GB1577255A

GB1577255A - Machines for transforming words from one language into another language

Info

Publication number: GB1577255A
Application number: GB26844/77A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: CALZOLARI R
Current assignee: CALZOLARI R
Priority date: 1976-07-06
Filing date: 1977-06-27
Publication date: 1980-10-22
Also published as: DE2729809A1; FR2357961A1

Description

(54) MACHINES FOR TRANSFORMING WORDS FROM ONE LANGUAGE INTO ANOTHER LANGUAGE (71) I, RINO CALZOLARI, of Via di Cammori 52, Firenze, Italy, an Italian citizen, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to machines for transforming words from one language into another language.

Embodiments of the invention described hereinbelow enable at least a limited amount of communication between persons speaking two different languages.

According to the present invention there is provided a machine for transforming words from one language into another language, the machine comprising a plurality of keys or push-buttons each bearing a word in a first language, visual display means, and electronic circuits operative to cause the visual display means-upon operation of a key or push-button-to display the corresponding word in a second language.

The invention will now be further described, by way of illustrative and nonlimiting example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a machine embodying the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the machine of Figure 1, showing two keyboards provided for two users; Figure 3 illustrates a plurality of segments arranged in the form of an upright rectangle whereby letters and other symbols can be displayed by selective illumination of the segments; Figure 4 illustrates how to selectively energise the segments of Figure 3 to display the letters of an alphabet; Figure 5 is a block diagram for explaining the structure and operation of a machine embodying the invention; Figure 6 is a perspective view which generally corresponds to Figure 2, but which shows individual keys of the keyboards; and Figure 7 is a perspective view, similar to Figure 6, of a modified machne.

Figures 1 and 2 diagrammatically show a machine having a casing 1 and two keyboards 3 and 5 for operation by respective users. A respective screen 7, 9 is provided for each of the keyboards 3, 5, respectively, each screen being visible by the user of the associated keyboard. Each keyboard 3, 5 includes a large number of keys, i.e. pushbuttons, each bearing a word or an expression in a first language. To each key or push-button, or in any case to each keyboard 3, 5, there is connected an assembly of electronic circuits, mainly printed circuits, so designed that by pressing a key the word corresponding to the pressed key is displayed on the associated screen to be readable by the user of that keyboard in the writing and in the language according to which the keys of that keyboard have been marked; and on the other screen there simultaneously appears a word which has the same meaning as that displayed by operating the key or push-button, but written in a second language, thus providing a translation of the word selected by means of the key.

By successively pressing, for instance, keys or push-buttons bearing Italian words in the keyboard 5, words corresponding to the successively operated keys appear one after another on the screen 9 in the Italian language. The corresponding words in the second language appear on the screen 7 so as to be visible to the user of the associated keyboard 3. The user of the keyboard 3 presses the keys bearing words in the second language and reads on his own screen 7 the words in the second language, while on the screen 9 the same words are readable in Italian by the user of the keyboard 5.

It is thus possible to form words or sentences by operating the keys, obviously after suitable simplifications of a grammatical and syntactic nature.

The screens 7 and 9 are so constructed that, by means of selectively illuminated segments, letters and the like can be composed.

Figure 3 shows a display element in the form of a plurality of segments capable of being selectively illuminated according to energisation by the electronic circuits.

Each of such phiralities is designed to indicate letters of an alphabet, as well as other symbols, possibly numbers and the like.

Each plurality of segments defines an up right rectangle, the segments comprising a respective horizontal segment at the top and bottom of the rectangle, two vertical segments on each side of the rectangle, and segments extending from the centre of the rectangle along the diagonals of the rectangle and both horizontally and vertically.

Figure 4 illustrates how the plurality of segments shown in Figure 3 allow the formation of letters of an alphabet. When a push-button is pressed, display elements formed by a series of successive groups of segments as shown in Figure 3 are energised in order to display the selected word in the language of the pressed key, and in the other language. Successive keys determine the illumination of successive series of display elements, or provision can be made for an automatc mass transfer of the energisation of the display elements pertaining to a previously operated key, to obtain a reversed direction advancement in order to leave space for the next word.

