JP3347506B2 - Machine translation system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a machine translation system, for example, applied to a system capable of executing machine translation in a distributed computer environment in which a plurality of computers (information processing devices) are connected by a high-speed network such as a LAN. It is suitable.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A dictionary holding word information and grammatical knowledge for parsing an input sentence and generating a translated sentence are used.
A method of configuring a machine translator for translating an original sentence into a target language sentence has already been proposed (Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-51020).

[0003] Due to the ambiguity of a natural language, a translated sentence output by a machine translator may not be used as it is.
In such a case, post-editing work is usually performed manually to generate a final translated sentence. Alternatively, using a function (user dictionary function) for registering a word in a dictionary for each user provided in the machine translation apparatus, the machine translation is performed again after the word is registered. In practice, these two translation quality improvement operations are often used together.

[0004]

When a large number of sentences are to be translated, the different portions of the sentence are assigned to a plurality of persons, and each person is assigned using a machine translation device. Translation of sentences may be performed. For example, one such as a device operation manual
When translating a book, a plurality of persons are responsible for translating the text of the assigned page. In the case where a large number of texts are to be translated, the same text is often included in the text,
A different person is in charge of translation depending on the location where it exists. Each person often cannot recognize that the same sentence exists in a plurality of sentences assigned to another person. Under such a working environment, there are the following problems.

(1) The same sentence is translated separately by a plurality of persons using a machine translation device, and the translation work is duplicated, resulting in wasteful work as a whole.

(2) Even if the translation result of the same sentence by the machine translator is different due to the user dictionary registration function for each worker, or the same translation result is output, the final translation is performed by post-editing for each worker. The translation results may be different or the same translation result may not be obtained.

Even if the same sentence appears more than once in a sentence in which one person is in charge, there is no means to find the same sentence in the machine translator, and the finding of the same sentence is left to the memory of the worker. In addition, the problem of the work efficiency of the above (1) due to the duplication of the translation and the problem of the variation of the translation result of the above (2) due to the difference in the consciousness of the operator for each translation may occur.

[0008] Also, when a machine-translated book is revised, the translation is performed again. In such a case,
Most sentences are sentences translated in the past. In this case, since the machine translation apparatus has no means for finding the same sentence, the operator compares the book before and after the revision and recognizes a sentence that needs translation, or re-executes full-text translation.
In the latter case, the work efficiency issues mentioned in (1) and
The problem of variation in the translation result of (2) arises.

Therefore, there is a demand for a machine translation system capable of efficiently obtaining the same translation result for a plurality of identical sentences existing in a sentence to be translated even when the translation time is almost the same.

[0010]

According to the present invention, one or more machine translation devices and a bilingual database device commonly provided in these machine translation devices are connected to a communication network. Machine translation system.

[0011] Each of the machine translation devices is provided with (i) input means for receiving at least an input including an original sentence, and (ii) a search instruction as to whether a bilingual translation of the input received by the input means is stored in a bilingual database device. Bilingual search request means for providing to the bilingual database device, receiving the search result from the bilingual database device, and determining the necessity of translating the input original text, and (iii) translating means for translating the input original text. (Iv) a bilingual update request for providing a bilingual database device with bilingual information including the input original text and the input translated text, or an update instruction including the input original text and the translated text obtained by translating the translated text by the translation means; Means and (v)
Output means for outputting a translation included in the search result or a translation translated by the translation means as a translation for the input original text in accordance with a search result from the bilingual database device.

In the bilingual database device, (vi) a bilingual database storing a bilingual translation, and (vii) input means of the machine translating device in response to a search instruction from one of the machine translating devices. Searches whether a translation for the input is stored in the translation database, returns a search result, and updates the translation database in response to an update instruction from one of the machine translators. There is provided a bilingual database management means that manages the information in a queue and gives priority to the first arrived in the case of the same type of instruction conflict, and gives priority to the update instruction in the case of the conflict between the search instruction and the update instruction.

[0013] Here, the bilingual database management means,
(A) When returning a search result that activates the execution of translation in response to a search instruction to the machine translator that has issued the search instruction, the translation in the bilingual database corresponding to the search instruction must be “translating”. (B) If a translation for “in translation” is obtained in the search for the search instruction, reinsert the search instruction to the back of the instruction queue, and (C) add “translation in progress”. When an update instruction including a bilingual translation corresponding to the translated bilingual translation is given, it is preferable to update the bilingual database and delete “under translation”.

[0014]

In the machine translation system of the present invention, a bilingual database that stores a bilingual translation, and a bilingual database management unit that searches the bilingual database according to a search instruction and updates the bilingual database according to an update instruction are provided. The bilingual database device is connected to one or more machine translation devices via a communication network.

When an input is made to the machine translator,
By causing the bilingual database requesting means to execute the search, the bilingual search request means can determine whether or not the same translation has been executed in the past, and if so, extract the translated sentence. Further, based on the search result, if necessary, the bilingual update request means can cause the bilingual database device to execute the bilingual update.

In this case, the bilingual database management means manages a plurality of instructions in a queue, gives priority to the first arrived in the case of the same type of instruction, and updates the first instruction in the case of a conflict between the search instruction and the update instruction. Therefore, even if multiple machine translators try to translate the same sentence almost at the same time, even if the bilingual database is updated by an update instruction from one Before the search instruction, the other machine translation device can use the bilingual translation immediately after the update as a translation result.

Therefore, even when the same sentence is translated almost at the same time, it is possible to avoid the wasteful translation of the same sentence, and to present the same translated sentence to the user earlier for the same sentence. Become like

Here, if the bilingual database management means recognizes that the translation of the original sentence is executed by the machine translator receiving the search result at the time of searching the bilingual database, the bilingual database management means recognizes the original sentence in the bilingual database. "Translation in progress" is added to the content corresponding to "?", And in response to the same search instruction from another machine translation device, the search result is transmitted after the completion of the translation. Can reduce the waste of redundant translation when trying to translate the same sentence almost at the same time.

[0019]

【Example】

(A) First Embodiment Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a machine translation system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating the configuration of the machine translation system according to the first embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1, the machine translation system includes:
One or more machine translation devices 17 and a bilingual database device 21 are connected to a network 22 such as a LAN.

