (in the alphabet, an area that can display up to 26 characters), regardless of the number of headwords to be displayed, all one character that is a candidate to be displayed next is displayed on one screen. Can be displayed.

  For this reason, even if it is not displayed unless the screen is scrolled in the list of headwords, it is possible to display all on the screen in the next one-character display, and the user can see one character to be input next by looking at this one-character display. All the candidates can be known, and it is possible to know whether there is a possibility that a desired character string exists in the entry word data stored in the dictionary unit 41.

  In the flowchart shown in FIG. 2, the method of displaying on the display unit 2 is described as a method of notifying the user of one character to be input next. However, as an example of notifying the user by other methods, FIGS. The description will be given with reference.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing when a character key corresponding to one character to be input next is turned on. The same processing as in FIG. 2 is assigned the same reference numeral as in FIG. 2, and description of the processing is omitted. .

  In FIG. 4, in step S404, the CPU 11 turns off the character key that was turned on at the previous character key input. In step S207, after the CPU 11 instructs the display control unit 12 to display the character string data stored in the buffer and candidate headword data on the display unit 2, the character key corresponding to one character to be displayed next is displayed. The key lighting control unit 13 is instructed to be lit (step S408: candidate character notification means). Based on an instruction from the CPU 11, the key lighting control unit 13 outputs information on character keys to be lit to the key lighting unit 32 in the keyboard 3, thereby lighting the character keys.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process for producing a single character to be input next. The same reference numerals as those in FIG. 2 are assigned to the processes similar to those in FIG. 2, and the description of the processes is omitted.

  In FIG. 5, after the CPU 11 instructs the display control unit 12 to display the character string data stored in the buffer and candidate headword data on the display unit 2 in step S207, it corresponds to one character to be displayed next. The voice control unit 14 is instructed to generate the voice to be played (step S508: candidate character notification means). Based on an instruction from the CPU 11, the sound control unit 14 causes the speaker 6 to sound sound data corresponding to one character to be sounded.

  In the method described in FIGS. 4 and 5, in order to notify the user of one character to be input next by a method of lighting a character key corresponding to the one character or sounding a sound corresponding to the one character. The user can know whether or not the input character string exists in the entry word data stored in the dictionary unit 41 without looking at the screen of the display unit 2.

  Next, referring to FIG. 6, when displaying the headword data of the search list searched by the CPU 11 in the word search processing, the processing for changing the font of the portion that matches the input character string from the beginning is illustrated. This will be described with reference to FIG. Note that the same processes as those in FIG. 2 are assigned the same reference numerals as those in FIG.

  In FIG. 6, when the CPU 11 searches the search list for headword data that matches the character string data stored in the buffer in step S206 from the search list, and there is headword data that matches the search list (step S206: Yes). The CPU 11 reads the data relating to the font held in the changed font unit 42, and changes the font of the entry word data for the portion that matches the character string data stored in the buffer from the beginning (step S607: format changing means). . On the other hand, if there is no matching word data in the search list (step S206: Yes), the font is not changed, and the font is not changed even if it matches with the keyword data in the subsequent character input.

  After changing the font, the CPU 11 instructs the display control unit 12 to display the character string data stored in the buffer on the display unit 2 as an input list. The display control unit 12 displays character string data on the upper part of the display unit 2 (within the frame indicated by reference numeral 24 in FIG. 7) in accordance with an instruction from the CPU 11.

  Further, the CPU 11 instructs the display control unit 12 to display the matched headword data on the display unit 2 as a headword candidate. In accordance with an instruction from the CPU 11, the display control unit 12 displays headword data in which part of the font has been changed, one by one in the order of the search list on the left side of the display unit 2 (within the frame indicated by reference numeral 25 in FIG. 7). (Step S608: headword display control means).

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen on the display unit 2 when “goods” is input from the keyboard 3. In FIG. 7, the font of the portion corresponding to the input character string “goods” is changed in the headword displayed in the frame of reference numeral 25. By viewing this screen, the user can determine at a glance how far the input has been made. Further, if the input is wrong, the font is changed up to one character before the erroneously input character, so that the user can easily know which character is erroneously input.

  In the process in step S607 in FIG. 6, in addition to the font change, a change in format such as a change in character style such as bold or italic or a change in character size may be used. Further, the font or the like shown in FIG. 6 can be changed by displaying the next character to be input shown in FIG. 2, lighting the character key corresponding to the next character shown in FIG. 4, or FIG. In combination with the pronunciation of the voice corresponding to the next character to be shown next, the user can search the headword data registered in the dictionary unit 41 more efficiently.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was explained in full detail, the concrete structure is not restricted to this embodiment, The design change etc. of the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention are included. For example, the present invention is not limited to an electronic dictionary, and can also be applied to an electronic device such as a mobile phone equipped with a dictionary function.

  The present invention is suitable for use in electronic devices such as an electronic dictionary having a dictionary function and a mobile phone.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the electronic dictionary which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process in a word search. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a screen on which one character to be input next is displayed on the display unit 2 in step S208 of FIG. It is a 2nd flowchart which shows the process in a word search. It is a 3rd flowchart which shows the process in a word search. It is a 4th flowchart which shows the process in a word search. FIG. 7 is an example of a screen displayed by changing some fonts of a search list in step S607 of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... CPU part, 2 ... Display part, 3 ... Keyboard (character input means), 4 ... ROM, 5 ... RAM, 6 ... Speaker, 11 ... CPU (control means), 12 ... Display control part (entry word display control means) , 13 ... Key lighting control unit, 14 ... Voice control unit, 31 ... Key input unit, 32 ... Key lighting unit, 41 ... Dictionary unit (dictionary information storage means), 42 ... Change font unit

Claims (7)

A character input means for inputting characters;
Display means;
Dictionary information storage means for storing dictionary information consisting of a headword and a translation corresponding to the headword;
Search means for searching for a headword that matches from the head of the character input by the character input means from the headword stored in the dictionary information storage means;
An electronic dictionary comprising: a headword display control means for causing the display means to display a headword searched by the search means.   2. The electronic dictionary according to claim 1, further comprising candidate character notification means for notifying a candidate character following the input character in the searched entry word.   The electronic dictionary according to claim 2, wherein the candidate character notification unit displays the candidate character on the display unit. The character input means has a character key corresponding to the character;
Further comprising character key lighting means for lighting the character key,
3. The electronic dictionary according to claim 2, wherein the candidate character notification unit lights a character key corresponding to the candidate character by the character key lighting unit. It further comprises voice pronunciation means for generating a voice corresponding to the character,
The electronic dictionary according to claim 2, wherein the candidate character notification unit causes the voice pronunciation unit to pronounce a voice corresponding to the candidate character. Of the characters of the headword searched by the search means, further comprising a format changing means for changing the format of the character that matches the character input by the character input means from the beginning,
The electronic dictionary according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the headword display control means displays the headword after the format change by the format change means on the display means. An electronic dictionary control method comprising character input means for inputting characters, display means, and dictionary information storage means for storing dictionary information consisting of a headword and a translation corresponding to the headword,
A search procedure for searching whether a headword that matches the character input by the character input means from the beginning is stored in the dictionary information storage means;
A headword display control procedure for causing the display means to display the headword searched in the search procedure;
A candidate character notification procedure for notifying a candidate character following the input character in the searched entry word.

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