Soundex in JavaScript

soundex.js

/**
 * Soundex in JavaScript
 *
 * @example
 * // returns 'H416'
 * soundex('Heilbronn');
 *
 * @example
 * // returns 'L222'
 * soundex('Lissajous');
 *
 * @example
 * // returns 'S532'
 * soundex('Soundex');
 *
 * @param {String} string
 * @return {String} result
 */
function soundex(string) {

    if (!string) return;

    string = string.toUpperCase();

    var result = [string[0]],
        max_length = 4,
        current_char,
        rules = {
            B: 1,
            F: 1,
            P: 1,
            V: 1,
            C: 2,
            G: 2,
            J: 2,
            K: 2,
            Q: 2,
            S: 2,
            X: 2,
            Z: 2,
            D: 3,
            T: 3,
            L: 4,
            M: 5,
            N: 5,
            R: 6
        };

    for (var i = 1, len = string.length; i < len && result.length < max_length; i++) {
        current_char = rules[string[i]];

        if (current_char && string[i] != string[i - 1]) {
            result.push(current_char);
        }
    }

    for (var i = 0, len = result.length; i < max_length - len; i++) {
        result.push(0);
    }

    return (result.join(''));
}