Here, the machine translation device 17 and the bilingual database device 21 are each constituted by an information processing device having a communication function such as a workstation or a personal computer, and functionally has the configuration shown in FIG. . The bilingual database device 21 may be configured on the same information processing device as any of the machine translation devices 17.

The machine translation device 17 includes an input unit 11, a bilingual database searching unit (indicated by a bilingual DB searching unit in FIG. 1) 12, a translating unit 13, and a bilingual database updating unit (expressed by a bilingual DB updating unit in FIG. 1). 14)
It comprises output means 15 and communication means 16.

On the other hand, the bilingual database device 21 includes a communication unit 18 and a bilingual database management unit (a bilingual D in FIG. 1).
B management means) 19 and a translation database (represented by a translation DB in FIG. 1) 20.

Hereinafter, each component 1 of the machine translation device 17 will be described.
The functions of 1,..., 16 will be sequentially described.

The input means 11 takes in an input to the machine translation device 17 and processes it. The input may be a key input at that time, or may be a file already stored as a file.

Here, for simplicity of description, the input from the user is an operation mode, user dictionary information, and text. As the operation mode, a “normal operation mode” which is a normal operation mode in which an input sentence is translated and a translation result is output as it is, and a bilingual translation including an original sentence and a translated sentence are registered in the bilingual database 20 as necessary. There are two “example translation modes” for searching whether a bilingual translation corresponding to the input text already exists in the bilingual database 20.
In addition, the input sentence may be the original sentence only, or the original sentence and the translated sentence, that is, the translated sentence. The user dictionary information includes a user dictionary name and a user dictionary version number, and is hereinafter referred to as a user dictionary ID.

The bilingual database search means 12 generates a search command for the bilingual database 20 using the original sentence of the input sentence as a key, transmits the search command to the bilingual database apparatus 20 via the communication means 16, and obtains the search result. Upon receiving the reply, the necessity of translating the input original sentence is determined.

Here, the search command includes the bilingual translation and the user dictionary ID when the input text is a bilingual translation, and includes the original text and the user dictionary ID when the input text is the original text. Note that a user dictionary with the same user dictionary ID is
Assume that the same user dictionary is guaranteed.

Further, the bilingual database search means 12 comprises:
The returned search result is received via the communication means 16 and the following processing is performed according to the content of the search result. That is, when a translation result (translated sentence) is received as a search result, the translation result is presented to the user via the output unit 15. When "no data" is received as a search result, the translation unit 13 is activated to translate the original text.

When the translation unit 13 receives a translation instruction from the input unit 11 or the bilingual database search unit 12,
It translates the original sentence captured by the input means 11. Further, at least a translated sentence (which may be a set of a translated sentence and an original sentence) is provided to the output unit 15 to be presented to the user. Further, in a predetermined case, an original sentence and a translated sentence, that is, a bilingual translation are given to the bilingual database updating means 14.

The bilingual database updating means 14 generates an updating command of the bilingual database 20 including the original sentence, the translated sentence, and the user dictionary ID, transmits the updating command to the bilingual database device 20 via the communication means 16, It waits for a reply of the update result "registration completed".
The bilingual database updating means 14 activates the output means 15 when receiving "registration completed".

The output means 15 is, as described above, a bilingual database search means 12 or a bilingual database updating means 1.
Under the control of No. 4, at least a translated sentence (or a set of a translated sentence and an original sentence) is presented to the user.

The communication means 16 transmits the search command from the bilingual database search means 12 to the bilingual database device 21.
, And the received search result is received and given to the bilingual database search means 12. The communication means 16 transmits the update command from the bilingual database updating means 14 to the bilingual database device 21, receives the returned update result (“registration completed”), and gives it to the bilingual database updating means 12. is there.

The communication means 16 cooperates with the communication means 18 of the bilingual database device 21 to operate the network 2
The establishment and disconnection of the connection link via the communication line 2 are naturally executed.

A machine translation apparatus 1 comprising the above components
Common bilingual database device 21 accessed by 7 as appropriate
Is provided for the purpose of avoiding duplicate translation of the same sentence and obtaining a unified translation result (translated sentence) of the same sentence.

Hereinafter, the functions of the components 18,..., 20 of the bilingual database device 21 will be sequentially described.

The communication means 18 receives the search command via the network 22 and provides the search command to the bilingual database management means 19. And sends the search result. When receiving the update command via the network 22, the communication unit 18 supplies the update command to the bilingual database management unit 19. An update result is transmitted.

The bilingual database 20 includes an original text database 20a, a bilingual management database 20b, and a translated text database 20c.

The original sentence database 20a stores a plurality of pairs of an original sentence and original sentence identification information (hereinafter, referred to as an original sentence ID). FIG. 2 shows an example of the structure of the original sentence database 20a, and shows a tree structure. The part shown in FIG. 2 is composed of three original texts "" cat "isa command name."
at "concatenates argument files and output themto
standard output. "," with option -n, it adds the
line number to the output data. ", and the original text IDs are" 001 "," 002 ", and" 00 ", respectively.
3 "has been given.

In the case of such a tree structure, the head word portion common to the first two original sentences, that is, "cat" has the same branch, and these original sentences are stored alone. The search can be executed at a higher speed as compared with.
"" Cat "is a command name."
In the case of retrieving whether or not it exists in a, the existence can be confirmed by tracing the tree branch from “start” to “end” (91), and further up to data “001” (94) stored thereunder. By following this, it is found that the original text ID is “001”.

As shown in FIG. 3, the translated sentence database 20c stores a plurality of pairs of translated sentences and translated sentence identification information (hereinafter, referred to as translated sentence IDs). In FIG. 3, the structure of the translated sentence database 20c is shown as a table structure. However, it is preferable that the translated sentence database 20c has a tree structure in consideration of a high-speed search similarly to the original sentence database 20c.

