Using Homophones and Near-Homophones to Improve Methods of Computer Text Entry for Chinese Characters

摘要

The invention allows phonetic text input without any knowledge of phonetics. As an assist to the user of computer text entry systems, the invention makes possible an alternative method of Chinese character entry by entering a Chinese character assumed by the user to be a homophone of the character the user desires to enter. Entry methods for such homophone alternative entry include non-phonetic entry of Chinese characters using keyboard stroke input and single stroke, cursive and semi-cursive entry on an electronic surface. Direct correction of some misspellings of Chinese characters during phonetic entry also is made possible. The invention is not only helpful for entry of difficult Chinese characters but also provides an approach to the use of supplementing input methods for most if not all written languages.