This interface represents an individual segment for translation, corresponding with a single {@link joshua.decoder.chart_parser.Chart}. Each segment contains approximately one sentence or one utterance, and can additionally contain some constraints representing initial items for seeding the chart.
The {@link Segment}, {@link ConstraintSpan}, and {@link ConstraintRule}interfaces are for defining an interchange format between a SegmentFileParser and the Chart class. These interfaces should not be used internally by the Chart. The objects returned by a SegmentFileParser will not be optimal for use during decoding. The Chart should convert each of these objects into its own internal representation during construction. That is the contract described by these interfaces.
@author wren ng thornton
@version $LastChangedDate: 2009-03-26 15:06:57 -0400 (Thu, 26 Mar 2009) $