Data processing system, data processing method, information processing device, and computer program

• US 20030120634A1
• Filed: 12/10/2002
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Koike, Hiroyuki, Koyama, Nobukazu
• Granted Patent: US 7,630,960 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1834 implemented based on peer-to-peer networks, e.g. gnutella p2p communication protocols H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/435 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access

Abstract

An interest vector is configured using a parameter indicating a degree of interest in each category based on user interest information received by a control server on a peer-to-peer network. An interest vector having a short distance from the interest vector of a requesting user who sent a content retrieval request is selected to make an inquiry about the presence or absence of the requested content. Therefore, reliable content retrieval can be achieved without storing content in the control server. The interest vector can be updated under various conditions, thus maintaining the accuracy of the user interest information.

Claims

1. A data processing system comprising:

a plurality of peer information processing devices, each including a content database from which content is retrieved based on a content identifier; and

a control server connected to the peer information processing devices over a network,

the control server including,

a user information database for storing interest information of users of the peer information processing devices and identification data for identifying the users, the interest information including a degree of interest of the users in categorized interest information;

content retrieval request processing means for, upon receipt of a content retrieval request from one of the peer information processing devices, retrieving the interest information which is stored in the user information database in correspondence with the requesting peer information processing device, and for extracting from the user information database a user having similar interest information to the retrieved interest information; and

device search requesting means for inquiring about the presence or absence of the content in the peer information processing device of the user extracted by the content retrieval request processing means.

2. A data processing system according to claim 1, wherein the user information database stores an interest vector which has a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users, the interest vector being expressed by a parameter indicating the categorized interest information, and

the content retrieval request processing means determines the distance between the interest vector of a user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer information processing device and the interest vector of another user registered in the user information database to extract, as a user having similar interest information to the interest information of the user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer information processing device, a user having a short interest vector distance from the interest vector of the user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer information processing device.

3. A data processing system according to claim 1, wherein the user information database stores an interest vector which has a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users, the interest vector being expressed by a parameter indicating the categorized interest information;

the content retrieval request processing means determines the distance between the interest vector of a user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer information processing device and the interest vector of another user registered in the user information database to sequentially extract users having shorter distances from the interest vector of the user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer information processing device in the ascending order; and

the device search requesting means inquires about the presence or absence of the content in the peer information processing devices in the order of the users extracted by the content retrieval request processing means.

4. A data processing system according to claim 1, wherein the user information database stores an interest vector which has a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users, the interest vector being expressed by a parameter indicating the categorized interest information;

the content retrieval request processing means determines the distance between the interest vector of a user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer information processing device and the interest vector of another user registered in the user information database to determine the vector lengths of users having an equal interest vector distance from the interest vector of the user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer information processing device to sequentially extract users having greater vector lengths in the descending order; and

the device search requesting means inquires about the presence or absence of the content in the peer information processing devices in the order of the users extracted by the content retrieval request processing means.

5. A data processing system according to claim 1, wherein the user information database stores an interest vector which has a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users, the interest vector being expressed by a parameter indicating the categorized interest information;

and

the control server further includes user interest managing means for, when a content retrieval is performed in response to a content retrieval request from one of the peer information processing devices, updating the interest vector of the requesting user, whereby the distance between the interest vector of the requesting user and the interest vector of a user of one of the peer information processing devices which provides the content is reduced.

6. A data processing system according to claim 1, wherein the user information database stores an interest vector which has a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users, the interest vector being expressed by a parameter indicating the categorized interest information;

and

the control server further includes user interest managing means for, when a content retrieval in response to a content retrieval request from one of the peer information processing devices is not performed for a predetermined time, updating the interest vector of the requesting user, whereby the distance between the interest vector of the requesting user and an initial interest vector of the requesting user which is initially registered in the user information database is reduced.

7. A data processing system according to claim 1, wherein one of the peer information processing devices sends a content retrieval request containing a user identifier and a content identifier to the control server;

the content retrieval request processing means in the control server retrieves the interest information from the user information database based on the user identifier contained in the content retrieval request received from the requesting peer information processing device, and extracts from the user information database a user having similar user interest information to the retrieved interest information; and

the content retrieval request processing means sends, to the requesting peer information processing device, address information of one of the peer information processing devices which is found by the content retrieval request processing means and provides the content.

