Preference information collecting system, device, method, and program

• US 20070150452A1
• Filed: 04/08/2005
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Hirokazu, Maekawa, Takuji, Jinushi, Kotaro, Tsurumaki, Kimiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,612,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A preference-information gathering system is capable of gathering information on every commodity and/or every service, which are each of interest to a user, as user'"'"'s preference information. The preference-information gathering system includes a user portable terminal (102) capable of storing a user identifier uniquely identifying the user, an information searching apparatus (104) and a preference-information management apparatus (114) for managing the information on preferences with the user. The information searching apparatus (104) has a search-information inputting unit (108) for requesting a user to enter search information to be used in a process to search for information desired by the user and a user-identifier acquisition unit (110) for acquiring a user identifier. The information searching apparatus (104) transmits information found in a search process requested by the user as the desired information on a commodity and/or a service and the user identifier to the preference-information management apparatus by associating the information and the identifier with each other.

Claims

1. A preference-information gathering system for gathering user'"'"'s preference information, said preference-information gathering system comprising:

an information searching apparatus capable of searching for information on every commodity and/or every service, which are each desired by said users; and

a preference-information management server connected by a communication network to said information searching apparatus and used for managing said information on preferences with said users;

wherein said information searching apparatus includes

a commodity/service-information storage unit for storing information on commodities and/or services,

a search-information inputting unit for requesting a user to enter search information,

a search-result acquisition unit for searching said commodity/service-information storage unit for information desired by said user on the basis of said search information,

a user-identifier acquisition unit for acquiring a user identifier identifying said user entering said search information to said search-information inputting unit, and

a search-result sender unit for transmitting a search result acquired by said search-result acquisition unit and said user identifier to said preference-information management server by associating said search result and said user identifier with each other, whereas

said preference-information management server includes

a preference-information storage unit for storing said user'"'"'s preference information for each of said users,

a search-result receiver unit for receiving said search result and said user identifier from said information searching apparatus, and

a preference-information updating unit for updating user-preference information stored in said preference-information storage unit on the basis of said search result and said user identifier, which are received by said search-result receiver unit.

2. A preference-information gathering system for gathering user'"'"'s preference information, said preference-information gathering system comprising:

a user portable terminal, which can be carried by a user; and

a preference-information management server connected by a communication network to said user portable terminal and used for managing said user'"'"'s preference information;

wherein said user portable terminal includes

a commodity/service-identifier inputting unit for inputting an identifier identifying a commodity and/or a service,

a commodity/service-identifier storage unit for storing said commodity/service identifier, and

a commodity/service-information sender unit for transmitting said commodity/service identifier and a user identifier identifying said user to said preference-information management server by associating said commodity/service identifier and said user identifier with each other, whereas

said preference-information management server includes

a preference-information storage unit for storing said user'"'"'s preference information for each of said users,

a commodity/service-information receiver unit for receiving said commodity/service identifier and said user identifier from said user portable terminal, and

a preference-information updating unit for updating user-preference information stored in said preference-information storage unit on the basis of said commodity/service identifier and said user identifier, which are received by said commodity/service-information receiver unit.

3. A preference-information gathering system for gathering user'"'"'s preference information, said preference-information gathering system comprising:

a user portable terminal, which can be carried by a user;

a passed-place-information sender apparatus carrying out communications with said user portable terminal; and

a preference-information management server connected by a communication network to said passed-place-information sender apparatus and used for managing said user'"'"'s preference information;

wherein said user portable terminal includes

a user-identifier storage unit for storing a user identifier identifying said user,

said passed-place-information sender apparatus includes

a user-identifier acquisition unit for acquiring said user identifier from said user portable terminal, and

a passed-place-information sender unit for transmitting an apparatus identifier identifying said passed-place-information sender apparatus and said user identifier to said preference-information management server by associating said apparatus identifier and said user identifier with each other, whereas

said preference-information management server includes

a preference-information storage unit for storing said user'"'"'s preference information for each of said users,

a passed-place-information receiver unit for receiving said apparatus identifier and said user identifier from said passed-place-information sender apparatus, and

a preference-information updating unit for updating user-preference information stored in said preference-information storage unit on the basis of said apparatus identifier and said user identifier, which are received by said passed-place-information receiver unit.

