HK1168160A

HK1168160A - Kanji searching system, kanji searching method and program

Info

Publication number: HK1168160A
Application number: HK12108665.3A
Authority: HK
Inventors: 桑原正夫; 加藤彰太; 阿久津贵彦; 大平淳一
Original assignee: 阿霸有限会社
Priority date: 2010-08-09
Filing date: 2012-09-05
Publication date: 2012-12-21

Description

Chinese character retrieval system, Chinese character retrieval method, and program

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a chinese character retrieval system, a chinese character retrieval method, and a program for retrieving and displaying the pronunciation or related information of a single chinese character or phrase to be retrieved using a computer. In particular, the present invention relates to a chinese character retrieval system, a chinese character retrieval method, and a program for retrieving and displaying the pronunciation, related information, and the like of a single chinese character or phrase to be retrieved using a portable device such as a portable game device, a portable telephone, and an electronic dictionary device.

Background

Conventionally, as a device for searching for the meaning of a single chinese character or phrase, there have been developed an electronic dictionary device, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), and the like, which convert the pronunciation of a single chinese character or phrase, related information, and the like into an electronic form, store the electronic form in a database, and simply search and display the meaning of a single chinese character or phrase by inputting a single chinese character or phrase.

However, the conventional electronic dictionary device is a device that searches for and displays the meaning of a retrieval target kanji by inputting the reading of the retrieval target kanji, which is a single kanji or phrase to be retrieved, by a user, and cannot search for the meaning of the retrieval target kanji using the conventional electronic dictionary device when the user does not know the reading of the retrieval target kanji.

In addition, in recent years, since the popularity of computers has spread to the market, articles using single chinese characters or phrases whose pronunciation is difficult to understand, and the like, there is a strong demand for the development of a chinese character search system that can easily search and display the pronunciation of these difficult single chinese characters or phrases.

Therefore, a chinese character search system has been proposed that can search for the pronunciation of a chinese character to be searched for, related information, and the like, even when the user does not know the pronunciation of the chinese character to be searched for. For example, patent document 1 discloses an electronic dictionary device, which is used by: in a phrase of a Chinese character to be searched composed of a plurality of single Chinese characters, by inputting the pronunciation of each single Chinese character, a candidate of the phrase including each single Chinese character is extracted for each single Chinese character, and a common phrase is extracted from the candidates of the phrase corresponding to each single Chinese character and is used as a candidate of the Chinese character to be searched or a Chinese character to be searched, thereby extracting and displaying the relevant information of the Chinese character to be searched without knowing the pronunciation.

Patent document 1: JP 2006-293676

However, the electronic dictionary device disclosed in patent document 1 has a problem that it is necessary to divide a chinese character to be searched into individual chinese characters whose pronunciations are known (hereinafter, referred to simply as known individual chinese characters), distinguish the break of each individual chinese character by a "space", and input the pronunciations of the individual chinese characters at the same time; alternatively, the pronunciation of an unknown single chinese character is set as "a", and the user must input the pronunciations of all the single chinese characters constituting the search target chinese character in order from the first character while distinguishing the break of each single chinese character by "a space", and when the pronunciation is erroneously input during the input, the user must return to the position where the input was erroneously input so as to delete the character input up to the position where the input was erroneously input, and input the character again from the position.

In addition, there are also problems in that: a "space" must be input at the break of each single chinese character, and for example, even a phrase (hereinafter, simply referred to as a known phrase) in which the pronunciations of the first and second characters in succession of a four-character phrase are known, the pronunciations must be input word by word, that is, the first and second characters cannot be input as the pronunciations of the known phrase in combination.

In addition, there are also problems in that: when the user forgets the rule of "+" in the pronunciation of an unknown single chinese character, the user inquires about the rule of "+" in the pronunciation of the unknown single chinese character using the instruction manual or the help function, and then, the user has to input the pronunciations of the chinese characters to be searched in order from the first character (problem of poor operation efficiency).

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a chinese character retrieval system, a chinese character retrieval method, and a program that can easily retrieve and display the pronunciation of a retrieval target chinese character for which the pronunciation is unknown, related information, and the like.

The following invention is provided that should solve the problems in the prior art described above.

A chinese character retrieval system according to a first aspect of the present invention is a chinese character retrieval system for retrieving pronunciations of retrieval target chinese characters, which are individual chinese characters or phrases to be retrieved, by using a computer, the computer including: an input control unit that controls a character input unit to specify a kanji position of a desired one of 1 or more individual kanji constituting the search target kanji and to input an input character corresponding to a kanji string of 1 or more continuous kanji from the specified kanji position; an input character acquisition unit that acquires the input characters that are the chinese characters, hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet input by the input control unit and the position of the chinese character corresponding to the input characters; a kanji search unit that searches for a candidate of a kanji to be searched for, which includes at least a single kanji or a phrase having the input character as a pronunciation, from a plurality of single kanji or phrases stored in a database unit, based on a restriction condition, when the input character acquired by the input character acquisition unit is hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet, and that searches for a candidate of a kanji to be searched for, which includes at least the single kanji as the input character, from a plurality of single kanji or phrases stored in the database unit, based on the restriction condition, when the input character is a kanji, and extracts a pronunciation of the searched candidate of the kanji to be searched for, which is obtained; and a display control unit that controls a display unit to display the search target kanji candidate searched by the kanji search unit and the pronunciation of the searched search target kanji candidate.

Here, the input characters corresponding to a chinese character string mean, when input is performed using hiragana, katakana, or english letters: the pronunciation of a single Chinese character or phrase to be searched, that is, a known single Chinese character or known phrase in the Chinese character to be searched, means, when the Chinese character is input by handwriting: individual Chinese characters constituting a handwritten retrieval object Chinese character. In addition, the pronunciation of the continuous known single Chinese characters can be used as the pronunciation of the known phrase as the input characters.

In addition, the pronunciation of a single kanji character or a known phrase is a reading marked with roman english alphabet if the input character is an english alphabet, and a reading marked with an english alphabet corresponding to a language other than japanese if the input character is an english alphabet.

A second aspect of the present invention is a kanji search system according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the input control unit controls the input unit to further input the number of kanji characters of a single kanji constituting the search target kanji, the input character acquisition unit further acquires the number of kanji characters input by the input control unit, the kanji search unit uses the position of the kanji character and the number of the kanji characters acquired by the input character acquisition unit as the constraint conditions, and when the input character acquired by the input character acquisition unit is a hiragana, a katakana, or an english alphabet, the input character acquisition unit searches for a candidate of the search target kanji including at least a single kanji character or phrase in which the input character is a reading from among a plurality of single kanji characters or phrases stored in the database unit in accordance with the constraint conditions, when the input character is a Chinese character, the search target Chinese character candidate including at least the input character as a single Chinese character is searched from a plurality of single Chinese characters or phrases stored in the database unit according to the restriction condition, and the pronunciation of the searched search target Chinese character candidate is extracted.

A third aspect of the present invention is a chinese character retrieval system according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, wherein the chinese character retrieval unit includes: a phonetic chinese character retrieval unit that retrieves, when the input character acquired by the input character acquisition unit is hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet, all of the individual chinese characters or phrases having the input character acquired by the input character acquisition unit as a phonetic letter from among a plurality of individual chinese characters or phrases stored in the database unit; and a phrase searching unit that searches for a candidate of the search target kanji including at least a kanji as the input character acquired by the input character acquiring unit or a candidate of the search target kanji including at least a kanji or a phrase searched by the pronunciation kanji searching unit, from among the plurality of individual kanji or phrases stored in the database unit, based on the restriction condition, and extracts a pronunciation of the searched candidate of the search target kanji.

A kanji search system according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the kanji search system according to the third aspect of the present invention, the input control means controls the input unit so that the kanji position of a single kanji as the input character acquired by the input character acquisition means or the kanji position of each single kanji constituting a single kanji or a phrase searched for by the pronunciation kanji search means is moved to a desired kanji position.