It is possible to attain, with an appropriate number of push-buttons or keys in each keyboard, a dumb dialogue sufficient for an exchange of a range of more or less elementary concepts, which may be possibly selected in a certain scope of communication arguments.

Figure 5 shows an arrangement comprising a keyboard 10 which includes a set or number of keys equal to the number of words which can be translated into the second language, for instance, 400 keys for as many words. A spacing key 12 may be provided to enable provision of a space between one word and the next, though it is also possible to provide a spacing control upon each operation of one of the keys of the keyboard 10. By pressing a word key in the original language to be translated, the same key generates a sequence of pulses which corresponds, according to a certain code, to the word in the language into which said word is to be translated.

The pulses obtained from the keys of the keyboard 10 and an additional spacing pulse, if any, provided by the key 12, are fed to a read-only memory 14, which memory has a respective address for each of the words, that is, for each of the keys of the keyboard 10. The memory 14 enters the word in an appropriate code in the language into which it is to be translated.

The memory 14 forwards the coded pulses of the single words to a shift register 16, which stores the pulses corresponding to the successive words (in their turn corresponding to the several keys of the keyboard 10). The shift register 16 allows the successive formation of a series of pulses to place the several words in a row, one after the other, according to the sequence of operation of the keyboard 10. From the shift register 16 the signals reach a decoder 18 (which may be considered as a character generator), which decodes the signals and enables the feeding of a display allowing the direct reading of the sequence of words in the language into which the words are to be translated. Obviously, the number of the decoders must be proportional to the number of words to be registered during a sequence. Accordingly, the number of decoders increases according to the length of the sentence which can be entered on a display means 20. The display means 20 may be of the segment type (as shown in Figures 3 and 4), of the point type or the like. The display means 20 may comprise a television screen.

The machine may also include, in addition to the display means for reading the words, writing (printing) means for recording the display words.

Both the display and the (optional) writing can be provided in both languges, by means of two respective means, one of which is directly affected while the other is designed to provide the symbol "translated", for the display and the writing simultaneously in the two languages.

Figure 6 illustrates the machine described above and shows the keys for words; and Figure 7 illustrates a like machine provided with writing (printing) means for recording on paper (e.g. specially prepared paper) the sentences which are gradually composed and translated in both languages.

Machines embodying the invention may incorporate a computer.

WHAT I CLAIM IS:- 1. A machine for transforming words from one language into another language, the machine comprising a plurality of keys or push-buttons each bearing a word in a first language, visual display means, and electronic circuits operative to cause the visual display means-upon operation of a key or push-button-to display the corresponding word in a second language.

2. A machine according to Claim 1, which includes a second visual display means, the electronic circuits being operative to cause the second visual display means to display upon operation of a key

