Information processing apparatus and method, program, and recording medium

• US 20050010582A1
• Filed: 05/20/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Miyazaki, Mitsuhiro, Koike, Hiroyuki, Saito, Mari, Yamamoto, Noriyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,321,899 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Disclosed herein are an information processing apparatus and method, a program, and a recording medium, in which a content is recommended to each user on the basis of even the metadata that is assigned with no classification. A metadata analysis block resolves metadata acquired by a metadata acquisition block into components. A dictionary data generation block generates dictionary data in which genre is correlated with keyword and each component. An associated-information database generation block references the dictionary data to assign genre to the metadata which are assigned with no genre, thereby generating an associated-information database of content. An associated-information search block references the dictionary data to identify a genre from a keyword of interest data to search for associated information, thereby recommending content to the user. The present invention is applicable to personal computers or HDD recorders.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

metadata acquisition means for acquiring metadata of content;

metadata analysis means for analyzing an attribute of said metadata acquired by said metadata acquisition means;

dictionary generation means for generating dictionary data for correlating said attribute with an attribute item contained in said attribute on the basis of an analysis result acquired by said metadata analysis means; and

database generation means for assigning said attribute item to metadata acquired by said metadata acquisition means on the basis of said dictionary data generated by said dictionary data generation means and storing said metadata assigned with said attribute item into a database.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said dictionary generation means detects, from among words contained in said metadata, a word which is high in co-occurrence in metadata having a particular attribute item as a keyword of said attribute item, thereby correlating said attribute item of said metadata with said keyword.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said dictionary generation means deletes an unnecessary word included in said metadata.

4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said database generation means assigns a genre to said metadata as said attribute item.

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

extraction means for extracting interest data indicative of user interest;

search means for extracting a keyword from said interest data extracted by said extraction means, searching, on the basis of said keyword, said dictionary data generated by said dictionary generation means for acquiring a genre corresponding to said keyword, and searching, on the basis of said genre, said database generated by said database generation means; and

presentation means for presenting information retrieved by said search means;

wherein a user evaluation entered in response to said information presented by said presentation means is reflected on the extraction of said interest data.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said metadata analysis means comprising:

resolving means for resolving said metadata into components; and

storage means for collecting said metadata resolved by said resolving means for each attribute item, and storing the collected metadata.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, on the basis of the components included in said metadata, said database generation means complements a component which is not included in said metadata.

8. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said database generation means assigns, as said attribute, a popularity category to the metadata acquired by said metadata acquisition means.

9. An information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said dictionary generation means generates a dictionary of said popularity category on the basis of a keyword contained in said metadata, and said database generation means assigns said popularity category of said metadata on the basis of said dictionary.

10. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, on the basis of a keyword contained in said metadata, said database generation means assigns, as said attribute of said metadata, an association category for associating a plurality of attribute items associated with said keyword.

11. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

acquiring metadata of content;

analyzing an attribute of said metadata acquired in said metadata acquisition step;

generating dictionary data for correlating said attribute with an attribute item contained in said attribute on the basis of an analysis result acquired in said metadata analysis step; and

generating a database by assigning said attribute item to metadata acquired in said metadata acquisition step on the basis of said dictionary data generated in said dictionary data generation step, and by storing said metadata assigned with said attribute item into a database.

12. A program for making a computer execute the controlling steps of:

acquiring metadata of content;

analyzing an attribute of said metadata acquired in said metadata acquisition step;

generating dictionary data for correlating said attribute with an attribute item contained in said attribute on the basis of an analysis result acquired in said metadata analysis step; and

generating a data base by assigning said attribute item to metadata acquired in said metadata acquisition step on the basis of said dictionary data generated in said dictionary data generation step, and by storing said metadata assigned with said attribute item into a database.

13. A recording medium recording a program for making a computer execute the controlling steps of:

acquiring metadata of content;

analyzing an attribute of said metadata acquired in said metadata acquisition step;

generating dictionary data for correlating said attribute with an attribute item contained in said attribute on the basis of an analysis result acquired in said metadata analysis step; and

generating a data base by assigning said attribute item to metadata acquired in said metadata acquisition step on the basis of said dictionary data generated in said dictionary data generation step, and by storing said metadata assigned with said attribute item into a database.