The bilingual management database 20b stores the original I
A plurality of sets (records) including D, translation ID, translation time stamp, and user dictionary ID are stored. FIG. 4 shows an example of the structure of the bilingual database 20b, which has a table structure. The translated sentence time stamp is an identifier attached to each input unit input to the bilingual database device 21. As described above, the user dictionary ID is obtained by arranging the input user dictionary name and its version number.
If the user dictionary is not specified, data indicating that, for example, “none” is inserted.

In the case of this embodiment, as described later, "under translation" is used as the translation ID of the bilingual management database 20b.
May be inserted. If the translation ID is “translating”, the translation for the original defined by the bilingual management data does not exist in the translation database 20c, but at that time, one of the machine translators 17 is translating the original. It indicates that there is.

Basically, the bilingual database management means 19 accesses the bilingual database 21 in response to a search command or an update command given from the communication means 18 and transmits the search result or update result from the communication means 18. This is transmitted to the machine translation device 17.

The bilingual database management means 19 manages search commands and update commands in the same queue 19a. When a search command or an update command is given, if the command queue 19a is not "empty", the received command is inserted into the queue 19a.

Here, for the same type of command, a command is inserted so as to give priority to the one that has arrived first, and in the relationship between the search command and the update command, a command is inserted so as to give priority to the update command. That is, when a search command is received, the command queue 19a
When the update command is received at the end of the command queue 19a and after the last update command in the command queue 19a, the update command is inserted at a position immediately before the first search command.

When the processing for a certain command is completed, the bilingual database management means 19 extracts the first command from the command queue 19a and processes the command.

If the command extracted from the command queue 19a is a search command, the bilingual database management means 19 basically searches the original text database 20a, the bilingual management database 20b, and the translated text database 20c in this order. That is, if the original sentence database 20a is searched and the original sentence exists, the bilingual management database 20b is searched using the obtained original sentence ID as a key, and if a translated sentence having the same user dictionary ID exists, the obtained translated sentence ID is obtained. Is used as a key to search the translated sentence database 20c.

This search is executed to confirm whether or not a bilingual translation relating to the original text translated in the past exists in the bilingual database 20. In other words, it is executed in order to be able to determine whether or not it is necessary to newly translate the current input.

The bilingual database management means 19 performs one of the following processes according to the searched result.

(1) When the original sentence is input, the input original sentence exists in the original sentence database 20a, and
If there is bilingual management data relating to the original sentence having a user dictionary ID that matches the input user dictionary ID, the translation database 20c is searched based on the translation ID, and the translation result with the latest translation time stamp is searched ( The machine translation device 1 of the search request source via the communication unit 18 as the translation result)
Reply to 7.

(2) When a parallel translation is input, the input original exists in the original sentence database 20a, and
If there is bilingual management data for the original sentence having a user dictionary ID that matches the input user dictionary ID, the translation database 20c is searched based on the translated ID, and the retrieved translated sentence and the input translated sentence are compared. If so, the translated sentence is returned as a search result (translation result) to the machine requesting machine translation device 17 via the communication means 18.

(3) When a parallel translation is input, the input original exists in the original sentence database 20a, and
If there is bilingual management data for the original sentence having a user dictionary ID that matches the input user dictionary ID, the translation database 20c is searched based on the translated ID, and the retrieved translated sentence and the input translated sentence are compared. If not, the translation database 20 (translation management database 20)
b) and updates the translated sentence database 20c), and returns the input translated sentence as a translation result to the machine translation device 17 that is the search request source via the communication unit 18.

That is, in this case, the bilingual database 20 is also updated at the search stage.

(4) When the original sentence is input, the input original sentence exists in the original sentence database 20a, and
There is bilingual management data relating to the original sentence having a user dictionary ID that matches the input user dictionary ID,
If the translation ID of the translation management data is "translating",
The search is stopped, and the queue of the search command is inserted at the end of the command queue.

(5) When a parallel translation is input, the input original exists in the original sentence database 20a, and
There is bilingual management data relating to the original sentence having a user dictionary ID that matches the input user dictionary ID,
If the translation ID of the translation management data is "translating",
The search is stopped, and the queue of the search command is inserted at the end of the command queue.

Therefore, in the cases (4) and (5), the search result is not returned to the search requesting machine translator 17 at this stage.

(6) When the original text is input and the input original text does not exist in the original text database 20a, or when the input original text is the original text database 20a
When there is no bilingual management data relating to the original having a user dictionary ID that matches the input user dictionary ID that exists in the translation management database 20b, “translating” is inserted into the corresponding translation ID in the bilingual management database 20b, and “ "No data" is returned to the machine translator 17 which is the search request source via the communication means 18. When the input original does not exist in the original database 20a, the registration of the original is also executed.

(7) When a parallel translation is input and the input original text does not exist in the original text database 20a, or when the input original text is
When there is no bilingual management data relating to the original having a user dictionary ID that matches the input user dictionary ID that exists in the translation management database 20b, “translating” is inserted into the corresponding translation ID in the bilingual management database 20b, and “ "No data" is returned to the machine translator 17 which is the search request source via the communication means 18. When the input original does not exist in the original database 20a, the registration of the original is also executed.

When the command queue extracted from the head of the command queue 19a is an update command, the bilingual database management means 19 updates (registers) the bilingual database 20 in the order of the original text database 20a, the translated text database 20c, and the bilingual management database 20b. Execute

When attempting to register an original sentence in the original sentence database 20a, the bilingual database management means 19 recognizes only the original sentence ID without executing the registration if the original sentence is already registered. It is registered in the database 20a and a new original text ID is given.

When attempting to register a translation in the translation database 20c, the bilingual database management means 19 recognizes only the translation ID without executing the registration if the translation has already been registered. A new translation ID is added to the registration in the database 20c.

When the update process for the original sentence database 20a and the translated sentence database 20c is completed, the bilingual database management means 19
0b, and the obtained original sentence ID and translated sentence ID,
The bilingual management data including the input user dictionary ID and the time stamp at which the command is input is additionally registered in the bilingual management database 20b, and when this registration is completed, an update result indicating “registration completed” is transmitted to the communication unit. A reply is sent to the machine translation device 17 which is the search request source via 18. In the case of registration in the bilingual management database 20b, the "under translation" part is changed to the translation ID in the case of a predetermined condition.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the structure of a message exchanged between the machine translation device 17 and the bilingual database device 20, and this example relates to an update command. Although not shown, information defining a transmission source device, a transmission destination device, and the like is also added to the head of the portion illustrated in FIG.