A chinese character retrieval system according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the chinese character retrieval system according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, wherein the input control means further includes: a unit for selecting and inputting characters as hiragana, katakana or english alphabet provided in the input unit; and/or a unit for inputting a chinese character, hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet by handwriting, wherein when the input control unit includes the unit for inputting by handwriting, the computer further includes a character confirmation unit for confirming the input character input by handwriting for each of the chinese character, hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet.

For example, characters as hiragana, katakana, or english alphabets, which are set in advance as a touch panel or a key, are selected and input.

A kanji search system according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the kanji search system according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, wherein the display control means acquires the related information on the retrieval target kanji stored in the database unit based on the retrieval target kanji designated from the candidates of the retrieval target kanji retrieved by the kanji retrieval means, and controls the display unit to display the acquired related information.

A kanji search system according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the kanji search system according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, wherein the kanji search means further includes predicted input character generation means for generating a predicted input character similar to the input character according to a predetermined predicted input character search rule when the input character acquired by the input character acquisition means is hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet, and the phonetic kanji search means further searches for all individual kanji or phrases having the predicted input character generated by the predicted input character generation means as a phonetic pronunciation from among a plurality of individual kanji or phrases stored in the database.

A kanji search system according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the kanji search system according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, wherein the computer further includes a user storage unit that stores the related information on the search target kanji designated from among the candidates of the search target kanji searched by the kanji search unit in the database, and the display control unit acquires the related information on 1 individual kanji or phrase selected from among 1 or more individual kanji or phrases stored in the user storage unit, and controls the display unit to display the acquired related information.

A kanji search system according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is the kanji search system according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, wherein the input character acquisition means stores a single kanji acquired when the input character is a kanji character in the temporary storage section, the kanji search means stores a single kanji or phrase having hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet acquired by the input character acquisition means as a pronunciation in the temporary storage section, and the input control means controls the input section to input a kanji or phrase selected from 1 or more single kanji or phrases stored in the temporary storage section.

A chinese character retrieval method according to a first aspect of the present invention is a chinese character retrieval method for retrieving pronunciations of retrieval target chinese characters, which are individual chinese characters or phrases to be retrieved, by using a computer, the computer including: a step (a) of specifying a kanji position of a desired one of 1 or more individual kanji constituting the search target kanji and inputting an input character corresponding to a kanji string of 1 or more continuous kanji from the specified kanji position; a step (b) of acquiring the input characters input in the step (a) as chinese characters, hiragana, katakana or english letters and the positions of the chinese characters corresponding to the input characters; a step (c) of searching for a candidate of the search target kanji including at least a single kanji or a phrase as an input character from a plurality of single kanji or phrases stored in a database unit based on the restriction condition when the input character acquired in the step (b) is hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet using the kanji position acquired in the step (b) as the restriction condition, and searching for a candidate of the search target kanji including at least a single kanji as an input character from a plurality of single kanji or phrases stored in a database unit based on the restriction condition when the input character is a kanji and extracting a pronunciation of the searched candidate of the search target kanji; and (d) displaying the searched candidate of the kanji and the pronunciation of the searched candidate of the kanji.

A second aspect of the present invention is a kanji search method according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the number of kanji characters of a single kanji constituting the search target kanji is further input in the step (a), the number of kanji characters input in the step (a) is further acquired in the step (b), the position of the kanji and the number of the kanji characters acquired in the step (b) are used as the constraint conditions in the step (c), and when the input kanji obtained in the step (b) is a hiragana, a katakana, or an english alphabet, candidates of the search target kanji including at least a single kanji or a phrase in which the input kanji is a pronunciation are searched for from among a plurality of single kanji or phrases stored in the database unit according to the constraint conditions, when the input character is a Chinese character, the candidate of the search target Chinese character at least including the single Chinese character as the input character is searched from a plurality of single Chinese characters or phrases stored in the database part according to the restriction condition, and the pronunciation of the searched candidate of the search target Chinese character is extracted.

A method for retrieving a chinese character according to a third aspect of the present invention is the method for retrieving a chinese character according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, wherein the step (c) includes: a step (c1) of searching for all individual kanji or phrases having the input character acquired in the step (b) as a pronunciation from among a plurality of individual kanji or phrases stored in the database unit when the input character acquired in the step (b) is hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet; and (c2) searching, based on the constraint condition, for a candidate of the search target kanji including at least the kanji as the input character acquired in the step (b) or a candidate of the search target kanji including at least the kanji or the phrase acquired in the step (c1) from among the plurality of kanji or phrases stored in the database, and extracting the pronunciation of the searched candidate of the search target kanji.

A kanji search method according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the kanji search method according to the third aspect of the present invention, wherein in the step (a), the kanji position of the individual kanji as the input character acquired in the step (b) or the kanji position of each individual kanji constituting the individual kanji or phrase searched for in the step (c1) is moved to a desired kanji position.

A method for retrieving a chinese character according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the method for retrieving a chinese character according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, wherein the step (a) further includes: a step (a1) of selecting and inputting characters as hiragana, katakana, or english alphabets provided in the input unit; and/or step (a2) of inputting Chinese characters, hiragana, katakana or English letters by handwriting; the computer further includes: and (e) confirming the input character input by handwriting for each of kanji, hiragana, katakana, and english alphabet when the step (a) includes the step (a 2).

A kanji search method according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the kanji search method according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, wherein in the step (d), the related information about the retrieval target kanji stored in the database unit is acquired based on the retrieval target kanji specified from the candidates of the retrieval target kanji retrieved in the step (c), and the acquired related information is displayed.

A method for retrieving a chinese character according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the method for retrieving a chinese character according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, wherein the step (c) further includes: a step (c3) of generating a predicted input character similar to the input character according to a predetermined predicted input character search rule when the input character acquired in the step (b) is hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet, and in the step (c1), searching for all the individual kanji or phrases having the predicted input character generated in the step (c3) as a pronunciation from among the individual kanji or phrases stored in the database.

A method for retrieving a chinese character according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the method for retrieving a chinese character according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, wherein the computer further comprises: a step (f) of storing the related information on the search target kanji specified from the search target kanji candidates searched for in the step (c) in the database unit, and a step (d) of acquiring the related information on 1 individual kanji or phrase selected from the 1 or more individual kanji or phrases stored in the step (f) and displaying the acquired related information.

A kanji search method according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is the kanji search method according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, wherein in the step (b), when the input character is a kanji, the acquired single kanji is stored in the temporary storage unit, in the step (c), a single kanji or phrase having the hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet acquired in the step (b) as a pronunciation is stored in the temporary storage unit, and in the step (a), a kanji or phrase selected from 1 or more single kanji or phrases stored in the temporary storage unit is input.

A program according to a first aspect of the present invention is a program for causing a computer to execute a process of searching for a pronunciation of a chinese character string to be searched, which is a single chinese character or phrase to be searched, and causing the computer to execute a process of each unit of a chinese character search system according to any one of the first to ninth aspects of the present invention.

(effect of the invention)

According to the kanji search system, the kanji search method, and the program of all aspects of the present invention, it is possible to search for a candidate of a kanji to be searched for (hereinafter, simply referred to as a kanji candidate) and display the searched kanji candidate together with the pronunciation of the kanji candidate, simply by inputting the pronunciation of a known single kanji or a known phrase in the kanji to be searched for in such a manner that the kanji position is specified.

That is, there is no need to use, for example, "# or"? "and the like. In addition, by inputting the pronunciation of a known phrase in the kanji to be searched in such a manner as to specify the kanji position, the input operation by the user can be facilitated. That is, without performing the operation of inputting the pronunciation for each single chinese character, the pronunciations of a plurality of single chinese characters can be input as the pronunciations of phrases.

In addition to the above, the kanji search system according to the second aspect of the present invention and the kanji search method according to the second aspect of the present invention can narrow the range of the search kanji candidates by specifying the number of characters of a single kanji constituting the search target kanji (hereinafter simply referred to as the number of kanji characters), can search the search kanji candidates in a short time, and can allow the user to easily recognize the search target kanji in the search kanji candidates.

