Phonetic Name Support in Electronic Directory
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional email directories that only display written, unpronounceable names, such as those in Kanji script, are inefficient for users who do not know the spelling of the names, particularly in cultures like Japan where phonetic forms are essential for pronunciation, making it difficult to locate contact information.
Innovation Solution
Storing and indexing both written and phonetic forms of contact data, allowing users to access and search contact information using either form, thereby facilitating easier retrieval even when the user is unfamiliar with the written form.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If only written form of names is stored in the directory, then storage space is reduced and data structure is simpler, but users cannot efficiently locate contact information when they do not know the spelling of the written form
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the name data into multiple fields: written form (e.g., Kanji) and phonetic form (e.g., Katakana or Hiragana). This segmentation allows users to search using the phonetic form while maintaining the written form for reference, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and data structure complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The phonetic form acts as an intermediary between the user's search query and the written name. When users search using phonetic form (which they can pronounce), the system uses this intermediary to locate the corresponding written form and contact information, making the directory more usable without requiring users to know the written spelling.
2Ease of operation
If both written and phonetic forms of names are stored, then ease of locating contact information is improved, but storage space increases and data structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by storing phonetic form data selectively based on the cultural context or language settings of the directory entries. Not all names require phonetic forms (e.g., Latin script names), so the system only adds the phonetic field where necessary, minimizing unnecessary storage space while maintaining ease of operation for relevant cultures.
3Ease of operation
If phonetic form is added to the directory, then usability for users unfamiliar with written form is improved, but the directory can no longer be sorted in a reasonable fashion based on written name alone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by enabling the directory to support multiple sorting methods: sorting by written form for cultural authenticity and sorting by phonetic form for ease of use. The system can switch between these sorting mechanisms based on user preferences or cultural context, making the directory universally usable across different languages and cultures without requiring a completely new sorting system.
Data Source
AI summary
A user of a client computer submits a directory request to a server executing a server email application. The server email application is responsive to the directory request to identify a custom directory containing contact data for one or more individuals. The server email application determines whether to transfer a written form of the contact data, or whether to transfer both written and phonetic forms of the contact data to the client computer. The server email application indexes the contact data, prior to transfer, based on the written form when only the written form of contact data is being transferred to the client computer, and indexes the contact data based on both the phonetic and written forms when the written and phonetic forms of the contact data are both being transferred to the client computer.