The message includes a message length indicating the total amount of messages to be exchanged, a message name indicating a type of a search command, a search result, an update command, an update result, and the like.
It is composed of a data type representing a type such as an original sentence, a translation, a user dictionary name, a user dictionary version number, a data length representing a data amount of the data type, and specific data of the data type. In some messages, a set including a data type, a data length, and specific data (some sets do not include specific data) is repeated a plurality of times.

Next, the operation of the machine translation system of the first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

FIG. 6 shows the flow of processing from input of one original sentence or bilingual translation to presentation of a translation result to the user for convenience of illustration. for that reason,
FIG. 6 is a flowchart in which processing for a search command and an update command related to another input is omitted.

It is also possible to collectively input a plurality of original sentences or bilingual translations. In this case, the flow slightly differs from that shown in FIG. Although not shown, a search command and an update command may be separately issued. Even in such a case, the translation results may be presented to the user when the translation results for all the input sentences are complete. Further, the transmission and reception of the search command, the update command, the result thereof, and the like may be performed collectively.

When the input means 11 receives an input from a file or the like (step 101), the operation mode in the input information is checked (step 102).

If the operation mode is the "normal translation mode", the machine translation means 13 translates the input original text using a user dictionary, a system dictionary and translation rules (step 121), and the output means 15 outputs the translated text. The translation result is presented to the user, and a series of processes for the current input is terminated (step 123).

On the other hand, if the operation mode is the “example operation mode”, the bilingual database search means 12 generates a search command for searching the bilingual database 20 using the original text as a key, and transmits it to the bilingual database device 21. (Step 103), the bilingual database device 21 receives this (Step 104).

The received search command is inserted at the end of the command queue 19a by the bilingual database management means 19 of the bilingual database device 21, and is processed again until it reaches the head of the command queue 19a (step 105). ).

Now, when the search command related to the target input becomes the head of the command queue 19a and becomes a search target, the bilingual database management means 19
The bilingual database 20 is searched (step 106).

Next, the bilingual database management means 19
Whether the input original text exists in the original text database 20a and whether there is bilingual management data relating to the original text having a user dictionary ID that matches the input user dictionary ID, whether the input is a bilingual input or an original text input It is determined whether or not it is (step 107).

If a negative result is obtained in this determination (corresponding to (6) or (7) in the above case), “under translation” is inserted into the corresponding translation ID of the bilingual management database 20b, and “No data” is returned to the machine translation device 17 that made the search request via the communication unit 18 (step 1).
13, 111).

In the determination of step 107, the input original sentence exists in the original sentence database 20a, and the bilingual management data of the original sentence having the user dictionary ID that matches the input user dictionary ID exists. Is recognized (the above cases correspond to (1) to (5)), it is further determined whether or not the translation ID of the bilingual management data is “under translation” (step 109).

If the translation ID of the bilingual management data is “under translation” (the above cases (4) and (5) apply), the bilingual database management means 19 stops the search processing, and Is inserted at the end of the command queue 19a (step 105).

If the translation ID of the bilingual management data is not “translating” (the above cases correspond to (1) to (3)), the bilingual database management means 19 determines whether the input is only the original text, If the input is a bilingual translation, it is determined whether or not the input translation matches the retrieved translation (step 10).
9). That is, at this stage, it is determined whether or not the bilingual database 20 can be updated (the above case (3) applies) or not (the above cases (1) and (2) apply).

If the translation is possible, the bilingual database management means 19 updates the bilingual database 20 (step 110), and then uses the input translation as a search result (translation result) via the communication means 18 as a search request source. (Step 111). On the other hand, if the update is not possible, the translated sentence stamp extracted from the translated sentence database 20c returns the latest translated sentence as a search result (translation result) to the machine translator 17 as the search request source via the communication unit 18 (step). 111).

Such a search result is transmitted to the machine translation device 17.
(Step 114). Bilingual database search means 12
Determines whether or not a bilingual translation of the input original text has been registered in the bilingual database 20, based on the retrieved search results, that is, whether or not translation of the input original text is necessary (step 115). .

If it exists (when the translation result is received), the output means 15 presents the translated sentence (or a set of the original sentence and the translated sentence) included in the search result to the user, and responds to the current input. A series of processing ends (step 12
3).

On the other hand, when recognizing that the bilingual translation corresponding to the input does not exist in the bilingual database 20 (“no data”), the bilingual database searching means 12
To translate the input original text (step 11
6). Then, the bilingual database updating unit 14 generates an update command including the input original sentence and the translated sentence obtained by translating the same, transmits the command to the bilingual database device 20 (step 117), and the bilingual database device 21 receives this. (Step 118).

The received update command is inserted by the bilingual database management means 19 of the bilingual database device 21 at the end of the update command in the command queue 19a, and is processed again until it reaches the head of the command queue 19a. (Step 119).

Now, when the update command related to the target input becomes the head of the command queue 19a and becomes the target of the update processing, the bilingual database management means 19
The bilingual database 20 is updated (step 120).
Thereafter, the bilingual database management unit 19 transmits the completion of the update to the update request source, that is, the bilingual database updating unit 14 of the machine translator 17 that has requested the update (step 121), and the bilingual database search of the machine translator 17 is performed. The means 12 captures this update result (step 1
22).

When recognizing the completion of the update, the bilingual database updating means 14 activates the output means 15 and causes the user to present a translated sentence obtained by translation (or a set of the input original sentence and its translated sentence), A series of processes for the current input ends (step 123).

The manner of such a series of processes can be divided into the “example operation mode” based on the input sentence, the presence / absence of the bilingual database 20, the data to be updated, the translated sentence presented to the user, and the like. Can be divided as follows.

In the following cases, some cases follow the same processing path in FIG. 6, but the search results, update processing, output contents, and the like are different from those in other cases.

