Abstract:
The present invention provides a Chinese character search method. According to the method, the user first inputs the notation of the known character. When the input notation is received, some corresponding Chinese characters are shown in the display. Then, the user chooses the correct character for which he is searching. Next, symbols are added to this character to represent the unknown Chinese character in the word. Then, those words containing this character are searched and are shown in a display.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/661,029, filed Mar. 14, 2005, the full disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a method for processing Chinese characters, and more particularly to a method of searching for Chinese characters. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The Chinese language is represented by Chinese characters. Several types of notation are used to indicate the pronunciation of a Chinese character. Typical examples include the Pin Yin notation issued in 1958 by the government of People&#39;s Republic of China and “bopomofo” notation used before 1958 and still currently used in Taiwan. 
     Along with the rapid popularization of Chinese culture, especially in countries where Chinese characters are not used, numerous Chinese character search methods have been developed. To date, the existing search methods still have the following problems: 
     Generally, Pin Yin, bopomofo or radical indexing is adapted to find Chinese characters in the existing search methods. In other words, these search methods require that a user input exact Pin Yin notation, bopomofo notation or the radical of the character. No search method exists for a situation where a user does not already know the pronunciation or radical of a Chinese character. 
     Furthermore, a Chinese character may be written irregularly. A novice has great difficulty to pronounce exactly a character with irregular notation. Even if a user can read a Chinese character with regular notation, nothing is found if the irregular notation is input for a search because the existing search methods only function if an exact notation is used to find the meaning of a character. 
     Therefore, in the relationship between the existing search methods and the search results, only one correspondence relationship, notation or radical, is implemented; more powerful and more intelligent search methods have not been adapted to make searching more practical for a novice. In other words, the existing search methods and the search results require a high correlation. Therefore, for a Chinese character novice, higher practicality cannot be achieved and various users&#39; requirements cannot be widely satisfied. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a search method that uses a part of a Chinese character to find the whole Chinese character. 
     Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a search method that uses one Chinese character of a word to find a whole word. 
     According to the main aspect, if the user recognizes one of the characters in a word, the user inputs the notation of the known character. When the input notation is received, some corresponding Chinese characters are shown in the display. Then, the user chooses the correct character for which he is searching. Next, symbols are added to this character to represent the unknown Chinese character in the word. Then, those words containing this character are searched and are shown in a display. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  are the flow chart of the searching method according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Reference will now be made in detail to a specific embodiment of the invention. An example of the specific embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in conjunction with a specific embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to one specific embodiment. To the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
       FIG. 1  is a flow chart describing searching for Chinese characters according to the present invention. 
     When starting to search for Chinese characters, the user first requires a keyboard for inputting into a computer program stored on a non-transitory computer readable memory medium, a pronunciation in step  102 . According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a virtual keyboard is used for inputting the pronunciation when searching for Chinese characters in step  103 . The virtual keyboard comprises Pin Yin keys for inputting a pronunciation using the Pin Yin notation and bopomofo keys for inputting a pronunciation using the bopomofo notation. Therefore, step  104  requires that a user select either the Pin Yin notation or the bopomofo notation input mode. If the user selects the Pin Yin notation mode, step  105  is performed; if the user selects the bopomofo notation mode, step  106  is performed. 
     When users use Pin Yin keys (step  105 ) or bopomofo keys (step  106 ) to input a pronunciation for searching for Chinese characters, related Chinese characters are retrieved in step  107 . Then, in step  108 , all unknown characters of this word can be searched by using the method illustrated in the  FIG. 2  in step  120 . Additionally, in step  121 , if the user skips a character, step  109  is performed to check whether or not more characters are required to find this word. If more Characters are required, step  108  is performed again to enter the flow chart shown in  FIG. 2 . If no more characters are required, this flow chart asks the user if another search is desired in step  110 . If the user wants to continue to searching for another Chinese character, steps  103  to  109  are performed again. If the user does not wish to continue searching, the flow chart ends in step  112 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a flow chart of using parts of a character to search a for a whole character according to the present invention. 
     When a character is found through the flow chart in  FIG. 1 , the user can determine whether or not to perform a further search. In other words, if this character is not known to the user, the user can use the search flow in the  FIG. 2  to perform a further search. Therefore, step  200  is a determination step for a user to determine whether or not to perform a further searching. If the users decides to skip a character, step  109  in  FIG. 1  is performed again; otherwise step  201  is performed. The present invention uses parts of a character to find a required character in step  201 . 
