Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display peripheral interface input device – Including keyboard
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-24
2001-12-04
Hjerpe, Richard (Department: 2774)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display peripheral interface input device
Including keyboard
C345S171000, C345S173000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06326953
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to converting text from one character set to an alternative character set, and more particularly to converting text entered using one keyboard mode to text corresponding to an alternative keyboard mode.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Word processing programs are commonly used to create and edit documents. To create a document using a word processing program, an author typically enters the text of the document using a keyboard. A single keyboard can support multiple character sets so that the author can use a single keyboard to enter different types of characters. For example, the author can use one keyboard to enter both Latin characters and Greek characters. A different keyboard mode is used for each character set. To enter Latin characters, the user selects the Latin keyboard mode by depressing a combination of keys or by selecting an icon corresponding to the Latin keyboard mode. To enter Greek characters, the user selects the Greek keyboard mode by depressing a combination of keystrokes or by selecting an icon that corresponds to the Greek keyboard mode.
The author can switch between keyboard modes so that the author can create a document using Greek characters and then create a document using Latin characters or create a document that uses both Greek characters and Latin characters. There may be times when the author begins entering text assuming that the keyboard is in the Latin keyboard mode, but the keyboard is actually in the Greek keyboard mode. If so, then the text displayed to the author is not what the author intended to enter. To correct the text, the author must either re-enter the text or convert the text. Re-entering the text can be time consuming, especially if the author has entered a substantial amount of text before noticing that the keyboard mode used to enter the text was incorrect. Although converting the text can be less time consuming, converting the text typically requires that the author manually initiate the conversion.
One solution to the keyboard mode problem uses a conversion table to convert the text entered using the incorrect keyboard mode. For example, the “WORD 97” word processing program marketed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash. uses a conversion table. The table includes entries that map the characters of one character set to characters of another character set. For example, if the table is used to map Latin characters to Greek characters, then the table includes entries that map Latin characters to Greek characters. A Latin character entered using a particular key on the keyboard is mapped to a Greek character that corresponds to the same key. The author highlights the text that was entered using the incorrect keyboard mode and then initiates the conversion of the text by depressing a combination of keys. The text is converted by looking up each character and then mapping the character to the alternative character listed in the conversion table.
One drawback of the “WORD 97” solution is that it is inflexible. Conversion is only possible if there is an applicable conversion table. In addition, if there is no entry in the conversion table for a character, then the character cannot be converted. Another drawback is that the conversion table requires a substantial amount of computer memory.
If there are more than two keyboard modes available to the user, then a table is required for each conversion. For example, if a single keyboard can be used to enter Latin characters, Greek characters and Cyrillic characters, then multiple tables are needed to support Latin to Greek conversion, Latin to Cyrillic conversion, Greek to Cyrillic conversion, and the corresponding reverse conversions. Yet another drawback is that the author must identify the text that was entered using the incorrect keyboard mode and then manually initiate the conversion.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a flexible method for automatically converting text entered using one keyboard mode to text corresponding to another keyboard mode.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention meets the needs described above by providing a method for automatically converting text from one character set to an alternative character set. The method can be used to convert text entered using one keyboard mode to text corresponding to an alternative keyboard mode. The method uses language detection to determine whether text was entered using the correct keyboard mode. If the text was entered using an incorrect keyboard mode, then the text is converted to text that corresponds to the correct keyboard mode. The incorrect text is converted on a character by character basis to the correct text by mapping each incorrect character to a virtual key and then mapping the virtual key to the correct character.
An exemplary software architecture for an embodiment of the present invention includes an application program, such as a word processing program, an operating system, a first keyboard driver, a second keyboard driver, a language detection module, and a text converter module. The keyboard drivers convert scan codes received from the keyboard to operating system messages that identify the characters or functions associated with the keystrokes. Each keyboard driver corresponds to a different keyboard configuration. For example, a first keyboard driver could correspond to a configuration for the Latin character set and a second keyboard driver could correspond to a configuration for the Greek character set.
The text converter module monitors the word processing program to determine when the word processing program is idle. Once the word processing program is idle, then the text converter module determines whether text entered via the word processing program was entered using the correct keyboard mode. To determine whether the text was entered using the correct keyboard mode, the text is sent to the language detection module. The language detection module uses algorithms and statistics to identify the language of the text sample. If the language detection module determines that the text was entered using an incorrect keyboard mode, then the text converter module sends the text, character by character, to the first keyboard driver. The first keyboard driver identifies the virtual key and the keyboard state information that corresponds to each character. A virtual key is a device independent code that identifies the character or function associated with a keystroke. The keyboard state information includes the state of the “shift”, “control” and “alt” keys for the keystroke. Once the text converter module receives the virtual key and the keyboard state information from the first keyboard driver, then the text converter module sends the virtual key and the keyboard state information to the second keyboard driver. The second keyboard driver identifies an alternative character that corresponds to the virtual key and the keyboard state information. The text converter module then replaces the characters with the alternative characters.
In one aspect of the invention, the text is converted on a sentence by sentence basis. The text converter module monitors the word processing program to determine when the word processing program is idle. Once the word processing program is idle, then the text entered via the word processing program is reviewed to determine whether the text constitutes a sentence. If so, then the language detection module is used to determine whether the sentence was entered using the correct keyboard mode. If the sentence was not entered using the correct keyboard mode, then a character of the sentence is selected and an alternative character is determined. Once the alternative character is determined, then the selected character is replaced by the alternative character. These steps are repeated until all of the characters of the sentence have been selected.
To determine the alternative character, the text converter module sends the selected character to the keyboard driver associated with the keyboard mode used to enter the
Hjerpe Richard
Lesperance Jean
Merchant & Gould
Microsoft Corporation
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