(A) When only the original text is input,
If the input original does not exist in the original database 20a, the input original is translated, and the original, the translation obtained by the translation, and the bilingual management data connecting the original and the translation are newly stored in the bilingual database 20. The registered sentence obtained by translation is presented to the user. In this case, “under translation” is temporarily registered in the bilingual database 20.

The change of the processing step in this case is 101
To 107, 113, 111, 114 to 123.

(B) When only the original text is input,
If the translation corresponding to the input original exists in the translation database 20, but the translation management data relating to the original having a user dictionary ID that matches the input user dictionary ID does not exist in the translation database 20, the input is performed. When the translated original is translated and the translated sentence obtained by the translation matches the translated sentence stored in the bilingual database 20, new translated translation management data (translation time stamp and user translation) connecting the input original and the translated translated sentence are obtained. Only the dictionary ID is different from the existing one) is newly registered in the bilingual database 20, and the translation obtained by translation is presented to the user. Also in this case, “under translation” is temporarily registered in the bilingual database 20.

The change of the processing step in this case is 101
To 107, 113, 111, 114 to 123.

(C) When only the original text is input,
If the translation corresponding to the input original exists in the translation database 20, but the translation management data relating to the original having a user dictionary ID that matches the input user dictionary ID does not exist in the translation database 20, the input is performed. If the translated original is translated and the translated sentence obtained by the translation does not match the translated sentence stored in the bilingual database 20, the translated translation obtained by the translation and the input original sentence and the translated translated sentence are connected. The data is newly registered in the bilingual database 20, and the translation obtained by the translation is presented to the user. Also in this case, “under translation” is temporarily registered in the bilingual database 20.

The change of the processing step in this case is 101
To 107, 113, 111, 114 to 123.

(D) When only the original text is input,
If a bilingual translation of the input original exists in the bilingual database 20 and bilingual management data of the original having a user dictionary ID that matches the input user dictionary ID exists in the bilingual database 20, No registration or update operation is performed on the database 20, and the translated text extracted from the bilingual database 20 is presented to the user.

The change of the processing step in this case is 101
To 109, 111, 114, 115 and 123. Note that the process may return from step 108 to 105.

(E) If a parallel translation is input and even the input original text does not exist in the original text database 20a, the input original text is translated, and the translated text obtained by the translation and the input translated text are translated. Is matched, the bilingual management data connecting the original sentence and the original sentence and the already-stored translated sentence is registered in the bilingual database 20, and the translated sentence obtained by the translation is presented to the user. Also in this case, “under translation” is temporarily registered in the bilingual database 20.

The change of the processing step in this case is 101
To 107, 113, 111, 114 to 123.

(F) When a parallel translation is input and even the input original text does not exist in the original text database 20a, the input original text is translated, and the translated text obtained by the translation and the input translated text are translated. If they do not match, the original sentence, the translated sentence obtained by the translation, and the bilingual management data connecting the original sentence and the translated sentence are registered in the bilingual database 20, and the translated sentence obtained by the translation is presented to the user. Also in this case, “under translation” is temporarily registered in the bilingual database 20.

The change of the processing step in this case is 101
To 107, 113, 111, 114 to 123.

(G) When a bilingual translation is input, and the bilingual translation relating to the input original text exists in the bilingual database 20, but the bilingual management data having the user dictionary ID that matches the input user dictionary ID is used. If it does not exist, the input source text is translated, and the translated text obtained
If the translations stored in the bilingual database 20 match, new translation management data (the translation time stamp and the user dictionary ID are used when the input original text and the already stored translation (equivalent to the translated translation) are connected). ) Is registered in the bilingual database 20, and the translation obtained by translation is presented to the user. Also in this case, “under translation” is temporarily registered in the bilingual database 20.

The change of the processing step in this case is 101
To 107, 113, 111, 114 to 123.

(H) In the case where a bilingual translation is input, a bilingual translation relating to the input original text exists in the bilingual database 20, but the bilingual management data having a user dictionary ID that matches the input user dictionary ID is used. If it does not exist, the input source text is translated, and the translated text obtained
If the translation stored in the bilingual database 20 does not match, the translation obtained by the translation and the bilingual management data connecting the input original text and the translated translation are registered in the bilingual database 20 and obtained by the translation. The translation is presented to the user. Also in this case, “under translation” is temporarily registered in the bilingual database 20.

In this case, the change of the processing step is 101
To 107, 113, 111, 114 to 123.

(I) When a bilingual translation is inputted, a bilingual translation relating to the inputted original exists in the bilingual database 20 and has a user dictionary ID that matches the entered user dictionary ID. Exists, but if the translation specified by the bilingual management data does not match the input translation, the input translation and the bilingual management data linking the input original and translation are stored in the bilingual database 20.
And the input translation is presented to the user.

The change of the processing step in this case is 101
To 111, 114, 115, and 123. Note that the process may return from step 108 to 105.

(J) When a bilingual translation is input, a bilingual translation of the input original exists in the bilingual database 20 and has a user dictionary ID that matches the input user dictionary ID. Exists, and if the translation specified by the translation management data matches the input translation, registration in the bilingual database 20 is not executed, and the input translation (stored translation) is presented to the user. .

The change of the processing step in this case is 101
To 109, 111, 114, 115 and 123. Note that the process may return from step 108 to 105.

Next, the operation of the above-described machine translation system according to the first embodiment will be described using a specific example.

When the three original sentences 1 to 3 shown in FIG. 7 are input to the machine translator 17 in the "normal translation mode" without specifying a user dictionary, steps 101, 102, and 12 are performed.
These translation results are immediately presented to the user via 1, 123. FIG. 8 shows a case where a translation result is presented as a set of an original sentence and a translated sentence. The translated sentence 1, the translated sentence 2, and the translated sentence 3 correspond to the original sentence 1, the original sentence 2, and the original sentence 3, respectively.

On the other hand, three original texts 1 to 3 shown in FIG.
When the original sentence 3 is input to the machine translation device 17 with the “example translation mode” given without specifying the user dictionary, the machine translation device 17 and the bilingual database device 21 The processing in the above-described case (a) involving translation generation and bilingual registration is performed, and as a result, the translation result shown in FIG. Is presented to the user.

