Information disclosing apparatus and multi-modal information input/output system

• US 5,918,222 A
• Filed: 03/15/1996
• Issued: 06/29/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Shibazaki, Yasuyo, Sasaki, Kouichi, Morishita, Akira, Takebayashi, Yoichi, Fukui, Mika, Gotoh, Kazuyuki, Ohtake, Yoshihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Corrielies, Jean M.
• Application Number:
  US08/619,824
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 395/601, 707/1, 704/275, 704/251, 704/270
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

A data storage means stores data in a predetermined information form. An information retrieval means retrieves the data stored in the data storage means. A reception means receives an information disclosure demand from a demander, a response rule storage means for storing general knowledge for generating a response responding to the demander and a personal relationship information associated with a unique personal relationship between a user having the data on an information provider side and a user on an information demander side. A response plan formation means, responsive to the demand received by the reception means, plans a response for exhibiting, to the information demander, data obtained by causing the retrieval means to retrieve the data stored in the data storage means on the basis of the knowledge and the personal relationship information stored in the response rule storage means. A response generation means generates the response to the information demander in accordance with the plan formed by the response plan formation means.

Claims

1. An information disclosing apparatus comprising:

data storage means for storing data in a predetermined information form;

information retrieval means for retrieving the data stored in said data storage means;

demand reception means for receiving an information disclosure demand from an information demander;

response rule storage means for storing knowledge for generating a response responding to the information demander and personal relationship information associated with a unique hierarchal personal relationship between a user having the data on an information provider side and a user on an information demander side;

response plan formation means, responsive to the demand received by said demand reception means, for planning a response for exhibiting, to the information demander data obtained by causing said information retrieval means to retrieve the data stored in said data storage means on the basis of the knowledge and the personal relationship information stored in said response rule storage means; and

response generation means for generating the response to the information demander in accordance with the plan formed by said response plan formation means;

wherein said response plan formation means plans a range of data to be disclosed to the information demander or contents of a message to the information demander in accordance with the personal relationship information.

2. An information disclosing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said response rule storage means stores a connection method to another information disclosing apparatus in storing data from said another information disclosing apparatus in said data storage means, and said response plan formation means looks up said response rule storage means to plan a response which provides the connection method to said another information disclosing apparatus when a demand associated with data obtained from said another information disclosing apparatus is made from the information demander.

3. An information disclosing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for managing feature information associated with a target field in which the user on the information demander side is interested, and means for disclosing the feature information to said information disclosing apparatus.

4. An information disclosing apparatus comprising:

data storage means for storing data in a predetermined information form;

information retrieval means for retrieving the data stored in said data storage means;

demand reception means for receiving an information disclosure demand from an information demander;

response rule storage means for storing knowledge for generating a response responding to the information demander and personal relationship information associated with a unique hierarchal personal relationship between a user having the data on an information provider side and a user on an information demander side;

response plan formation means, responsive to the demand received by said demand reception means, for planning a response for exhibiting, to the information demander, data obtained by causing said information retrieval means to retrieve the data stored in said data storage means on the basis of the knowledge and the personal relationship information stored in said response rule storage means; and

response generation means for generating the response to the information demander in accordance with the plan formed by said response plan formation means;

wherein said response rule storage means stores a connection method to another information disclosing apparatus in said data storage means, and said response plan formation means looks up said response rule storage means to plan a response which provides the connection method to said another information disclosing apparatus when a demand associated with data obtained from said another information disclosing apparatus is made from the information demander.

5. An information disclosing apparatus comprising:

data storaqe means for storinq data in a predetermined information form;

information retrieval means for retrieving the data stored in said data storage means;

demand reception means for receiving an information disclosure demand from an information demander;

response rule storage means for storing knowledge for generating a response responding to the information demander and personal relationship information associated with a unique hierarchal personal relationship between a user having the data on an information provider side and a user on an information demander side;

response plan formation means, responsive to the demand received by said demand reception means, for planning a response for exhibiting to the information demander, data obtained by causing said information retrieval means to retrieve the data stored in said data storage means on the basis of the knowledge and the personal relationship information stored in said response rule storage means; and

response generation means for generatinq the response to the information demander in accordance with the plan formed by said response plan formation means;

wherein the personal relationship information includes at least one of information associated with a social relationship between the user on the information provider side and the user on the information demander side, and information associated with an individual relationship there between;

wherein said response rule storage means stores a connection method to another information disclosing apparatus in storing data from said another information disclosing apparatus in said data storage means, and said response plan formation means looks up said response rule storage means to plan a response which provides the connection method to said another information disclosing apparatus when a demand associated with data obtained from said another information disclosing apparatus is made from the information demander.

