JPS6382548A - Electronic translator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To select a proper editing system according to an actual state such as an object, the difficulty, the length of a translation and to easily and efficiently carry out a post editing by selecting an automatic editing and another editing system. CONSTITUTION:An electronic translator is provided with an input device, a translation dictionary, a conversion processing means and a display device. A display controller displays an input sentence and a translated sentence in the display screen of the display device. When either one of the input sentence and the translated sentence is edited, the automatic editing means edits the other together therewith. Another editing means edits only one of the input sentence and the translated sentence. An editing system selecting means selects either one of the automatic editing and another editing.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] □Field of Industrial Application□ The present invention relates to an electronic translation device that performs machine translation, and particularly relates to post-editing.

□Prior art□ Today, for example, English-Japanese machine translation systems and Japanese-English machine translation systems are in practical use. This generally includes: - a translation dictionary that stores dictionary data for translation, a conversion processing means that converts an input sentence input from an input device such as a keyboard into a translated sentence using the dictionary data, and It is usual to include a display device that displays the input sentence and the translated sentence. r Nikkei Electronics・1983・8-29(m8
The overall picture is described in pages 249 to 292 of JP-A-29-29, and JP-A-59-95672; JP-A-59-21
4980. JP-A-59-165178, JP-A-58-4
Patent No. 0684 and the like disclose techniques related to machine translation.

Such a machine translation system, that is, an electronic translation device,
At present, it can be said that practical use is being attempted on the premise that humans will perform post-editing, and post-editing by humans can even be said to be indispensable. Therefore, the input sentence inputted by the input device and the target translated sentence are displayed side by side on the display screen of the display device, for example, on the left and right sides, and the input sentence and the translated sentence are displayed on the left and right sides of the screen. Many of them are designed to be able to be edited independently.

□Problem to be solved by the invention□ By the way, from the perspective of facilitating post-editing, if either the input text or the translated text is edited, the other will be automatically edited accordingly. It is expected that such a system will be desired, and that such a system will actually be developed in the field of information equipment.

However, while automatic editing may be convenient and advantageous in some cases, this is not always the case, and in some cases separate editing may be desired by the operator.

□Means for solving the problems□ The present invention has been made under these circumstances, and as shown in FIG. and an electronic translation device equipped with a display device, (1) display control means for displaying both the input sentence and the translated sentence on the display screen of the display device, and (2) editing of either the input sentence or the translated sentence. Automatic editing means that edits the other text accordingly; Separate editing means that edits only one of the input text and the translated text; and Editing method selection that selects between automatic editing and separate editing. The invention is characterized in that it is provided with means.

□Function and effect□ In this way, when the operator selects automatic editing using the editing method selection means, the automatic editing method is set, and when the operator selects separate editing, the separate editing method is set, and one device However, one of these two editing methods can be selected alternatively. Therefore, by appropriately selecting the editing method that is considered more appropriate depending on the actual situation such as the subject of translation, difficulty, length, etc., post-editing can be done easily and efficiently in each case where the situation is different. It can be done.

□Embodiment - Next, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an electronic translation device having the functions of a word processor (hereinafter referred to as word processor) will be described with reference to the drawings.

The device shown in FIG. 2 has an integrated structure including a keyboard 2 and a printer 4, and a large liquid crystal display (hereinafter referred to as
(simply referred to as a display). The keyboard 2 includes character keys 20 necessary for writing sentences, as well as insert keys 22. Delete key 24. Print key 2
6. Cursor movement key 28. Release key 30. Run key (
new line key) 32. Translation key 34. Separate editing key 36° Automatic editing key 382 Screen right designation key 40. Screen left designation key 42. &I collection mode release key 44. Akebonoshu end key 46
Various keys are provided.

As shown in FIG. 3, the control circuit of this device includes a central processing unit (CPU) 50. Program memory 52. Work memory 54. Text memory 56, character generator 58. Keyboard driver 62. Printer driver 64. It includes a display controller 66 and a common path line 68 that connects them, and these mainly constitute a control circuit for a word processor. Above keyboard 2
is connected to a keyboard driver 62, and data input by operating the various keys on the keyboard 2 is supplied to a work memory 54 and a text memory 56, while a character generator The pattern data representing each character from 58 is sent to the printer driver 64. The display controller 66 is supplied to the printer 4. Activate each display 6.