In addition to the above, the kanji search system according to the fourth aspect of the present invention and the kanji search method according to the fourth aspect of the present invention can easily search for kanji candidates by easily moving a single kanji input to an incorrect kanji position.

In addition to the above, the kanji search system according to the fifth aspect of the present invention and the kanji search method according to the fifth aspect of the present invention can search for a candidate kanji or the pronunciation of a kanji to be searched for, by recognizing a handwritten kanji as an input character, even if a single known kanji does not exist.

In addition to the above, the kanji search system according to the sixth aspect of the present invention and the kanji search method according to the sixth aspect of the present invention can extract and display related information (for example, meaning, english translation, and the like) on a search target kanji selected from searched candidate kanji search candidates.

In addition to the above, according to the kanji search system of the seventh aspect of the present invention and the kanji search method of the seventh aspect of the present invention, even when the user mistakenly inputs the pronunciation of a known single kanji or a known phrase, it is possible to generate a predicted input character similar to the input character according to the predicted input character search rule and search for a search kanji candidate having the generated predicted input character as the pronunciation. For example, even when the user has input "gakkou ( がっこぅ)" but input "gakkou ( がこぅ)", the user can search for and display a "school (がっこぅ)" similar to "がこぅ" in addition to "portrait (がこぅ)" and "japanese portrait (がこぅ)", as candidate characters for searching for. Thus, even if the input characters are input by a foreign person unskilled in Japanese, the Chinese character candidates can be searched for even if the input characters are input characters whose pronunciation is likely to be wrong.

In addition, according to the chinese character retrieval system of the eighth aspect of the present invention and the chinese character retrieval method of the eighth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above, by storing the pronunciation or the related information of the retrieved chinese character to be retrieved, it is possible to generate a user-specific simple dictionary function that aggregates single chinese characters or phrases frequently used by the user or single chinese characters or phrases that are likely to make mistakes.

In addition to the above, the kanji search system according to the ninth aspect of the present invention and the kanji search method according to the ninth aspect of the present invention can search for kanji candidates by storing a single kanji or phrase converted from an input character as history information without re-inputting an input character that has been input in the past.

Drawings

Fig. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a portable game device 20 that executes a kanji search system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows an example of the system configuration of the chinese character search system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a diagram for explaining character input using the character input unit 25; (a) is a diagram for explaining the designation of the position of a Chinese character; (b) is a diagram for explaining character input by hiragana using the touch input unit 25 a; (c) is a diagram for explaining character input in chinese characters using the handwriting input section 25 b; (d) a diagram for explaining character input using the handwriting input unit 25b in hiragana; (e) the drawings are for explaining a screen on which the searched kanji candidates and their pronunciations are displayed.

Fig. 4 shows an example of a screen window for inputting the number of kanji characters.

Fig. 5 is a diagram for explaining the movement of the position of a chinese character.

Fig. 6 shows an example of a screen window for displaying a single chinese character or phrase stored in the history information data unit 181.

FIG. 7(a) shows an example of a screen on which the candidate kanji search and the pronunciation thereof are displayed; (b) an example of a screen for displaying a search target kanji, its pronunciation, and information related thereto is shown.

Fig. 8 shows an example of the data structure of the data unit 171 for kanji conversion.

Fig. 9 shows an example of the data structure of the phrase search data section 172.

Fig. 10 is a diagram for explaining binary search.

Fig. 11 is a diagram for explaining the linear search.

Fig. 12 is an example of a flowchart showing processing steps of a program for executing each step of the kanji search method according to the embodiment of the present invention on a computer.

Fig. 13 is a subsequent flow chart of fig. 12.

In the figure:

10: chinese character retrieval system

11: character input control unit

12: character confirmation part

13: display control unit

14: input character acquisition unit

15: chinese character retrieval part

16: user storage unit

17: database part

18: temporary storage unit

20: portable game machine

21：CPU

22：ROM

23：RAM

24: display unit

25: character input unit

25 a: touch input unit

25 b: hand writing input part

25 c: operation part

151: pronunciation Chinese character searching part

152: predicted input character generation unit

153: phrase searching part

171: data part for Chinese character conversion

172: data part for phrase search

173: user save data section

181: data unit for history information

182: search result data section

Detailed Description

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments to be described below are merely for explanation and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. Thus, one skilled in the art would understand that: embodiments in which each of these elements or all of them are replaced with their equivalent elements can be adopted, and these embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

In the present specification, a case where the pronunciation of a single chinese character or phrase is japanese will be described as an example.

The operation of the chinese character retrieval system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is as follows: the pronunciation of a Chinese character to be searched for (e.g., "Chinese trumpetcreeper", "Chenpi", "ladybug", and "dandelion") as a single Chinese character or phrase to be searched for that the user does not know the pronunciation is displayed on the display, the user is allowed to distinguish (in the above example, "のぅぜんかずら", "ぁすなろ", "てんとぅむし", "たんぽぽ", etc.), and then the relevant information (e.g., meaning, English translation, etc.) indicating the Chinese character to be searched for that the relevant information is displayed on the display. For example, when the search target chinese character is "campsis", if the third word is a known single chinese character "flower", the third chinese character is specified, and "はな" is used as the input character, so that the search target chinese character is a search chinese character candidate of "flower" (for example, ziyang flower, girl flower, camellia flower, biwuxiang flower fire, campsis flower, xian flower, etc.) and the searched search chinese character candidate is displayed on the display unit together with the reading of the search chinese character candidate, and the user is made aware that the reading of the search target chinese character "campsis flower" is "のぅぜんかずら". In addition, the system can display the meaning of the search target chinese character and the related information such as the english translation on the display unit by displaying the related information indicating "trumpetcreeper" as the search target chinese character from the search chinese character candidates. In addition, in the case where the pronunciation of "flower" is unknown, that is, in the case where one single chinese character is unknown even with this system, by using handwritten "flower" as an input character, the same result as when "flower" is a known single chinese character (in the case where the input character is "はな") can be displayed.

First, a schematic configuration of a computer that executes the kanji search system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, the computer may be a device having a CPU, a memory, and the like, such as an electronic dictionary device, a mobile phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a portable game device, a home-use game device, and a standalone computer. In the present specification, the portable game machine 20 will be described as an example of a computer.

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a portable game machine device 20 that executes a kanji search system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 1, the portable game machine device 20 includes: a CPU (central processing unit) 21, a ROM22, a RAM23, a display unit 24, and a character input unit 25.

The CPU21 reads and executes necessary information from the ROM22, which stores software and data for realizing the kanji search system 10 executed by the portable game machine device 20, thereby realizing the kanji search system 10. The RAM23 functions as a storage device for data and an execution operation area for software necessary for realizing the kanji search system 10 executed by the portable game machine device 20.

The display unit 24 displays display information (for example, information for prompting the user to perform an operation, search kanji candidates or the pronunciation thereof, the pronunciation of a search target kanji, or related information) in response to a command from the CPU 21. The character input unit 25 inputs input information (for example, operation information operated by a user, inputted character information, and the like) in response to a command from the CPU21, and stores the input information in the RAM 23. The character input unit 25 includes: a touch input unit 25a for inputting by specifying each character of hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet that is held in advance; and a handwriting input unit 25b for inputting each character of chinese characters, hiragana, katakana, or english letters handwritten in a predetermined area. In addition to the characters of hiragana, katakana, or english letters, the touch input unit 25a has function icons for performing screen switching, screen scrolling, search processing, and the like. The character input unit 25 also includes an operation unit 25c such as an operation key.

In the chinese character retrieval system 10, although software and data for realizing the chinese character retrieval system 10 are stored in the ROM22, the software and data may be acquired and executed by the portable game machine device 20 using a communication device, an external storage device, or the like.

Next, a system configuration of the kanji search system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 2 shows an example of the system configuration of the chinese character search system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in fig. 2, a chinese character search system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a character input control unit 11, a character confirmation unit 12, a display control unit 13, an input character acquisition unit 14, a kanji search unit 15, a user storage unit 16, a database unit 17, and a temporary storage unit 18.

