Abstract: A wireless communication network system (1) comprising a sensor device (10) transmitting detected data, one or a plurality of relay devices (100) relaying the data, and a gateway device (11) transferring the data to another network, wherein the sensor device, the relay device, and the gateway device being connected by a wireless communication network, wherein the relay device comprising: a receiver (101) receiving a received signal containing the data; a storage (104) storing heartbeat data; a transmitter (102) transmitting a transmission signal containing the data received by the receiver and periodically transmitting a transmission signal containing the heartbeat data; and a frequency setting unit (103) directing to set a frequency of the received signal received by the receiver and/or a frequency of the transmission signal transmitted from the transmitter based on a frequency setting command transmitted from the gateway device.

Abstract: A relay device 100 of the present invention comprises a receiver 101 for receiving data sent from a first communication device 10, 100 using first communication scheme, a first transmitter 104 for sending the data to a second communication device 11, 100 using the first communication scheme, and a second transmitter 105 for sending the data to a third communication device 12 using second communication scheme simultaneously or continuously with that the first transmitter sends the data, a communication distance of the second communication scheme being shorter than the first communication scheme.

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.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus restricts admission to space occupied by a user in a virtual space. When a second user of a second terminal makes a request for admission to space which is in the virtual space and which is occupied by a first user of a first terminal, a space management server transmits data to the first user causing the first user to recognize that the request for admission is made by the second user. In response to an action based on the data, the first user performs an operation. If the first user performs an operation to permit the second user admission to the space, the second user can enter the space occupied by the first user.

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.

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.

Abstract: A community, which is a group of users having common interests, has attributes such as the name of the community, the interests shared, the number of members, average age of the members, gender ratio of the members, and so forth. Corporations provide services to the users of a community to which the corporations have permission to access. The corporations can know a portion of the attribute information of the community, but cannot know the personal information of the individual users. Distribution firms can obtain personal information of users belonging to a community and deliver merchandise thereto, by entering into contract with that community. The distribution firms receive merchandise shipping commissions using serial numbers, so there is no exchange of personal information between the corporations and the distribution firms. Accordingly, services can be provided from corporations to users without disclosing personal information of the users to the corporations.

Abstract: A community, which is a group of users having common interests, has attributes such as the name of the community, the interests shared, the number of members, average age of the members, gender ratio of the members, and so forth. Corporations provide services to the users of a community to which the corporations have permission to access. The corporations can know a portion of the attribute information of the community, but cannot know the personal information of the individual users. Distribution firms can obtain personal information of users belonging to a community and deliver merchandise thereto, by entering into contract with that community. The distribution firms receive merchandise shipping commissions using serial numbers, so there is no exchange of personal information between the corporations and the distribution firms. Accordingly, services can be provided from corporations to users without disclosing personal information of the users to the corporations.

Abstract: Disclosed is a virtual-space providing apparatus, which is connected to a user terminal via a network, and which provides the user terminal with various kinds of services through a three-dimensional virtual space created in the network, the virtual-space providing apparatus includes a virtual room providing server for imitating a real room of a user using the user terminal, and for providing the virtual room, which can be browsed using the user terminal connected via the network, on the three-dimensional virtual space; virtual store providing server for providing the user terminal connected via the network with the virtual store, the virtual store selling virtual commodities imitating real commodities, on the three-dimensional virtual space; and a benefit-information transmitting medium, wherein, when the user purchases a virtual commodity in the virtual store provided by the virtual store providing server using the user terminal, benefit information showing benefit of purchasing the virtual commodity is tran

Abstract: To display a window for displaying auxiliary information near a window for displaying main information. When a drag operation is performed to move a multiuser window to a predetermined position and display there, if the distance of the multiuser window to the main window when the drag operation is cleared is within reference value LR and the distance of the top side of the multiuser window to the top side of the main window is within reference value HR, then the multiuser window is automatically moved such that the side of the multiuser window comes in contact with the side of the main window and the top end of the multiuser window comes in alignment with the top end of the main window on a horizontal line.

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.