6. An information disclosing apparatus comprising:

data storage means for storing data in a predetermined information form;

information retrieval means for retrieving the data stored in said data storage means;

demand reception means for receiving an information disclosure demand from an information demander;

response rule storage means for storing knowledge for generating a response responding to the information demander and personal relationship information associated with a unique hierarchal personal relationship between a user having the data on an information provider side and a user on an information demander side;

response plan formation means, responsive to the demand received by said demand reception means, for planning a response for exhibiting, to the information demander, data obtained by causing said information retrieval means to retrieve the data stored in said data storage means on the basis of the knowledge and the personal relationship information stored in said response rule storage means;

response generation means for generating the response to the information demander in accordance with the plan formed by said response plan formation means; and

means for managing feature information associated with a target field in which the user on the information demander side is interested, and means for disclosing the feature information to said information disclosing apparatus.

7. An information disclosing apparatus, comprising:

demand reception means for receiving a demand of a demander which is input in a predetermined information form;

response rule storage means for storing general knowledge for generating a response responding to the demander or a status;

response plan formation means, responsive to the demand received by said demand reception means, for planning a response exhibited to the demander using the knowledge stored in said response rule storage means;

response generation means for generating the response to the demander in accordance with the plan formed by said response plan formation means;

history storage means for storing the demand of the demander which has been received by said demand reception means and the response generated by said response generation means to the demand so as to cause the demand to correspond to the response; and

history editing means for performing at least one of recording, a change, and deletion of the history information stored in said history storage means in accordance with an instruction from the demander.

8. An information disclosing apparatus, comprising:

data storage means for storing data in a predetermined information form;

demand reception means for receiving an information disclosure demand from an information demander;

retrieval means for retrieving the data from the data storage means in response to the demand received by the demand reception means;

analysis means for analyzing an intention and emotions associated with a user on an information demander side in response to the demand received by said demand reception means;

response plan formation means for planning a response to the information demander on the basis of an analysis result of said analysis means; and

response generation means for generating the response to the information demander in accordance with the plan formed by said response plan formation means.

9. An information disclosing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

status check means for checking whether a line can be directly connected between the information demander and an information provider having the data;

direct line connection decision means for deciding to directly connect the line between the information demander side and the information provider having the data on the basis of the analysis result of said analysis means and a check result of said status check means; and

direct line connection execution means for directly connecting the line in accordance with a result of said direct line connection decision means.

10. An information disclosing apparatus, comprising:

data storage means for storing data in a predetermined form;

data information storage means for storing data information describing a confidentiality and a degree of difficulty for individual data stored in said data storage device;

user information storage means for storing user information describing a right and a degree of familiarity for each data to each individual information demander;

retrieval presentation means for retrieving and presenting data for a data presentation demand from the information demander on the basis of the data information;

input/output means for performing input/output between the information demander and an information provider for managing said information disclosing apparatus;

response history storage means for storing response history information representing a history of a response of said information disclosing apparatus using said input/output means between the information demander and the information provider; and

editing means for forming or changing the data information on the basis of the response history information when data satisfactory to a demand of the information demander cannot be presented and the information provider directly responds to the information demander or presents demand data to the information demander.