8. A data processing system according to claim 1, wherein the user information database stores an interest vector which has a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users, the interest vector being expressed by a parameter indicating the categorized interest information;

and

the control server further includes user information registration request processing means for, upon receipt of user registration information from one of the peer devices, when the user registration information contains interest information, registering an interest vector based on the interest information in the user information database so as to have a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users, and

when the user registration information contains preference information, for converting a preference vector based on the preference information into the interest vector, and registering the converted interest vector in the user information database so as to have a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users.

9. In a data processing system comprising a plurality of peer information processing devices and a control server which are connected with each other over a network, a data processing method performed by the control server, the method comprising:

a request receiving step of receiving a content retrieval request from one of the peer information processing devices;

a retrieving step of searching a user information database which stores interest information of users of the peer devices and identification data for identifying the users, the interest information including a degree of interest of the users in categorized interest information, and retrieving the interest information of a user registered in correspondence to the requesting peer information processing device;

a user extracting step of extracting from the user information database a user having similar interest information to the interest information retrieved in the retrieving step; and

an inquiring step of inquiring about the presence or absence of the content in the peer information processing device of the user extracted in the user extracting step.

10. A data processing method according to claim 9, wherein the user information database stores an interest vector which has a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users, the interest vector being expressed by a parameter indicating the categorized interest information, and

the user extracting step includes a step of determining the distance between the interest vector of the user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer information processing device and the interest vector of another user registered in the user information database to extract, as a user having similar interest information to the interest information of the user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer information processing device, a user having a short interest vector distance from the interest vector of the user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer information processing device.

11. A data processing method according to claim 9, wherein the user information database stores an interest vector which has a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users, the interest vector being expressed by a parameter indicating the categorized interest information;

the user extracting step includes a step of determining the distance between the interest vector of the user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer device and the interest vector of another user registered in the user information database to sequentially extract users having shorter distances from the interest vector of the user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer information processing device in the ascending order; and

the inquiring step includes a step of inquiring about the presence or absence of the content in the peer information processing devices in the order of the users extracted in the user extracting step.

12. A data processing method according to claim 9, wherein the user information database stores an interest vector which has a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users, the interest vector being expressed by a parameter indicating the categorized interest information;

the user extracting step includes a step of determining the distance between the interest vector of the user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer information processing device and the interest vector of another user registered in the user information database to determine the vector lengths of users having an equal interest vector distance from the interest vector of the user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer information processing device to sequentially extract users having greater vector lengths in the descending order; and

the inquiring step includes a step of inquiring about the presence or absence of the content in the peer information processing devices in the order of the users extracted in the user extracting step.

13. A data processing method according to claim 9, wherein the user information database stores an interest vector which has a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users, the interest vector being expressed by a parameter indicating the categorized interest information,

when a content retrieval is performed in response to a content retrieval request from one of the peer information processing devices, an interest vector updating step updates the interest vector of the requesting user, whereby the distance between the interest vector of the requesting user and the interest vector of a user of one of the peer information processing devices which provides the content is reduced.

14. A data processing method according to claim 9, wherein the user information database stores an interest vector which has a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users, the interest vector being expressed by a parameter indicating the categorized interest information,

when a content retrieval in response to a content retrieval request from one of the peer information processing devices is not performed for a predetermined time, an interest vector updating step updates the interest vector of the requesting user, whereby the distance between the interest vector of the requesting user and an initial interest vector of the requesting user which is initially registered in the user information database is reduced.

15. A data processing method according to claim 9, further comprising a step of sending the requesting peer information processing device address information of one of the peer information processing devices which is found in the inquiring step and which provides the content.

16. A data processing method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

upon receipt of user registration information from one of the peer information processing devices, when the user registration information contains interest information, registering an interest vector based on the interest information in the user information database so as to have a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users; and

when the user registration information contains preference information, converting a preference vector based on the preference information into the interest vector, and registering the converted interest vector in the user information database so as to have a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users.