A translation dictionary 70° translation processing device 72 and a RAM (random access memory) 74 are further connected to the common path line 68, and a CPU 50, a program memory 52. By utilizing many parts of the word processor control circuit, such as the character generator 58, the control circuit for the electronic translation device is constructed together with these parts.

The translation dictionary 70 stores a predetermined number of Japanese words and English words corresponding to their meanings in association with each other, as well as part-of-speech information and grammatical rules necessary for translation.

Memorizes semantic rules, etc. Further, the translation processing device 72 uses the part-of-speech information 2 grammar rules, etc., and the CPU 50
With the help of
It is used to create translated sentences (target language). The translation method is the so-called syntactic direct method mentioned above, or the transfer method, which converts the source language into its intermediate representation, converts it into the intermediate representation of the target language, and then generates a translated sentence, or furthermore, converts the input sentence into the language. By converting into an independent universal meaning expression (pivot language) and then generating a translated sentence in the target language, various known translation methods such as the pot method can be employed. The translated text generated by the translation processing device 72 is then patterned by the character generator 58 and displayed on the display 6 by being supplied to the display controller 66, after which post-editing is performed as necessary. .

In addition, the RAM 74 includes memory areas for a separate editing mode flag register 76 and an automatic editing mode flag register 78 in order to set one of two types of editing methods in post-editing. Edit flag register 809 includes an edit flag register 82 on the left side of the screen.

The word processing, translation, and post-editing processes are performed by the CPU 50 executing programs stored in the program memory 52 with the help of the work memory 54.

Regarding the program, FIG. 4 shows a flowchart mainly consisting of a post-editing program that is closely related to the present invention.

First, step Sl (hereinafter simply referred to as 31).

The other steps are also initialized in the same manner), and enter the state of waiting for key human power in S2. For example, when a sentence in English is inputted manually, S2. S3゜S4. S5. S6
．． As another key process in S8 after passing through S7, the input English sentence is displayed in the display area on the left side with respect to the center line of the display screen of the display 6.

After that, when the translation key 34 is pressed, the judgment in S5 is YES.
It becomes S and moves to SIO, where it is determined whether the input sentence can be translated. In other words, it is determined whether the translated word data necessary for the translation is stored in the translation dictionary 7o. If the determination is NO, an alarm process such as a buzzer is executed in S13, and in S14
A message to the effect that translation is not possible is displayed on the display 6.

If the determination is YES, Sll is executed in which the translation processing device 72 generates a translated sentence as described above, and 312 is executed in which the translated sentence is displayed in the right display area of the display screen of the display 6. Ru. As a result, the input sentence is displayed on the left side of the display screen of the display 6, and the translated sentence is displayed on the right side.

Here, when the separate edit key 36 is pressed, the determination in S6 is Y.
It becomes ES, and the process moves to S20. In this S20, it is determined whether or not the translation has been completed, but since the translation process has already been performed in S11, the determination is YES and 321 is executed, and the separate editing mode flag register 76 of the RAM 74
flag is set to set separate editing mode.

Note that if the separate edit key 36 is pressed before the translation has been completed, the alarm process 322 is executed.

When the separate editing mode is set, the input sentence displayed in the left area of the display screen of the display 6 and the translated sentence displayed in the right area can be edited separately. That is, when the right side designation key 40 of the screen is pressed to edit a translated text while the separate editing mode is set, S3. S25. S2 after S26
7 is executed, a flag is set in the screen right side edit flag register 80 of the RAM 74, and the right side (translated text) of the display screen becomes editable. Further, when the left side designation key 42 on the screen is pressed to edit the input sentence, the judgment in S28 becomes YES, 329 is executed, and the RAM 74 is
A flag is set in the screen left side edit flag register 82, and the left side (input sentence) of the display screen becomes editable.

When a key operation for editing is performed after 327 or S29 is executed in this way, it is determined in S30 whether the key is valid in the separate editing mode. The keys that are valid in the separate editing mode are the insert key 22. A delete key 24, a cursor movement key 28,
Character key 20 after operating these 4 keys. These include an execution key 32, a release key 30, and the like. If it is one of these keys, the determination at S30 will be YES/S. Further, if it is determined in S31 that editing is to be done on the right side of the screen, then S32 is executed to perform editing processing such as correction, insertion, deletion, etc. on the right side of the display screen (translated text); (Input sentence) S34 is executed to perform similar editing processing. Note that if an ineffective key is operated in the separate editing mode, an alarm process of S33 is performed. Then, when the edit mode release key 44 is pressed, the determination in S25 becomes YES, and in S35 the separate edit mode flag register 76
flag is cleared and separate editing mode is canceled.

