Abstract: A cache server, connected to a packet forwarding apparatus that forwards a packet to be sent and received between a user terminal and a distribution server that distributes content over the Internet, temporarily stores at least some of the content in a content temporary storage unit of the cache server, calculates a bit rate when sending content based on a TCP response signal or an ECN (Explicit Congestion Notification) signal received from the terminal, and reads a file or stream of content requested in a content request message received from the terminal, whose bit rate is not greater than the bit rate, from the content temporary storage unit or the distribution server, stores the read file or stream in a packet of a prescribed protocol, and sends the packet.

Abstract: Provided is an image processing device capable of specifying a character area included in an image even if a variable-density difference in an area included in the image other than the character area is large. A feature point specifying unit specifies corners of edges in a target image as feature points. An area obtaining unit obtains, based on a specified result of the feature point specifying unit, an area including a plurality of feature points aligned in a substantially straight line. A character area specifying unit specifies a character area in the target image based on the area obtained by the area obtaining unit.

Abstract: A user is able to select a multimedia stream from a plurality of multimedia streams available at a multimedia receiver. The availability of one or more trickplay features for the selected multimedia stream is determined in response to the selection of the multimedia stream. A visual indicator, an audible indicator, or both are selectively provided for display/output based on the determined availability status of the corresponding trickplay feature. The selective provision of a trickplay indicator can include providing a first trickplay indicator when the trickplay feature is available and providing a second, different trickplay indicator when the trickplay feature is unavailable. Alternately, the selective provision of a trickplay indicator includes providing the trickplay indicator when the trickplay feature is unavailable and omitting provision of the trickplay indicator when the trickplay feature is available, or vice versa.

Abstract: A photographing unit photographs a face of the user who is looking at a screen displayed on a display unit. An area detecting unit detects, from the photographed image of the photographing unit, an eye area of the user and at least one of a face area of the user or a predetermined part area of the user other than the user's eyes. An areal size/position information obtaining unit obtains areal size information and position information of the eye area, and areal size information and position information of the at least one of the face area or the predetermined part area. A gaze position estimation unit estimates a position in the screen that the user is gazing at, based on the areal size information and the position information.

Abstract: To provide an information processing device capable of ensuring not to execute processing not intended by a user in a case of stopping an ongoing operation after selecting an object (for example, in selecting again an object other than the object already selected, or the like). In a case where one of a user's designated position is included in a determination area based on the position of one of the plurality of objects displayed in a screen, an object moving unit moves the one object based on the one designated position. In a case where the object moving unit moves first and second objects, a collision determination unit determines whether or not the first and second objects have collided. A processing executing unit executes processing relevant to the first and second objects based on a result of determination by the collision determination unit.

Abstract: A computer architecture stores favorite information showing a relationship between sellers and buyers who mark the sellers as favorite in a buy/sell web site, and similarity information regarding similarity between items/service sold and items/service bought. If the architecture receives action information showing a predetermined action from a first buyer to a first seller, it extracts second sellers that are marked as favorite by second buyers who mark the first seller as favorite, calculates a similarity and extracts at least one third seller who is marked as favorite by the second buyer having a similarity between the second seller and the first seller at a predetermined value or having a similarity between the first buyer and the second buyer at the predetermined value or more. Third seller recommendation information is transmitted to the first buyer.

Abstract: Provided is a goods information providing system, including: a first position acquisition section (4) for acquiring from a position information DB (31) position information on goods specified by a shelf ID read by a reading unit (22); a related goods extraction section (5) for extracting from a related goods information DB (33) a related goods related to the goods specified by the shelf ID; a second position acquisition section (6) for acquiring from the position information DB (31) position information on the extracted related goods; a recommended goods determination section (8) for determining, as recommended goods, from among the extracted related goods, the related goods selected based on a position of the goods acquired by the first position acquisition section (4) and a position of the related goods acquired by the second position acquisition section (6); and an informing unit (23) for informing of information on the determined recommended goods.

Abstract: Provided is an image search system capable of searching for an image that differs in a specific part from an original image. A reception unit receives designation of a partial region in an original image to be processed and a process content for the partial region. A search unit searches for an image identical or similar to a processed image, which is obtained by applying a process of the process content to the partial region of the original image, based on: a plurality of kinds of feature information on a region other than the partial region of the processed image or of the original image; and at least one piece of feature information selected based on the process content from among a plurality of kinds of feature information on the partial region of the processed image or of the original image.