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. The screens 7 and 9 are so constructed that, by means of selectively illuminated segments, letters and the like can be composed. Figure 3 shows a display element in the form of a plurality of segments capable of being selectively illuminated according to energisation by the electronic circuits. Each of such phiralities is designed to indicate letters of an alphabet, as well as other symbols, possibly numbers and the like. Each plurality of segments defines an up right rectangle, the segments comprising a respective horizontal segment at the top and bottom of the rectangle, two vertical segments on each side of the rectangle, and segments extending from the centre of the rectangle along the diagonals of the rectangle and both horizontally and vertically. Figure 4 illustrates how the plurality of segments shown in Figure 3 allow the formation of letters of an alphabet. When a push-button is pressed, display elements formed by a series of successive groups of segments as shown in Figure 3 are energised in order to display the selected word in the language of the pressed key, and in the other language. Successive keys determine the illumination of successive series of display elements, or provision can be made for an automatc mass transfer of the energisation of the display elements pertaining to a previously operated key, to obtain a reversed direction advancement in order to leave space for the next word. It is possible to attain, with an appropriate number of push-buttons or keys in each keyboard, a dumb dialogue sufficient for an exchange of a range of more or less elementary concepts, which may be possibly selected in a certain scope of communication arguments. Figure 5 shows an arrangement comprising a keyboard 10 which includes a set or number of keys equal to the number of words which can be translated into the second language, for instance, 400 keys for as many words. A spacing key 12 may be provided to enable provision of a space between one word and the next, though it is also possible to provide a spacing control upon each operation of one of the keys of the keyboard 10. By pressing a word key in the original language to be translated, the same key generates a sequence of pulses which corresponds, according to a certain code, to the word in the language into which said word is to be translated. The pulses obtained from the keys of the keyboard 10 and an additional spacing pulse, if any, provided by the key 12, are fed to a read-only memory 14, which memory has a respective address for each of the words, that is, for each of the keys of the keyboard 10. The memory 14 enters the word in an appropriate code in the language into which it is to be translated. The memory 14 forwards the coded pulses of the single words to a shift register 16, which stores the pulses corresponding to the successive words (in their turn corresponding to the several keys of the keyboard 10). The shift register 16 allows the successive formation of a series of pulses to place the several words in a row, one after the other, according to the sequence of operation of the keyboard 10. From the shift register 16 the signals reach a decoder 18 (which may be considered as a character generator), which decodes the signals and enables the feeding of a display allowing the direct reading of the sequence of words in the language into which the words are to be translated. Obviously, the number of the decoders must be proportional to the number of words to be registered during a sequence. Accordingly, the number of decoders increases according to the length of the sentence which can be entered on a display means 20. The display means 20 may be of the segment type (as shown in Figures 3 and 4), of the point type or the like. The display means 20 may comprise a television screen. The machine may also include, in addition to the display means for reading the words, writing (printing) means for recording the display words. Both the display and the (optional) writing can be provided in both languges, by means of two respective means, one of which is directly affected while the other is designed to provide the symbol "translated", for the display and the writing simultaneously in the two languages. Figure 6 illustrates the machine described above and shows the keys for words; and Figure 7 illustrates a like machine provided with writing (printing) means for recording on paper (e.g. specially prepared paper) the sentences which are gradually composed and translated in both languages. Machines embodying the invention may incorporate a computer. WHAT I CLAIM IS:-

1. A machine for transforming words from one language into another language, the machine comprising a plurality of keys or push-buttons each bearing a word in a first language, visual display means, and electronic circuits operative to cause the visual display means-upon operation of a key or push-button-to display the corresponding word in a second language.

or push-button-the corresponding word in the first language.

3. A machine according to Claim 2, wherein the two visual display means face in opposite directions.

4. A machine according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, which includes a second plurality of keys or push-buttons each bearing a word in the second language, the electronic circuits being operative to cause the second visual display means-upon operation of a key or push-button of the second plurality -to display the corresponding word in the first language.

5. A machine according to Claim 4, wherein the electronic circuits are operative to cause the first-mentioned visual display means to display-upon operation of a key or push-button of the second plurality -the corresponding word in the second language.

6. A machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the plurality of keys or push-buttons each bearing a word in the first language are operative to generate for each word in the first language, selected by operation of a key or push-button, a series of pulses corresponding to the corresponding word in the second language into which said word is to be translated, the machine further comprising a spacing key which generates, upon operation, a corresponding pulse, a read-only memory connected to receive said pulses and to supply a series of pulses, in an appropriate code, corresponding to a single word and to a word spacing, a shift register arranged to store pulses corresponding to successively selected words to obtain an appropriate succession thereof, and a character generating decoder, the visual display means being connected to be fed by the decoder to display words in the second language.

7. A machine according to Claim 6, wherein the spacing key and each of the keys or push-buttons bearing a word in the first language has an associated address in the memory.

8. A machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the or each visual display means is operative to display symbols in the form of segments or points.

9. A machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the or each visual display means is operative to display each letter or other symbol making up a word by selective illumination of a plurality of segments defining an upright rectangle, said segments comprising a respective horizontal segment at the top and bottom of the rectangle, two vertical segments on each side of the rectangle, and segments extending from the centre of the rectangle along the diagonals of the rectangle and both horizontally and vertically.

10. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each visual display means comprises a television screen.

11. A machine arcording to any one of the preceding claims, comprising writing means to record words displayed by the or at least one of the visual display means.

12. A machine according to any one of the preceding claims, which comprises a computer.

13. A machine for transforming words from one language into another language, the machine being substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A machine for transforming words from one language into another language, the machine being substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 6, as modified by Figures 7, of the accompanying drawings.