The character input control unit 11 of the kanji search system 10 controls the character input unit 25 (the touch input unit 25a, the handwriting input unit 25b, the operation unit 25c, and the like), inputs an input character corresponding to a known single kanji character or known phrase in a search target kanji character which is a single kanji character or phrase to be searched by specifying a kanji position, and stores the input character and the kanji position in the temporary storage unit 18.

Here, the input characters corresponding to a known single chinese character or a known phrase in the chinese characters to be searched means the pronunciation of a known single chinese character or a known phrase in the chinese characters to be searched, when the touch input unit 25a is used, or when hiragana input, katakana input, and english alphabet input are used by the handwriting input unit 25 b; in the case of the chinese character input using the handwriting input unit 25b, the input means refers to a single chinese character constituting a handwritten search target chinese character.

In addition, when a phrase (known phrase) whose pronunciation is known, the pronunciation of the known phrase can be used as an input character, that is, a series of known single kanji characters can be used as the pronunciation of the known phrase and unified as the input character. The kanji position is information indicating that the input character is a character starting from the second character in the single kanji constituting the search target kanji. In addition, when the operation unit 25c includes keys for characters (hiragana, katakana, and english alphabet), the same processing as the character input by the touch input unit 25a can be performed by the operation unit 25 c.

Fig. 3 is a diagram for explaining character input using the character input unit 25. FIG. 3(a) is a diagram for explaining the designation of the position of a Chinese character; fig. 3(b) is a diagram for explaining character input using hiragana using the touch input unit 25 a; fig. 3(c) is a diagram for explaining character input in chinese characters using the handwriting input section 25 b; fig. 3(d) is a diagram for explaining character input by hiragana using the handwriting input section 25 b; fig. 3(e) is a diagram for explaining a screen on which the searched kanji candidates and their pronunciations are displayed.

For example, when the search target chinese character is "a Chinese line fire", and when it is known that a single chinese character is "a fire" (i.e., when the phrase is "a fire"), the chinese character position is specified as the third character as shown in fig. 3 (a). Then, as shown in fig. 3(b), the "は", "な", and "vent" of the touch input portion 25d are touched, and the "はな vent" is treated as input characters. At this time, the input character may be "ひ" by touching "ひ" of the touch input unit 25a with the kanji position designated as the third character and "は" and "な" of the touch input unit 25a and "はな" as the input character, and then designating the kanji position as the fourth character. In this case, "はな" is first input as an input character, and is converted from "はな" to "flower" by the kanji conversion section 15 mentioned later, and "ひ" is then converted from "ひ" to "fire" by the kanji conversion section 15 as an input character.

For example, as shown in fig. 3(c), the position of a chinese character is designated as the third character, and "flower" is handwritten in the handwriting input unit 25b and is used as the input character, and next, the position of a chinese character is designated as the fourth character, and "fire" is handwritten in the handwriting input unit 25b and is used as the input character. For example, as shown in fig. 3(d), the position of a kanji character is designated as the third character, and "は", "な", and "squish" are handwritten in the handwriting input unit 25b, and "はな" is extracted as the input character. In this case, as described with reference to fig. 3(b), the input characters can be divided into "はな" and "ひ". By inputting "spark" from the third character by the character input described above, the list of the search kanji candidates and the pronunciation thereof shown in fig. 3(e) is displayed on the screen of the display unit 25. Fig. 3(e) shows: the search chinese character candidate for the "spark" of the third character is only the "overhead line".

The character input control unit 11 controls the character input unit 25 to input the kanji character number of the kanji to be searched, and stores the input kanji character number in the temporary storage unit 18. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a screen window for inputting the number of kanji characters. In the screen window shown in fig. 4, the number of kanji characters is input by selecting the number of kanji characters of the retrieval target kanji.

The character input control unit 11 controls the character input unit 25 to move the position of the entered kanji or the kanji converted by the kanji conversion unit 15 to be mentioned later among the kanji to be searched, change the position of the kanji before the movement to the position of the kanji after the movement, and store the position in the temporary storage unit 18. For example, when a position of a chinese character is erroneously specified, the function is used when the position of the chinese character is changed without inputting an input character again. For example, if the retrieval target chinese character is "ladybug", and if it is known that a single chinese character is "worm", the chinese character position of "worm" is erroneously specified as the first character, the chinese character position of "worm" is changed to the second character using this function. Fig. 5 is a diagram for explaining the movement of the position of a chinese character. As shown in fig. 5, before the movement, "worm" is input as the first letter (state before the movement). If the icon of the first character is held down and dragged to the icon of the second character (move operation), after the movement, the second character is entered with "worm" (state after the movement). At this time, the searched candidate for the search chinese character is also changed from a single chinese character or phrase in which the first character is "worm" to a phrase in which the second character is "worm".

The character input control unit 11 controls the character input unit 25 to input, as input characters, a single kanji character or phrase selected from 1 or more single kanji characters or phrases inputted in the past and stored in the history data unit 181 of the temporary storage unit 18, and to store the input characters and kanji positions inputted in the temporary storage unit 18. The individual chinese characters or phrases stored in the history information data unit 181 are the individual chinese characters or phrases input as known individual chinese characters or known phrases among the chinese characters to be searched for, or handwritten individual chinese characters. Fig. 6 shows an example of a screen window for displaying a single chinese character or phrase stored in the history information data unit 181. A single chinese character or phrase selected from the single chinese characters or phrases displayed in the screen window shown in fig. 6 becomes an input character.

As described above, the character input control unit 11 controls the character input unit 25 so that not only the input characters and the positions of the input characters corresponding to the known single kanji or known phrase in the kanji to be searched for are input, but also the number of kanji characters, the position of the kanji, and the extraction of the input characters from the data unit 181 for history information are executed, but it is sufficient that at least the input characters and the positions of the input characters corresponding to the known single kanji or known phrase in the kanji to be searched for can be input, and for example, even a configuration in which the input characters cannot be extracted from the data unit 181 for history information, a configuration in which the position of the kanji cannot be moved, and a configuration in which the number of kanji cannot be input can be input.

Although the above description has been made of the configuration in which character input can be performed by the touch input unit 25a and the handwriting input unit 25b, character input may be performed only by the touch input unit 25a or only by the handwriting input unit 25 b.

The character recognition unit 12 of the kanji search system 10 recognizes each of the handwritten input characters by kanji, hiragana, katakana, and english alphabet. In the case where the handwriting input unit 25b is not provided, the character recognition unit 12 may not be provided.

The display control unit 13 of the kanji search system 10 controls the display unit 24 to extract various information (for example, the search kanji candidate and the pronunciation thereof, the search target kanji and the pronunciation thereof and the related information thereof, history information, user-saved information, and the like) stored in the temporary storage unit 18 or the database unit 17, and generates and displays display information based on the extracted information. FIG. 7(a) shows an example of a screen on which the candidate kanji search and the pronunciation thereof are displayed; fig. 7(b) shows an example of a screen on which search target kanji, the pronunciation thereof, and information related thereto are displayed. For example, if the target chinese character is "ladybug", and if it is known that a single chinese character is "worm", the second character is input as "worm", and the candidate chinese character for search shown in fig. 7(a) is searched for, and the candidate chinese character for search and the pronunciation thereof are displayed. In addition, the search target Chinese character shown in FIG. 7(b) and its pronunciation ("てんとぅむし") and its related information (e.g., meaning: "general term of insect in ladybug," English translation "a ladybug: a ladybird (bug)") are displayed by designating "ladybug" as the search target Chinese character from the search Chinese character candidates.

The input character acquisition unit 14 of the kanji search system 10 acquires input characters corresponding to known individual kanji or known phrases in the search target kanji, the kanji position thereof, and the number of kanji characters by interlocking the character input control unit 11, the character confirmation unit 12, and the display control unit 13. In addition, when the number of kanji characters is not input, "no-character number designation" is set.

