Kanji Input Device Group Conversion Attribute Symbols
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing kanji converters struggle to facilitate easy input for users who poorly remember the reading of an intended character string, such as proper nouns, as they rely solely on category information for conversion suggestions.
Innovation Solution
A character input device with a database storing normal predictive conversion suggestions and group conversion suggestions, along with a symbol representing an attribute, allows users to detect and select attributes based on input readings, displaying group conversion suggestions associated with the selected attribute, enabling easier input of intended character strings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a kanji converter uses only category information for conversion suggestions, then the conversion system remains simple, but users who poorly remember the reading of intended character strings cannot easily input them
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the conversion suggestion system into two distinct parts: (1) normal predictive conversion suggestions based on category information, and (2) group conversion suggestions based on group names. This segmentation allows users to choose the appropriate suggestion type based on whether they remember the reading or only the meaning, thereby improving ease of operation without unnecessarily complicating the system for all users.
Solution Approach 2:
The kanji converter is designed to perform multiple functions: it can provide conversion suggestions based on category information (normal predictive conversion) and based on group names (group conversion). This multi-functionality allows the system to serve different user needs - those who remember readings and those who only remember meanings - within a single converter, improving accessibility without requiring separate systems.
2Ease of operation
If the system displays only normal predictive conversion suggestions, then the interface remains simple, but users cannot access group conversion suggestions when they remember only the group name
Solution Approach 1:
The suggestion display system is made dynamic by allowing users to switch between normal predictive conversion suggestions and group conversion suggestions based on their input context. When users input characters that match a group name, the system dynamically switches to displaying group conversion suggestions, making the appropriate suggestion type accessible without permanently complicating the interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the group name matching function) that bridges the gap between user input and the appropriate suggestion type. When the input characters match a group name, this intermediary triggers the display of group conversion suggestions, allowing users to access the appropriate conversion mode without directly navigating complex system settings.
3Productivity
If the system requires users to remember exact readings for conversion, then conversion accuracy remains high, but input efficiency decreases for users who forget readings
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-organizing conversion suggestions into groups based on meanings and categories. This pre-organization allows users who forget exact readings to still access relevant conversion suggestions through group names, improving input efficiency without sacrificing the precision of character string matching within each group.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the matching parameter from requiring exact reading matches to allowing group name matches. This parameter change enables users who forget readings to input characters based on group names, improving productivity for this user group while maintaining precise matching within the selected group context.
Data Source
AI summary
A character input device according to one or more embodiments may include a controller including a suggestion controller and a display controller, and a database. The database stores a normal predictive conversion suggestion, a group including a plurality of group conversion suggestions each having a common element, and a symbol representing an attribute that classifies the plurality of group conversion suggestions by a characteristic different from the common element in the group. The suggestion controller may detect a reading of an input character and detects, in response to the reading of the input character at least partially matching a name of the group, the symbol representing the attribute of the group. The display controller may display the normal predictive conversion suggestion and the symbol.