JPS6334500B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for inputting Japanese text containing kanji into a computer or other data processing device.

The demand for inputting kanji into computers and other data processing devices is increasing day by day, and many input devices and input methods for this purpose are already known. However, the development of input devices has lagged far behind that of kanji output devices, and the current state is that full character arrangement systems such as kanji keyboards, kanji tablets, and Japanese types are still the mainstream. To operate this type of input device, the positions of all characters arranged two-dimensionally must be memorized, and considerable skill is required.

In addition to the full character arrangement method, there is also a kanji input method using a kana keyboard. One of them is Lineup.
In this system, each kanji is coded using two to four kana characters, and the code is input from a kana keyboard. This also requires considerable skill as you have to memorize the code.

In addition to the method using a kana keyboard, there is a method in which the reading of an onkun is inputted from the kana keyboard, the homophones corresponding to the reading are obtained through kana-kanji conversion, and the desired kanji is selected from among them. This method is excellent in that it can be operated easily without training, but since kanji have a large number of homophones, it takes time to select the appropriate kanji, and the input speed is slow.

An object of the present invention is to provide an input device for Japanese sentences containing kanji that can be easily operated by anyone and has a high input speed.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to Examples.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention. Each component will be explained below.

Keyboard device (1) Equipped with kana keys, numeric keys, kanji designation keys, hiragana shift keys, katakana shift keys, mode switching key, and end key.

Kanaki is used to input the reading of Japanese sentences in kana.

The numeric keys are used to select homophonic kanji or idioms.

The kanji specification key is used to specify the kanji part by inputting it before and after the kanji part when inputting the reading of a Japanese sentence in kana.

The hiragana shift key is used when inputting hiragana in Japanese sentences. If you press this key, all subsequent input using the kana keys will be in hiragana.

The Katakana shift key is used when inputting Katakana characters in Japanese sentences. If you press this key, all subsequent input using the kana keys will be in katakana.

The mode switching key is used to switch from the mode where the reading is input in kana to the display selection mode where the input sentence is displayed and the homophone is selected, and vice versa, to switch from the display selection mode to the mode where the reading is input in kana. used for.

The end key is used to indicate that the selection of all the displayed homophonic and different types of kanji or idioms has been completed. When you press this key, the homophone-like kanji or compound word will be displayed for the next sentence.

Character display device (2) Displays character patterns generated from a character pattern generation device described later. CRT,
A display device such as plasma is used.

Character pattern generation device (3) A ROM or the like is used to generate character patterns to be displayed by a character display device.

Page memory (4) The reading of the Japanese text input from the keyboard device expressed as a kana character string, the kanji and compound words corresponding to the reading specified by the kanji specification key, and the selected and confirmed kanji. Accommodates mixed sentences. core memory, IC memory,
CCD memory etc. are used.

External storage device (5) Stores a conversion table (hereinafter referred to as a kana-kanji conversion table) between readings and the corresponding kanji and compound words. core memory,
IC memory, magnetic disks, magnetic drums, etc. are used. The above kana-kanji conversion table contains usage order information (information about the order in which they were used in inputting Japanese sentences up to that point) for kanji and idioms that correspond to their readings, as well as kanji and idioms with different homophones. . In this embodiment, use order information is provided in the table by arranging the items in order from the one used most recently.

The exchange of signals between the above devices is controlled by a controller 6. A minicomputer, microprocessor, etc. is used as the controller. In addition, a write circuit 7, a search circuit 8, a read circuit 9, a table update circuit 10, and a comparison circuit 11 are provided. The functions of these circuits can also be provided to minicomputers, microcomputers, etc.

Input of Japanese sentences is performed as follows using the apparatus of the present invention having the above configuration.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the work procedure performed by the operator when inputting Japanese text using the apparatus of the present invention.

First, the operator uses the kana keys on the keyboard to input Japanese text according to its pronunciation. However, the reading part of the kanji is distinguished from others by the kanji specification key. When the kana reading of several lines to one page of Japanese text is completed, the mode change key is pressed to enter the display selection mode. As a result, the reading of the input Japanese text is displayed in kana for one line. At the same time, for the part of the kana designated as the reading of the kanji, the kanji or compound words with that reading are displayed in a line below the kana character. The operator selects and specifies one of the displayed kanji strings or phrase strings by operating the numeric keys. When you have finished selecting and specifying one line of text, press the end key. The above operation is continued until all kanji and idioms are determined for the reading of the input Japanese sentence. After all kanji and idioms have been determined, press the mode switch key to switch to kana reading mode and enter the reading of a new sentence in kana.

Next, the operation of this input device will be explained using FIG. 1.

When the operator inputs the pronunciation of a Japanese sentence in kana from the keyboard 1, the apparatus of the present invention performs the next step.