The kanji search unit 15 of the kanji search system 10 searches for a candidate kanji from a plurality of individual kanji or phrases stored in the kanji conversion data unit 171 of the database unit 17 based on the input characters corresponding to the known individual kanji or known phrase in the retrieval target kanji acquired by the input character acquisition unit 14, and the kanji position and the kanji word count thereof. As shown in fig. 2, the chinese character search unit 15 includes: a pronunciation chinese character search unit 151, a predicted input character generation unit 152, and a phrase search unit 153.

The pronunciation chinese character retrieval unit 151 of the chinese character retrieval unit 15 retrieves all individual chinese characters or phrases converted from input characters input with hiragana, katakana, and english alphabets. That is, from the plurality of individual kanji characters or phrases stored in the kanji conversion data unit 171, all the individual kanji characters or phrases having the input character as the pronunciation are searched for, and the search result is stored in the search result data unit 182 of the temporary storage unit 18. For example, when the input word is "きょぅどぅ", all the single Chinese characters or phrases that are converted, such as "cooperate", "cooperate ", and "cooperate", are retrieved.

Fig. 8 shows an example of the data structure of the data unit 171 for kanji conversion. As shown in fig. 8, each of the individual chinese characters and phrases is stored with a correspondence relationship between the chinese character (kanji character code), the pronunciation (hiragana character code), the related information, and the address. The individual kanji characters and phrases are stored in the order of the first key in the order of pronunciation (hiragana character coding) and the second key in the order of kanji (kanji character coding). Further, the content such as the meaning and the english translation is also stored as the related information. Therefore, the phonetic chinese character search unit 151 converts each character code of the input characters input with katakana and english alphabet into a hiragana character code, and searches for a single chinese character and phrase using the hiragana character code as a key. As an example of the search method, a search method using binary search and linear search, which will be described later, is given in this specification.

Although the data structure of the kanji conversion data unit 171 is such that the reading is stored in the hiragana character code, a data unit in which the reading is a katakana character code or a data unit in which the reading is an english alphabet character code may be separately stored. In this case, the phonetic chinese character retrieval unit 151 does not convert each character code of an input character input with katakana and english alphabet into a hiragana character code, but retrieves a single chinese character and phrase with the katakana character code or english alphabet character code as a key.

In addition, although the data structure of the kanji conversion data section 171 is japanese, in languages other than japanese, a kanji (kanji character code), a reading (english character code) expressed by english letters corresponding to the languages other than japanese, and related information and addresses are stored in association with each other for each single kanji and each single phrase.

The predicted input character generation unit 152 of the kanji search unit 15 generates a predicted input character similar to an input character input with hiragana, katakana, and english alphabet in accordance with a predetermined predicted input search rule. Further, the pronunciation chinese character search unit 151 searches for a single chinese character or phrase having the predicted input character generated by the predicted input character generation unit 152 as a pronunciation.

Next, the prediction input search rule will be described by way of example. For example, when an input is made in english alphabet, a predicted input character modified as follows is generated according to the predicted input search rule.

(mode 1): predictive input text modified for excess consonants

For example, when "kekkka: け k っか ", a" kekka: けっか (result of JI) "is used as the predicted input text. Further, the kanji in (c) describes a single kanji or phrase to be converted, and the generated predicted input character is a hiragana converted into an english alphabet or katakana character code.

(mode 2): predicted input text modified for lack of "N

For example, when "onna: ぉ is used to ぁ ", generating" onnna: ぉ, one word な (female) "is used as the predicted input word.

(mode 3): predictive input text modified for lack of vowel

For example, when "nyurokyu: にゅりょく ", it produces" nyuuryoku: にゅぅりょく (power in) "as a prediction input character. In addition, when "kerei: けれぃ ", a" keirei: けぃれぃ (salutation) "as a prediction input character.

(mode 4): predictive input text modified for lack of consonants

For example, when "gakou: がこぅ", generating gakkou: "がっこぅ (school)" is taken as a prediction input character.

(mode 5): prediction input character modified from irregular English letters

When english letters "b", "p", and "m" are input, a predicted input character that converts "m" into "n" is generated in a case where "m" is input as its preceding character. For example, when "kampai: かmぽぃ", a "kanpai: かんぽぃ (dry cup)" is used as the predicted input word.

When "t" of an english alphabet is input, if "ch" is input as the two subsequent characters, a predicted input character is generated in which "t" is converted into "c". For example, when "etchou: ぇtちゅぅ", "ecchuu: ぇっちゅぅ (more intermediate)" as the prediction input text.

When a long sound such as "o" and "u" is input, a predicted input character to which "o" and "u" are added is generated. For example, when "ono: ぉ, generating "oono: ぉぉの (wild)" as prediction input characters; when "saito: さぃと", generating "saitou: さぃとぅ (Hitoshi rattan)" as a prediction input character.

(mode 6): predicted input characters corrected by the errors of "brake" and "ぢ", "ず", and "づ

For example, when "tsuzura: っずら ", generating" tsudura: っづら (Ge \31840)' as a prediction input character. In addition, when "jiditu: in case of the secondary motion ぢっ ", a" jijitu: further support っ (experimental implementation) "as the prediction input characters.

(mode 7): when the next word of the word in the segment "ぉ" of the fifty-sound chart is "ぉ", a modified predicted input word is substituted by "ぅ"

For example, when "hoseki: ほぉせき ", generate" houseki: ほぅせき (precious stone) "as the prediction input text. In addition, when "ooenn: ぉぉぇ is used to generate "ouenn: ぉぅぇん" serves as the predicted input word.

(mode 8): modified predicted input text with large text converted to small text

For example, when "siyougai: しょぅがぃ", "syougai: しょぅがぃ (fault)" is taken as the prediction input character.

(mode 9): modified predicted input characters having common English letters unified

For example, when "tu: っ ", generating" tsu: っ' as the prediction input text. When the input "zya: upon detection of ゃ ", a" ja: also, ゃ ″ is input as the prediction character. When "xa: ぁ ", la: ぁ' as the prediction input text. When "fu: ふ ", a" hu: ふ' as the prediction input text. When "ca: か ", a" ka: か' as the prediction input text.

Although the above-described prediction input search rule is a rule in which input characters are input in english letters, prediction input characters are generated similarly in the case of hiragana and katakana. The above-described rule is merely an example, and in addition, a pattern in which a foreign person unskilled in japanese inputs an error or a pattern in which a pronunciation is easily mistaken may be set as the rule. Further, the prediction input character may be generated by setting a rule that is likely to cause an error for each different user.

Although the prediction input search rule is a rule for japanese, in the case of a language other than japanese, a rule corresponding to the language is set.

The phrase retrieval unit 153 of the kanji retrieval unit 15 retrieves kanji candidates from a plurality of individual kanji or phrases stored in the kanji conversion data unit 171, based on the individual kanji or phrases converted by the pronunciation-kanji retrieval unit 151 or the individual kanji acquired by the input-character acquisition unit 14 by handwritten entry of the kanji, with the position of the kanji and the number of kanji characters acquired by the input-character acquisition unit 14 as constraint conditions. That is, a kanji character code of a single kanji character or phrase is used as a key to search for kanji candidates using the phrase searching data part 172 and the kanji converting data part 171 of the database part 17, and the searched result is stored in the search result data part 182 of the temporary storage part 18. In addition, in the case where the number of kanji characters is "no character number designation", the restriction condition is only the kanji position. For example, when the phrase is "plant", the position of a Chinese character is the third character, and the number of Chinese characters is 4, as a candidate for retrieving a Chinese character, a phrase consisting of the third character and the fourth character, such as "recessed flower plant (ぃんかしょくぶっ)", "l-Ye plant (かんょぅしょくぶっ)", "sensible flower plant (けぃかしょくぶっ)", and "insect-eating plant (しょくちゅぅしょくぶっ)", is a four-character phrase of "plant".