In this case, however, a search and update are performed on the bilingual database 20, and the contents shown in FIG. 2 are registered in the original text database 20a.
The content shown in FIG. 3 described above is registered in the translation database 20c, and the content shown in FIG. 4 is registered in the bilingual management database 20b.

Here, the three original sentences 1 to 3 shown in FIG. 7 are input to the two machine translation devices 17 with the “example translation mode” given without specifying the user dictionary. Is performed at about the same time. In this case, the bilingual database device 21 registers “translating” in the bilingual database 20 in the processing of the search command arriving first, and based on “translating” in the processing of the search command arriving later. After waiting for the processing, the bilingual translation is registered in the bilingual database 20 on the basis of the update command from the machine translator related to the previously arrived search command, and then the processing for the later-arrived search command is executed.

In general, in translation using only a system dictionary (even if a user dictionary is used), a good translation is rarely obtained, and a translated sentence is often edited later. On the other hand, after looking at the output (translation) of the machine translation, instead of directly changing the translation, after changing the original, registering a word in the user dictionary, or performing both at the same time, By translating, pre-editing work may be performed to obtain a better translation.
Also, pre-editing and post-editing may be used together.

Hereinafter, an example in which pre-editing and post-editing are used together will be described. Here, as shown in FIG. 9, the original sentence 1 is corrected to the original sentence 4, the translated sentence 2 is corrected to the translated sentence 4, and these three parallel translations (the original sentence 4 and the translated sentence 1, the original sentence 2 and the translated sentence 4, and the original sentence 3). And the translated sentence 3) are input to the machine translator 17 with the “example translation mode” given without specifying the user dictionary.

At this time, the machine translation device 17 and the bilingual database device 21 perform the processing in the above-mentioned case (f) involving formation of a new translated sentence (translated sentence 5) for the translated text composed of the original sentence 4 and the translated sentence 1. (I) In the case where the translation is performed and the translation consisting of the original 2 and the translation 4 is accompanied by the additional registration of the translation (i)
Is performed, and for the translation consisting of the original sentence 3 and the translated sentence 3, the update of the bilingual database 20 is not performed. The above-described process (j) is performed, and as a result, the translation result shown in FIG. 10 is presented to the user. I do.

By such processing, the original sentence database 20a is updated to the contents in which the original sentence 4 is added to the contents of FIG. 2, although illustration is omitted, and the translated sentence database 20c has two records added to the contents shown in FIG. The content shown in FIG. 11 is updated, and the bilingual management database 20b is updated to the content shown in FIG. 12 in which two records are added to the content shown in FIG.

Each database 2 of the bilingual database 20
When 0a, 20b, and 20c have such contents, FIG.
The four original sentences 4, 2, 5 and 3 shown in FIG.
The user dictionary shown in FIG. 14 (user dictionary ID = ws.00)
1) is specified and the machine translation device 1 is set in the “example translation mode”.
7 is input.

At this time, the machine translation device 17 and the bilingual database device 21 perform the process of (b) when only the bilingual management data is added to the original sentence 4, and are translated into the original sentences 2 and 3. When the translation data and the translation management data are added, the processing in (c) is performed. For the original text 5, the processing in the above-described case (a) with translation generation and translation registration is performed, and as a result, 15 is presented to the user.

By such processing, the original sentence database 20a is updated to the contents having the original sentence 4 in addition to the contents shown in FIG. 2 and the original sentence 5 in addition to the contents shown in FIG. Is updated to the content shown in FIG. 16 in which three records are added to the content shown in FIG.
The bilingual management database 20b is updated to the content shown in FIG. 17 in which three records are added to the content shown in FIG.

Therefore, according to the first embodiment, the bilingual database is provided to store the previously translated bilingual translation, and when the original text or the bilingual translation is input, the bilingual translation for the same original text is stored in the bilingual database 20. It is determined whether or not the translation is performed. Depending on the result of the determination, the translation is not executed. In addition, the input parallel translation, or the input original text and the translated translation thereof are registered in the bilingual database 20. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the waste of translating the same sentence redundantly, and it is possible to present a translated sentence in which the same sentence is unified to the user.

When the update command is given priority over the search command and the translation is executed, "translation in progress" is registered in the bilingual database 20 and the processing of the search command that has arrived in "translation" can be waited. In this way, even when multiple machine translators try to translate the same sentence almost at the same time, it is possible to eliminate the waste of translating the same sentence repeatedly, and provide the user with a unified translation of the same sentence. Can be presented.

Further, according to the first embodiment, since the "normal translation mode" and the "example translation mode" are provided as the operation modes, the user can appropriately select the operation mode, thereby improving the usability. If the user desires early presentation of the translation result or knows that the same sentence has not been translated in the past (for example, immediately after the start of translation), select the “normal translation mode” and If an unified translation result is desired, "example translation mode" may be selected.

Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, since the user dictionary ID is included in the bilingual data of the bilingual database 20, even if a bilingual translation already exists, the input user dictionary ID and the user dictionary ID are different. In such a case, the translation is performed, so that the latest user dictionary that provides a better translation result is respected, and a consistent and consistent translation result can be presented.

(B) Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the machine translation system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the functional block diagram of the second embodiment can also be represented by FIG. 1 according to the above-described first embodiment.

In the second embodiment, the bilingual database 20
Is always executed only when an update command is given.

That is, in the first embodiment, when a search command is given and the search result is not
At the time of (3), the bilingual database 20 was updated at that stage. However, in the second embodiment, even when the search result corresponds to the case (3), the update at this stage is not executed, and the bilingual database 20 is updated when an update command is given thereafter. And

Therefore, the bilingual database management means 19
Performs the processing in the following case (3a) when the search result corresponds to the case (3) in the first embodiment.

(3a) When a bilingual translation is input, the input original text exists in the original text database 20a, and
If there is bilingual management data for the original sentence having a user dictionary ID that matches the input user dictionary ID, the translation database 20c is searched based on the translated ID, and the retrieved translated sentence and the input translated sentence are compared. If not, the input translation is returned to the search requesting machine translator 17 via the communication means 18 as a translation result.