4. An information searching apparatus, which is connected by a communication network to a preference-information management server for managing user'"'"'s preference information and is used for providing information to be reflected in said user'"'"'s preference information to said preference-information management server, said information searching apparatus comprising:

a commodity/service-information storage unit for storing information on commodities and/or services;

a search-information inputting unit for requesting a user to enter search information;

a search-result acquisition unit for searching said commodity/service-information storage unit for information desired by said user on the basis of said search information;

a user-identifier acquisition unit for acquiring a user identifier identifying said user entering said search information to said search-information inputting unit; and

a search-result sender unit for transmitting a search result acquired by said search-result acquisition unit and said user identifier to said preference-information management server by associating said search result and said user identifier with each other.

5. The information searching apparatus according to claim 4 wherein information stored in said commodity/service-information storage unit is a digital content including a text, a stationary picture, a moving picture, and a sound, which are related to said commodity and/or said service.

6. The information searching apparatus according to claim 4, said information searching apparatus further having a search-result outputting unit for outputting said search result.

7. The information searching apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said search-information inputting unit receives said search information from a user portable terminal having said search information stored in a memory employed in said user portable terminal.

8. The information searching apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said user-identifier acquisition unit receives said user identifier from a user portable terminal having said user identifier stored in a memory employed in said user portable terminal.

9. The information searching apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said search-result sender unit transmits said search information itself to said preference-information management server if said search-result acquisition unit is not capable of acquiring information desired by said user from said commodity/service-information storage unit on the basis of said search information.

10. A computer program to be executed by a computer functioning as an information searching apparatus, which is connected by a communication network to a preference-information management server for managing user'"'"'s preference information, is used for providing information to be reflected in said user'"'"'s preference information to said preference-information management server, and comprises:

a commodity/service-information storage unit for storing information on commodities and/or services;

a search-information inputting unit for requesting a user to enter search information;

a search-result acquisition unit for searching said commodity/service-information storage unit for information desired by said user on the basis of said search information;

a user-identifier acquisition unit for acquiring a user identifier identifying said user entering said search information to said search-information inputting unit; and

a search-result sender unit for transmitting a search result acquired by said search-result acquisition unit and said user identifier to said preference-information management server by associating said search result and said user identifier with each other.

11. A user portable terminal, which can be carried by a user, is connected by a communication network to a preference-information management server for managing user'"'"'s preference information and is used for providing information to be reflected in said user'"'"'s preference information to said preference-information management server,

said user portable terminal comprising:

a commodity/service-identifier inputting unit for inputting an identifier identifying a commodity and/or a service;

a commodity/service-identifier storage unit for storing said commodity/service identifier; and

a commodity/service-information sender unit for transmitting said commodity/service identifier and a user identifier identifying said user to said preference-information management server by associating said commodity/service identifier and said user identifier with each other.

12. A computer program to be executed by a computer functioning as a user portable terminal, which can be carried by a user, is connected by a communication network to a preference-information management server for managing user'"'"'s preference information, is used for providing information to be reflected in said user'"'"'s preference information to said preference-information management server, and comprises:

a commodity/service-identifier inputting unit for inputting an identifier identifying a commodity and/or a service;

a commodity/service-identifier storage unit for storing said commodity/service identifier; and

a commodity/service-information sender unit for transmitting said commodity/service identifier and a user identifier identifying said user to said preference-information management server by associating said commodity/service identifier and said user identifier with each other.

13. A passed-place-information sender apparatus, which is connected by a communication network to a preference-information management server for managing user'"'"'s preference information, is used for carrying communications with a user portable terminal a user can carry, and is used for providing information to be reflected in said user'"'"'s preference information to said preference-information management server;

said passed-place-information sender apparatus comprising;

a user-identifier acquisition unit for acquiring a user identifier identifying said user from said user portable terminal; and

a passed-place-information sender unit for transmitting an apparatus identifier identifying said passed-place-information sender apparatus and said user identifier to said preference-information management server by associating said apparatus identifier and said user identifier with each other.

14. The passed-place-information sender apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said user-identifier acquisition unit acquires said user identifier from said user portable terminal by adoption of a non-contact communication.

15. The passed-place-information sender apparatus according to claim 13, said passed-place-information sender apparatus further having a transmission determining unit for determining whether or not to transmit said user identifier acquired by said user-identifier acquisition unit to said preference-information management server on the basis of said user identifier itself.

16. A computer program to be executed by a computer functioning as a passed-place-information sender apparatus, which is connected by a communication network to a preference-information management server for managing user'"'"'s preference information, is used for carrying communications with a user portable terminal a user can carry, is used for providing information to be reflected in said user'"'"'s preference information to said preference-information management server, and comprises:

a user-identifier acquisition unit for acquiring a user identifier identifying said user from said user portable terminal; and

a passed-place-information sender unit for transmitting an apparatus identifier identifying said passed-place-information sender apparatus and said user identifier to said preference-information management server by associating said apparatus identifier and said user identifier with each other.

