Abstract: Information is quickly offered to users who require the information. In a system in which questions and answers are exchanged, when a given user other than the questioner becomes interested in a question, the user requests a notification server 1 to present the question. The answers to the question are automatically sent to a notification client 2 of the user. The answers to be sent may be either all the answers to the question or only the effective answers. Supports to the answers and comments on the answers may be accepted to decide the effectiveness of the answers.

Abstract: Network information-distribution method and device for transmitting information utilizing information-exchange relationships among users. Information is transmitted from user 1 to all or a portion of user 1's buddies, e.g., users 12 and 13. Next, having received the information, users 12 and 13 then forward the information to their respective buddies. The information is forwarded, for example, to users 211 and 212 registered on user 12's buddy list 21. Likewise, the information is also transmitted to the user group registered on user 13's buddy list 22. By repeating this, buddy lists expressing information-exchange relationships among users are utilized to distribute the information to great numbers of persons.

Abstract: In on-line shopping in which ASPs are employed, merchandising method and device designed for promotion of product sales by sharing user use logs between product providers while protecting the users' privacy. If a user U1 has registered a CD for example in a shopping cart, merchandise relevant to the CD, e.g., tickets to a concert to be performed by the same artist, is suggested to the user. User U1's user ID is converted into an anonymous ID for an anonymous user A1. Merchandise name “CD” is converted into merchandise information associated with CDs, e.g., artist name or merchandise name “concert tickets.” This converted data is provided to a concert-ticket provider.

Abstract: The present invention is to efficiently exploit user needs. When a user registers a product in a favorites list, proxy server 2 saves the search parameters for that product. Proxy server 2 presents the search parameters saved in text or icon format to a user terminal 1, and accepts changes to the search parameters. Proxy server 2 receives a product purchase selection from user terminal 1, and saves the purchase history of the user. By presenting users' purchase histories to a vendor terminal 3 and the like, a product provider will know the degree to which what information presented to what user is effective. A product provider can effectively present information and promote an increase in sales.

Abstract: An updating and reference management system with an area management unit and a timing unit for a shared memory. Processes access the shared memory in an identical time frame, determined by the timing unit, such that update or reference requests by the processes for the shared memory are held by the area management unit in each time interval between control signals generated by the timing unit. The update or reference requests are executed at the time of each control signal. Processing objects manage the update or reference requests for respective portions of the shared memory. The managing objects for the shared memory also pre-process potentially conflicting update requests to the same portions of the shared memory such that the shared memory is updated with different data, determined to be appropriate by the respective managing object.

Abstract: A semantic recognition system of the present invention provides a user interface capable of receiving speech input to a user and an application interface that conveys an input content of the user to an application. The semantic recognition system includes a speech signal input part for receiving input speech signals, a speech recognizer for recognizing a corresponding word based on the input speech signals, a recognized word-semantic number converter including a semantic number-registered word list indicating the correspondence between a semantic number representing a meaning of a word and a registered word belonging to the semantic number, an application interface and an application handling the semantic numbers as data. The corresponding word is recognized by the speech recognizer, based on the speech signals input to the speech signal input part. The recognized word is converted to a corresponding semantic number by the recognized word-semantic number converter.

Abstract: There is provided a periodic process load control system for controlling a load of a CPU in conjunction with an execution of a periodic process in a multiple-process operating system having the CPU in which a plurality of processes including a periodic process activated periodically are executed on a time division basis, and a periodic process recording medium for storing a periodic process into which such a load control function is incorporated. A time interval in which the periodic process is repeatedly executed is measured to evaluate a load evaluation value consisting of an accumulation value of the time intervals. A load of the periodic process itself is controlled in accordance with the load evaluation value.

Abstract: A synchronous control apparatus comprising a trigger signal generating unit periodically generating a trigger signal, plural modules executing plural processes which are to be synchronized with each other, respectively, and a module control unit 31 sequentially starting the plural modules once according to a predetermined execution order, where the module control unit 31 sequentially starts the plural modules once according to the execution order each time the trigger signal is input, so that precise synchronization of the modules is achieved. As a result, synchronously controlling plural modules which can be executed independently from each other, specifically in generating animated images in real time, movements of characters and objects displayed on a screen can be precisely synchronized with each other.