FIG. 18 shows the overall processing of the system according to the second embodiment, and the same and corresponding steps as those in FIG. 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The processing up to step 108 is the first
This is the same as the embodiment. In the first embodiment, the bilingual database 20 is appropriately updated after the condition is determined, but in the second embodiment, the process immediately proceeds to step 111 to transmit the search result.

The processing (steps 114 and 115) in which the machine translation apparatus 17 receives the data and determines whether or not the original text related to the input exists in the bilingual database 21 is the same as in the first embodiment.

However, in the second embodiment, even if a translation related to the input exists in the bilingual database 20 (“no data”)
Even if a result other than the above is received), the process does not immediately proceed to the translation result presentation processing step 123, and it is determined whether or not an input bilingual translation update process that does not involve translation is necessary (step 109). ). That is, it is determined whether or not the case (3a) is a case where a search result other than “no data” is given. For example, at the time of bilingual input, such a determination can be made based on whether or not the search result is the input translated sentence itself.

If the search result is case (3a), the flow proceeds to the update command transmission process in step 117. If the search result is other than case (3a) (there is already no data "no data") ), The process proceeds to the translation result presentation processing step 123.

Also in the second embodiment, the processing after step 117 is the same as in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

As described above, in the second embodiment, when the bilingual database 20 needs to be updated, the updating command is always issued to update the bilingual database 20.

The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the processing flow for registering the input translation in the bilingual database 20 without translating the input original text. According to the second embodiment, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

(C) Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment of the machine translation system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the functional block diagram of the third embodiment can also be represented by FIG. 1 according to the above-described first embodiment.

In the third embodiment, a "translation input mode" is provided as an operation mode in addition to the "normal translation mode" and the "example translation mode" described above.

The "translation input mode" is an operation mode in which a translation is registered in the translation database 20, and no search of the translation database 20 or translation of the input original is performed. For example, when the final bilingual translation obtained by post-editing only the translation is stored in the bilingual database 21, the processing time is shorter in the “translation input mode” than in the “example translation mode” accompanied by a search operation. So practical.

FIG. 19 shows the entire processing of the system according to the third embodiment. The same and corresponding steps as those in FIG. 6 described above are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In the third embodiment, in the operation mode determination step 302a, it is determined which of the three types of modes is in. In the case of the "normal translation mode", the processing after step 121 is performed as in the first embodiment.
In the case of the "example translation mode", the processing after step 103 is performed as in the first embodiment.

In the case of the "translation input mode", the processing after step 117 is performed. That is, an update command including the input original sentence and the translation sentence is immediately created and transmitted to the bilingual database device 21 to execute the update (input). In the presenting process of the user (step 1
In 23a), the translation result is presented in the "normal translation mode" and the "example translation mode", and the "translation input mode"
Then, it shows that the registration has been completed.

According to the third embodiment, the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained. In addition to this,
According to the embodiment, since the "translation input mode" for simply registering (inputting) the translation in the translation database 20 is also provided, the usability of the user can be further improved.

(D) Fourth Embodiment Next, a fourth embodiment of the machine translation system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Here, FIG. 20 is a functional block diagram showing the fourth embodiment, and the same or corresponding parts as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The fourth embodiment is a system in which a document search device 30 is further connected to the network 22.

The document search device 30 includes a document storage means 33 for storing a document and a document search means 32 for extracting a predetermined document from the document storage means 33 in response to a request from an external device.
And a communication means 31 for establishing and disconnecting a link with an external device and transmitting and receiving information.

The machine translation apparatus 17 of the fourth embodiment is provided with a document search request means 34 for requesting the document search apparatus 30 to search for a document and receiving the returned document.
Upon receiving the search document, the document search request unit 34 inputs the received document to the input unit 11 in the “example translation mode”.

That is, in the fourth embodiment, the document search requesting means 34 responds to the search instruction by the document search device 3.
The document extracted from 0 is immediately input to the machine translation system to obtain a translation result. The input means 11 includes
Input can be made in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

According to the fourth embodiment, effects similar to those of the first embodiment can be obtained. In addition to this,
According to the embodiment, even if a document (a plurality of text blocks) desired to be translated exists in another device, the translation result of the document can be promptly translated without the user separately inputting a search instruction and a translation instruction. Can be obtained.

(E) Other Embodiments (1) In the above-described embodiment, a system in which “normal translation mode” and “example translation mode” are prepared, or “normal translation mode”, “example translation mode” and “example translation mode” A system that provides a "translation input mode" is shown.
A system having only the “example translation mode” may be used.

(2) In the above embodiment, the English-to-Japanese translation system has been described. However, it is needless to say that the system can be applied to a translation system between other two languages. There may be.

(3) In the above embodiment, one sentence is used as the unit of determination of input identity and the unit of update of the bilingual database. However, the same unit of input is used in units of a plurality of sentences (eg, paragraphs). Judgment (search) and update of the bilingual database may be performed.

For example, when translating a revised version of an operation manual in which most of the sentences translated in the past match those in the past, processing in such a large unit is preferable.

(4) The user dictionary ID may be any as long as the attribute of the user dictionary can be defined, and the temporal information is not limited to the version number, but may be an update date or a creation date.

A plurality of user dictionaries may be specified.
When a plurality of user dictionaries are specified, it is preferable that the condition of the identity of the user dictionaries be a case where the IDs of all the plurality of user dictionaries are equal.

(5) In the above embodiment, when the original sentence and the user dictionary ID are the same, but the translated sentence is different, the one registered in the bilingual database 20 as a different translation is shown. However, only one translation may be registered in the translation database 20. In this case, what is later input to the bilingual database device 21 is often subjected to post-editing processing or the like.
You only need to register that one. In this way, the translation time stamp in the translation management database 20b can be made unnecessary, and the storage capacity can be reduced.

For example, when registering the fifth record from the top in FIG. 12, the second record from the top in FIG. 12 is deleted. At this time, the second record from the top in FIG. 11 is also deleted.

(6) Further, a system may be used in which the bilingual database device 21 does not use the user dictionary ID for search processing and update processing.

