Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program, and recording medium

• US 20050144295A1
• Filed: 08/09/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hoshino, Masaaki, Tsunoda, Tomohiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,707,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/337 Profile generation, learning or modification
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

An information processing apparatus is provided which includes: a first managing part for managing first data about preferences of a user; a second managing part for managing second data about information; a retrieving part for retrieving the second data about the information used by the user; and an updating part for updating the first data by use of the second data retrieved by the retrieving part. If the second data are found to exist within the first data, then the updating part updates the first data using the second data; if the second data are not found to exist within the first data, then the updating part adds the second data to the first data.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a first managing part for managing first data about preferences of a user;

a second managing part for managing second data about information used by the user;

a retrieving part for retrieving the second data about the information used by the user; and

an updating part for updating the first data by use of the second data retrieved by the retrieving part;

wherein, if the second data are found to exist within the first data, the updating part updates the first data using the second data; and

wherein, if the second data are not found to exist within the first data, the updating part adds the second data to the first data.

2. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the first managing part manages the first data by managing a first factor in association with a first numeric value belonging to the user with respect to the first factor;

the second managing part manages the second data by managing a second factor regarding the information in association with a second numeric value belonging to the information with respect to the second factor;

if the first factor coinciding with the second factor within the second data is found to exist within the first data, the updating part calculates a new first value using the first value and the second value and writes a newly calculated first value into the first data; and

if the first factor coinciding with the second factor within the second data is not found to exist within the first data, the updating part adds the second factor and the second value to the first data.

3. An information processing method for use with an information processing apparatus, which includes at least storing parts for storing data and controlling parts for performing predetermined processes by use of the data stored in the storing parts, the method comprising:

a first management step of managing first data about preferences of a user;

a second management step of managing second data about information used by the user;

a retrieving step of retrieving the second data about the information used by the user; and

an updating step of updating the first data by use of the second data retrieved in the retrieving step;

wherein, if the second data are found to exist within the first data, the updating step updates the first data using the second data; and

wherein, if the second data are not found to exist within the first data, the updating step adds the second data to the first data.

4. A program for use with an information processing apparatus, which includes at least storing parts for storing data and controlling parts for performing predetermined processes by use of the data stored in the storing parts, the program comprising:

a first management step of managing first data about preferences of a user;

a second management step of managing second data about information used by the user;

a retrieving step of retrieving the second data about the information used by the user; and

an updating step of updating the first data by use of the second data retrieved in the retrieving step;

wherein, if the second data are found to exist within the first data, the updating step updates the first data using the second data; and

wherein, if the second data are not found to exist within the first data, the updating step adds the second data to the first data.

5. A recording medium for recording a program comprising:

a first management step of managing first data about preferences of a user;

a second management step of managing second data about information used by the user;

a retrieving step of retrieving the second data about the information used by the user; and

an updating step of updating the first data by use of the second data retrieved in the retrieving step;

wherein, if the second data are found to exist within the first data, the updating step updates the first data using the second data; and

wherein, if the second data are not found to exist within the first data, the updating step adds the second data to the first data.