APPARATUS AND METHOD OF SEARCHING HIERARCHICAL DIRECTORY STRUCTURE FOR DESIRED ADDRESS INFORMATION USING USER ENTERED KEYWORD

摘要

A technique is disclosed of searching a hierarchical directory structure for desired address information. A plurality of directories are arranged in a multi-level hierarchical structure in association with a plurality of sets of address information. This technique includes: searching the hierarchical structure using at least one user-entered keyword as a search term, to thereby retrieve at least one associated directory; searching the hierarchical structure using the at least one associated directory, to thereby retrieve a sub-plurality of the plurality of sets of address information as a plurality of sets of candidate address information, the plurality of sets of candidate address information being associated with at least one subordinate directories being located at one or more lower levels than that of the at least one associated directory in the hierarchical structure; and accessing at least one arbitrary one of the plurality of sets of candidate address information.