     When a user wants to break a character in step  202 , all possible character roots (parts) for this character are automatically displayed in a display in step  203 . The users may find the required character from these roots when the required character is a part of this character. For example, the user wants to search for the Chinese character,             The users know the Chinese character,           At this time, the user can find the Chinese character,           first according to the flow chart  1 . Then, the users can break this character,          , as described in step  202 ; all possible character roots,           are automatically displayed in a display in step  203 . Finally, The users can find the Chinese character,           In another example, the user wants to search for the Chinese character,           The users know the Chinese character,           At this time, the user can find the Chinese character,           first according to the flow chart  1 . Then, the users can break this character,           as described in step  202 ; all possible character roots,           and           are automatically displayed in a display in step  203 . Finally, The users can find the Chinese character,           In other examples, according to the present invention, the users can use the Chinese character,           to find the related Chinese character,           Or, the users can use the Chinese character,           to find the related Chinese character,          
     On the other hand, the users can select one correct character root from all possible character roots to find other Chinese Characters. Then, in step  204 , the user must indicate the unknown part orientation in this character. The present invention also allows searching for a character from a special part. In other words, if the user knows part of an unknown character, they only need to indicate the unknown part orientation in this character in step  204 . 
     For example, the user wants to search for the Chinese characters,             The users can break this character,           as described in step in step  202 ; all possible character roots,           are automatically displayed in a display in step  203 . On the other hand, in step  204 , the user can use a special part, such as           to find the character,           in step  206  because the left part of           is unknown. In this case, a symbol, such as a dollar sign, is used to represent the unknown part, such that the input is           Next, the present invention provides three methods, step  206 ,  207  and  208 , to find the character. After trying these three methods, this character still can not be found. In step  205 , the searching will be ended and go back to step  121  in  FIG. 1  again. In another example, the user wants to search for the Chinese characters,           The users can break this character,           as described in step in step  202 ; all possible character roots,           are automatically displayed in a display in step  203 . On the other hand, in step  204 , the user can use a special part, such as           to find the character,           in step  207  because the right part of           is unknown. In this case, a symbol, such as a dollar sign, is used to represent the unknown part, such that the input is           In other examples, according to the present invention, the users can use the Chinese character,           to find the related Chinese character,           Or, the users can use the Chinese character,           to find the related Chinese character,           and so on.
     On the other hand, the present invention also can use a similar Chinese character to find a required Chinese character. For example, the user wants to search for the Chinese characters,             However, the users do not know the pronunciation of any part of the           In this present invention, the users may use a known Chinese character that has a part of the Chinese characters,           to find this           For example, the users know the Chinese character           that has a part,           is same as the Chinese characters,           In this embodiment, the users input the Pin Yin notation “gai4” of the known Chinese character           in step  105 , related Chinese characters are retrieved in step  107 . The uses may select the required Chinese character           Next, The users can break this character,           as described in step in step  202 ; all possible character roots,           are automatically displayed in a display in step  203 . At this time, the users can use the part,           to find the character,           in step  206  because the left part of           is unknown. In this case, a symbol, such as a dollar sign, is used to represent the unknown part, such that the input is           Next, in step  206 , all characters that has a right part of           are displayed in a display to the users. The users can select the required Chinese characters,           In other example, the users may use the foregoing solution, from a more recognizable character,           to find its part           then to find the required Chinese character,           In another example, the users also may from a more recognizable character,           to find its part           then to find the required Chinese character,          
     When the Chinese character to be found is composed of two or more character roots, related search results are displayed in steps  206 ,  207  or  208  according to the unknown part orientation indicated in step  204 . For example, when the unknown part orientation indicated in step  204  is on the left side, all characters with an unknown part on the left side are generated in step  206 . When the unknown part orientation indicated in step  204  is on the right side, all characters with an unknown part on the right side are generated in step  207 . When the unknown part orientation indicated in step  204  is on the upside or downside, all characters with an unknown part in neither left nor right sides are generated in step  208 . 
     Next, a determination step  209  is performed to determine whether or not any character is generated in step  206 ,  207  or  208 . If no character is generated from the foregoing search flow, step  120  is performed again to use another unknown part to repeat the foregoing search flow. If the list of characters with unknown part is generated, step  210  displays this list of possible characters derived from this unknown part. Then, in step  212 , the user selecting character is used to replace the character of the result word shown in step  107  in  FIG. 1 . Then, step  121  is performed again to check whether or not another character search is required. 
     The user must know the correct notation or radical of Chinese characters in the conventional Chinese character search methods. However, a novice has great difficulty to know exactly the notation or radical of Chinese characters. Therefore, the present invention provides a new search method that can find a character from parts thereof even though this part is not the radical thereof. According to the method, a sortable table is provided that stores data including each Chinese character radical and components, frequency of use, Pin Yin notation, bopomofo notation, and irregular notation. The user inputs the notation of the known part of the character from an input apparatus. The processor searches the sortable table so as to find characters with the part having the same notation. Then, the search result is shown in a display. 
     On the other hand, the present invention can reach a real time translation destination. For example, the Chinese characters             means Ferris wheel. A person can just write down the phrase, “Do you like to ride           on the screen. The present invention automatically translates this word to “Do you like to ride Ferris wheels”, and displays this on the screen. In other words, it is not necessary for the users to first skip to a search screen and then perform a search process to find the English translation of the Chinese characters           Then, the users go back to the original screen again to write down the words, “Do you like to ride Ferris wheels”. Therefore, the present invention is convenient for writing.
     As is understood by a person skilled in the art, the foregoing preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrative of the present invention rather than limiting of the present invention. It is intended that this description cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structure.