Information providing server, information providing method, and information providing system

• US 7,904,452 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hisense Visual Technology Co., Ltd. (Qingdao Huatong State-Owned Capital Operation (Group) Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kasano, Koji, Fujibayashi, Toshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Mofiz; Apu M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le; Hung D
• Application Number:
  US12/419,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20100057721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 707/706, 707/727, 707/730, 707/731, 707/732, 709/201, 725/4, 725/86, 725/114, 725/151
• US Class Current: 707/730
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a record information storage module stores record information related to content recorded by an external apparatus in association with a keyword representing the content and user information. A search information storage module stores a search phrase used for searching in an external apparatus in association with user information. A search word handler extracts a predetermined number of words having high search frequency from search phrases stored in association with specific user information to generate a word list. A record information handler extracts keywords stored in association with the specific user information to generate a keyword list. A ranking processor generates ranking information indicating a word in the word list which matches a keyword in the keyword list. A communicator provides the ranking information to an external apparatus corresponding to the specific user information.

Claims

1. An information providing server communicably connected to a first apparatus and a second apparatus, the first apparatus storing content received from an external apparatus and recorded according to an instruction from a user in association with record information related to the content and a keyword representing the content, the second apparatus searching for information related to a search phrase specified by the user through a web browser, the information providing server comprising:

a record information storage module configured to store a keyword representing content recorded on the first apparatus in association with user information identifying a user who instructs to record the content;

a search information storage module configured to store a search phrase used for search by the second apparatus in association with user information identifying a user who instructs the search;

a search word handler configured to extract a predetermined number of words having high search frequency from search phrases stored in the search information storage module in association with user information identifying a specific user to generate a word list;

a record information handler configured to extract keywords stored in association with the user information identifying the specific user from the record information storage module to generate a keyword list;

a ranking processor configured to generate ranking information indicating a word in the word list which matches a keyword in the keyword list; and

an information provider configured to provide the ranking information to any of the first apparatus and the second apparatus as requested, for subsequent display of record information of content, among contents stored in the first apparatus, associated with a keyword corresponding to a word contained in the ranking information.

2. The information providing server of claim 1, further comprising a receiver configured to receive from the first apparatus or the second apparatus a request for the ranking information including at least the user information identifying the specific user, wherein

the search word handler is configured to extract the predetermined number of words having high search frequency from the search phrases stored in association with the user information included in the request, and

the record information handler is configured to extract the keywords stored in association with the user information included in the request.

3. The information providing server of claim 1, further comprising a language analyzer configured to divide the search phrase into words, wherein

the search information storage module is configured to store the search phrase as the words.

4. The information providing server of claim 1, wherein

the search information storage module is configured to store search date at which searching is performed in association with a corresponding search phrase and user information, and

the search word handler is configured to generate the word list in which the words are listed in descending order of search frequency and the search date.

5. The information providing server of claim 1, wherein the search word handler is configured to generate the word list in which a word indicating a proper noun is placed at higher order.

6. The information providing server of claim 1, wherein

the record information storage module is configured to store the record information related to the content recorded on the first apparatus in association with the keyword and the user information;

the ranking processor is configured to generate the ranking information indicating the word in the word list which matches the keyword in the keyword list with the record information associated with the keyword.

7. An information providing method applied to an information providing server communicably connected to a first apparatus and a second apparatus, the first apparatus storing content received from an external apparatus and recorded according to an instruction from a user in association with record information related to the content and a keyword representing the content, the second apparatus searching for information related to a search phrase specified by the user through a web browser, the information providing method comprising:

a first storage controller storing a keyword representing content recorded on the first apparatus in association with user information identifying a user who instructs to record the content in a record information storage module;

a second storage controller storing a search phrase used for search by the second apparatus in association with user information identifying a user who instructs the search in a search information storage module;

a search word handler extracting a predetermined number of words having high search frequency from search phrases stored in the search information storage module in association with user information identifying a specific user to generate a word list;

a record information handler extracting keywords stored in association with the user information identifying the specific user from the record information storage module to generate a keyword list;

a ranking processor generating ranking information indicating a word in the word list which matches a keyword in the keyword list; and

an information provider adapted to provide the ranking information to any of the first apparatus and the second apparatus that requests the ranking information, for subsequent display of record information of content, among contents stored in the first apparatus, associated with a keyword corresponding to a word contained in the ranking information.

8. An information providing system comprising:

a first apparatus configured to store content received from an external apparatus and recorded according to an instruction from a user in association with record information related to the content and a keyword representing the content;

a second apparatus configured to search for information related to a search phrase specified by the user through a web browser; and

an information providing server comprising

a record information storage module configured to store a keyword representing content recorded on the first apparatus in association with user information identifying a user who instructs to record the content;

a search information storage module configured to store a search phrase used for search by the second apparatus in association with user information identifying a user who instructs the search;

a search word handler configured to extract a predetermined number of words having high search frequency from search phrases stored in the search information storage module in association with user information identifying a specific user to generate a word list;

a record information handler configured to extract keywords stored in association with the user information identifying the specific user from the record information storage module to generate a keyword list;

a ranking processor configured to generate ranking information indicating a word in the word list which matches a keyword in the keyword list; and

an information provider configured to provide the ranking information to the first apparatus that is operated by the specific user and differs from the second apparatus that conducted the prior search for information related to the search phrase, wherein

the first apparatus and the second apparatus each comprises a display controller configured to receive the record information of content, among contents stored in the first apparatus, associated with a keyword corresponding to a word contained in the ranking information and display the record information with the word.