Fig. 9 shows an example of the data structure of the phrase search data section 172. As shown in fig. 9, the phrase search data section 172 stores kanji (kanji character codes) and addresses associated with individual kanji or phrases stored in the kanji conversion data section 171 in the order of the first key in the order of kanji (kanji character codes) and the second key in the order of reading (hiragana character codes) based on the kanji position.

For example, the phrase search data section 172 (data section a) based on the first character sequentially stores the kanji (kanji code) and the address sorted in the kanji code order of the first character (the second key is the hiragana code order). In the phrase search data section 172 (data section b) based on the second character, the kanji (kanji code) and the address sorted in the sequence of the kanji code of the second character are stored in order. In the phrase search data section 172 (data section c) based on the third character, the kanji (kanji code) and the address sorted in the sequence of the kanji code of the third character are stored in order.

Therefore, the candidate kanji is searched for by using the kanji character code of a single kanji or phrase as a key from the phrase searching data part 172 based on the kanji position. The pronunciation, related information, and the like of the searched kanji candidate are acquired from the searched address of the searched kanji candidate by using the kanji conversion data unit 171. As an example of the search method, a search method using a binary search and a linear search, which will be described later, is given in this specification.

Next, binary search and linear search will be described. Fig. 10 is a diagram for explaining binary search; fig. 11 is a diagram for explaining the linear search. In addition, a case where a kanji character code is used as a key to search for a candidate kanji will be described as an example. In addition, a case will be described as an example where the kanji to be searched is "closed" with reference to the first character, and N individual kanji characters or phrases are stored in the phrase searching data part 172 (data part a) with reference to the first character.

As shown in fig. 10, the binary search method is as follows: first, the number N of individual kanji characters or phrases stored in the data portion a is set to E, and 1 is set to S. Then, according to the sequence stored in the data part a, taking the S-th single Chinese character or phrase as the reference, taking out the [ E/2] th single Chinese character or phrase, comparing the Chinese character code of the first character of the taken out single Chinese character or phrase with the "5408" which is the Chinese character code of "closed", and setting [ E/2] -1 for E under the condition that the "5408" is large; when "5408" is small, [ E/2] +1 is set for S and E- [ E/2] is set for E, and this is repeated until a single Chinese character or phrase is retrieved, the first character of which is the Kanji character code "5408". In the case of fig. 10, by repeating this 3 times, a single kanji or phrase is retrieved in which the kanji character code of the first character is "5408". Further, [ E/2] is an integer not exceeding E/2.

As shown in fig. 11, the method of linear search is as follows: when the single Chinese character or phrase searched by the binary search is regarded as the ith character, the single Chinese character or phrase of the (i-1) th (or (i + 1) th) character is extracted, the Chinese character code of the first character of the extracted single Chinese character or phrase is compared with the '5408', and the operation is repeatedly carried out, and the first address of the single Chinese character or phrase of which the Chinese character code of the first character is '5408' and the number (search number) of the single Chinese character or phrase of which the Chinese character code of the first character is '5408' are extracted.

In the case of fig. 11, since the single kanji or phrase in which the kanji character code of the first character is "5408" is "overprint", "key-on", and "party", the address of "overprint" becomes the first address, and the number of searches becomes 3. Therefore, by extracting the three addresses in ascending order from the address of "overprint" as the head address and extracting the search kanji candidates of the kanji conversion data section 171 corresponding to the respective addresses, it is also possible to extract the pronunciation of the search kanji candidates. By the binary search and the linear search, the phrase search unit 153 searches for candidate chinese characters, and the phonetic chinese character search unit 151 searches for individual chinese characters and phrases. In addition, although the above case is a case of fetching the head address, it may be a case of fetching the tail address. That is, the pronunciation of the search kanji candidate can be extracted by extracting the three addresses in descending order from the address of the "resultant" as the final address and extracting the search kanji candidate of the kanji conversion data section 171 corresponding to each address.

Although the kanji conversion unit 15 of the kanji search system 10 searches for candidate kanji search for all the individual kanji or phrases stored in the database unit 17, IT may be configured to provide a function of specifying a search field (for example, a place name, a station name, a language used for each academic field (economic, IT, physical, biological, etc.), a plant name, a fish name, etc.) and search for an individual kanji or phrase related to the specified field. For example, when a place name is designated as a search area (when the place name icon 30 of fig. 3(a) is designated), only the place name is set as a search target. This makes it possible to search for a search kanji candidate for a search target kanji desired by a user in a short time, and to narrow the range of the number of search kanji candidates, thereby making it possible for the user to easily recognize the search target kanji.

The user storage unit 16 of the kanji search system 10 stores, in the user storage data unit 173 of the database unit 17, kanji (kanji character code), pronunciation (hiragana character code), related information, and an address, which are associated with a search target kanji designated from among the search kanji candidates searched for by the phrase search unit 153.

The individual chinese character or phrase stored in the user storage data unit 173 is displayed on the display unit 24 by touching the storage data read TAB (TAB) of the touch input unit 25a, and by specifying the individual chinese character or phrase, the pronunciation or related information of the specified individual chinese character or phrase can be displayed. That is, by using the function of reading out individual chinese characters or phrases stored in the user storage unit 16 and the user storage data unit 173, it is possible to create a different simple dictionary function for each user.

Although the kanji search system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the user storage unit 16, the kanji search system may be configured without the user storage unit 16. In the kanji search system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the kanji search unit 15 includes the predicted input character generation unit 152, but may not include the predicted input character generation unit 152. Further, the user may designate whether or not to execute the predicted input character generation unit 152.

According to the kanji search system 10 of one embodiment of the present invention, the pronunciation of a known single kanji or a known phrase in a kanji search target can be input by merely specifying the kanji position, so that a candidate of a kanji search target (hereinafter, referred to as a kanji search candidate) can be searched for, and the searched kanji search candidate can be displayed together with the pronunciation of the kanji search candidate. I.e. also without the use of e.g. "a" or "? "and the like. In addition, the pronunciation of a known phrase in the kanji to be searched can be input by specifying the kanji position, thereby facilitating the input operation by the user. That is, without performing an operation of inputting the pronunciation of each single kanji character, the pronunciations of a plurality of single kanji characters can be input as the pronunciation of a phrase.

Further, by specifying the number of characters of a single kanji character constituting a kanji character to be searched for (hereinafter, referred to as the number of kanji characters), the range of candidate kanji characters to be searched for can be narrowed, candidate kanji characters to be searched for can be searched for in a short time, and a user can easily recognize a kanji character to be searched for in the candidate kanji characters to be searched for.

Even when the user erroneously inputs the pronunciation of a known single kanji character or a known phrase, it is possible to generate a predicted input character similar to the input character and to search for a candidate kanji character whose pronunciation is a candidate for the generated predicted input character, based on the predicted input character search rule. Thus, even if the input characters are input by a foreign person inexperienced in Japanese, the Chinese character candidates can be searched and retrieved even if the input characters are input characters whose pronunciation is likely to be wrong.

In addition, by easily moving the single kanji input to the wrong kanji position, it is possible to easily search for and retrieve kanji candidates.

In addition, by recognizing a handwritten kanji as an input character, it is possible to search for a pronunciation of a candidate kanji or a kanji to be searched for even when a single known kanji does not exist.

Further, it is also possible to extract and display related information (for example, meaning, english translation, and the like) about a retrieval target kanji selected from the retrieved retrieval kanji candidates.

In addition, by storing the pronunciation or the related information of the searched Chinese character to be searched, a simple dictionary function for the individual user can be generated, which can collect the single Chinese character or phrase frequently used by the user or the single Chinese character or phrase which is easy to go wrong.

Further, by storing the single kanji character or phrase converted from the input character as history information, it is possible to search for a candidate kanji character without re-inputting the input character that was input in the past.

Next, a chinese character search method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

Fig. 12 and 13 are flowcharts showing an example of processing steps of a program for executing each step of the kanji search method according to the embodiment of the present invention on a computer.

