Retrieval device, retrieval server, and retrieval system, as well as retrieval method and computer program with greater extent of retrieval conditions
First Claim
1. A retrieval device accessible to at least one retrieval server providing retrieval service, said retrieval device comprising:
- a retrieval condition modifying unit for modifying a first retrieval condition having a first scale into a second retrieval condition having a second scale which includes said first scale and which is greater than said first scale;
a retrieval information receiving unit for transmitting said second retrieval condition to said retrieval server and for receiving first retrieved information matched to said second retrieval condition from said retrieval server; and
a retrieving unit for retrieving second retrieved information from said first retrieved information, said second retrieved information being matched to said first retrieval condition, so that said second retrieved information has a lesser scale than does said first retrieved information,wherein said first retrieval condition includes a first factor in connection with a user'"'"'s privacy-related information, and said second retrieval condition includes a second factor corresponding to said first factor, said second factor having a greater scale than said first factor,wherein said retrieval information receiving unit is configured to receive, from said retrieval server, pointer information in connection with said first retrieved information; and
wherein said retrieving unit is configured to retrieve condition-matched pointer information, which is matched to said first retrieval condition, from said received pointer information.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A retrieval system includes a retrieval server for providing retrieval service and a retrieval device accessible through a transmission medium by the retrieval server. The retrieval device is configured to modify a first retrieval condition with a first retrieving extent into a second retrieval condition with a second retrieving extent which includes the first retrieving extent and which is greater than the first retrieving extent. The server retrieves first retrieved information under a second retrieval condition. The retrieval device retrieves second retrieved information from the first retrieved information under a first retrieval condition designated by a user. The first retrieval condition includes a first factor in connection with the user'"'"'s privacy-related information. The first retrieval condition includes a second factor corresponding to the first factor. The second factor has a greater retrieving extent than the first factor for protection of the user'"'"'s privacy-related information.
15 Citations
61 Claims
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1. A retrieval device accessible to at least one retrieval server providing retrieval service, said retrieval device comprising:
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a retrieval condition modifying unit for modifying a first retrieval condition having a first scale into a second retrieval condition having a second scale which includes said first scale and which is greater than said first scale; a retrieval information receiving unit for transmitting said second retrieval condition to said retrieval server and for receiving first retrieved information matched to said second retrieval condition from said retrieval server; and a retrieving unit for retrieving second retrieved information from said first retrieved information, said second retrieved information being matched to said first retrieval condition, so that said second retrieved information has a lesser scale than does said first retrieved information, wherein said first retrieval condition includes a first factor in connection with a user'"'"'s privacy-related information, and said second retrieval condition includes a second factor corresponding to said first factor, said second factor having a greater scale than said first factor, wherein said retrieval information receiving unit is configured to receive, from said retrieval server, pointer information in connection with said first retrieved information; and wherein said retrieving unit is configured to retrieve condition-matched pointer information, which is matched to said first retrieval condition, from said received pointer information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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11. A retrieval device accessible to at least one retrieval server providing retrieval service, said retrieval device comprising:
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a retrieval condition modifying unit for modifying a first retrieval condition having a first scale into a second retrieval condition having a second scale which includes said first scale and which is greater than said first scale; a retrieval information receiving unit for transmitting said second retrieval condition to said retrieval server and for receiving first retrieved information matched to said second retrieval condition from said retrieval server; a retrieving unit for retrieving second retrieved information from said first retrieved information, said second retrieved information being matched to said first retrieval condition, so that said second retrieved information has a lesser scale than does said first retrieved information; a first retrieved information storing unit for storing said first retrieved information, while allowing said retrieving unit to retrieve said second retrieved information from said first retrieved information storing unit; and a control unit for making a decision to update said first retrieved information stored in said first retrieved information storing unit by verifying whether said first retrieved information stored in said first retrieved information storing unit includes any content in connection with said first retrieval condition, wherein said first retrieval condition includes a first factor in connection with a user'"'"'s privacy-related information, and said second retrieval condition includes a second factor corresponding to said first factor, said second factor having a greater scale than said first factor, wherein said control unit is adjustable for predicting a first retrieval condition to be entered in the future, and for generating the predicted retrieval condition in connection with said first retrieval condition, wherein said retrieval condition modifying unit is configured for modifying said predicted retrieval condition into said second retrieval condition, and wherein said retrieval information receiving unit is configured for transmitting said second retrieval condition to said retrieval server and for receiving said first retrieved information matched to said second retrieval condition from said retrieval server.