Abstract: To display a window for displaying auxiliary information near a window for displaying main information. When a drag operation is performed to move a multiuser window to a predetermined position and display there, if the distance of the multiuser window to the main window when the drag operation is cleared is within reference value LR and the distance of the top side of the multiuser window to the top side of the main window is within reference value HR, then the multiuser window is automatically moved such that the side of the multiuser window comes in contact with the side of the main window and the top end of the multiuser window comes in alignment with the top end of the main window on a horizontal line.

Abstract: A browser generates a sound of track 0 recorded in a MIDI file named music.mid. A Sony_AudioClip node receives data of the music.mid file as an event, outputting the data from a musicData field thereof to a musicData field of a Sony_MusicNoteInterpolator node. The Sony_MusicNoteInterpolator node interpolates a value between a value of a high sound and a value of a low sound prescribed by a keyValue field, outputting a result of the interpolation from value_changed. A PositionIP.value_changed field of a PositionInterpolator node outputs position data corresponding to data of the height of the sound supplied from the Sony_MusicNoteInterpolator node to a CONE_OBJ.set_translation field of a CONE_OBJ Transform node. As a result, the position of an object is changed in synchronization with the generation of a sound.

Abstract: In a virtual reality space shareable between users, messages to users are displayed such that they attract attention of users by effective,use of a display screen. When a browser is connected to a bureau, a status message indicating a communication state is displayed over an already displayed virtual reality space in a preset message display area 113 of a three-dimensional virtual reality space image in the browser. Further, the displayed message is scrolled according to its display attribute information. The novel constitution allows, by effective use of a minimum occupation area:, displaying of messages useful for the user who wants to use a three-dimensional virtual reality space while prompting the user to focus attention to the display.

Abstract: A community, which is a group of users having common interests, has attributes such as the name of the community, the interests shared, the number of members, average age of the members, gender ratio of the members, and so forth. Corporations provide services to the users of a community to which the corporations have permission to access. The corporations can know a portion of the attribute information of the community, but cannot know the personal information of the individual users. Distribution firms can obtain personal information of users belonging to a community and deliver merchandise thereto, by entering into contract with that community. The distribution firms receive merchandise shipping commissions using serial numbers, so there is no exchange of personal information between the corporations and the distribution firms. Accordingly, services can be provided from corporations to users without disclosing personal information of the users to the corporations.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus restricts admission to space occupied by a user in a virtual space. When a second user of a second terminal makes a request for admission to space which is in the virtual space and which is occupied by a first user of a first terminal, a space management server transmits data to the first user causing the first user to recognize that the request for admission is made by the second user. In response to an action based on the data, the first user performs an operation. If the first user performs an operation to permit the second user admission to the space, the second user can enter the space occupied by the first user.

Abstract: Disclosed is a virtual-space providing apparatus, which is connected to a user terminal via a network, and which provides the user terminal with various kinds of services through a three-dimensional virtual space created in the network, the virtual-space providing apparatus includes a virtual room providing server for imitating a real room of a user using the user terminal, and for providing the virtual room, which can be browsed using the user terminal connected via the network, on the three-dimensional virtual space; virtual store providing server for providing the user terminal connected via the network with the virtual store, the virtual store selling virtual commodities imitating real commodities, on the three-dimensional virtual space; and a benefit-information transmitting medium, wherein, when the user purchases a virtual commodity in the virtual store provided by the virtual store providing server using the user terminal, benefit information showing benefit of purchasing the virtual commodity is tran

Abstract: The sight line of an avatar can be set to a direction independent of a direction in which the avatar moves in a virtual reality space. Buttons 219 and 220 are provided for setting the sight line of the avatar to the direction independent of the direction in which the avatar moves in the virtual reality space. According to the operations of these buttons, the processing for changing sight line directions is performed. For example, the novel constitution allows the avatar to walk on the ground while looking up, thereby preventing unnatural display or unnatural avatar movement in which, when the avatar walks looking up, the avatar moves in the direction of its sight line to be eventually raised away from the ground.