Patents by Inventor Chieko Asakawa
Chieko Asakawa has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20080241803Abstract: A device, computer program and method for outputting linguistic information. The voice output device, for example, includes an output information acquisition unit acquiring linguistic information and attribute information. Attribute information includes an attribute added to each linguistic element included in the linguistic information. A tactile pattern storage unit stores a predetermined tactile pattern corresponding to each linguistic element. A tactile pattern acquisition unit acquires the tactile pattern from the tactile pattern storage unit. A voice output unit reads aloud the linguistic elements and a tactile pattern output unit outputs, in parallel with reading aloud each linguistic element, the tactile pattern corresponding to the attribute added to the linguistic element, thereby allowing a user to sense the tactile pattern by the sense of touch.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2008Publication date: October 2, 2008Inventors: Chieko Asakawa, Tohru Ifukube, Shuichi Ino, Hironobu Takagi
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Publication number: 20080228789Abstract: A computer program for editing a structured electronic document that is represented by a tree structure, in which an object to be processed by a computer forms each node, is provided. The program causes the computer to operate as (1) means for selecting a predetermined node from the nodes, (2) means for selecting at least another node that is placed after the predetermined node in the tree structure, (3) means for determining whether semantics of the selected other node are associated with semantics of the predetermined node or not, and (4) means for changing the tree structure so that the other node becomes a child node of the predetermined node if it is determined that the association is available.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2008Publication date: September 18, 2008Inventors: Chieko Asakawa, Hisashi Miyashita, Shin Saito, Hironobu Takagi
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Patent number: 7403897Abstract: A device, computer program and method for outputting linguistic information. The voice output device, for example, includes an output information acquisition unit acquiring linguistic information and attribute information. Attribute information includes an attribute added to each linguistic element included in the linguistic information. A tactile pattern storage unit stores a predetermined tactile pattern corresponding to each linguistic element. A tactile pattern acquisition unit acquires the tactile pattern from the tactile pattern storage unit. A voice output unit reads aloud the linguistic elements and a tactile pattern output unit outputs, in parallel with reading aloud each linguistic element, the tactile pattern corresponding to the attribute added to the linguistic element, thereby allowing a user to sense the tactile pattern by the sense of touch.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2004Date of Patent: July 22, 2008Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Chieko Asakawa, Tohru Ifukube, Shuichi Ino, Hironobu Takagi
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Publication number: 20080077858Abstract: Provides ability to analyze the readability of an image to be displayed on a screen as a web page, etc., and appropriately modify the image. It includes a rendering section for generating an image by rendering an HTML document; an image processing section for performing image processing on the image generated by the rendering section to simulate and evaluate how the image is viewed under a certain visual characteristic; and a result presentation section for locating an HTML element that needs to be modified in the HTML document to be processed based on the evaluation result of the image processing section 30 and for presenting the HTML element to a web page creator. The result presentation section also retrieves a modification method for the HTML element that needs to be modified from a symptom model storage section. A document modification processing section actually modifies the HTML document.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2007Publication date: March 27, 2008Inventors: Chieko Asakawa, Kentaro Fukuda, Junji Maeda, Hidemasa Muta, Hironobu Takagi
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Publication number: 20080040115Abstract: A system is provided for evaluating the degree of difficulty a user is likely to encounter when trying to understanding the contents of one or more document pages by listening to a voice output from a screen reader. An evaluation value representing the likely degree of difficulty is generated based on a feature amount representing a feature of the page. A collection section collects the user's actual evaluation value of the difficulty and the feature amount of one or more pages where the generated evaluation value is inconsistent with the user's evaluation of the difficulty. A first update section updates the evaluation function on the basis of the feature amount and the evaluation value collected from the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2007Publication date: February 14, 2008Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Chieko Asakawa, Daisuke Sato, Hironobu Takagi
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Publication number: 20080040513Abstract: A user interface through which multiple application programs can be operated in common. An information processing apparatus provides a common input/output interface to multiple application programs. The apparatus includes a section which converts an application-specific document generated by each of the plurality of application programs and represented in a data structure specific to the application program to a common document represented in a common data structure; a section which presents the common document to a user; a section which inputs an operation performed by the user on the common document; an interface adapter which converts an object contained in the common document to an object used in the output section; a section which modifies the common document in accordance with an operation by the user; and a section which reflects modifications to the common document in the application-specific document.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2007Publication date: February 14, 2008Inventors: Chieko Asakawa, Tatsuya Ishihara, Takashi Itoh, Hironobu Takagi
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Patent number: 7246041Abstract: Provides evaluating programs that enable problems to be identified in a manner that reflects actual conditions for an evaluation of contents of interest. In an example embodiment, there is provided a program for evaluating contents of interest that causes a computer to implement the functions of: performing a primary evaluation of contents of interest on the basis of one evaluation criterion; performing a primary evaluation of the contents of interest on the basis of another evaluation criterion; and performing a secondary evaluation of the contents of interest on the basis of a plurality of the first evaluations.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2005Date of Patent: July 17, 2007Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Kentaro Fukuda, Hironobu Takagi, Junji Maeda, Chieko Asakawa