17. A preference-information gathering method for gathering user'"'"'s preference information, said preference-information gathering method implemented by using:

an information searching apparatus capable of searching for information on every commodity and/or every service, which are each desired by said users; and

a preference-information management server for managing said user'"'"'s preference information;

wherein said information searching apparatus executes processes of;

storing information on commodities and/or services in a commodity/service-information storage unit in advance;

requesting a user to enter search information;

acquiring a user identifier identifying said user entering said search information;

searching said commodity/service-information storage unit for a search result representing information desired by said user on the basis of said search information; and

transmitting said search result and said user identifier to said preference-information management server by associating said search result and said user identifier with each other, whereas

said preference-information management server executes processes of;

receiving said search result and said user identifier from said information searching apparatus; and

updating user-preference information stored in a preference-information storage unit for storing said user'"'"'s preference information on the basis of said search result and said user identifier, which are received from said information searching apparatus.

18. The preference-information gathering method according to claim 17 wherein information stored in said commodity/service-information storage unit is a digital content including a text, a stationary picture, a moving picture, and a sound, which are related to said commodity and/or said service.

19. The preference-information gathering method according to claim 17 wherein said information searching apparatus further executes a process of outputting said search result.

20. The preference-information gathering method according to claim 17 wherein said process of requesting a user to enter search information includes a process of receiving said search information from a user portable terminal having said search information stored in a memory employed in said user portable terminal.

21. The preference-information gathering method according to claim 17 wherein said process of acquiring a user identifier identifying a user entering search information includes a process of receiving said user identifier from a user portable terminal having said user identifier stored in a memory employed in said user portable terminal.

22. The preference-information gathering method according to claim 17 wherein said process of transmitting a search result and a user identifier to said preference-information management server by associating said search result and said user identifier with each other is executed to transmit search information itself to said preference-information management server if said process of searching said commodity/service-information storage unit for a search result representing information desired by a user on the basis of said search information does not produce said information desired by a user as said search result.

23. A preference-information gathering method for gathering user'"'"'s preference information, said preference-information gathering method implemented by using:

a user portable terminal, which can be carried by a user; and

a preference-information management server for managing said user'"'"'s preference information;

wherein said user portable terminal executes processes of;

inputting an identifier identifying a commodity and/or a service;

storing said commodity/service identifier in a commodity/service-identifier storage unit; and

transmitting said commodity/service identifier and a user identifier identifying said user to said preference-information management server by associating said commodity/service identifier and said user identifier with each other, whereas

said preference-information management server executes processes of;

receiving said commodity/service identifier and said user identifier from said user portable terminal; and

updating user-preference information stored in a preference-information storage unit for storing said user'"'"'s preference information on the basis of said commodity/service identifier and said user identifier, which are received from said user portable terminal.

24. The preference-information gathering method according to claim 23 wherein said identifier identifying a commodity and/or a service is included in either a two-dimensional barcode or an IC tag.

25. A preference-information gathering method for gathering user'"'"'s preference information, said preference-information gathering method implemented by using:

a user portable terminal, which can be carried by a user;

a passed-place-information sender apparatus carrying out communications with said user portable terminal; and

a preference-information management server connected by a communication network to said passed-place-information sender apparatus and used for managing said user'"'"'s preference information;

wherein said user portable terminal executes a process of storing a user identifier identifying said user in a user-identifier storage unit;

said passed-place-information sender apparatus executes processes of;

acquiring said user identifier from said user portable terminal; and

transmitting an apparatus identifier identifying said passed-place-information sender apparatus and said user identifier to said preference-information management server by associating said apparatus identifier and said user identifier with each other, whereas

said preference-information management server executes processes of;

receiving said apparatus identifier and said user identifier from said passed-place-information sender apparatus; and

updating user-preference information stored in a preference-information storage unit for storing said user'"'"'s preference information on the basis of said apparatus identifier and said user identifier, which are received from said passed-place-information sender apparatus.

26. The preference-information gathering method according to claim 25 wherein said passed-place-information sender apparatus executes said process of acquiring said user identifier from said user portable terminal by adoption of a non-contact communication.

27. The preference-information gathering method according to claim 25 wherein said passed-place-information sender apparatus also executes a process of determining whether or not to transmit said acquired user identifier to said preference-information management server on the basis of said user identifier itself.