Abstract:
A single word and multi-word term integrating system and a method thereof are disclosed, wherein a user uses an input unit to continuously input pinying codes for the system to find combinations of the pinying codes to provide word candidates for the user to choose, wherein the word candidates can be combined into a phrase or a sentence; when the inputted pinying codes are too long or incomplete, there might be a false prediction of a word or a sentence due to an incorrect combination of pinying codes; consequently, the system forcibly determines the pinying codes to be regarded as a single word and does not combine them with the follow-up pinying codes; then the system uses a full sentence prediction result display unit for the user to choose a correct word, thereby improving prediction accuracy.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention provides a single word and multi-word term integrating system and a method thereof for quickly modifying false predictions of input method editors (IME) for Chinese, English or other languages and for improving prediction accuracy. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    As mobile devices prevail, it is more often for users to use mobile devices to input texts to desired applications; therefore, various input method editor (IME) have been developed to help users improve their input speed. 
         [0005]    For example, many Chinese IMEs are based on pronunciations, such as Zuyin (which uses phonetic symbols), wherein one phonetic symbol corresponds to one key. When the user wants to input a word, he/she can input the phonetic symbols according to phonetic order of the word. The advantages of using phonetic symbols are that the user doesn&#39;t need to know the radicals for a specific word and can input the phonetic symbols as long as he/she can pronounce the word, thereby providing an easy and simple input mechanism; however, the disadvantages are that the user cannot input a word which he/she doesn&#39;t know how to pronounce, there could be many homophones for each word, making it time consuming in choosing a correct word. Therefore, an IME using first few codes of the Zuyin IME has been proposed to solve the above problems; however, there could be too many word candidates (maybe pages of words) generated during the inputting process if fewer inputted codes are inputted, making it also time consuming in choosing a correct word. 
         [0006]    In order to solve the problem, a new IME based on Pinying, which is called Intelligent IME, has been proposed, in which the pronunciation of a Chinese word (or character) is corresponded with an English letter with a similar pronunciation; therefore, the user inputs a sentence by using one letter to correspond to one word, while a string of letters represents the sentence. Thereafter, the system automatically determines the sentence by using these inputted letters. However, the system often fails to identify a single word and provides incorrect combination of words since a Chinese sentence is consisted of single words and multi-word terms; therefore, it could take more time for the user to choose the correct words from the word candidates. 
         [0007]    In view of the deficiencies of the prior art techniques, after years of constant researches, the inventor has successfully proposed a single word and multi-word term integrating system and a method thereof in the present invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a single word and multi-word term integrating system and a method thereof, which can predict certain pinying codes to be regarded as a single word and not to combine them with follow-up pinying codes, thereby reducing the probability of misprediction. 
         [0009]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a single word and multi-word term integrating system and a method thereof, when the system determines certain pinying codes to be regarded as a single word, it moves a select cursor to the position between the certain pinying codes and its follow-up pinying codes to provide a fast way for the user to choose the desired word or phrase. 
         [0010]    In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention discloses a single word and multi-word term integrating system and a method thereof, which mainly comprises an input unit having a keyboard or other software/hardware device worked as a substitute of the keyboard for a user to continuously input pinying codes, wherein the pinying codes could be first codes of words or complete pinying codes of a word, then the pinying codes are displayed in a pinying input display unit for the system to use a full sentence prediction unit to find combinations of the pinying codes and to predict corresponding words, which can be further combined into a specific phrase or a sentence to be shown in a full sentence prediction result display unit; when the user continuously inputs a string of pinying codes or incomplete pinying codes, the full sentence prediction unit could make incorrect prediction of the combination of pinying codes, at this time a single word prediction unit can be used to forcibly determine the inputted pinying codes to be regarded as a single word and not to combine the pinying codes of the single word with follow-up pinying codes, and then displays the single word in a single word prediction result display unit, while the follow-up pinying codes will be used by the full sentence prediction unit and the full sentence prediction result display unit for combining, predicting, and displaying the pinying codes; therefore, the user uses the input unit and the pinying input display unit to choose the correct word or phrase until a final sentence is done, wherein the final sentence is sent to a target, which can be an application or a software component for accepting text input. Therefore, the present invention can improve prediction accuracy and enhance input efficiency. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The drawings disclose an illustrative embodiment of the present invention which serves to exemplify the various advantages and objects hereof, and are as follows: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates a structural view of a single word and multi-word term integrating system in the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates a flowchart of a single word and multi-word term integrating method in the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3A  to  FIG. 3G  illustrate embodiment views of a single word and multi-word term integrating method in the present invention; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 4A  to  FIG. 4F  illustrate embodiment views of a single word and multi-word term integrating method using phonetic symbols in the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0016]    Please refer to  FIG. 1  for a structural view of a single word and multi-word term integrating system and a method thereof, which comprises: 