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Patent number: 7225397Abstract: The present invention provides improvement of operations providing annotation and layout for an HTML page file. In an example embodiment, a page acquisition module obtains page files from a web server, and an HTML file analysis module extracts tags and characteristic values related to the layout. A page group detection module employs layout tags and their characteristic values to group page files that have the same or a similar layout. When an annotation addition module adds an annotation to an arbitrary page file in the obtained layout group, the annotation is applied for another page file in the layout group. When the layout group is divided or layout groups are unified, a correction module for the function of distance calculation corrects a calculation expression for a distance between pages or layout groups in order to reflect the division or unification results obtained by the user.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2002Date of Patent: May 29, 2007Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Kentaroh Fukuda, Hironobu Takagi, Junji Maeda, Chieko Asakawa
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Patent number: 7197462Abstract: To convert the structure of a Web page into contents that a user can easily listen to, and for permitting the user to access and obtain information without have to perform and navigation, in a manner similar to listening to the radio. A designated target page is obtained from a Web server, and a linked list for the target page is analyzed to obtain a linked destination page. A transcoding module inserts the main content of the linked destination page into a linked location on the target page, and converts the page into a structure appropriate for oral reading. Then, a VoiceXML generation module converts the target page into a VoiceXML document, and a VoiceXML browser performs a speech response process for the VoiceXML document. A command is input to the VoiceXML browser orally or by using a dial key entry provided using a telephone, and a speech from the VoiceXML browser is output to the telephone.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2002Date of Patent: March 27, 2007Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Hironobu Takagi, Chieko Asakawa
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Publication number: 20070038937Abstract: A device, a control method, and a program to increase the accuracy of voice read-out and text mining by automatically structuring a presentation file.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2006Publication date: February 15, 2007Inventors: Chieko Asakawa, Tarsuya Ishihara, Takashi Itoh, Hironobu Takagi
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Patent number: 7058695Abstract: A technique for the simplification of Web pages in order to access necessary information rapidly, when displaying or outputting Web pages using a small screen device or a voice browser. A method for simplifying Web contents includes the steps of acquiring a target page subject to simplification, acquiring adjoining pages that adjoin the target page and performing a difference operation to delete objects that are common among the target page and the adjoining pages from the target page to generate a simplified page.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2001Date of Patent: June 6, 2006Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Hironobu Takagi, Chieko Asakawa
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Publication number: 20060095252Abstract: The present invention relates to creating a web page and voice browsing of the web page, and more particularly, it improves accessibility for the voice browsing of the web page through a synthetic voice, efficiently with high reliability. A content creation system 20 of the present invention is used for creating a content which may be viewed through the synthetic voice, the system including: a database 22 for storing a structured document; and an information process section 24 for creating a speech node series 18 from the structured document, and calculating a reaching time from starting voice synthesis of the speech node series 18 until each node is outputted as the synthetic voice. The information process section 24 includes a support process section 36 to determine a graphic display corresponding to the reaching time, and to visually display the reaching time to a predetermined node by the voice synthesis on a screen of a display section 26.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2005Publication date: May 4, 2006Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Hironobu Takagi, Chieko Asakawa
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Publication number: 20060015571Abstract: Provides evaluating programs that enable problems to be identified in a manner that reflects actual conditions for an evaluation of contents of interest. In an example embodiment, there is provided a program for evaluating contents of interest that causes a computer to implement the functions of: performing a primary evaluation of contents of interest on the basis of one evaluation criterion; performing a primary evaluation of the contents of interest on the basis of another evaluation criterion; and performing a secondary evaluation of the contents of interest on the basis of a plurality of the first evaluations.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2005Publication date: January 19, 2006Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Kentaro Fukuda, Hironobu Takagi, Junji Maeda, Chieko Asakawa
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Patent number: 6985147Abstract: The present invention provides effective information search means, and/or effective acquired information submission means, without overtly expressing an intent (e.g., through the depression of a search button) to acquire information. In an example embodiment, the kana-kanji conversion routine is activated, and a character string is input using voice, a keyboard or a graphic entry process. Then, a conversion key is depressed to convert the input character string into kanji. Upon the depression of the conversion key, the homonym candidate selection routine is initiated, and the conversion candidate is presented. In response to the depression of the conversion key, or the change of the conversion candidate in the homonym candidate selection routine, the information access routine is activated. Then, the information access procedure is performed, and the search results are acquired. Thereafter, the search results are presented.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2001Date of Patent: January 10, 2006Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Chieko Asakawa, Hironobu Takagi, Hiroshi Nomiyama