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12. A retrieval device accessible to at least one retrieval server providing retrieval service, said retrieval device comprising:
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a retrieval condition modifying unit for modifying a first retrieval condition having a first scale into a second retrieval condition having a second scale which includes said first scale and which is greater than said first scale; a retrieval information receiving unit for transmitting said second retrieval condition to said retrieval server and for receiving first retrieved information matched to said second retrieval condition from said retrieval server; a retrieving unit for retrieving second retrieved information from said first retrieved information, said second retrieved information being matched to said first retrieval condition, so that said second retrieved information has a lesser scale than does said first retrieved information; a first retrieved information storing unit for storing said first retrieved information, while allowing said retrieving unit to retrieve said second retrieved information from said first retrieved information storing unit; and a control unit for making a decision to update said first retrieved information stored in said first retrieved information storing unit by verifying whether said first retrieved information stored in said first retrieved information storing unit includes any content in connection with said first retrieval condition, wherein said first retrieval condition includes a first factor in connection with a user'"'"'s privacy-related information, and said second retrieval condition includes a second factor corresponding to said first factor, said second factor having a greater scale than said first factor, and wherein said retrieval information receiving unit is configured for transmitting contents of said first retrieved information stored in said first retrieved information storing unit, in addition to said first retrieval condition, to said retrieval server, for receiving differential information in connection with said first retrieved information from said retrieval server, and for updating said first retrieved information based on said differential information.
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22. A retrieval system comprising:
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a retrieval server for providing retrieval service; and a retrieval device accessible through a transmission medium to said retrieval server, said retrieval device comprising; a retrieval condition modifying unit for modifying a first retrieval condition having a first scale into a second retrieval condition having a second scale which includes said first scale and which is greater than said first scale; a retrieval information receiving unit for transmitting said second retrieval condition to said retrieval server, to allow said retrieval server to retrieve first retrieved information which is matched to said second retrieval condition, and for receiving said first retrieved information from said retrieval server; and a retrieving unit for retrieving second retrieved information from said first retrieved information, said second retrieved information being matched to said first retrieval condition, so that said second retrieved information has a lesser scale than does said first retrieved information, wherein said first retrieval condition includes a first factor, in connection with a user'"'"'s privacy-related information, and said second retrieval condition includes a second factor, corresponding to said first factor, wherein said second factor has a greater scale than said first factors wherein said retrieval server further comprises a pointer information generating unit for generating pointer information in connection with said first retrieved information, wherein said retrieval information receiving unit is configured to receive, from said retrieval server, said generated pointer information, and wherein said retrieving unit is configured to retrieve condition-matched pointer information, which is matched to said first retrieval condition, from said received pointer information. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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32. A retrieval system comprising:
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a retrieval server for providing retrieval service; and a retrieval device accessible through a transmission medium to said retrieval server, said retrieval device comprising; a retrieval condition modifying unit for modifying a first retrieval condition having a first scale into a second retrieval condition having a second scale which includes said first scale and which is greater than said first scale; a retrieval information receiving unit for transmitting said second retrieval condition to said retrieval server, to allow said retrieval server to retrieve first retrieved information which is matched to said second retrieval condition, and for receiving said first retrieved information from said retrieval server; a retrieving unit for retrieving second retrieved information from said first retrieved information, said second retrieved information being matched to said first retrieval condition, so that said second retrieved information has a lesser scale than does said first retrieved information; a first retrieved information storing unit for storing said first retrieved information and for allowing said retrieving unit to retrieve said second retrieved information from said first retrieved information storing unit; and a control unit for making a decision to update said first retrieved information stored in said first retrieved information storing unit by verifying whether said first retrieved information stored in said first retrieved information storing unit includes any content in connection with said first retrieval condition, wherein said first retrieval condition includes a first factor, in connection with a user'"'"'s privacy-related information, and said second retrieval condition includes a second factor, corresponding to said first factor, wherein said second factor has a greater scale than said first factor, wherein said control unit is configured to be adjustable to predict said first retrieval condition to be entered in the future, and generates a predicted retrieval condition in connection with said first retrieval condition, wherein said retrieval condition modifying unit is configured to modify said predicted retrieval condition into said second retrieval condition, and wherein said retrieval information receiving unit is configured to transmit said second retrieval condition to said retrieval server and to receive said first retrieved information matched to said second retrieval condition from said retrieval server.
