Information processing apparatus and method utilizing useful additional-information item

• US 5,819,235 A
• Filed: 02/02/1993
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Endo, Hirofumi, Takeuchi, Mitsuaki, Ebata, Jun, Itoh, Reiko, Tamai, Ryo
• Primary Examiner(s): Poinvil, Frantzy
• Application Number:
  US08/012,462
• Time in Patent Office: 2,072 Days
• Field of Search: 364/419.2, 382/1, 382/6, 382/48, 382/61, 382/100, 382/112, 382/163, 382/133, 382/190, 382/312, 382/318, 382/306, 382/175, 395/161, 395/162, 358/434, 358/438, 358/444, 707/500, 707/540, 707/104, 705/23
• US Class Current: 705/23
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing

Abstract

An attaching unit attaches an additional-information packet to a collection of main information, wherein the additional-information packet comprises sensory information corresponding to sensory impressions of a human being that has processed the collection of main information, the sensory impressions being with respect to circumstances under which the collection of main information has been processed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented information processing method comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

(b) producing within the computer an additional-information item having processed-manner information that indicates a manner in which the corresponding collection of main information has been processed;

(c) using the computer, attaching said additional-information item to said collection of main information;

(d) extracting a part of a first collection of main information;

(e) producing an appropriate additional-information item for said part of said first collection of main information; and

(f) producing a second collection of main information comprising said part of said first collection of main information; and

wherein the processed-manner information, corresponding to an additional information item to be attached to said second collection of main information comprises said appropriate additional information item produced by said step (e).

2. A computer-implemented information processing method comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

(b) producing within the computer an additional-information item having processed-manner information that indicates a manner in which the corresponding collection of main information has been processed;

(c) using the computer, attaching said additional-information item to said collection of main information; and

(d) producing a third collection of main information as a result of combining the first collection of main information and a part of the second collection of main information, said first collection of main information and said second collection of main information respectively having first additional-information and second additional-information items,

wherein the processed-manner information comprises a third additional-information item that has been obtained as a result of combining said first additional-information item and said second additional-information item.

3. A computer-implemented apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

forming means for forming, within the computer, an additional-information item which includes the sensory information data; and

attaching means for attaching the additional-information item to the collection of main information within the computer,

the additional-information item including, in addition to the sensory information data, processed manner information which indicates a manner in which the corresponding collection of main information has been processed, and

the forming means including means for forming an additional-information item including sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impression of how dirty a paper was.

4. A computer-implemented information processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

forming means for forming within the computer, an additional-information item which includes the sensory information data;

attaching means for attaching the additional-information item to a corresponding collection of main information in the computer; and

additional-information item processing means for processing the additional-information item within the computer after it has been attached to the corresponding collection of main information,

wherein additional-information item controlling information is joined with the corresponding collection of main information, which additional-information item controlling information indicates a manner in which said additional-information item controlling means controls the sequence of elements of the additional-information item and an increase and a decrease in the number of elements thereof.

5. A computer-implemented information processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

forming means for forming within the computer, an additional-information item which includes the sensory information data;

attaching means for attaching the additional-information item to a corresponding collection of main information in the computer;

additional-information item processing means for processing the additional-information item within the computer after it has been attached to the corresponding collection of main information; and

additional-information item conversion means for converting the additional-information item so as to adapt the additional-information item for use by the information processing apparatus based on the additional-information item controlling information.

6. A computer-implemented information processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

forming means for forming within the computer, an additional-information item which includes the sensory information data;

attaching means for attaching the additional-information item to a corresponding collection of main information in the computer; and

additional-information item processing means for processing the additional-information item within the computer after it has been attached to the corresponding collection of main information,

said additional-information item processing means including separating means for separating the additional-information item from the corresponding collection of main information after adding a common identification code to both the additional-information item and the corresponding collection of main information so that the separated additional-information item is related to the corresponding collections of main information by means of the identification code after the separation.