Step 1 The writing circuit 7 writes the kana input from the keyboard 1 into the page memory 4. When a kana corresponding to the pronunciation of a kanji or compound word is input (the part corresponding to the pronunciation of a kanji or compound word is detected by inputting the kanji specification key), the search circuit 8 searches the kana-kanji conversion table in the external storage device 5. is searched, the homophone and different kanji or compound words with that reading are retrieved, and this is written into the circuit 7.
writes to page memory 4. The state of writing to the page memory 4 is shown in FIG. 6a. This type of data format is known, for example, from Tatsuro Takahashi's ``Japanese Language Machine Processing'' (published April 20, 1971). In FIG. 6a, by inputting the kanji designation key, the pronunciation corresponding to the kanji or compound word and the kanji or compound word that is the search result are written in order, surrounded by control codes [,]. The readings, kanji, and idioms are separated by /, and if there are kanji or idioms with the same sound, they are separated by spaces. Further, kana characters without kanji designation are written into the page memory 4 as they are.

When the operator presses the mode change key on the keyboard after inputting the pronunciation of several lines or one page of Japanese text, the process moves to the next step.

Step 2 The reading circuit 9 reads out from the page memory 4 a kana indicating the pronunciation of one line of Japanese text, and correspondingly up to six kanji or compound words written in step 1 from those used at a nearby point in time. It is sent to the display device 2. Here, a predetermined number of kanji and idioms with the same sounds and different types in the page memory 4 can be read out by counting the number of spaces after /.

Step 3 The display device 2 displays the sent kana in one line, and displays the sent kanji or compound words in a line below the kana indicating their pronunciation. The pattern of each character to be displayed at this time is supplied from the character pattern generator 3.

The operator reads the displayed Japanese text and confirms the input results, and at the same time selects a number from among the strings of kanji or phrases with homophones and idioms where multiple candidates for one reading are displayed as described above. Select by operating the keys. Selection specifications are executed in order from the beginning of the sentence, and in the case of horizontal writing display, selections are made in order from the leftmost kanji or phrase string to the right.

Step 4: To designate a selection, the top of the candidate kanji string or phrase string is assigned number 1, increasing numbers are assigned toward the bottom, and this number is input by specifying it with the numeric keys. When this input is given, the device of the present invention compares the selection number with 0 in the comparator circuit 11. The selection number 0 rejects the selection from the displayed group of selected candidates and requests the display of the next group of selected candidates.Therefore, compare the selection number with 0 and specify if it is 0. The item with the specified number will be redisplayed at the top position, and all other items will be deleted. Write circuit 7 is page memory 4
Among the kanji or phrases with the same sounds and different types prepared in advance in step 1, only those that have received the selection designation are left and the others are deleted. In other words, the writing circuit 7 counts the number of spaces corresponding to the selection number for the same-sounding and different kanji or compound words in the page memory 4, and specifies the one that has been selected. Then, as shown in FIG. 6b, other candidates are deleted and the identified candidate is moved immediately after /. Also, the data strings that follow are also filled. Further, the table updating circuit 10 repositions the one corresponding to the selected number to the front of the list of homophone-different kanji or compound words in the kana-kanji conversion table. If the selection number is 0, as mentioned above, it is a request to display the next group of candidates, so the readout circuit 9 reads from the page memory 4 the homophone and dissimilar kanji or compound words that have not yet been displayed, based on those that have been used in the near future. A maximum of six items are read out, the display device displays them in a line, and the operation in step 4 is repeated.

After completing the selection operation for one line of the displayed Japanese text, the operator presses the end key on keyboard 1. Repeat the operation from step 2 for the next line.

After completing the above-mentioned processing for inputting kana readings of Japanese sentences from several lines to one page, the operator presses the mode change key to switch to the mode for inputting Japanese sentences with reading kana keys, that is, the step mode. Able to read operations starting from 1.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a display in the display selection mode. On the first line, one line of text containing kanji characters obtained by selecting in step 4 in the previous display is displayed. In the 9th line,
The next display displays the reading of one line of text for which selection processing is performed. These displays are for understanding the context of the text.

In the second line, only the pronunciations of the kanji or compound words of the sentence that will now undergo selection processing are displayed.
Kanji or compound words corresponding to these readings are displayed in a vertical line from the 3rd line to the 8th line below each reading. The third line also displays kana (katakana, katakana) other than those input as the readings of kanji or compound words.