11. An information disclosing apparatus, comprising:

data storage means for storing data in a predetermined form;

data information storage means for storing data information describing a confidentiality and a degree of difficulty for each data stored in said data storage device;

user information storage means for storing user information describing a right and a degree of familiarity for each data to each individual information demander;

retrieval presentation means, responsive to a data presentation demand from the information demander, for retrieving and presenting data of the confidentiality and the degree of difficulty corresponding to the right and the degree of familiarity of the information demander on the basis of the user information and the data information which correspond to the information demander;

input/output means for performing input/output between the information demander and an information provider for managing said information disclosing apparatus;

response history storage means for storing response history information representing a history of a response of said information disclosing apparatus using said input/output means between the information demander and the information provider; and

editing means for forming or changing the data information and the user information of the information demander on the basis of the response history information when data satisfactory to a demand of the information demander cannot be presented and the information provider directly responds to the information demander or presents demand data to the information demander.

12. A multi-modal information input/output system having means for inputting at least one of user language information and instruction information through an input medium having at least one form including a speech input, and means for performing at least one of accumulation processing, data processing, recognition processing, and understanding processing for the input language information or the input instruction information, characterized by comprising:

means for understanding at least one of an intention, emotions, and a status of a user from the speech input of the user.

13. An information disclosing apparatus, comprising:

data storage means for storing data in a predetermined information form;

information retrieval means for retrieving the data stored in said data storage means;

demand reception means for receiving an information disclosure demand from an information demander;

response rule storage means for storing general knowledge for generating a response responding to the information demander and personal relationship information associated with a unique personal relationship between a user having the data on an information provider side and a user on an information demander side;

understanding means for understanding at least one of intention, emotion and status of the user from a speech input of the user;

response plan formation means, responsive to the demand received by said demand reception means, for planning a response for exhibiting, to the information demander, data obtained by causing said information retrieval means to retrieve the data stored in said data storage means on the basis of the knowledge and the personal relationship information stored in said response rule storage means, and at least one of the intention, the emotion and the status of the user obtained from the understanding means; and

response generation means for generating the response to the information demander in accordance with the plan formed by said response plan formation means.

14. An information disclosing apparatus, comprising:

data storage means for storing data in a predetermined information form;

information retrieval means for retrieving the data stored in said data storage means;

demand reception means for receiving an information disclosure demand from an information demander;

input means for inputting speech data of a user;

extraction means for extracting intention and emotional data of the user from the input speech data;

response rule storage means for storing general knowledge for generating a response responding to the information demander and personal relationship information associated with a unique hierarchical personal relationship between a user having the data on an information provider side and a user on an information demander side;

response plan formation means, responsive to the demand received by said demand reception means, for planning a response for exhibiting, to the information demander, data obtained by causing said information retrieval means to retrieve the data stored in said data storage means on the basis of the knowledge and the personal relationship information stored in said response rule storage means, and the intention and the emotional data extracted by the extraction means; and

response generation means for generating the response to the information demander in accordance with the plan formed by said response plan formation means.

15. Information disclosing method for an information disclosing apparatus which discloses data owned by an information provider to an information demander, said method comprising the computer steps of:

a) storing in a memory data in a predetermined information form;

b) storing in a memory general knowledge for generating a response responding to the information demander and personal relationship information associated with a unique hierarchical personal relationship between a user having the data on the information provider side and a user on the information demander side;

c) receiving an information disclosure demand from the information demander;

d) planning, responsive to the received information disclosure demand, a response for exhibiting, to the information demander, data obtained by retrieving the data stored in said memory on the basis of the knowledge and the personal relationship information stored in said memory; and

e) generating the response to the information demander in accordance with the response plan.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the personal relationship information includes at least one of information associated with a social relationship between the user on the information provider side and the user on the information demander side, and information associated with an individual relationship therebetween.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said step b) further includes a step of storing a connection method to another information disclosing apparatus in storing data from said another information disclosing apparatus in said memory;

and

said step d) further includes a step of planning a response which provides the connection method to said another information disclosing apparatus when a demand associated with data obtained from said another information disclosing apparatus is made from the information demander.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

a step of managing feature information associated with a target field in which the user on the information demander side is interested; and

a step of disclosing the feature information to said information disclosing apparatus.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the planning of the response plans a range of data to be disclosed to the information demander or contents of a message to the information demander in accordance with the personal relationship information.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein said step b) further includes a step of storing a connection method to another information disclosing apparatus in storing data from said another information disclosing apparatus in said memory;

and

said step d) further includes a step of planning a response which provides the connection method to said another information disclosing apparatus when a demand associated with data obtained from said another information disclosing apparatus is made from the information demander.

21. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

a step of managing feature information associated with a target field in which the user on the information demander side is interested; and

a step of disclosing the feature information to said information disclosing apparatus.

22. The method according to claim 15, wherein said step b) further includes a step of storing a connection method to another information disclosing apparatus in storing data from said another information disclosing apparatus in said memory;

and

said step d) further includes a step of planning a response which provides the connection method to said another information disclosing apparatus when a demand associated with data obtained from said another information disclosing apparatus is made from the information demander.

23. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

a step of managing feature information associated with a target field in which the user on the information demander side is interested; and

a step of disclosing the feature information to said information disclosing apparatus.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising a step of storing and managing, in accordance with categories in units of fields, the feature information associated with a target field in which the user on the information demander side is interested.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising a step of using as a degree of concern quantitative information including the number and size of cases for information classified in units of categories and quantitative information including the number of accesses and presenting appropriate one of a plurality of candidates in accordance with the degree of concern.

26. The method according to claim 24, further comprising a step of detecting localization of pieces of information classified into the categories, prompting the user to correct the arrangement of classes, to thereby permit the user directly input and edit the classes.

27. The method according to claim 23, further comprising a step of disclosing intention estimation information extracted in the past interactive operations with the information to the individual information disclosing apparatus of the information demander with a demand for disclosing the feature information associated with a target field in which the user on the information demander side is interested.

28. The method according to claim 27, further comprising a step of determining the corresponding appropriate category on the basis of the received intention estimation information.

29. A method for disclosing information for an information disclosing apparatus which discloses data owned by an information provider to an information demander, said method comprising the computer steps of:

a) storing general knowledge for generating a response responding to the demander or a status;

b) receiving a demand of the demander which is input in a predetermined information;

c) planning, responsive to the received demand, a response exhibited to the demander using the stored knowledge;

d) generating the response to the demander in accordance with the plan formed;

e) storing the demand of the demander which has been received and the response generated to the demand so as to cause the demand to correspond to the response; and

f) performing at least one of recording, a change, and deletion of the history information in accordance with an instruction from the demander.

30. A method for disclosing information for an information disclosing apparatus which discloses data owned by an information provider to an information demander, said method comprising the computer steps of:

a) storing data in a predetermined information format;

b) receiving an information disclosure demand from the information demander;

c) retrieving the stored data in response to the received demand;

d) analyzing an intention and emotions associated with a user on the information demander side in response to the received demand;

e) planning a response to the information demander on the basis of an analysis result; and

f) generating the response to the information demander in accordance with the formed plan.

31. The method according to claim 30, further comprising the computer steps of:

g) checking whether a line can be directly connected between the information demander and an information provider having the data;

h) deciding to directly connect the line between the information demander and the information provider having the data on the basis of the analysis result and a check result; and

i) directly connecting the line in accordance with a result of the decision result.

32. A method for disclosing information for an information disclosing apparatus which discloses information owned by an information provider to an information demander, said method comprising the computer steps of:

a) storing data in a predetermined format;

b) storing data information describing a confidentiality and a degree of difficulty for individual stored data;

c) storing user information describing a right and a degree of knowledge for each data to each individual information demander;

d) retrieving and presenting data for a data presentation demand from the information demander on the basis of the data information;

e) performing input/output between the information demander and the information provider for managing said information disclosing apparatus;

f) storing response history information representing a history of a response of said information disclosing apparatus between the information demander and the information provider; and

g) forming or changing the data information on the basis of the response history information when data satisfactory to a demand of the information demander cannot be presented and the information provider directly responds to the information demander or presents demand data to the information demander.