As shown in fig. 12 and 13, the kanji search processing first designates a kanji position to input an input character corresponding to a known single kanji or a known phrase in a kanji to be searched for, which is a single kanji or a phrase to be searched for (step 101: S101). For example, when the chinese character to be searched is "a Chinese character" in a Chinese character string, "and" a Chinese character "is known as" a Chinese character "and" a Chinese character "in a Chinese character string (that is, when the phrase" a Chinese character string "is known), the position of the Chinese character is designated as a third character (see fig. 3(a)), and" はな "is input as an input character (see fig. 3 (b)). In the case of handwriting input with a chinese character, the position of the chinese character is designated as the third character, and "flower" is input as the input character (see fig. 3(c)), and then the position of the chinese character is designated as the fourth character, and "fire" is input as the input character.

Then, it is determined whether the input character input in step 101 is a handwritten character (step 102: S102), and if the input character is a handwritten character (S102: YES), character confirmation of the input character is performed (step 103: S103). Next, the number of kanji characters of the retrieval target kanji is input (step 104: S104). In addition, the number of the Chinese characters may not be input.

Next, the entered input character, the position of the Kanji, and the number of Kanji characters are acquired (step 105: S105). In addition, if step 104 precedes step 105, it can be performed at a time desired by the user.

Then, it is determined whether the input character is a kanji character (step 106: S106), and if the input character is a kanji character (S106: YES), a kanji candidate is searched for from a plurality of individual kanji characters or phrases stored in the kanji conversion data unit 171, based on the input character, using the kanji position and the number of kanji characters as constraint conditions (step 107: S107). That is, the kanji character code of the input character is used as a key, the phrase search data section 172 and the kanji conversion data section 171 of the database section 17 are used to search for kanji candidates, and the search result is stored in the search result data section 182 of the temporary storage section 18.

On the other hand, in the case where the input character is not a Kanji character (S106: NO), that is, in the case where the input character is Hiragana, Katakana, and English letters, all the individual Kanji characters or phrases converted from the input character are retrieved (step 108: S108). That is, from the plurality of individual kanji characters or phrases stored in the kanji conversion data unit 171, all the individual kanji characters or phrases having the input character as the pronunciation are searched for, and the search result is stored in the search result data unit 182 of the temporary storage unit 18.

Next, a predicted input character similar to the input character is generated according to a predetermined predicted input search rule (step 109: S109), and all the individual Chinese characters or phrases converted from the generated predicted input character are searched for in the same manner as in step 108 (step 110: S110).

Next, the single Chinese character or phrase retrieved in steps 108 and 110 is displayed (step 111: S111). Then, based on the selected single Chinese character or phrase from the single Chinese characters or phrases searched in steps 108 and 110, the Chinese character candidates are searched for from the plurality of single Chinese characters or phrases stored in the Chinese character conversion data unit 171, using the Chinese character position and the number of Chinese characters as constraint conditions, in the same manner as in step 107 (step 112: S112).

Next, the searched kanji candidates searched in step 107 or step 112 are displayed (step 113: S113). Then, it is determined whether or not the display of the related information is designated (step 114: S114), and when the display of the related information is designated (S114: YES), the related information associated with the designated search target Chinese character in the search Chinese character candidates is extracted from the Chinese character conversion data unit 171, and the related information is displayed together with the search target Chinese character and the pronunciation of the search target Chinese character (step 115: S115).

Finally, it is determined whether or not the retrieval target kanji is to be stored in the user storage unit 16 (step 116: S116), and if the retrieval target kanji is to be stored in the user storage unit 16 (S116: Yes), the kanji (Kanji character code), the pronunciation (Hiragana character code), the related information, and the address, which are associated with the retrieval target kanji extracted from the kanji conversion data unit 171, are stored in the user storage data unit 173 of the database unit 17 (step 117: S117), and the kanji retrieval process is ended.

According to the kanji search method of one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to search for candidates of a kanji to be searched for (hereinafter, referred to as search kanji candidates) simply by inputting the pronunciation of a known single kanji or a known phrase in a kanji to be searched for in such a manner that the kanji position is specified, and to display the searched search kanji candidates together with the pronunciation of the search kanji candidates. That is, there is no need to use, for example, "# or"? "and the like. In addition, by inputting the pronunciation of a known phrase in the kanji to be searched in such a manner as to specify the kanji position, the input operation by the user can be facilitated. That is, without performing the operation of inputting the pronunciation for each single chinese character, the pronunciations of a plurality of single chinese characters can be input as the pronunciations of phrases.

Further, by specifying the number of characters of a single kanji character constituting a kanji character to be searched for (hereinafter, simply referred to as the kanji character number), the range of candidate kanji characters to be searched for can be narrowed, and the kanji character to be searched for in the candidate kanji characters can be searched for in a short time, and the user can easily recognize the kanji character to be searched for in the candidate kanji characters to be searched for.

Even when the user mistakenly pronounces a known single kanji character or a known phrase and inputs the character, the user can generate a predicted input character similar to the input character according to the predicted input character search rule and search for a candidate kanji character search whose pronunciation is the generated predicted input character. Thus, even if the input characters are input by a foreign person unskilled in Japanese, the Chinese character candidates can be searched for even if the input characters are input characters whose pronunciation is likely to be wrong.

By recognizing a handwritten Chinese character as an input character, it is possible to search for a candidate of a search Chinese character or the pronunciation of a search target Chinese character even when a single known Chinese character does not exist.

In addition, it is possible to extract and display related information (for example, meaning, english translation, and the like) on a search target kanji selected from the searched candidate kanji search candidates.

In addition, by storing the pronunciation or the related information of the searched Chinese character to be searched, it is possible to generate a simple dictionary function for the individual user who aggregates the individual Chinese characters or phrases frequently used by the user or the individual Chinese characters or phrases which are likely to be mistaken.

Further, by storing the single kanji character or phrase converted from the input character as history information, it is possible to search for a candidate kanji character without re-inputting the input character input in the past.

Although the chinese character search system 10 and the chinese character search method according to the embodiment of the present invention are a system and a method using the portable game machine device 20, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to portable devices such as a portable telephone, an electronic dictionary device, and a personal digital assistant, a home game machine, a standalone computer, a workstation-type computer system, a network-type computer system, and the like.

Claims

1. A Chinese character retrieval system for retrieving a single Chinese character or phrase, which is a pronunciation of a Chinese character to be retrieved, by using a computer, the Chinese character retrieval system being characterized in that,

the computer includes:

an input control unit that controls a character input unit to specify a kanji position of a desired one of 1 or more individual kanji constituting the search target kanji and to input an input character corresponding to a kanji string of 1 or more continuous kanji from the specified kanji position;

an input character acquisition unit that acquires the input characters that are the chinese characters, hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet input by the input control unit and the position of the chinese character corresponding to the input characters;

a kanji search unit that searches for a candidate of a kanji to be searched for, which includes at least a single kanji or a phrase having the input character as a pronunciation, from a plurality of single kanji or phrases stored in a database unit, based on a restriction condition, when the input character acquired by the input character acquisition unit is hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet, and that searches for a candidate of a kanji to be searched for, which includes at least the single kanji as the input character, from a plurality of single kanji or phrases stored in the database unit, based on the restriction condition, when the input character is a kanji, and extracts a pronunciation of the searched candidate of the kanji to be searched for, which is obtained; and

and a display control unit that controls a display unit to display the candidate of the search target kanji searched by the kanji search unit and the pronunciation of the searched candidate of the search target kanji.

2. The Chinese character retrieval system according to claim 1,

the input control unit controls the input unit to input the number of characters of a single Chinese character constituting the search target Chinese character,

the input character acquiring unit further acquires the number of the chinese characters input through the input control unit,

the chinese character retrieval unit takes the position of the chinese character and the number of the chinese character acquired by the input character acquisition unit as the constraint conditions, when the input character acquired by the input character acquisition unit is hiragana, katakana or english alphabet, according to the restriction conditions, from a plurality of single Chinese characters or phrases stored in the database part, searching for the candidate of the Chinese character to be searched at least including a single Chinese character or phrase with the input character as the pronunciation, when the input character is a Chinese character, according to the restriction conditions, from a plurality of single Chinese characters or phrases stored in the database, the method includes searching for a candidate of the search target kanji including at least the single kanji as the input character, and extracting the pronunciation of the searched candidate of the search target kanji.

