Information processing apparatus, for assisting user in setting an appropriate search condition

• US 9,922,079 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2013
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ono, Satoshi, Hori, Kentaro, Nagae, Mariko
• Primary Examiner(s): Bowen, Richard
• Application Number:
  US14/082,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20140229466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,583 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

There is provided an information processing apparatus including a device state detection unit configured to detect a device state of an electronic device, and a search condition setting unit configured to reference a database that stores information regarding the device state in association with a search condition used for a search for operation related information for the electronic device, and to extract the search condition corresponding to the device state.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

one or more circuits, wherein the information processing apparatus is configured to couple to a first electronic device of a first user via a connection network, wherein the one or more circuits are configured to;

detect a first device state of the first electronic device, wherein the first device state corresponds to at least a setting state of the first electronic device;

reference a database that is configured to store at least the setting state of the first electronic device in association with a search condition used for a first search for operation related information about a desired function of the first electronic device; and

extract the search condition to search for the operation related information about the desired function of the first electronic device based on at least the setting state of the first electronic device;

execute the first search for the operation related information based on the extracted search condition to acquire a first search result;

output the first search result, wherein the operation related information is included in the outputted first search result; and

set display of the operation related information on one of a list on a display screen of the first electronic device of the first user or set sort order of the list based on a feedback information of a second search result of a second search executed by a second user.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more circuits are further configured to:

acquire an operation input to the first electronic device after the first search result is outputted; and

generate a first feedback information for one of the extracted search condition or the outputted first search result based on the operation input.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the one or more circuits are further configured to:

display the operation related information as the list on the display screen of the first electronic device;

select at least one of the operation related information displayed on the list;

acquire the operation input for display of detailed operation related information based on the selection of at least one of the operation related information; and

generate a second feedback information based on the operation input for the display of the detailed operation related information.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the one or more circuits are further configured to generate a first positive feedback information for one of the extracted search condition or the outputted first search result based on the displayed detailed operation related information.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the one or more circuits are further configured to:

store in the database, at least one search keyword provided with the first positive feedback information.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the one or more circuits are further configured to generate one of a first positive feedback information for the extracted search condition or the outputted first search result based on the outputted first search result and the operation input acquired after the outputted first search result.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the search condition comprises one of at least one search keyword or at least a part of a search query, and

wherein the one or more circuits are further configured to:

store in the database, the one of at least one search keyword or at least the part of the search query; and

evaluate a search keyword from the one of at least one search keyword or at least the part of the search query stored in the database based on the first feedback information.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more circuits are configured to:

detect a second device state of the first electronic device after the first search result is output, and

generate a first positive feedback information for one of the extracted search condition or the outputted first search result based on the detected second device state of the first electronic device that shows represents recognition of a function relative to the operation related information that is included in the first search result.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more circuits are further configured to:

generate a first feedback information for the outputted first search result; and

display the operation related information included in the first search result on the list based on the set display of the operation related information on one of the list or the set sort order of the list.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more circuits are further configured to:

estimate the desired function of the first electronic device based on the first device state; and

reference the database that is configured to store the estimated desired function in association with the search condition.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more circuits are further configured to:

detect at least the setting state of the first electronic device.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first device state further corresponds to an operation state of the first electronic device, and

wherein the one or more circuits are further configured to:

detect the operation state of the first electronic device.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein the operation state of the first electronic device corresponds to at least one of a use history, a storage unit capacity, an activated function or an operation history of the first electronic device.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more circuits are further configured to:

reference the database generated based on the second search result of the second search executed by the second user who uses a second electronic device, that is similar to the first electronic device of the first user.

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the one or more circuits are further configured to:

generate a first feedback information for the search condition, and

store the first feedback information in the database.

16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more circuits are further configured to:

detect the first device state based on information received from the first electronic device; and

extract the search condition transmitted to the first electronic device.

17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least the setting state of the first electronic device corresponds to a connection state of an external device with the first electronic device.

18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more circuits are further configured to identify the desired function based on a frequency of selection of the desired function from a plurality of functions in the first electronic device by the first user of the first electronic device.

19. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein at least the setting state of the first electronic device corresponds to at least one of a format of the first electronic device, a connected external device, or a network connection setting associated with the first electronic device that remains unchanged until changed by the first user associated with the first electronic device.

20. An information processing method, comprising:

detecting, by one or more circuits of an information processing apparatus, a device state of an electronic device of a first user, wherein the device state corresponds to at least a setting state of the electronic device;

referencing, by the one or more circuits, a database that is configured to store at least the setting state of the electronic device in association with a search condition used for a first search for operation related information about a desired function of the electronic device; and

extracting, by the one or more circuits, the search condition for searching the operation related information about the desired function of the electronic device based on at least the setting state of the electronic device;

executing, by the one or more circuits, the first search for the operation related information based on the extracted search condition to acquire a first search result;

outputting, by the one or more circuits, the first search result, wherein the operation related information is included in the outputted first search result; and

setting, by the one or more circuits, display of the operation related information on one of a list on a display screen of the electronic device of the first user or set sort order of the list, based on a feedback information of a second search result of a second search executed by a second user.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of an information processing apparatus configured to couple to an electronic device of a first user via a connection network, having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to execute operations, the operations comprising:

detecting a device state of the electronic device, wherein the device state corresponds to at least a setting state of the electronic device;

referencing a database that is configured to store at least the setting state of the electronic device in association with a search condition used for a first search for operation related information about a desired function of the electronic device; and

extracting the search condition for searching the operation related information about the desired function of the electronic device based on at least the setting state of the electronic device;

executing the first search for the operation related information based on the extracted search condition to acquire a first search result;

outputting the first search result, wherein the operation related information is included in the outputted first search result; and

setting display of the operation related information on one of a list on a display screen of the electronic device of the first user or set sort order of the list, based on a feedback information of a second search result of a second search executed by a second user.