7. A computer-implemented information processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

forming means for forming within the computer, an additional-information item which includes the sensory information data;

attaching means for attaching the additional-information item to a corresponding collection of main information in the computer;

additional-information item processing means for processing the additional-information item within the computer after it has been attached to the corresponding collection of main information, said additional-information item processing means including additional-information item reconstructed means for reconstructing the respective additional-information items, the reconstructing of the respective additional-information items occurring as a result of searching for elements of the additional-information items according to specified reference information and as a result of grouping the elements found by said searching, the grouping being executed by using identification codes previously attached to the elements, said identification codes indicating each collection of the plurality of collections of main information respectively; and

reconstructed additional information item processing means for storing the reconstructed additional-information item when said additional-information item is referred to frequently; and

wherein said reconstructed additional-information item processing means deletes a reconstructed additional-information item when said additional-information item has not been referred to for a predetermined period.

8. A computer-implemented information processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

forming means for forming, within the computer, an additional-information item which includes the sensory information data;

attaching means for attaching the additional-information item to the collection of main information within the computer, the additional-information item including, in addition to the sensory information data, processed manner information which indicates a manner in which the corresponding collection of main information has been processed; and

separating means for separating from said respective collections of main information, additional-information items that have been previously attached to the respective collections of main information,

wherein said separated additional-information items have at least a part of said collection of main information and information obtained as a result of simplifying said collection of main information.

9. A computer-implemented information processing method comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

(b) producing, within the computer, an additional-information item including the sensory information data which was input in the inputting step;

(c) attaching, using the computer, said additional-information item to the collection of main information; and

(d) eliminating the collection of main information from a combination including the collection of main information and an attached additional-information item,

wherein the step of producing an additional-information item includes producing an additional information item using a collection of main information, which additional-information item has reconstructing information for reconstructing said collection of main information after said collection of main information is eliminated.

10. A computer-implemented information processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

forming means for forming, within the computer, an additional-information item which includes the sensory information data;

attaching means for attaching the additional-information item to the collection of main information within the computer, the additional-information item including, in addition to the sensory information data, processed manner information which indicates a manner in which the corresponding collection of main information has been processed; and

main-information producing means for producing a collection of main information by referring to an additional information item.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said main-information producing means comprises reconstructing means for reconstructing the eliminated collection of main information by referring to the corresponding additional-information item said collection of main information having been previously eliminated, wherein said additional-information item comprises reconstructing information for reconstructing said collection of main information.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said main-information producing means comprises creating means for creating a new collection of main information as a result of combining of additional-information items, said additional-information items having been previously attached respectively to corresponding collections of main information.

13. A computer-implemented information processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

forming means for forming within the computer, an additional-information item which includes the sensory information data;

attaching means for attaching the additional-information items to respective collections of main information in the computer, said additional-information items further including respective coordinate information indicating coordinates, in a reference coordinate plane, corresponding to the respective collections of main information; and

searching means for conducting a search within the computer in said plurality of collections of main information with reference to the coordinate information in the additional-information items which indicates said respective coordinates, each of said additional-information items further including an identification code for identifying a respective corresponding reference coordinate plane of a plurality of the reference coordinate planes.

14. A computer-implemented information processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

forming means for forming, within the computer, an additional-information item which includes the sensory information data;

attaching means for attaching the additional-information item to the collection of main information within the computer, the additional-information item including, in addition to the sensory information data, processed manner information which indicates a manner in which the corresponding collection of main information has been processed; and

searching means for searching for a collection of main information from among a plurality of collections of main information, wherein

each collection of said plurality of collections of main information has a respective additional-information item,

each of the additional-information items has position information regarding a position corresponding to a respective collection of main information, in a respective corresponding reference coordinate plane,

said searching means includes means for searching for the collection of main information with reference to the corresponding coordinate information of the respectively corresponding additional-information item,

said searching means searches for a first kind of collections of main information from among the plurality of collections of main information,

the position information indicates respective coordinates, corresponding to the corresponding collection of main information, located in a reference coordinate plane respectively, and

said searching means searches for said first kind of collections of main information so that distances, in said reference coordinate plane, between the coordinates of the additional-information items of said first kind of collections of main information and a specified coordinate are to be within a predetermined range.

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising second searching means for searching for second kind of collections of main information from among the first kind of collections of main information, which first kind of collections of main information have been found by said first searching means, the search being carried out with reference to distances in said reference coordinate plane between said specified coordinates and the coordinates of the respective additional-information items of respective collections of said first kind of collections of main information.

