Patent ID: 6505157
Filing Date: 2003-01-07
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
Processing apparatus for generating data in a processor usable form from input data in the form of units in a natural language in which the units are of a plurality of different categories, the processing apparatus comprising:data unit generating means for categorizing units of input data into respective categories to generate processor usable data units comprising unit data and corresponding unit category data, said data units comprising one of a group consisting of words, lexical units and semantic units and said unit category data comprising one of a group consisting of parts of speech, words and lexical features; and a cascaded plurality of finite state matching means, each of said finite state matching means being configured in accordance with grammar rules for the natural language, a first of said cascaded plurality of finite state matching means being operable to match said unit category data with at least one predetermined pattern of unit category data and to output group category data for any said unit category data found to match said at least one predetermined pattern of unit category data, the or each other said finite state matching means of the cascade being operable to use any unmatched unit category data and said group category data from at least one previous said finite state matching means of the cascade in place of matched category data to match said unit and/or group category data with at least one predetermined pattern of unit and/or group category data and to output new group category data for any unit and/or group category data found to match said at least one predetermined pattern of unit and/or category data; wherein at least one of said finite state matching means is operable to output said unit data corresponding to matched unit category data as a plurality of variables, at least one said variable being indexed by another said variable.