         [0017]    an input unit  11  for connecting with an input interface of a mobile communication device or other computer devices, the input unit  11  using a keyboard or other software/hardware device worked as a substitute of the keyboard for a user to continuously input pinying or zhuyin codes and display the input result on a pinying input display unit  12 ; 
         [0018]    a full sentence prediction unit  13  for combining the inputted pinying or zhuyin codes from the input unit  11  into a corresponding word, phrase or sentence; a full sentence prediction result display unit  14  displaying a result of the full sentence prediction unit for the user to verify and choose a correct word, phrase or sentence; 
         [0019]    a single word prediction unit  15 , while the full sentence prediction unit could make incorrect prediction of the combination of pinying or zhuying codes, at this time a single word prediction unit can be used to forcibly determine the inputted pinying codes to be regarded as a single word and to making it as a word candidate with high priority and not to combine the pinying codes of the single word with follow-up pinying codes, and then displays the single word in a single word prediction result display unit  16 , while the follow-up pinying codes will be used by the full sentence prediction unit  13  and the full sentence prediction result display unit  14  for combining, predicting, and displaying the pinying codes; therefore, the user can use the input unit  11  and the pinying input display unit  12  to choose the correct word or phrase until a final sentence is done; 
         [0020]    an output unit  17  displaying the chosen sentence to a target, which can be an application or a software component which can accept text input. 
         [0021]    Please refer to  FIG. 2  for a flowchart of a single word and multi-word term integrating method in the present invention, which comprises: 
         [0022]    Step  201 : inputting a part of pinying or zhuying codes of a sentence, or full pinying or zhuying codes of a sentence and displaying the inputted pinying or zhuying codes; 
         [0023]    Step  202 : finding combinations of the inputted pinying or zhuying codes to predict a corresponding word, phrase or sentence, and identifying a possible single word candidates; 
         [0024]    Step  203 : displaying a prediction result (full sentence and single words) of step  202 ; 
         [0025]    Step  204 : the user determining if the prediction result is correct; if so, then going to step  208 , if not, then going to step  205 ; 
         [0026]    Step  205 : if the prediction result is not correct, then moving an input mark (cursor) to the single word and displaying a prediction result of the single word; 
         [0027]    Step  206 : the user determining if the prediction result of the single word is correct; if not, then going back to step  205  to continue moving an input mark (cursor) to the single word or choosing follow-up single word (since a sentence could be consisted of a lot of single words and multi-word terms) and determining if the corresponding sentence is correct, if so, then going to step  7 ; 
         [0028]    Step  207 : using the correct single word chosen by the user to modify the full sentence prediction result into a correct sentence for the user to make final verification; 
         [0029]    Step  208 : outputting the inputted word, phrase, or the sentence to a target, such as an application or a software component which can accept text input and ending the process. 
         [0030]    Please refer to  FIG. 3A  to  FIG. 3G  for embodiment views of the method for combining a single word and a multi-word term in the present invention; 
         [0031]    When the use wants to input the following sentence: “         ” (JinTien DeDuShuHueiZhuTi, which means “The subject of the  study group for today”) 
         [0032]    JT DDSHZT 
         [0033]    In this stage, the candidate words could be multi-word terms such as: “                    . . . ” (DaDuoShu/DaDuShi/DeDao/DaDao), which are not single words. Therefore, the present invention forcibly determines the inputted codes to be regarded as a single word and moves the cursor to the position between pinging codes “D” and “D”, so the inputted codes could be read as: 
         [0034]    “         ” 
         [0035]    JT D DSHZT 
         [0036]    As the candidate words now could be single words such as: “         /         /         /         / . . . ” (Da/Duei/Dao/Di . . . while De falling very far behind), now the user can use zhuying to input “                   (De)” and limits the candidate words to “         ” (all pronounced De). Thereafter, the user chooses “         ” (De) to finish part of the sentence and the multi-word term “         ” (JinTien De) is recorded, wherein the operation is shown as: 
         [0037]    “         ←         ” 
         [0038]    JTD DSHZT 
         [0039]    Then, as the candidate words show: “          . . . ” (DongShiHuei/aoShiHou/DuShu), while “         ” (DuShuHuei) is not shown in the list; when the candidate words “         ” (DuShu) are chosen, the sentence is shown as: 
         [0040]    “         ” 
         [0041]    JTDDS HZHT 
         [0042]    Then, as the candidate words show: “          . . . ” (HuoZhe/HungZho/HuangZe), at this time, the user could click on a key to forcibly determine the inputted codes of “         ” to be regarded as a single word and to move the cursor between the pinying codes “H” and “Z”, so the sentence is now shown as: 
         [0043]    “         ←         ” 
         [0044]    JTDDS H ZT 
         [0045]    As candidate words show single words such as: “          . . . ” (Han/Hai/Hung/Hou, while Huei falling very far behind), now the user can use zhuying to input “         (Huei)” and limits the candidate words to “         ” (all pronounced Huei). Thereafter, the user chooses “         ” (De) and the multi-word term “         ” (DuShuHuei) is recorded, wherein the sentence is shown as: 
         [0046]    “         ” 
         [0047]    JTDDSH ZT 
         [0048]    Now the candidate words show “         /         /          . . .” (ZhuTi/ZhaunTai/ZhuanTi); thereafter, the multi-word term “         ” (ZhuTi) is chosen to finish the text and sentence input; wherein the final sentence sent to the target is shown as: “         ” (JinTien DeDuShuHueiZhuTi). 
