Information processing apparatus and method, and program

• US 20050240957A1
• Filed: 05/15/2003
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tsunokawa, Motoki, Shinagawa, Yasufumi
• Granted Patent: US 8,332,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/20
• 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 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• 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 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8405 represented by keywords
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

The present invention concerns an information processing apparatus, a method thereof, and a program for allowing the audience to easily search for intended television programs. A server stores characteristic words extracted from television program information in a characteristic word file 103. The server also stores the extracted characteristic words associated with IDs for identifying television programs in an association file 102. When the audience selects a characteristic word as an interested word from the characteristic word file 103, the server reads the ID of a television program corresponding to the selected characteristic word from the association file 102. The server reads television program information corresponding to the read ID from a television program information file 101. The server then provides the read television program information to the audience. The present invention can be applied to a recording/reproducing apparatus and a television receiver to provide intended television programs.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

means for acquiring television program information including information concerning television program contents;

means for extracting a characteristic word representing characteristics of said television program from said television program information;

first means for creating a first file containing said characteristic word extracted from television program information about a plurality of television programs and providing said file to other apparatuses; and

second means for, if receiving information from said other apparatuses, namely, information about a given characteristic word selected from said first file, providing said other apparatuses with television program information about a television program corresponding to said selected characteristic word.

2. An information processing method comprising:

a step of acquiring television program information including information concerning television program contents;

a step of extracting a characteristic word representing characteristics of said television program from said television program information;

a first step of creating a first file containing said characteristic word extracted from television program information about a plurality of television programs and providing said file to other apparatuses; and

a second step of, if receiving information from said other apparatuses, namely, information about a given characteristic word selected from said first file, providing said other apparatuses with television program information about a television program corresponding to said selected characteristic word.

3. A program to allow a computer to perform:

a step of acquiring television program information including information concerning television program contents;

a step of extracting a characteristic word representing characteristics of said television program from said television program information;

a first step of creating a first file containing said characteristic word extracted from television program information about a plurality of television programs and providing said file to other apparatuses; and

a second step of, if receiving information from said other apparatuses, namely, information about a given characteristic word selected from said first file, providing said other apparatuses with television program information about a television program corresponding to said selected characteristic word.

4. An information processing apparatus comprising:

means for acquiring a television program ID for identifying a specific television program and television program information including information concerning television program contents;

means for extracting a characteristic word representing characteristics of said television program from said television program information;

first means for creating a first file containing said characteristic word extracted from television program information about a plurality of television programs and providing said file to other apparatuses; and

means for associating said characteristic word with a television program ID of a television program information corresponding to each characteristic word for storage; and

second means for, if receiving information from said other apparatuses, namely, information about a given characteristic word selected from said first file, referencing said association means, reading a television program ID associated with said selected characteristic word, and providing said other apparatuses with television program information corresponding to said television program ID.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein said characteristic word extraction means counts the number of occurrences of a given word contained in each of said television program information and extracts a word having a large count value as said characteristic word.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein said characteristic word extraction means analyzes a sentence contained in said television program information and extracts said characteristic word from a remaining part except a part corresponding to a specified prescription.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein said characteristic word extraction means extracts a predetermined word as said characteristic word.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein said characteristic word extraction means prevents a predetermined word from being extracted as said characteristic word.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein said characteristic word extraction means determines whether or not a synonym is found in a plurality of words extracted as said characteristic words and, if a synonym is determined to be found, converts said extracted word into a specified word and extracts it as a characteristic word.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein said first provision means determines whether or not said first file already stores a characteristic word extracted by said characteristic word extraction means and, if already stored, does not add said characteristic word to said first file.

11. An information processing method comprising:

a step of acquiring a television program ID for identifying a specific television program and television program information including information concerning television program contents;

a step of extracting a characteristic word representing characteristics of said television program from said television program information;

a first step of creating a first file containing said characteristic word extracted from television program information about a plurality of television programs and providing said file to other apparatuses; and

a step of associating said characteristic word with a television program ID of a television program information corresponding to each characteristic word for storage; and

a second step of, if receiving information from said other apparatuses, namely, information about a given characteristic word selected from said first file, referencing said association step, reading a television program ID associated with said selected characteristic word, and providing said other apparatuses with television program information corresponding to said television program ID.

12. A program to allow a computer to perform:

a step of acquiring a television program ID for identifying a specific television programand television program information including information concerning television program contents;

a step of extracting a characteristic word representing characteristics of said television program from said television program information;

a first step of creating a first file containing said characteristic word extracted from television program information about a plurality of television programs and providing said file to other apparatuses; and

a step of associating said characteristic word with a television program ID of a television program information corresponding to each characteristic word for storage; and

a second step of, if receiving information from said other apparatuses, namely, information about a given characteristic word selected from said first file, referencing said association step, reading a television program ID associated with said selected characteristic word, and providing said other apparatuses with television program information corresponding to said television program ID.

13. An information processing apparatus comprising:

first means for receiving a file containing information about a characteristic word representing a characteristic of a television program;

input means for allowing a user to select an intended characteristic word from characteristic words contained in said file;

means for transmitting information about a characteristic word selected by said user to other apparatuses; and

second means for receiving television program information about a television program corresponding to said selected characteristic word transmitted from said other apparatuses as a result of transmitting information about said selected characteristic word.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13,

wherein said first reception means receives a file containing information about said characteristic word from said other apparatuses.

15. An information processing method comprising:

a first step of controlling reception of a file containing information about a characteristic word representing a characteristic of a television program;

an input step of allowing a user to select an intended characteristic word from characteristic words contained in said file;

a step of controlling transmission of information about a characteristic word selected by said user to other apparatuses; and

a second step of controlling reception of television program information about a television program corresponding to said selected characteristic word transmitted from said other apparatuses as a result of transmitting information about said selected characteristic word.

16. A program to allow a computer to perform:

a first step of controlling reception of a file containing information about a characteristic word representing a characteristic of a television program;

an input step of allowing a user to select an intended characteristic word from characteristic words contained in said file;

a step of controlling transmission of information about a characteristic word selected by said user to other apparatuses; and

a second step of controlling reception of television program information about a television program corresponding to said selected characteristic word transmitted from said other apparatuses as a result of transmitting information about said selected characteristic word.