The underline below the reading of the kanji or compound word on the second line is a cursor 12 that indicates to the operator the kanji string or compound word string to be selected. Move to the desired reading position). In other words, in step 2, the readout circuit 9
When reading from the page memory 4, FIG.
As shown in , there are multiple kanji and compound words (surrounded by control codes [ ] with spaces inside/after them) that contain homophones, and the first one written (the one that should be selected first) Kimono)
Place the cursor pointer 13 on the reading part.
Therefore, when the reading circuit 9 sends kana and kanji or compound words from the page memory 4 to the display device 2, it also sends a cursor display request for the pronunciation of two characters of "Iji". The display device 2 refers to a display memory (not shown), detects the display coordinates of "Iji", and displays a cursor there as shown in FIG.

The operator looks at this screen and if there is a desired kanji string or compound word string pointed to by the cursor 12, press 1,
Press the numeric keys 2 to 6 to make your selection. FIG. 3 shows a scene in which a selection is made from a string of phrases for ``ji''. The operator enters the number 4. Then, as shown in Figure 4, "different characters"
is displayed on the third line, the others disappear, and cursor 1
2 moves under "go". That is, after inputting the selection number, the reading circuit 9 searches the page memory 4 for the first control code [ ] after the current cursor pointer, and checks whether there is any space within or after it. If this is satisfied, the cursor pointer is moved to the reading immediately after the control code [. If not, search for a control code further back. In response to the reading of the cursor pointer thus moved, a cursor display request is sent to the display device 2 again. In FIG. 6b, the cursor pointer 13 has been moved to "go", which should be selected next, after "I" has been selected. The operator looks at the screen shown in FIG. 4 and inputs the number 0 because the desired kanji does not exist in the kanji string corresponding to "go". Then the fifth
A new kanji string will be displayed as shown. Since the desired kanji "word" exists in the kanji string, the number 4 corresponding to it is input. After one line of Japanese text has been processed as described above, by pressing the end key, processing moves to the reading of the one line of text displayed on the ninth line.

In the above display, the sentences are displayed horizontally and the kanji and phrases with different homophones are displayed vertically, but the sentences may be displayed vertically and the kanji and phrases with different homophones are displayed horizontally.

As mentioned above, the input device of the present invention arranges and displays homophonic and dissimilar kanji and idioms in the order in which they were input at the closest point in time, so as the person uses the device, the kanji and idioms that are easier to use will be ranked higher. , Kanji and phrases that are difficult to use will be displayed at a lower level. This makes selection easier and increases input speed.

In addition, by operating the mode switching key, the operator can switch to the display selection mode at any time and select kanji or phrases with the same or different sounds, thereby speeding up the process by dividing the work. Furthermore, when displaying kanji and idioms with different homophones in several parts, the kanji and idioms that are used most recently are displayed first, so as you use this input device, the kanji and idioms that are more likely to be used will be displayed. Kanji and phrases that are difficult to use on earlier screens are displayed on later screens, making selection easier and speeding up input.

Furthermore, as the input device is used, it becomes more suited to the particularities of the site where it is used.

The same kanji or compound words are often used multiple times in a single manuscript. In such a case, the selected kanji or compound words are preferentially displayed at the top the next time they are displayed, so selection is easy.

Since the way kanji and idioms are used differs greatly depending on the field, input speed can be further increased by having kanji and idioms with similar sounds and idioms used in different fields, and changing the display order depending on the field.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart of its operating procedure, FIGS. 3 to 5 are schematic diagrams of display screens illustrating the selection state of homophones, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing how information is written in a page memory. 1...Keyboard device, 2...Character display device, 3...
Character pattern generator, 4...Page memory, 5
...External storage device, 6...Controller, 7...
Write circuit, 8... Search circuit, 9... Read circuit, 10... Table update circuit, 11... Comparison circuit, 12... Cursor.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A keyboard having a kana key for inputting Japanese sentences according to their pronunciation, a selection key for selecting and specifying one from homophones and different kanji or compound words, and a mode switching key. , a table containing kanji or compound words corresponding to their pronunciations, and when an input mode is specified by the mode switching key, searches the table in accordance with the kana code input by the kana key and corresponds to the pronunciation. a table search means for outputting kanji or compound words; a page memory for accommodating the contents from the kana key and the table search means; and the pronunciation input from the kana key and homophone heterogeneous candidates searched by the table search means. a writing means for writing kanji or phrases, including kanji or phrases, into the page memory in association with each other; a display section for displaying the contents of the page memory; and when a display selection mode is specified by the mode switching key, the page memory reading means for supplying and displaying the content stored in the display section and displaying a cursor at a position corresponding to a kanji or compound word that has a candidate for a homophone variant, and one of the candidates for a homophone variant is selected as the selected one. When a selection is specified by inputting a key, the writing means deletes the other candidates from the page memory leaving only the one for which selection was specified, and the reading means erases the kanji or compound word with the candidate to be selected next. A Japanese text input device characterized in that the cursor is moved to a position corresponding to the cursor.