16. A computer-implemented information processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

forming means for forming, within the computer, an additional-information item which includes the sensory information data;

attaching means for attaching the additional-information item to the collection of main information within the computer, the additional-information item including, in addition to the sensory information data, processed manner information which indicates a manner in which the corresponding collection of main information has been processed; and

searching means for searching for a collection of main information from among a plurality of collections of main information, wherein

each collection of said plurality of collections of main information has a respective additional-information item,

each of the additional-information items has position information regarding a position corresponding to a respective collection of main information, in a respective corresponding reference coordinate plane,

said searching means includes means for searching for the collection of main information with reference to the corresponding coordinate information of the respectively corresponding additional-information item, and

said searching means searches for a collection of main information from among the plurality of collections of main information; and

wherein said searching means searches for the collection of main information when the coordinates corresponding to the additional-information item of said collection of main information are located within a specified reference area in said reference coordinate plane.

17. A computer-implemented information processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

forming means for forming, within the computer, an additional-information item which includes the sensory information data;

attaching means for attaching the additional-information item to the collection of main information within the computer, the additional-information item including, in addition to the sensory information data, processed manner information which indicates a manner in which the corresponding collection of main information has been processed; and

searching means for searching for a collection of main information from among a plurality of collections of main information, wherein

each collection of said plurality of collections of main information has a respective additional-information item,

each of the additional-information items has position information regarding a position corresponding to a respective collection of main information, in a respective corresponding reference coordinate plane,

said searching means includes means for searching for the collection of main information with reference to the corresponding coordinate information of the respectively corresponding additional-information item,

said searching means searches for a collection of main information from among the plurality of collections of main information,

the position information corresponding to the respective collection of main information comprises area information indicating an area in a reference coordinate plane, and

said searching means searches for the collection of main information when the area corresponds to the additional-information item of said collection of main information at least partially overlaps with a specified reference area in said reference coordinate plane.

18. A computer-implemented information processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

forming means for forming, within the computer, an additional-information item which includes the sensory information data;

attaching means for attaching an additional-information item to each of a plurality of collections of main information within the computer;

wherein each of said additional-information items includes time limit information corresponding to respective collections of main information.

19. The information processing apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising time-limit detecting means for detecting a collection of main information from among said plurality of collections of main information when a present time is within a predetermined range of a time limit indicated in the additional-information item corresponding to said collection of main information.

20. The information processing apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising output means for outputting, when said detecting means detects said collection of main information, at least a part of the collection of main information together with the time limit corresponding to the additional-information item of said collection of main information.

21. The information processing apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising time limit output means for outputting a time limit corresponding to a collection of main information when said collection of main information is output.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances are the human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of intrinsic circumstances.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances are automatically input, are used to produce the additional-information item, and are attached to the collection of main information.

24. A computer-implemented information processing method comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

(b) producing, within the computer, an additional-information item including the sensory information data which was input in the inputting step; and

(c) attaching, using the computer, said additional-information item to the collection of main information,

the producing step including

producing an additional information item including sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impression of ambient temperature.

25. A computer-implemented information processing method comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

(b) producing, within the computer, an additional-information item including the sensory information data which was input in the inputting step; and

(c) attaching, using the computer, said additional-information item to the collection of main information,

the producing step including

producing an additional-information item including sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impression of humidity.

26. A computer-implemented information processing method comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

(b) producing, within the computer, an additional-information item including the sensory information data which was input in the inputting step; and

(c) attaching, using the computer, said additional-information item to the collection of main information,

the producing step including;

producing an additional-information item including sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impression of paper color.

27. A computer-implemented information processing method comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

(b) producing, within the computer, an additional-information item including the sensory information data which was input in the inputting step; and

(c) attaching, using the computer, said additional-information item to the collection of main information,

the producing step including

producing an additional-information item including sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impression of paper thickness.

28. A computer-implemented information processing method comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

(b) producing, within the computer, an additional-information item including the sensory information data which was input in the inputting step; and

(c) attaching, using the computer, said additional-information item to the collection of main information,

the producing step including

producing an additional-information item including sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impression of paper texture.

29. A computer-implemented information processing method comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

(b) producing, within the computer, an additional-information item including the sensory information data which was input in the inputting step; and

(c) attaching, using the computer, said additional-information item to the collection of main information,

the producing step including

producing an additional-information item including sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impression of how dirty a document was.

