Apple files EU patent application for ‘real-time data localization’

Posted by Dennis Sellers Apr 6, 2006 at 4:30am

On March 30, The European Patent Office revealed a new Apple patent application titled ‘real-time data localization’ under number WO2006033765.

Apple’s abstract

A method, apparatus, and system are provided for performing a real-time or a near real-time localization of data. The method comprises monitoring an input string and comparing a semantic associated with the input string to a semantic associated with at least, one stored string. The method further comprises providing the stored string as an alternative to the input string.

Three patent figures for review

The following is a partial review of patent Figures 2, 3 & 4 along with various text excerpts.

Patent Figure 2 (above) illustrates a system comprising a server computer system and external devices, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Patent Figure 2: a system 200 is depicted that illustrates remote computer systems accessing data or controlling the operation of the external devices 120 via the server computer system 110. The various components of the system 200 may be utilized to perform the substantially real-time localization provided herein. The system 200 may be utilized to perform the substantially real-time localization provided herein. The system 200 includes a plurality of computing devices coupled together through one or more network connections that allows for electronic communications with the server computer system 110. For example, a plurality of devices may be coupled together via a private or public network, such as a local area network (LAN) or the internet 202. In an alternative embodiment, the plurality of devices may be coupled together via an Intranet system. The actual connection between the devices may be Internet 202 may take on one or more of any of a variety of forms, such as a network interface card (NIC0, a modem, a digital subscriber line (DSL), a cable modem, a wireless connection, and the like. The devices coupled to the internet 202 may include, for example, desktop computers or servers such as an Apple Macintosh, A classic Apple Mac 206, a Power G4, Power G5, an iMac, and IBM computer (PC) 208, and the like. Further, these desktop computers, such as the Apple Macintosh, may be coupled together via a smaller sub-LAN 210, with the sub-LAN 210 being coupled to the internet 202. Portable devices, such as the Apple PowerBook or iBook 212, may also be coupled to the internet 202, either directly or as a part of the sub-LAN 210. Further, other consumer devices, such as cell phones, personal data assistants (PDAs), network appliances, and other embedded devices may be connected to the internet 202 to employ aspects of the present invention.

The computer system 206 may also comprise an interface development unit 330 and a localization unit 340. A developer may enter various text, strings, or graphics, to develop an application, such as an interface for a particular product, using the interface development unit 330. The term “string” may include various combinations of text and/or various symbols. In one embodiment, the interface development unit 330 may be Interface Builder product offered by Apple Computer Inc. The interface unit 330 may be used to enter various texts, strings, or graphics, to create an interface, such as a Graphic User Interface (GUI) for a particular application. Other applications, such as a text document, or other software development applications may be used by a user/software developer to enter text, strings, or graphics, into the computer system 206. The localization of the text, string, or graphics, relating to the product being developed.

Turning now to Figure 3, an exemplary computer system utilized to perform the localization provided by embodiments of the present invention is illustrated.

Turning now to Figure 3, an exemplary computer system utilized to perform the localization provided by embodiments of the present invention is illustrated. The illustration in Figure 3 is described in terms of an exemplary computer system 206; however, the various aspects of Figure 3 may be implemented into any computer system. A block diagram depiction of the computer system 206 in Figure 3 includes an operating system 320 capable of controlling the various operations performed by the computer system 206. The operating system 320 comprises various interfaces that are capable of respectively interfacing with the various applications, such as a 1st through Nth application. 360 may comprise a variety of application such as iPhoto, iChat, various data manipulation applications, and the like.

Now turning to figure 4, a block diagram depiction of the localization unit 340 and a block diagram depiction of the lookup file 310 are illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The localization unit 340 may comprise a file type detection unit 410, a fuzzy logic unit 420, a text/string/graphic comparison unit 430, and an alternative string/text/graphic collection unit 440. Based upon the type of detection by the file type detection unit 410 and the type of localization desired, a particular set of files or databases may be searched within a particular localization file, i.e., a 1st, 2nd and Nth localization files 450, 460, 470 for comparison and analysis. One or more blocks illustrated in Figure 4 maybe a hardware unit, a software unit, a firmware unit, and/or a combination thereof.

The lookup file 310, 350 may comprise various localization files that may be specific to different locals, such as a localization file for a Spanish audience, a localization file for a European audience, localization for a Far East audience, etc. Therefore, the tables in the lookup file 310, 350 comprises a first localization file 450, a second localization file 460, through an Nth localization file 470. These localization files 450, 460, 470 may be consulted by the localization unit 340 in order to perform the real-time/near real-time localization process described herein.

Based upon the file type detected by the file type detection unit 410, a fuzzy logic unit 420 may search for similarities with previously stored semantics relating to various strings or graphics. The fuzzy logic unit 420 may then prompt the collection of such strings for providing alternatives for substantially real-time localization of a particular product being developed by the user/developer. The fuzzy logic unit 420 may be representative of various types of hardware, software, or firmware logic that may be implemented by those skilled in the art having benefit of the present disclosure and remain with the spirit and scope of the present invention. The text/string/graphic comparison unit 430 may perform a comparison of the text, string, or graphic, being entered to determine whether the text, text, string, or graphic, being analyzed is semantically virtually identical to a previously stored and translated set to text, string, or graphic.

The file type detection unit 410 may comprise various logic or software commands to detect a particular file type being developed by the user. For example, the file type detection unit 410 may detect that a C file, a C ++ file, a Java file, or a graphical user interface (GUI) is being developed for a music recording application.

Notice

Macsimum News presents only a brief summary of patents with associated graphic(s) for journalistic news purposes as each such patent application and/or grant is revealed by the U.S. or European Patent & Trade Offices. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any patent applications and/or grants should be read in its entirety for further details.

Inventor: PETRI JONAH W (US); WILSON ANDREW M (US); HANSTEN CHRISTOPHER E (US); KATELEY JAMES F (US)

Applicant: APPLE COMPUTER (US); PETRI JONAH W (US); WILSON ANDREW M (US); HANSTEN CHRISTOPHER E (US); KATELEY JAMES F (US)

International Classification: G06F9/44; G06F9/44. Note that G06 refers to ‘Instruments’ specifically pertaining to computing, calculating, And counting.

neo@macsimumnews.com

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