         [0049]    Please refer to  FIG. 4A  to  FIG. 4F  for embodiment views of a single word and multi-word term integrating method using phonetic symbols in the present invention; in which: 
         [0050]    When the user wants to input the following sentence: 
         [0051]    “         ” (JinTien DeDienShiGiWeiShiu, which means “The TV maintenance for today”) 
         [0052]               (GT DDSGWS) 
         [0053]    As candidate words show multi-word terms such as: “         /         /         /          . . . ” (DiDien/DaDi/DeDao/DingDin) and no single word, at this time the single word identification mechanism is used first to find a single word, a cursor is moved to between the zhuying codes “         ” (De) and “         ” (De), then an arrow would appear in the figure to remind the user to make modifications, at this time the input codes ar shown as: 
         [0054]    “         ←         ” (JinTien De←DienShiGiWeiShiu) 
         [0055]               (GT D DSGWS) 
         [0056]    As candidate words show: “         ” (De/Duei/Dao, while “         ” (De) falling far behind); at this time the user can input zhuying codes “         ” directly and limits the candidate words to single words such as “          . . . ” (all pronounced De); then the user can choose “         ” (De) to finish part of the sentence and have “         ” (JinTienDe) shown as a multi-word term; therefore, the sentence is now shown as: 
         [0057]    “         ” (JinTien De DienShiGiWeiShiu) 
         [0058]               (GTD DSGWS) 
         [0059]    As the candidate words show phrases such as: “         /         /         /         / . . . ” (DienShi/DienShiGi/DaShiGie, while DienShiGi is not shown), the user chooses “         ” (DienShi); therefore, the sentence is now shown as: 
         [0060]    “         ” (JinTien DeDienShi GiWeiShiu) 
         [0061]               (GTDDS GWS) 
         [0062]    As the candidate words show: “          . . . ” (GiWang/GiaWu/GieWu), the user now can click on a key to forcibly determine the inputted codes of “         ” to be regarded as a single word and to move the cursor between the zhuying codes “G” and “WS”, the user can see an arrow appear in the figure to remind him/her to make modification, so the sentence is now shown as: 
         [0063]    “         ←         ” (GTDDS G←WS) 
         [0064]               (GTDDS G WS) 
         [0065]    As the candidate words show: “          . . . ” (Gin/Ging/Gia/Gin, while “         ” (Gi) falling far behind), the user can input zhuying codes “ 4 -” directly and limits the candidate words to single words such as “          . . . ” (all pronounced Gi), then the user can choose “         ” (Gi) to finish part of the sentence and have “         ” (DienShiGi) shown as a multi-word term; therefore, the sentence is now shown as: 
         [0066]    “         ” (JinTien DeDienShiGi WeiShiu) 
         [0067]               (GTDDSG WS) 
         [0068]    As now the candidate words show: “         /         /         /          . . . ” (WuShien/ZuangTai/ZuangTi/WeiShiu), the multi-word term “         ” (WeiShiu) is chosen to finish the text and sentence input; wherein the final sentence sent to the target is shown as: “                   ” (JinTien DeDienShiGiWeiShiu). 
         [0069]    The present invention provides a single word and multi-word term integrating system and a method thereof, while compared with other prior art techniques, is advantageous in: 
         [0070]    1. The present invention provides a method for reducing the probability of misprediction due to incorrect combinations of long Pinying or Zhuying codes, thereby improving the text input speed. 
         [0071]    Many changes and modifications in the above described embodiment of the invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and the useful arts, the invention is disclosed and is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.