Electronic dictionary apparatus and recording medium on which search control program is recorded

Abstract

When an additional search key of an input unit is operated by the user, if a current display on a display screen of a display unit is a list display of respective example sentences, a user input for refining example sentences is received, and example sentences are refined in accordance therewith. When the additional search key is operated by the user, if the current display is a display of explanatory information on the vocabulary entry, the display screen of the display unit is split into two, and a search of the explanatory information is carried out on one split screen.

1 . An electronic dictionary apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of dictionary databases of different types;   one operating key determined in advance;   a display;   an example sentence search section configured to search example sentences including search characters inputted by user operations from at least one of the plurality of dictionary databases, and to list-display searched respective example sentences on the display;   an explanatory information search section configured to for search vocabulary entries corresponding to the search characters inputted by the user operations from one of the plurality of dictionary databases, and to display explanatory information on the vocabulary entry on the display in accordance with an operation of selecting a vocabulary entry by a user;   refinement section configured to receive a user input for refining example sentences when an operation by the one operating key determined in advance is carried out during the list display of the searched respective example sentences, and to refine the list-displayed example sentences in accordance with the user input; and   split control section configured to split a display screen of the display into two when an operation by the one operating key determined in advance is carried out during the display of the explanatory information on the vocabulary entry, and to make the explanatory information search section operate again on one split screen.   
   
   
       2 . The electronic dictionary apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the explanatory information search section further includes a spelling check section configured to execute spelling check on the search characters inputted by the user operations when an operation by the one operating key determined in advance is carried out at the time of searching vocabulary entries corresponding to the search characters inputted by the user operations from the plurality of dictionary databases. 
   
   
       3 . The electronic dictionary apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, when the split control section makes the explanatory information search section operate again on the split screen, the split control section makes the explanatory information search section search the vocabulary entries from at least two of the plurality of dictionary databases. 
   
   
       4 . The electronic dictionary apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the refinement section receives an input of further adding characters to current search characters as the user input for refining the example sentences. 
   
   
       5 . The electronic dictionary apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the refinement section receives an input of designating an order of a plurality of words structuring current search characters as the user input for refining the example sentences. 
   
   
       6 . The electronic dictionary apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a Kanji search section configured to search Kanji candidates corresponding to search characters inputted by user operations from a Kanji dictionary database which is one of the plurality of dictionary databases, to specify a Kanji which desired by the user in accordance with an operation of selecting one Kanji candidate by the user, and to display explanatory information on the specified Kanji on the display; and   a Kanji vocabulary entry search section configured to search at least one of vocabulary entries including the specified Kanji at the forefronts and vocabulary entries including the specified Kanji at the tail ends from the plurality of dictionary databases to be list-displayed on the display when an operation by the one operating key determined in advance is carried out in a state in which explanatory information on a specified Kanji is displayed on the display by the Kanji search section.   
   
   
       7 . The electronic dictionary apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a multi-dictionary search section configured to search vocabulary entries by switching a dictionary database from which vocabulary entries including search characters inputted by user operations are searched in accordance with a user operation, and to list-display searched respective vocabulary entries from the dictionary database on the display; and   a batch search section configured to search vocabulary entries which are the same as the selected vocabulary entry from the other plurality of dictionary databases, and to list-display the searched vocabulary entries from the plurality of dictionary databases collectively on the display when an operation by the one operating key determined in advance is carried out in a state in which the user has selected one vocabulary entry in list display of respective vocabulary entries from one dictionary database searched by the multi-dictionary search section.   
   
   
       8 . The electronic dictionary apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the example sentence search section searches example sentences by switching a dictionary database from which example sentences including the search characters inputted by the user operations are searched in accordance with a user operation, and list-displays the searched respective example sentences from the dictionary database on the display; and   the refinement section receives a user input for refining the example sentences from the dictionary database when an operation by the one operating key determined in advance is carried out during the list display of the respective example sentences searched from the switched dictionary database, and refines the list-displayed example sentences in accordance with the user input.   
   
   
       9 . A computer-readable recording medium containing search control programs for controlling a computer of an electronic dictionary apparatus comprising a plurality of dictionary databases of different types, one operating key determined in advance, and a display, the computer-readable recording medium containing search control programs for making the computer function as:
 an example sentence search section configured to search example sentences including search characters inputted by user operations from at least one of the plurality of dictionary databases, and to list-display searched respective example sentences on the display;   an explanatory information search section configured to search vocabulary entries corresponding to the search characters inputted by the user operations from one of the plurality of dictionary databases, and to display explanatory information on the vocabulary entry on the display in accordance with an operation of selecting a vocabulary entry by a user;   a refinement section configured to receive a user input for refining example sentences when an operation by the one operating key determined in advance is carried out during the list display of the searched respective example sentences, and to refine the list-displayed example sentences in accordance with the user input; and   a split control section configured to split a display screen of the display into two when an operation by the one operating key determined in advance is carried out during the display of the explanatory information on the vocabulary entry, and to make the explanatory information search section operate again on one split screen.