Data display server, data display method and program thereof

• US 8,370,378 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2010
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Naito, Taketo, Kamachi, Teruhisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John E
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOFMAN, ALEX N
• Application Number:
  US12/785,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20100235364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 707/767, 707/944
• US Class Current: 707/767
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/38 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

The present invention relates to recommendation of items to a user for providing items more satisfying a user'"'"'s request on the basis of new association. The present invention provides a data display server connected to a user terminal, which includes a posting database for storing posting data posted through the user terminal, a reference data base for storing reference data, relational metadata generating means which generates relational metadata making association between two pieces of reference data, and a relational database for storing the relational metadata. According to the arrangement, tight linking between reference data is made possible so that items more suitable for a user'"'"'s preference can be recommended.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating, with a processor of a server, first relational data based on electronic bulletin board content received from one or more user terminals, the generating including

receiving the electronic bulletin board content including

reference data corresponding to a first sale item selected from a plurality of predetermined sale items at one of the one or more user terminals, and

reference data corresponding to a second sale item selected from the plurality of predetermined sale items at one of the one or more user terminals,

extracting, from the electronic bulletin board content received from the one or more user terminals, the reference data corresponding to the first sale item and the reference data corresponding to the second sale item,

associating the reference data of the first sale item with the reference data of the second sale item based on a relationship between the first sale item and the second sale item described in the electronic bulletin board content received from the one or more user terminals, and

storing the association as the first relational data in a relational database; and

generating purchase recommendation information recommending the purchase of at least one of the first sale item and the second sale item based on the generated first relational data, wherein

the first relational data includes a degree of relevancy metric,

the method further comprising

generating additional relational data;

determining whether any of the additional relational data corresponds to the first sale item and second sale item;

increasing the degree of relevancy metric of the first relational data for each of the additional relational data determined to correspond to the first sale item and second sale item; and

deleting each of the additional relational data determined to correspond to the first sale item and second sale item after increasing the degree of relevancy metric of the first relational data, and

the relationship between the first sale item and the second sale item includes a relationship based on function, effect, compatibility, shape, or prior purchase history.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first relational data includes data identifying the relationship between the first sale item and the second sale item, and the method further comprises:

juxtaposing and configuring for display on a user terminal the reference data of the first sale item and relational data identifying the second sale item, the relational data being associated with the reference data of the first sale item and identifying the relationship between the first sale item and the second sale item.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the reference data corresponding to the first sale item and second sale item include category data.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the relational data is configured to be displayed by the user terminal according to the degree of relevancy from most relevant to least relevant with respect to the first sale item.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the relational data is configured to be displayed by the user terminal in an order based on user data.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the relational data is configured to be displayed by the user terminal in an order according to the relationship between the first sale item and the second sale item.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic bulletin board content received from one or more user terminals includes the item data IDs of the first sale item and second sale item.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

outputting the generated purchase recommendation information to at least one of the user terminals.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the electronic bulletin board information includes receiving the relationship between the first sale item and the second sale item selected from a plurality of predetermined relationships at one of the one or more user terminals.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer readable instructions thereon, which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method comprising:

generating, with a processor of a server, first relational data based on electronic bulletin board content received from one or more user terminals, the generating including

receiving the electronic bulletin board content including

reference data corresponding to a first sale item selected from a plurality of predetermined sale items at one of the one or more user terminals, and

reference data corresponding to a second sale item selected from the plurality of predetermined sale items at one of the one or more user terminals,

extracting, from the electronic bulletin board content received from the one or more user terminals, the reference data corresponding to the first sale item and the reference data corresponding to the second sale item,

associating the reference data of the first sale item with the reference data of the second sale item based on a relationship between the first sale item and the second sale item described in the electronic bulletin board content received from the one or more user terminals, and

storing the association as the first relational data in a relational database; and

generating purchase recommendation information recommending the purchase of at least one of the first sale item and the second sale item based on the generated first relational data, wherein

the first relational data includes a degree of relevancy metric,

the method further comprises

generating additional relational data;

determining whether any of the additional relational data corresponds to the first sale item and second sale item;

increasing the degree of relevancy metric of the first relational data for each of the additional relational data determined to correspond to the first sale item and second sale item; and

deleting each of the additional relational data determined to correspond to the first sale item and second sale item after increasing the degree of relevancy metric of the first relational data, and

the relationship between the first sale item and the second sale item includes a relationship based on function, effect, compatibility, shape, or prior purchase history.