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Publication number: 20050089824Abstract: A device, computer program and method for outputting linguistic information. The voice output device, for example, includes an output information acquisition unit acquiring linguistic information and attribute information. Attribute information includes an attribute added to each linguistic element included in the linguistic information. A tactile pattern storage unit stores a predetermined tactile pattern corresponding to each linguistic element. A tactile pattern acquisition unit acquires the tactile pattern from the tactile pattern storage unit. A voice output unit reads aloud the linguistic elements and a tactile pattern output unit outputs, in parallel with reading aloud each linguistic element, the tactile pattern corresponding to the attribute added to the linguistic element, thereby allowing a user to sense the tactile pattern by the sense of touch.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2004Publication date: April 28, 2005Inventors: Chieko Asakawa, Tohru Ifukube, Shuichi Ino, Hironobu Takagi
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Publication number: 20050050044Abstract: Target subtree setting means sets a target subtree relating to a content portion. Occurrence mode detecting means collates a target subtree relating to a content with a tree relating to each of past structured/hierarchical contents and detects an occurrence mode of each node of the target subtree. Statistical information generating means generates statistical information concerning an occurrence frequency of the occurrence mode of each node in the target subtree. Classifying means classifies each node of the target subtree based on the statistical information and a result of detecting the occurrence mode. Matching pattern generating means generates the matching pattern for the target content portion based on the classification. The structured/hierarchical contents are identified by use of the matching pattern.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2003Publication date: March 3, 2005Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Hironobu Takagi, Chieko Asakawa
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Publication number: 20040246237Abstract: The present invention provides effective information search means, and/or effective acquired information submission means, without overtly expressing an intent (e.g., through the depression of a search button) to acquire information. In an example embodiment, the kana-kanji conversion routine is activated, and a character string is input using voice, a keyboard or a graphic entry process. Then, a conversion key is depressed to convert the input character string into kanji. Upon the depression of the conversion key, the homonym candidate selection routine is initiated, and the conversion candidate is presented. In response to the depression of the conversion key, or the change of the conversion candidate in the homonym candidate selection routine, the information access routine is activated. Then, the information access procedure is performed, and the search results are acquired. Thereafter, the search results are presented.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2001Publication date: December 9, 2004Inventors: Chieko Asakawa, Hironobu Takagi, Hiroshi Nomiyama
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Publication number: 20040230905Abstract: Digest screen display content deciding means selects display elements belonging to respective regions of a document based on display priorities of the display elements, which are obtained by digest screen display priority information creating means, and decides selected display elements as display content of a digest screen under a condition where a total display area does not exceed a required display area. A merging relationship among the regions is set based on layout information for the regions, created by digest screen region layout information creating means. Display content deciding means decides the display content of a detail screen based on the merging relationship among the regions, and creates a digest of the detail screen based on control information created by control information creating means. Moreover, digest screen display content changing means changes the display content of the digest screen in response to an operation of a user.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2004Publication date: November 18, 2004Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Chieko Asakawa, Kentaro Fukuda, Junji Maeda, Hironobu Takagi
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Publication number: 20020198720Abstract: To convert the structure of a Web page into contents that a user can easily listen to, and for permitting the user to access and obtain information without have to perform and navigation, in a manner similar to listening to the radio. A designated target page is obtained from a Web server, and a linked list for the target page is analyzed to obtain a linked destination page. A transcoding module inserts the main content of the linked destination page into a linked location on the target page, and converts the page into a structure appropriate for oral reading. Then, a VoiceXML generation module converts the target page into a VoiceXML document, and a VoiceXML browser performs a speech response process for the VoiceXML document. A command is input to the VoiceXML browser orally or by using a dial key entry provided using a telephone, and a speech from the VoiceXML browser is output to the telephone.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2002Publication date: December 26, 2002Inventors: Hironobu Takagi, Chieko Asakawa
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Publication number: 20020111966Abstract: The present invention provides improvement of operations providing annotation and layout for an HTML page file. In an example embodiment, a page acquisition module obtains page files from a web server, and an HTML file analysis module extracts tags and characteristic values related to the layout. A page group detection module employs layout tags and their characteristic values to group page files that have the same or a similar layout. When an annotation addition module adds an annotation to an arbitrary page file in the obtained layout group, the annotation is applied for another page file in the layout group. When the layout group is divided or layout groups are unified, a correction module for the function of distance calculation corrects a calculation expression for a distance between pages or layout groups in order to reflect the division or unification results obtained by the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2002Publication date: August 15, 2002Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Kentaroh Fukuda, Hironobu Takagi, Junji Maeda, Chieko Asakawa