Log accumulation device with user accuracy setting means and pseudo-information generating means

• US 7,275,090 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2001
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Oeda, Shigeto, Ito, Hiromichi, Ozaki, Tomochika, Naito, Akira, Shinagawa, Tetsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Avellino; Joseph E.
• Application Number:
  US09/975,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20020083162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,174 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 709223-226, 709227-229, 713200-201, 725/10, 707 1- 10
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An information processing apparatus, such as might be associated with an in-home audio or video control device or a home appliance operated by a user, is provided with input allowing the user to set accuracy of a log of device operation history and/or to set a ratio of disclosure of the log information. A log accumulation control device efficiently collects the log information and offers users diversified levels of accuracy for the log information. In a further configuration, user-designated information acquired form user operation of the device identifies frequency of viewing and listening to each program, and reproduction of contents is controlled as a function of the user-designated information, e.g. to select among common contents and contents of different classification types.

Claims

1. An information apparatus comprising:

user-designated information acquiring means for acquiring sequential user-designated information which changes in accordance with time at a constant period or cycle, the acquired sequential information including information regarding selections made by a user;

accuracy setting means for specifying accuracy setting information in response to user input, said accuracy setting information including a ratio of disclosure of the acquired sequential information to an external device; and

information notifying means controlled according to the accuracy setting information specified by the accuracy setting means for transmitting log information which changes in accordance with time to the external device, said log information being obtained by restricting acquired sequential information according to the ratio of disclosure, further comprising;

pseudo information generating means configured to generate pseudo user-designated information composed of the same format as user-designated information, wherein the pseudo user-designated information comprises at least some content to be regarded as user-designated information and at least some content that is different from the user-designated information,

wherein a part of the acquired sequential information from the user-designated information acquiring means is replaced with the pseudo user-designated information according to the ratio of disclosure to form the log information.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further including:

storing means configured to store information, said stored information including at least one of part of the log information and the accuracy setting information,

wherein the information notifying means is configured to transmit the stored information to the external device.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user-designated information acquiring means acquires the user-designated information from external audio-visual (AV) devices respectively having AV function control means, which are independent of the information processing apparatus.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user-designated information acquiring means acquires user-designated information from a home appliance independent of the information processing apparatus.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a method, for (a) receiving contents information, said contents information comprising both substantial information and contents selection information for specifying a method of playing back at least part of the substantial information and (b) playing back of the substantial information, is determined according to the contents selection information and the sequential user-designated information.