(7) The option items of the machine translation function other than the user dictionary ID may be used for the search process and the update process in the bilingual database device 21 instead of or in addition to the user dictionary ID. For example, setting item information indicating whether or not to translate “you” into “you” in an English-language operation manual may be incorporated into the bilingual database 20 and used for search processing and update processing in the bilingual database device 21. .

(8) The structure of the original sentence database and the translated sentence database is not limited to a tree structure. For example, an array using a hash key as an index can be used for the data structure.

(9) In a system having a “translation input mode”, a system in which an input in the “example translation mode” is not allowed to be a translation may be adopted.

(10) In the above embodiment, when the bilingual database 20 is updated, the
Although the search for "a" is executed again, if the same original text is registered when returning "no data" in the search result, the original text ID is also included in the search result, and the original text is included in the update command. An ID may be included to omit the search of the original sentence at the time of updating.

(11) In the above embodiment, when updating is required, the translation is presented to the user after the update is completed. However, the user's presentation process may be performed first. . In this case, a message asking the user whether or not to execute the update may be displayed on the screen presented to the user, and the user may be allowed to select whether or not to execute the update. Further, even when a translated sentence is presented to the user later, a message asking the user whether or not to execute the update may be displayed to allow the user to select whether or not to execute the update.

[0164]

As described above, according to the present invention, a bilingual database is provided to store previously translated bilingual data, and at the time of input, whether or not the bilingual data corresponding to the input is stored in the bilingual database. Depending on the result of the determination, the translation sent out from the bilingual database without performing the translation is presented, and the input translation, the input original text and its translated translation, and the instruction during translation are indicated. The information to be translated is registered in the bilingual database, so that even if the need to translate the same sentence occurs almost at the same time, it is possible to eliminate the waste of duplicate translation and to provide the user with a unified translation of the same sentence to the user. A machine translation system that can be presented can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a storage example (part 1) of an original text database according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a storage example (part 1) of a translated sentence database according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a storage example (part 1) of a bilingual management database according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a message exchanged between the two devices according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an entire process of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an input example (part 1) of the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of an output example (part 1) of the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of an input example (part 2) of the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an output example (2) of the first embodiment.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a storage example (part 2) of the translated sentence database of the first embodiment.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of a storage example (part 2) of the bilingual management database of the first embodiment.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of an input example (3) of the first embodiment.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a user dictionary according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of an output example (part 3) of the first embodiment.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of a storage example (part 1) of the original text database according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram of an example (part 1) of storing an original text database according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating an overall process according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing the overall processing of the third embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a functional block diagram of the fourth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

11: input means, 12: bilingual database search means (bilingual search request means), 13: translation means, 14: bilingual database update means (bilingual update request means), 15: output means, 16, 18 ... communication means, 17 ... Machine translation equipment, 19
... Translation database management means, 19a ... Command queue, 20 ... Translation database, 20a ... Translation database, 20b ... Translation management database, 20c ... Translation database, 21 ... Translation database device, 22 ... Network.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-2-118774 (JP, A) JP-A-4-160473 (JP, A) JP-A-62-241069 (JP, A) JP-A-6-241 103306 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 17/21-17/28 G06F 12/00-13/00

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A machine translation system in which one or more machine translation devices and a bilingual database device commonly provided in these machine translation devices are connected to a communication network, wherein each of the machine translation devices includes at least Input means for receiving an input including an original sentence; and providing a search instruction to the bilingual database apparatus as to whether a bilingual translation of the input fetched by the input means is stored in the bilingual database apparatus, and providing a search result from the bilingual database apparatus. Bilingual search request means for receiving and determining the necessity of translating the input original text; translating means for translating the input original text; bilingual information comprising the input original text and the input translated text; An update instruction including bilingual information composed of the translated original text and the translated text translated by the translation means is sent to the bilingual database device. And outputting, according to the search result and the input contents from the bilingual database device, a translation included in the search result or a translation translated by the translation means, according to the search result and the input content from the bilingual database device. An output means, wherein the bilingual database device stores a bilingual database, and a bilingual translation for an input taken in by the input means of the machine translation device in response to a search instruction from one of the machine translation devices. Is searched for whether or not it is stored in the bilingual database, returns a search result, and updates the bilingual database in response to an update instruction from any of the machine translators, and waits for a plurality of instructions. It manages in a queue, and in the case of contention of the same type of instruction, priority is given to the one that arrived first, and contention between the search instruction and the update instruction. Machine translation system, characterized in that it includes a translation database management means for giving priority to the update instruction. 2. The bilingual database management means according to claim 1, further comprising:
When replying to the machine translation device that issued the search instruction, the translation in the bilingual database relating to the search instruction is given the word “translating”, and the search for the search instruction yields the translation “under translation”. When the search instruction is inserted, the search instruction is reinserted to the back of the instruction queue, and when the update instruction including the bilingual translation corresponding to the “translated” is given, the bilingual database is updated. The machine translation system according to claim 1, wherein “under translation” is deleted while updating. 3. An operation mode of the machine translation device,
An example translation mode involving search and update of the bilingual database device and a normal translation mode for simply translating and outputting the input original text are provided. When the normal translation mode is instructed and the input is made, the input means 3. The machine translation system according to claim 1, wherein the translation unit translates the original sentence captured by the translation unit, and outputs the obtained translated sentence by the output unit. 4. 4. An operation mode of the machine translation device,
A bilingual input mode for registering the bilingual translation in the bilingual database is provided, and when the bilingual input mode is instructed and input is made, the bilingual update requesting means issues an update instruction including the bilingual information including the original text and the translated text fetched by the input means. The machine translation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the system is provided to the bilingual database device to update the bilingual database. 5. An input including user dictionary information,
The bilingual database stored in the bilingual database also includes the user dictionary information. When the bilingual database management unit searches in accordance with the search instruction, the combination of the original text or the bilingual sentence captured by the input unit matches the combination of the original text and the translated sentence. If the user dictionary information is different even if the corresponding bilingual translation exists in the bilingual database, a reply is sent indicating that the corresponding bilingual translation does not exist in the bilingual database.
5. The machine translation system according to any one of 4.