33. A method for disclosing information for an information disclosing apparatus which discloses information owned by an information provider to an information demander, said method comprising the computer steps of:

a) storing data in a predetermined form;

b) storing data information describing a confidentiality and a degree of difficulty for each stored data;

c) storing user information describing a right and a degree of knowledge for each data to each individual information demander;

d) retrieving and presenting data of the confidentiality and the degree of difficulty corresponding to the right and the degree of familiarity of the information demander on the basis of the user information and the data information which correspond to the information demander;

e) performing input/output between the information demander and an information provider for managing said information disclosing apparatus;

f) storing response history information representing a history of a response of said information disclosing apparatus between the information demander and the information provider; and

g) forming or changing the data information and the user information of the information demander on the basis of the response history information when data satisfactory to a demand of the information demander cannot be presented and the information provider directly responds to the information demander or presents demand data to the information demander.

34. A method for performing input/output of multi-modal information, comprising the computer steps of:

a) inputting at least one of user language information and instruction information through an input medium having at least one form including a speech input; and

b) performing at least one of accumulation processing, data processing, recognition processing, and understanding processing for the input language information or the input instruction information, the understanding processing understanding at least one of an intention, emotions, and a status of a user from the speech input of the user.

35. A method for disclosing information for an information disclosing apparatus which discloses information owned by an information provider to an information demander, said method comprising the computer steps of:

a) storing data in a predetermined information form in a memory;

b) storing, in said memory, general knowledge for generating a response responding to the information demander and personal relationship information associated with a unique hierarchical personal relationship between a user having the data on an information provider side and a user on an information demander side;

c) receiving an information disclosure demand from the information demander;

d) understanding at least one of intention, emotion and status of the user from a speech input of the user;

e) planning, responsive to the received demand, a response for exhibiting, to the information demander, data obtained by retrieving the data stored in said memory on the basis of the knowledge and the personal relationship information stored in said memory, and at least one of the intention, the emotion and the status of the user; and

f) generating the response to the information demander in accordance with the formed plan.

36. A method for disclosing information for an information disclosing apparatus which discloses information owned by an information provider to an information demander, said method comprising the computer steps of:

a) storing, in a memory, data in a predetermined information form;

b) storing, in said memory, general knowledge for generating a response responding to the information demander and personal relationship information associated with a unique hierarchical personal relationship between a user having the data on an information provider side and a user on an information demander side;

c) receiving an information disclosure demand from an information demander;

d) inputting speech data of a user;

information retrieval means for retrieving the data stored in said data storage means;

e) extracting intention and emotional data of the user from the input speech data;

f) planning, responsive to the received demand, a response for exhibiting, to the information demander, data obtained by retrieving the stored data on the basis of the knowledge and the personal relationship information stored in said memory, and the extracted intention and the emotional data; and

g) generating the response to the information demander in accordance with the formed plan.

37. An information disclosing apparatus, comprising:

data storage means for storing data in a predetermined information form;

information retrieval means for retrieving the data stored in said data storage means;

demand reception means for receiving an information disclosure demand from an information demander;

response rule storage means for storing knowledge for generating a response responding to the information demander and personal relationship information associated with a unique personal relationship between a user having the data on an information provider side and a user on an information demander side, the response rule storage means storing a connection method to another information disclosing apparatus in said data storage means;

response plan formation means, responsive to the demand received by said demand reception means, for planning a response for exhibiting, to the information demander, data obtained by causing said information retrieval means to retrieve the data stored in said data storage means on the basis of the knowledge and the personal relationship information stored in said response rule storage means, the response plan formation means looking up said response plan storage means to plan a response which provides the connection method to said another information disclosing apparatus when a demand associated with data obtained from said another information disclosing apparatus is made from the information demander; and

response generation means for generating the response to the information demander in accordance with the plan formed by said response plan formation means.

38. An information disclosing apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the personal relationship information includes at least one of information associated with a social relationship between the user on the information provider side and the user on the information demander side, and information associated with an individual relationship therebetween.

39. An information disclosing apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said response plan formation means plans a range of data to be disclosed to the information demander in accordance with the personal relationship information.

