# US 4,393,460 A · Simultaneous electronic translation device

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- Number: US 4,393,460 A
- Document ID: US4393460A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/186,610
- Filed: 1980-09-12
- Granted: 1983-07-12
- Earliest claimed: 1979-09-14
- Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Sigeaki Masuzawa; Yoshiro Kihara
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4393460A

## CPC

- G06F 40/58: Use of machine translation, e.g. for multi-lingual retrieval, for server-side translation for client devices or for real-time translation
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

An electronic translator which provides a translated word corresponding to an input word comprises at least one kind of input device for entering an input word and a plurality of output devices selectively actuated. Preferably, the input device consists of a voice-responsive circuit or a reader and the output devices comprise a voice synthesizer or a printer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electronic dictionary and language interpreter device wherein first words represented in a first language selected from a plurality of languages are entered to obtain second words represented in a second language selected from the plurality of languages, said second words being equivalent to the first words, said device comprising:
selection means for selecting the first language and the second language;
reader means for reading the first words and for entering the first words in the first language;
recognizing means responsive to said reader means for recognizing the first words;
translation means responsive to the recognizing means for translating the first words into the second words in the second language;
output means responsive to the translation means for providing the second words, the output means comprising a plurality of output devices; and
switching means actuated to select at least one of the plurality of output devices within the output means and to permit said output means to develop the second words.

### Claim 2

An electronic dictionary and language interpreter device wherein first words represented in a first language selected from a plurality of languages are entered to obtain second words represented in a second language selected from a plurality of languages, said second words being equivalent to the first words, said device comprising:
selection means for selecting the first language and the second language;
voice responsive means for verbally receiving the first words and for entering the first words in the first language;
recognizing means responsive to said voice-responsive means for recognizing the first words;
translation means responsive to the recognizing means for translating the first words into the second words in the second language;
output means responsive to the translation means for providing the second words, the output means comprising a plurality of output devices; and
switching means actuated to select at least one of the plurality of output devices within the output means and to permit said output means to develop the second words.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2, further comprising reader means for reading the first words and for entering the first words, said recognizing means being selectively responsive to said reader means.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1, 2)

The device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of output devices comprises a printer means for printing the second words and a voice synthesizer means for verbally providing the second words.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1, 2)

The device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of output devices comprises a printer means for printing the second words and a display means for displaying the second words.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1, 2)

The device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of output devices comprises a voice synthesizer means for verbally providing the second words and a display means for displaying the second words.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1, 2)

The device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of output devices comprises a printer means for printing the second words, a voice synthesizer means for verballly providing the second words, and a display means for displaying the second words.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1, 2)

The device of claim 1 or 2, wherein said first words are entered in sequence, said sequence being divided into a plurality of intervals, the translation means comprising:
first memory means responsive to the recognizing means for storing the first words entered;
second memory means for storing a coefficient of importance related to each interval of the entered first words;
frequency detecting means associated with said second memory means for detecting the frequency of occurrence of at least one selected entered first word;
modifying means for modifying the coefficient of importance related to each interval based upon the frequency of occurrence of the at least one selected word within each respective interval;
means associated with said modifying means for calculating the probability of occurrence of the at least one selected word in at least two contexts, said selected word having a different meaning in each context; and
means responsive to the calculating means for determining the meaning of the at least one selected word by comparing the respective probabilities of occurrence of the at least one selected word with that calculated by the calculating means.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1, 2)

The device of claim 1 or 2 further comprising means responsive to the frequency of occurrence of at least one first word for determining which second word is equivalent to said at least one first word.