Address Book Sorting by Use Frequency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional communication apparatuses face difficulties in efficiently displaying and prioritizing addresses in address books, particularly when distinguishing between individual and group addresses, leading to increased user load and potential mistransmissions.
Innovation Solution
A communication apparatus with a controller that sorts and displays address-book addresses based on selected transmission-address specifying modes, prioritizing them by use frequency to enhance operability and prevent mistransmissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If addresses are displayed in the order they were registered in the address book, then the address book structure is simple and easy to maintain, but users face heavy load when locating recipient addresses among a great number of addresses
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary sorting of addresses based on use frequency before display. The controller automatically organizes addresses in descending order of transmission/reception frequency, so that frequently used addresses appear at the top of the list, reducing user search effort without requiring manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The address book system automatically updates and reorders addresses based on their own usage patterns. Each time an address is used for transmission or reception, the system self-adjusts the display order by incrementing the counter for that address, eliminating the need for manual reorganization by the user.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple transmission-address specifying modes are provided to handle different address types, then the system becomes more versatile and adaptable, but it becomes difficult to judge whether group addresses or individual addresses are displayed in proper priority order
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements multiple transmission-address specifying modes (individual address mode, group address mode, and automatic selection mode) to handle different address types. The controller can switch between these modes based on the address book data structure, making the system versatile for handling both individual and group addresses.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the display order parameter based on the selected specifying mode. When group address mode is selected, group addresses are displayed first followed by individual addresses. When individual address mode is selected, only individual addresses are displayed in use frequency order. This dynamic parameter adjustment simplifies user judgment of display priority.
3Loss of time
If addresses are sorted by use frequency to reduce user search time, then operability is enhanced, but the system requires additional storage and processing resources to maintain and update frequency counters
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores the use frequency counter for each address in the address book data structure. This preliminary action allows the controller to quickly retrieve and display addresses in frequency order without performing complex real-time calculations during address selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the counter for each address is automatically incremented whenever that address is used for transmission or reception. This feedback loop continuously updates the display order based on actual usage patterns, ensuring that the most frequently used addresses remain at the top of the list.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication apparatus for transmitting a document to a recipient address specified out of multiple address-book addresses displayed based on address-book data stored in an address book includes a controller configured to control a display order of the address-book addresses displayed in accordance with one transmission-address specifying mode selected out of a plurality of transmission-address specifying modes.