30. A computer-implemented apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

forming means for forming, within the computer, an additional-information item which includes the sensory information data; and

attaching means for attaching the additional-information item to the collection of main information within the computer,

the additional-information item including, in addition to the sensory information data, processed manner information which indicates a manner in which the corresponding collection of main information has been processed, and

the forming means including means for forming an additional-information item including sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impression of ambient temperature.

31. A computer-implemented apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

forming means for forming, within the computer, an additional-information item which includes the sensory information data; and

attaching means for attaching the additional-information item to the collection of main information within the computer,

the additional-information item including, in addition to the sensory information data, processed manner information which indicates a manner in which the corresponding collection of main information has been processed, and

the forming means including means for forming an additional-information item including sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impression of humidity.

32. A computer-implemented apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

forming means for forming, within the computer, an additional-information item which includes the sensory information data; and

attaching means for attaching the additional-information item to the collection of main information within the computer,

the additional-information item including, in addition to the sensory information data, processed manner information which indicates a manner in which the corresponding collection of main information has been processed, and

the forming means including means for forming an additional-information item including sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impression of paper color.

33. A computer-implemented apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

forming means for forming, within the computer, an additional-information item which includes the sensory information data; and

attaching means for attaching the additional-information item to the collection of main information within the computer,

the additional-information item including, in addition to the sensory information data, processed manner information which indicates a manner in which the corresponding collection of main information has been processed, and

the forming means including means for forming an additional-information item including sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impression of paper thickness.

34. A computer-implemented apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

forming means for forming, within the computer, an additional-information item which includes the sensory information data; and

attaching means for attaching the additional-information item to the collection of main information within the computer,

the additional-information item including, in addition to the sensory information data, processed manner information which indicates a manner in which the corresponding collection of main information has been processed, and

the forming means including means for forming an additional-information item including sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impression of paper texture.

35. A computer-implemented information processing method comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

(b) producing, within the computer, an additional-information item including the sensory information data which was input in the inputting step; and

(c) attaching, using the computer, said additional-information item to the collection of main information,

the human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances being automatically input, being used to produce the additional-information item, and being attached to the collection of main information.

36. A computer-implemented apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

forming means for forming, within the computer, an additional-information item which includes the sensory information data;

attaching means for attaching the additional-information item to the collection of main information within the computer,

the additional-information item including, in addition to the sensory information data, processed manner information which indicates a manner in which the corresponding collection of main information has been processed, and

the human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances being automatically input, being used to produce the additional-information item, and being attached to the collection of main information.

37. A computer-implemented information processing method comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

(b) producing within the computer an additional-information item having processed-manner information that indicates a manner in which the corresponding collection of main information has been processed; and

(c) using the computer, attaching said additional-information item to said collection of main information,

the human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances being automatically input, being used to produce the additional-information item, and being attached to the collection of main information.

38. A computer-implemented information processing method comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

(b) producing an additional-information item within the computer, including both (1) the sensory information data as well as (2) processing control information used for controlling a manner in which a corresponding collection of main information will be processed; and

(c) using the computer, attaching said additional-information item to said collection of main information,

the human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances being automatically input, being used to produce the additional-information item, and being attached to the collection of main information.

39. A computer-implemented processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

forming means for forming within the computer, an additional-information item which includes the sensory information data;

attaching means for attaching the additional-information item to a corresponding collection of main information in the computer; and

additional-information item processing means for processing the additional-information item within the computer after it has been attached to the corresponding collection of main information,

the human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances being automatically input, being used to produce the additional-information item, and being attached to the collection of main information.

40. A computer-implemented processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting into the computer sensory information data representing a human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances relating to a processing of a collection of main information;

forming means for forming within the computer, an additional-information item which includes the sensory information data; and

attaching means for attaching the additional-information items to respective collections of main information in the computer,

wherein said additional-information item further include respective coordinate information indicating coordinates, in a reference coordinate plane, corresponding to the respective collections of main information, and

searching means for conducting a search within the computer in said plurality of collections of main information with reference to the coordinate information in the additional-information items which indicates said respective coordinates,

the human being'"'"'s sensory impressions of circumstances being automatically input, being used to produce the additional-information item, and being attached to the collection of main information.