3. The Chinese character retrieval system according to claim 1 or 2,

the Chinese character retrieval unit comprises:

a phonetic chinese character retrieval unit that retrieves, when the input character acquired by the input character acquisition unit is hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet, all of the individual chinese characters or phrases having the input character acquired by the input character acquisition unit as a phonetic letter from among a plurality of individual chinese characters or phrases stored in the database unit; and

and a phrase searching unit that searches for a candidate of the search target kanji including at least a kanji as the input character acquired by the input character acquiring unit or a candidate of the search target kanji including at least a kanji or a phrase retrieved by the pronunciation kanji searching unit, from among the plurality of kanji or phrases stored in the database unit, based on the restriction condition, and extracts a pronunciation of the searched candidate of the search target kanji.

4. A Chinese character retrieval system according to claim 3,

the input control unit controls the input unit so that the kanji position of a single kanji of the input character acquired by the input character acquisition unit or the kanji position of each single kanji constituting a single kanji or phrase retrieved by the pronunciation kanji retrieval unit is moved to a desired kanji position.

5. The Chinese character retrieval system according to claim 4,

the input control unit further includes:

a unit for selecting and inputting characters as hiragana, katakana or english alphabet provided in the input unit; and/or

A unit for inputting Chinese characters, hiragana, katakana or English letters by handwriting,

when the input control means includes the means for inputting by handwriting, the computer further includes a character confirmation means for confirming the input character input by handwriting for each of kanji, hiragana, katakana, and english letters.

6. The Chinese character retrieval system according to claim 5,

the display control means acquires, based on the search target kanji specified from the search target kanji candidates searched for by the kanji search means, related information about the search target kanji stored in the database unit, and controls the display unit to display the acquired related information.

7. The Chinese character retrieval system according to claim 6,

the Chinese character retrieval means further includes predicted input character generation means for generating a predicted input character similar to the input character according to a predetermined predicted input character retrieval rule when the input character acquired by the input character acquisition means is hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet,

the pronunciation chinese character retrieval unit further retrieves, from the plurality of individual chinese characters or phrases stored in the database unit, all of the individual chinese characters or phrases having the predicted input character generated by the predicted input character generation unit as a pronunciation.

8. The Chinese character retrieval system according to claim 7,

the computer further includes a user storage unit that stores the related information on the search target kanji specified from among the candidates of the search target kanji searched by the kanji search unit in the database unit,

the display control unit acquires the related information related to 1 single chinese character or phrase selected from 1 or more single chinese characters or phrases stored in the user storage unit, and controls the display unit to display the acquired related information.

9. The Chinese character retrieval system according to claim 8,

the input character acquisition means stores the acquired single Chinese character in a temporary storage unit when the input character is a Chinese character,

the Chinese character search unit stores a single Chinese character or phrase having hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet as pronunciation acquired by the input character acquisition unit in the temporary storage unit,

the input control means controls the input unit to input a Chinese character or phrase selected from 1 or more individual Chinese characters or phrases stored in the temporary storage unit.

10. A Chinese character retrieval method for retrieving a single Chinese character or phrase, which is the pronunciation of a Chinese character to be retrieved, by using a computer, is characterized in that,

the computer includes:

a step (a) of specifying a kanji position of a desired one of 1 or more individual kanji constituting the search target kanji and inputting an input character corresponding to a kanji string of 1 or more continuous kanji from the specified kanji position;

a step (b) of acquiring the input characters input in the step (a) as chinese characters, hiragana, katakana, or english letters and the chinese character positions corresponding to the input characters;

a step (c) of searching for a candidate of the search target kanji including at least a single kanji or a phrase as an input character from a plurality of single kanji or phrases stored in a database unit based on the restriction condition when the input character acquired in the step (b) is hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet using the kanji position acquired in the step (b) as the restriction condition, and searching for a candidate of the search target kanji including at least a single kanji as an input character from a plurality of single kanji or phrases stored in a database unit based on the restriction condition when the input character is a kanji and extracting a pronunciation of the searched candidate of the search target kanji; and

and (d) displaying the searched candidate of the kanji and the pronunciation of the searched candidate of the kanji.

11. The Chinese character retrieval method according to claim 10,

the step (a) further inputs the number of kanji characters of the individual kanji constituting the search target kanji,

the step (b) further acquires the number of the kanji characters inputted through the step (a),

the step (c) is performed by using the kanji position and the kanji number acquired in the step (b) as the restriction conditions, searching for a candidate of the search target kanji including at least a single kanji or a phrase having the input character as a pronunciation from a plurality of single kanji or phrases stored in the database unit according to the restriction conditions when the input character acquired in the step (b) is hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet, and searching for a candidate of the search target kanji including at least the single kanji as the input character from a plurality of single kanji or phrases stored in the database unit according to the restriction conditions when the input character is a kanji and extracting a pronunciation of the searched candidate of the search target kanji.

12. The Chinese character retrieval method according to claim 10 or 11,

the step (c) includes:

a step (c1) of searching for all individual kanji or phrases having the input character acquired in the step (b) as a pronunciation from among a plurality of individual kanji or phrases stored in the database unit when the input character acquired in the step (b) is hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet;

and (c2) searching, based on the constraint condition, for a candidate of the search target kanji including at least the kanji as the input character acquired in the step (b) or a candidate of the search target kanji including at least the kanji or the phrase acquired in the step (c1) from among the plurality of kanji or phrases stored in the database, and extracting the pronunciation of the searched candidate of the search target kanji.

13. The Chinese character retrieval method according to claim 12,

the step (a) moves the kanji position of the individual kanji of the input character acquired in the step (b) or the kanji position of each individual kanji constituting the individual kanji or phrase searched for in the step (c1) to a desired kanji position.

14. The Chinese character retrieval method according to claim 13,

the step (a) further comprises:

a step (a1) of selecting and inputting characters as hiragana, katakana, or english alphabets provided in the input unit; and/or

Step (a2), Chinese characters, hiragana, katakana or English letters are input by handwriting,

the computer further includes:

and (e) confirming the input character input by handwriting for each of kanji, hiragana, katakana, and english alphabet when the step (a) includes the step (a 2).

15. The Chinese character retrieval method according to claim 14,

the step (d) of acquiring the related information related to the search target kanji stored in the database unit based on the search target kanji designated from the search target kanji candidates searched for in the step (c), and displaying the acquired related information.

16. The Chinese character retrieval method according to claim 15, wherein,

the step (c) further comprises:

a step (c3) of generating a predicted input character similar to the input character according to a predetermined predicted input character search rule when the input character acquired in the step (b) is hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet,

the step (c1) further searches for all the individual kanji or phrases having the predicted input character generated in the step (c3) as a pronunciation from the plurality of individual kanji or phrases stored in the database.

17. The Chinese character retrieval method according to claim 16,

the computer further includes:

a step (f) of storing the correlation information on the search target kanji specified from the search target kanji candidates searched for in the step (c) in the database unit,

the step (d) may acquire the related information related to 1 single chinese character or phrase selected from the 1 or more single chinese characters or phrases stored in the step (f), and display the acquired related information.

18. The Chinese character retrieval method according to claim 17,

the step (b) of storing the acquired single Chinese character in a temporary storage unit when the input character is a Chinese character,

the step (c) of storing the single kanji or phrase having the hiragana, katakana, or english alphabet obtained in the step (b) as a pronunciation in the temporary storage unit,

in the step (a), a chinese character or phrase selected from 1 or more individual chinese characters or phrases stored in the temporary storage unit is input.

19. A program for causing a computer to execute a process of searching for the pronunciation of a Chinese string to be searched, which is a single Chinese character or phrase to be searched,

causing the computer to execute processing for realizing each unit of the chinese character retrieval system according to any one of claims 1 to 9.