40. An information disclosing apparatus, comprising:

data storage means for storing data in a predetermined information form;

information retrieval means for retrieving the data stored in said data storage means;

demand reception means for receiving an information disclosure demand from an information demander;

response rule storage means for storing knowledge for generating a response responding to the information demander and personal relationship information associated with a unique personal relationship between a user having the data on an information provider side and a user on an information demander side;

response plan formation means, responsive to the demand received by said demand reception means, for planning a response for exhibiting, to the information demander, data obtained by causing said information retrieval means to retrieve the data stored in said data storage means on the basis of the knowledge and the personal relationship information stored in said response rule storage means;

response generation means for generating the response to the information demander in accordance with the plan formed by said response plan formation means; and

means for managing feature information associated with a target field in which the user on the information demander side is interested, and means for disclosing the feature information to said information disclosing apparatus.

41. Information disclosing method for an information disclosing apparatus which discloses data owned by an information provider to an information demander, said method comprising the computer steps of:

a) storing in a memory data in a predetermined information form;

b) storing in a memory general knowledge for generating a response responding to the information demander and personal relationship information associated with a unique personal relationship between a user having the data on the information provider side and a user on the information demander side;

c) receiving an information disclosure demand from the information demander;

d) planning, responsive to the received information disclosure demand, a response for exhibiting, to the information demander, data obtained by retrieving the data stored in said memory on the basis of the I<

knowledge and the personal relationship information stored in said memory, the planning step planning a range of data to be disclosed to the information demander or contents of a message to the information demander in accordance with the personal relationship information; and

e) generating the response to the information demander in accordance with the response plan.

42. Information disclosing method for an information disclosing apparatus which discloses data owned by an information provider to an information demander, said method comprising the computer steps of:

a) storing in a memory data in a predetermined information form;

b) storing in a memory general knowledge for generating a response responding to the information demander and personal relationship information associated with a unique personal relationship between a user having the data on the information provider side and a user on the information demander side, the storing step including a step of storing a connection method to another information disclosing apparatus in storing data from said another information disclosing apparatus in said memory;

c) receiving an information disclosure demand from the information demander;

d) planning, responsive to the received information disclosure demand, a response for exhibiting, to the information demander, data obtained by retrieving the data stored in said memory on the basis of the knowledge and the personal relationship information stored in said memory, the planning step including a step of planning a response which provides the connection method to said another information disclosing apparatus when a demand associated with data obtained from said another information disclosing apparatus is made from the information demander; and

e) generating the response to the information demander in accordance with the response plan.

43. Information disclosing method for an information disclosing apparatus which discloses data owned by an information provider to an information demander, said method comprising the computer steps of:

a) storing in a memory data in a predetermined information form;

b) storing in a memory general knowledge for generating a response responding to the information demander and personal relationship information associated with a unique personal relationship between a user having the data on the information provider side and a user on the information demander side, the personal relationship information including at least one of information associated with a social relationship between the user on the information provider side and the user on the information demander side, and information associated with an individual relationship therebetween, and the storing step including a step of storing a connection method to another information disclosing apparatus in storing data from said another information disclosing apparatus in said memory;

c) receiving an information disclosure demand from the information demander;

d) planning, responsive to the received information disclosure demand, a response for exhibiting, to the information demander, data obtained by retrieving the data stored in said memory on the basis of the knowledge and the personal relationship information stored in said memory, the planning step including a step of planning a response which provides the connection method to said another information disclosing apparatus when a demand associated with data obtained from said another information disclosing apparatus is made from the information demander; and

e) generating the response to the information demander in accordance with the response plan.

44. Information disclosing method for an information disclosing apparatus which discloses data owned by an information provider to an information demander, said method comprising the computer steps of:

a) storing in a memory data in a predetermined information form;

b) storing in a memory general knowledge for generating a response responding to the information demander and personal relationship information associated with a unique personal relationship between a user having the data on the information provider side and a user on the information demander side, the storing step including a step of storing a connection method to another information disclosing apparatus in storing data from said another information disclosing apparatus in said memory;

c) receiving an information disclosure demand from the information demander;

d) planning, responsive to the received information disclosure demand, a response for exhibiting, to the information demander, data obtained by retrieving the data stored in said memory on the basis of the knowledge and the personal relationship information stored in said memory, the planning step planning a range of data to be disclosed to the information demander or contents of a message to the information demander in accordance with the personal relationship information, and the planning step including a step of planning a response which provides the connection method to said another information disclosing apparatus when a demand associated with data obtained from said another information disclosing apparatus is made from the information demander; and

e) generating the response to the information demander in accordance with the response plan.

