Top > Webmaster > 2006 > September > 2006-09-08

Microsoft Wants To Patent Verbs

Microsoft wanted to help students to conjugate foreign languages` verbs. So it has developed a verb conjugating system and has applied to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a patent. David Kaefer, general manager of Microsoft`s intellectual property and licensing department, said in a statement: "For everyone who struggled through French class in high school, they know verb conjugation is tough. Just like complex software algorithms can help a user spot flawed grammar or autocorrect spelling, software can help us learn new languages and we`re building methods to do just that."

The new invention would not have the limitations in existing software that conjugates verbs, such as not identifying the correct conjugation when the infinitive form of the verb is misspelled or the inability to locate the proper verb in a foreign language when users only knows the word in their native language.

It is not known yet how the technology will be used, but in his statement, Kaefer implied that the system could be incorporated into Microsoft Word. Microsoft`s patent application says the conjugation system could be incorporated as program modules in various devices, including PCs, servers, PDAs, cell phones, and digital cameras, among others.