On the other hand, when the automatic editing key 38 is pressed after the translated text is generated and displayed in 311 and S12, S
The judgment in step 7 is YES. Furthermore, S41 is executed via S40, a flag is set in the automatic editing mode flag register 78 of the RAM 74, and the automatic editing mode is set.

For example, when a key operation is performed to edit an input sentence displayed on the left side of the display screen while the automatic editing mode is set, S2.33.34. S4
4. The process moves to S46 via S45, and it is determined whether the key is valid in the automatic editing mode. The keys that are valid in the automatic editing mode are the same as the keys that are valid in the above-mentioned separate editing mode. If the key is not valid, alarm processing is performed in S48, but if the key is valid, such as insert key 22 or delete key 24, in S47,
Editing processing such as correction, insertion, and deletion of the input sentence is executed and displayed on the display 6.

Next, when the editing end key 46 is pressed, the contents of the edit in S47 are determined, and the process proceeds to S50, where it is determined whether the input sentence can be translated with the determined contents of the edit. If it is determined that the input sentence can be translated, S51 is executed in which the translation processing device 72 takes the initiative in translating the input sentence again. In other words, since there is a risk of incorrect translation if only the edited portion is partially analyzed, the entire edited input sentence is parsed and retranslated from the beginning. The translated text obtained in this manner is displayed in the right area of the display screen of the display 6 by executing S52. As a result, the translated text is automatically edited along with the editing of the input text. Note that if it is determined in S50 that the edited input sentence cannot be translated, an alarm process in S13 and a display indicating that translation is not possible in 314 are performed. Further, when the edit mode release key 44 is pressed, the judgment in S44 becomes YES and 353 is executed.
The flag in the automatic editing mode flag register 78 is cleared and the automatic editing mode is canceled.

As is clear from the above description, in this embodiment, the keyboard 2 constitutes an input device, the liquid crystal display 6 constitutes a display device, and the translation processing device 72 and CPU 50 use the translation dictionary 70 to read input sentences. It constitutes a conversion processing means for converting into a translated text.

Further, in the program memory 52, a memory area that stores steps for displaying input sentences on the left side of the display screen and translated sentences on the right side, and the CPU 50 that executes the steps constitute display control means. ing. moreover,
A memory area M in the program memory 52 that stores the steps in the separate editing mode shown in FIG. The memory area that stores the information and the CPU 50 that executes it constitute automatic editing means. The separate editing key 36, the automatic editing key 38, the separate editing mode flag register 6, and the automatic editing mode flag register 78 constitute editing method selection means.

In addition, in 351 of FIG. 4, instead of retranslating the entire translated sentence (total translation) in response to partial editing of the input sentence, only the edited part of the input sentence is newly translated or retranslated. (Partial translation) may be used to automatically edit the translated text. In addition, after automatically editing a translated text using partial translation, if the content of the automatically edited translated text is not appropriate as a whole, the operator can perform a predetermined key operation such as the retranslation (whole translation) key. You can also create a program to perform a full translation based on what you want to do.

Further, the translated text is not limited to being automatically edited by editing the input text, but the input text can also be automatically edited in conjunction with editing the translated text.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case of translating from English to Japanese was taken as an example, but the present invention can also be applied to the case of translating from Japanese to English. It can be applied to translation between languages.

Although not mentioned in detail, the present invention can be implemented with various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a word processor/electronic translation device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing its control circuit. FIG. 4 is a flowchart mainly showing post-editing programs that are closely related to the present invention among the programs stored in the program memory. 2: Keyboard 6: Liquid crystal display 34: Translation key 36: Separate editing key 38: Automatic editing key 40: Screen right side specification key 42: Screen left side specification key 44: Edit mode release key 46: Edit end key 50: Central processing unit ( CPU) 52 Niprogram memory

Claims (1)

[Claims] A translation dictionary that stores dictionary data for translation, a conversion processing means that converts an input sentence input from an input device into a translated sentence using the dictionary data, and the input sentence and the translation. In an electronic translation device equipped with a display device that displays a sentence, a display control means for displaying both the input sentence and the translated sentence on the display screen of the display device, and either the input sentence or the translated sentence. automatic editing means that edits the other when one is edited; separate editing means that edits only one of the input sentence and the translated sentence; and a selection between the automatic editing and the separate editing. An electronic translation device comprising an editing method selection means.