45. Information disclosing method for an information disclosing apparatus which discloses data owned by an information provider to an information demander, said method comprising the computer steps of:

a) storing in a memory data in a predetermined information form;

b) storing in a memory general knowledge for generating a response responding to the information demander and personal relationship information associated with a unique personal relationship between a user having the data on the information provider side and a user on the information demander side;

c) receiving an information disclosure demand from the information demander;

d) planning, responsive to the received information disclosure demand, a response for exhibiting, to the information demander, data obtained by retrieving the data stored in said memory on the basis of the knowledge and the personal relationship information stored in said memory;

e) generating the response to the information demander in accordance with the response plan;

f) managing feature information associated with a target field in which the user on the information demander side is interested;

g) disclosing the feature information to said information disclosing apparatus;

h) disclosing intention estimation information extracted in the past interactive operations with the information to the individual information disclosing apparatus of the information demander with a demand for disclosing the feature information associated with a target field in which the user on the information demander side is interested;

i) determining the corresponding appropriate category on the basis of the received intention information.

46. Information disclosing method for an information disclosing apparatus which discloses data owned by an information provider to an information demander, said method comprising the computer steps of:

a) storing in a memory data in a predetermined information form;

b) storing in a memory general knowledge for generating a response responding to the information demander and personal relationship information associated with a unique personal relationship between a user having the data on the information provider side and a user on the information demander side;

c) receiving an information disclosure demand from the information demander;

d) planning, responsive to the received information disclosure demand, a response for exhibiting, to the information demander, data obtained by retrieving the data stored in said memory on the basis of the knowledge and the personal relationship information stored in said memory;

e) generating the response to the information demander in accordance with the response plan;

f) managing feature information associated with a target field in which the user on the information demander side is interested;

g) disclosing the feature information to said information disclosing apparatus;

h) storing and managing, in accordance with categories in units of fields, the feature information associated with a target field in which the user on the information demander side is interested; and

i) using as a degree of concern quantitative information including the number and size of cases for information classified in units of categories and quantitative information including the number of accesses and presenting appropriate one of a plurality of candidates in accordance with the degree of concern.

47. Information disclosing method for an information disclosing apparatus which discloses data owned by an information provider to an information demander, said method comprising the computer steps of:

a) storing in a memory data in a predetermined information form;

b) storing in a memory general knowledge for generating a response responding to the information demander and personal relationship information associated with a unique personal relationship between a user having the data on the information provider side and a user on the information demander side;

c) receiving an information disclosure demand from the information demander;

d) planning, responsive to the received information disclosure demand, a response for exhibiting, to the information demander, data obtained by retrieving the data stored in said memory on the basis of the knowledge and the personal relationship information stored in said memory;

e) generating the response to the information demander in accordance with the response plan;

f) managing feature information associated with a target field in which the user on the information demander side is interested;

g) disclosing the feature information to said information disclosing apparatus;

h) storing and managing, in accordance with categories in units of fields, the feature information associated with a target field in which the user on the information demander side is interested; and

i) detecting localization of pieces of information classified into the categories, prompting the user to correct the arrangement of classes, to thereby permit the user to directly input and edit the classes.

48. A method for disclosing information for an information disclosing apparatus which discloses data owned by an information provider to an information demander, said method comprising the computer steps of:

a) storing data in a predetermined information format;

b) receiving an information disclosure demand from the information demander;

c) retrieving the stored data in response to the received demand;

d) analyzing an intention and emotions associated with a user on the information demander side in response to the received demand;

e) planning a response to the information demander on the basis of an analysis result;

f) generating the response to the information demander in accordance with the formed plan;

g) checking whether a line can be directly connected between the information demander and an information provider having the data;

h) deciding to directly connect the line between the information demander and the information provider having the data on the basis of the analysis result and a check result; and

i) directly connecting the line in accordance with a result of the decision result.