US 4,544,276 AGranted

Method and apparatus for typing Japanese text using multiple systems

AssigneeCornell Research Foundation, Inc.

InventorRichard A. Horodeck

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A method and apparatus for typing Japanese text is disclosed. The method is characterized by operator manipulation of a keyboard to produce input signals to a microprocessor. The input signals are in the form of kana, English alphabet, numerals, and punctuation, as well as delimiting signals which may be used in combination with kana input to produce corresponding text material in kanji. The microprocessor is responsive to combinations of the kana input signals and delimiting code signals to produce adjusting outputs which call up from memory signals which produce the desired kanji output. A CRT display is provided for displaying keyboard signals and, when called for, kanji symbols from memory. Where it is desired to type kanji symbols which cannot be called up by the operator through the use of kana and delimiting coding signals, alternative procedures using word analysis and graphic inputs are provided.

Claims13

Dependent claims

Apparatus for typing Japanese text material which incorporates hiragana, katakana, kanji and English alphabet syllabaries, comprising:

a hiragana keyboard having plural keys selectively mapped in hiragana, katakana and English alphabet syllabaries, said keyboard producing kana identifier signals corresponding to selected keys in said hiragana or katakana mapping;
function shift means for selectively changing the mapping of said keyboard to shift between hiragana, katakana and English alphabet mapping;
at least three delimiter signal means on said keyboard producing delimiter signals for use in automatic solution of ambiguities;
selector keys on said keyboard for manual resolution of ambiguities;
memory means including selected kanji symbols and lists of selected kanji symbols retrievable by address signals;
microprocesor means connected to said keyboard and to said memory means and responsive to specified sequences of kana identifier signals and delimiter signals from said keyboard to produce address signals, said address signals calling up from said memory means corresponding kanji symbols or lists of symbols, said microprocessor means being further responsive to specified kana identifier signals alone to produce corresponding kana outputs;
and
display means responsive to said kana outputs to produce a text display of the kana corresponding thereto, and being further responsive to said microprocessor to display said kanji symbols or lists of symbols called up from said memory means, said delimiter signals providing automatic disambiguation of lists of kanji symbols corresponding to said input kana identifier signals from said keyboard and
said selector keys on said keyboard providing manual disambiguation of lists of kanji symbols.

6 more elements

A method of typing Japanese text material in hiragana, katakana, English alphabet and kanji syllabaries from a keyboard connected through a microprocessor to an addressable memory and to a display, the keyboard having kana keys, means for changing the mapping of the kana keys, and a plurality of delimiter keys, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of kanji symbols in said memory;
selecting a desired mapping for said kana keys;
selectively operating a plurality of said kana keys to produce a plurality of kana input signals;
selectively operating one or more of said delimiter keys to produce conversion, add function and terminal function delimiter input signals;
processing kana input signals to produce kana output signals;
processing combinations of kana input signals and delimiter input signals to produce addressing output signals wherein
(a) successive conversion delimiter input signals are operable to delineate kana input signals which are to be converted to corresponding kanji symbols;
(b) said add function delimiter input signals are operable to identify kana input signals which correspond to kanji compounds;
and
(c) said terminal function delimiter input signals are operable to identify kana input signals which correspond to kanji suffixes;
addressing said memory with said addressing output signals to produce kanji output signals from said memory corresponding with the addressed kanji symbols stored therein;
and
displaying kana and kanji symbols in response to said kana and kanji output signals, respectively.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.