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33. A retrieval system comprising:
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a retrieval server for providing retrieval service; and a retrieval device accessible through a transmission medium to said retrieval server, said retrieval device comprising; a retrieval condition modifying unit for modifying a first retrieval condition having a first scale into a second retrieval condition having a second scale which includes said first scale and which is greater than said first scale; a retrieval information receiving unit for transmitting said second retrieval condition to said retrieval server, to allow said retrieval server to retrieve first retrieved information which is matched to said second retrieval condition, and for receiving said first retrieved information from said retrieval server; a retrieving unit for retrieving second retrieved information from said first retrieved information, said second retrieved information being matched to said first retrieval condition, so that said second retrieved information has a lesser scale than does said first retrieved information; a first retrieved information storing unit for storing said first retrieved information and for allowing said retrieving unit to retrieve said second retrieved information from said first retrieved information storing unit; and a control unit for making a decision to update said first retrieved information stored in said first retrieved information storing unit by verifying whether said first retrieved information stored in said first retrieved information storing unit includes any content in connection with said first retrieval condition, wherein said first retrieval condition includes a first factor, in connection with a user'"'"'s privacy-related information, and said second retrieval condition includes a second factor, corresponding to said first factor, wherein said second factor has a greater scale than said first factor, wherein said control unit is configured to be adjustable to predict said first retrieval condition to be entered in the future, and generates a predicted retrieval condition in connection with said first retrieval condition, and wherein said retrieval information receiving unit is configured to transmit contents of said first retrieved information, stored in said first retrieved information storing unit, in addition to said first retrieval condition to said retrieval server, and to receive differential information in connection with said first retrieved information from said retrieval server for updating said first retrieved information based on said differential information.
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45. A retrieval method for retrieving information from a retrieval server, which provides retrieval service, by a retrieval device accessible through a transmission medium to said retrieval server, said method comprising:
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modifying a first retrieval condition having a first scale into a second retrieval condition having a second scale which includes said first scale and which is greater than said first scale; transmitting said second retrieval condition to said retrieval server to allow said retrieval server to retrieve first retrieved information which is matched to said second retrieval condition; retrieving second retrieved information from said first retrieved information retrieved by said retrieval server, said second retrieved information being matched to said first retrieval condition, so that said second retrieved information has a lesser scale than does said first retrieved information; generating pointer information in connection with said first retrieved information; and retrieving condition-matched pointer information, which is matched to said first retrieval condition, from said generated pointer information, wherein said first retrieval condition comprises a first factor in connection with a user'"'"'s privacy-related information, wherein said first retrieval condition comprises a second factor corresponding to said first factor, and wherein said second factor has a greater scale than said first factor. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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53. A retrieval method for retrieving information from a retrieval server, which provides retrieval service, by a retrieval device accessible through a transmission medium to said retrieval server, said method comprising:
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modifying a first retrieval condition having a first scale into a second retrieval condition having a second scale which includes said first scale and which is greater than said first scale; transmitting said second retrieval condition to said retrieval server to allow said retrieval server to retrieve first retrieved information which is matched to said second retrieval condition; retrieving second retrieved information from said first retrieved information retrieved by said retrieval server, said second retrieved information being matched to said first retrieval condition, so that said second retrieved information has a lesser scale than does said first retrieved information; updating said first retrieved information by verifying whether said first retrieved information includes any content in connection with said first retrieval condition; making a prediction of said first retrieval condition to be entered by the user in the future, for generating a predicted retrieval condition in connection with said first retrieval condition; and modifying said predicted retrieval condition into said second retrieval conditions wherein said first retrieval condition comprises a first factor in connection with a user'"'"'s privacy-related information, wherein said first retrieval condition comprises a second factor corresponding to said first factor, wherein said second factor has a greater scale than said first factor, wherein each factor of said second retrieval condition is selectively deleted upon receipt of a user'"'"'s instruction.
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54. A retrieval method for retrieving information from a retrieval server, which provides retrieval service, by a retrieval device accessible through a transmission medium to said retrieval server, said method comprising:
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modifying a first retrieval condition having a first scale into a second retrieval condition having a second scale which includes said first scale and which is greater than said first scale; transmitting said second retrieval condition to said retrieval server to allow said retrieval server to retrieve first retrieved information which is matched to said second retrieval condition; retrieving second retrieved information from said first retrieved information retrieved by said retrieval server, said second retrieved information being matched to said first retrieval condition, so that said second retrieved information has a lesser scale than does said first retrieved information; updating said first retrieved information by verifying whether said first retrieved information includes any content in connection with said first retrieval condition; transmitting contents of said first retrieved information to said retrieval server in addition to said first retrieval condition; receiving differential information in connection with said first retrieved information from said retrieval server; and updating said first retrieved information based on said differential information, wherein said first retrieval condition comprises a first factor in connection with a user'"'"'s privacy-related information, wherein said first retrieval condition comprises a second factor corresponding to said first factor, wherein said second factor has a greater scale than said first factor, wherein each factor of said second retrieval condition is selectively deleted upon receipt of a user'"'"'s instruction.
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Specification