17. An information processing device in a system comprising a plurality of peer information processing devices and a control server which are connected with each other over a network, wherein the information processing device serves as the control server, the information processing device comprising:

a user information database for storing interest information of users of the peer information processing devices and identification data for identifying the users, the interest information including a degree of interest of the users in categorized interest information;

content retrieval request processing means for, upon receipt of a content retrieval request from one of the peer information processing devices, retrieving the interest information of a user registered in correspondence to the requesting peer information processing device from the user information database, and for extracting from the user information database a user having similar interest information to the retrieved interest information; and

device search requesting means for inquiring about the presence or absence of the content in the peer information processing device of the user extracted by the content retrieval request processing means.

18. An information processing device according to claim 17, wherein the user information database stores an interest vector which has a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users, the interest vector being expressed by a parameter indicating the categorized interest information, and

the content retrieval request processing means determines the distance between the interest vector of the user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer information processing device and the interest vector of another user registered in the user information database to extract, as a user having similar interest information to the interest information of the user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer information processing device, a user having a short interest vector distance from the interest vector of the user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer device.

19. An information processing device according to claim 17, wherein the user information database stores an interest vector which has a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users, the interest vector being expressed by a parameter indicating the categorized interest information;

the content retrieval request processing means determines the distance between the interest vector of a user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer information processing device and the interest vector of another user registered in the user information database to sequentially extract users having shorter distances from the interest vector of the user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer information processing device in the ascending order; and

the device search requesting means inquires about the presence or absence of the content in the peer information processing devices in the order of the users extracted by the content retrieval request processing means.

20. An information processing device according to claim 17, wherein the user information database stores an interest vector which has a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users, the interest vector being expressed by a parameter indicating the categorized interest information;

the content retrieval request processing means determines the distance between the interest vector of a user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer information processing device and the interest vector of another user registered in the user information database to determine the vector lengths of users having an equal interest vector distance from the interest vector of the user registered in correspondence with the requesting peer information processing device to sequentially extract users having greater vector lengths in the descending order; and

the device search requesting means inquires about the presence or absence of the content in the peer information processing devices in the order of the users extracted by the content retrieval request processing means.

21. An information processing device according to claim 17, wherein the user information database stores an interest vector which has a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users, the interest vector being expressed by a parameter indicating the categorized interest information,

the information processing device further comprising user interest managing means for, when a content retrieval is performed in response to a content retrieval request from one of the peer information processing devices, updating the interest vector of the requesting user, whereby the distance between the interest vector of the requesting user and the interest vector of a user of one of the peer information processing devices which provides the content is reduced.

22. An information processing device according to claim 17, wherein the user information database stores an interest vector which has a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users, the interest vector being expressed by a parameter indicating the categorized interest information,

the information processing device further comprising user interest managing means for, when a content retrieval in response to a content retrieval request from one of the peer information processing devices is not performed for a predetermined time, updating the interest vector of the requesting user, whereby the distance between the interest vector of the requesting user and an initial interest vector of the requesting user which is initially registered in the user information database is reduced.

23. An information processing device according to claim 17, wherein the content retrieval request processing means retrieves the interest information from the user information database based on the user identifier contained in the content retrieval request received from the requesting peer information processing device, and extracts from the user information database a user having similar user interest information to the retrieved interest information;

and

the content retrieval request processing means sends the requesting peer information processing device address information of one of the peer information processing devices which is found by the content retrieval request processing means and provides the content.

24. An information processing device according to claim 17, wherein the user information database stores an interest vector which has a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users, the interest vector being expressed by a parameter indicating the categorized interest information,

the information processing device further comprising user information registration request processing means for, upon receipt of user registration information from one of the peer information processing devices, when the user registration information contains interest information, registering an interest vector based on the interest information in the user information database so as to have a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users, and

when the user registration information contains preference information, for converting a preference vector based on the preference information into the interest vector, and registering the converted interest vector in the user information database so as to have a correspondence with the identification data of each of the users.

25. A computer program for executing a process in response to a content retrieval request from one of peer information processing devices connected to a network, comprising:

a retrieving step of searching a user information database which stores interest information of users of the peer information processing devices and identification data for identifying the users, the interest information including a degree of interest of the users in categorized interest information, and retrieving the interest information of a user registered in correspondence to the requesting peer device;

a user extracting step of extracting from the user information database a user having similar interest information to the interest information retrieved in the retrieving step; and

an inquiring step of inquiring about the presence or absence of the content in the peer information processing device of the user extracted in the user extracting step.