Abstract: To associate a keyword with a category having a high degree of relevance with the keyword. An association apparatus comprises an acquisition means that acquires the number of times when each of a plurality of categories of a search target is designated as a search condition together with a keyword, and a registration means that registers category information indicating the category for which the number of times acquired by the acquisition means is a threshold or more, and the keyword in an associated manner.

Abstract: In a delivery network system, deliver a server that holds requested content is determined, using information included in a content request message from a communication terminal. A file or stream of the requested content is read from the determined server. When the content is moving image content, a bandwidth of a mobile network is estimated, based on a response signal or a congestion state notification signal from the communication terminal. The moving content is transmitted by controlling a timing of transmitting the read file or the read stream so as not exceed the estimated bandwidth.

Abstract: A distribution control device includes a selection screen presentation processing part which displays a selection screen on a user terminal, a content generation part which generates terminal-determinable content to which a source code is added, a terminal information management part, a target terminal setting part, and a distribution processing part which distributes the terminal-determinable content based on the distribution target terminal type. The terminal information management part manages a terminal type answered based on the selection screen as answer information for each user, and accumulates and manages a terminal type determined according to a browsing of the distributed terminal-determinable content as terminal determination information for each user.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus according to the present invention causes an alarm output means to output an alarm at a preset time, causes the alarm output means to stop outputting the alarm when a stop instruction is input by a user while the alarm is being output, and makes a transition to a standby state in which biological information wirelessly transmitted from a measurement instrument can be received in response to the stop of the alarm.

Abstract: An image search device includes a common memory and a plurality of parallel processors for executing a same instruction. The image search device transfers, from storage, a plurality of representative feature vectors, which respectively represent a plurality of clusters including a plurality of image feature vectors, stores, in the common memory, one or more query feature vectors extracted from an image serving as a query, calculates a distance between the plurality of transferred representative feature vectors and the query feature vector using the plurality of parallel processors, and selects one or more of a plurality of images based on a distance between the plurality of image feature vectors, which belong to the cluster selected by the calculated distance, and the query feature vector.

Abstract: To provide a mobile electronic device capable of assisting a user so as to readily designate at least a part of a character string displayed on a screen as a selection range. A display unit displays a screen including a character string. A designated position detection unit detects a position in the screen designated by the user. An inclination detection unit detects an inclination of the mobile electronic device. A selection range setting unit sets at least a part of the character string as a selection range. A start position setting unit sets a start position of the selection range, based on the position designated by the user and detected by the designated position detection unit. An end position moving unit moves an end position of the selection range, based on a result of detection by the inclination detection unit, after the start position of the selection range is set.

Abstract: A tag database stores tag information corresponded to respective user identification information, shop identification information, and merchandise identification information. A tag management unit execute a tag mutual assignment process on a tag database that realizes a state where tag information is mutually assigned between user identification information and either shop identification information or merchandise identification information related to a mutual assignment target action. A tag processing unit, in response to a tag process target action in the user terminal, searches the tag database for tag information corresponded to user identification information, shop identification information, or merchandise identification information regarding the tag process target action, and acquires, based on extracted tag information, tag information or identification information used for generating presentation information to be transmitted to the user terminal.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus that generates a second password different from a first password in response to a password change request from a terminal, and generates and sends a change screen page to the terminal, stores the first password as an old password, and sends a notification when an authentication is attempted using the old password.

Abstract: An evaluation information identifying device includes an extracting unit that, when, as a result of determining the presence or absence of a correlation between a supplier of an evaluation target and an evaluator having made a positive evaluation on the evaluation target, it is determined that there is a correlation, extracts evaluation information posted by the evaluator on the evaluation target provided by the supplier as specific evaluation information, and an outputting unit that performs specified processing based on the extracted specific evaluation information. It is thereby determined whether the possibility that the evaluator is an interested party to the supplier is high or low, and the evaluation information by an interested party to the evaluation target or the like is identified. It is thereby possible to provide useful evaluation information.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a more generally applicable programming environment for visual programming languages than conventional programming environments and to reduce data size of programs. With programming language data (a text VPL), which is a text based programming language data combining functions and connection characters composed of character data and defines relationships between the functions based on positional relations of the functions with reference to the connection characters in a display space of a text editor, the functions and the connection characters in character strings of the programming language data are distinguished and relationships between the functions are interpreted based on the positional relations in the display space. Interpretation of the text VPL enables a computer device to perform processing according to the text VPL, consequently realizing a generally applicable programming environment and reducing program data size.

Abstract: A system for providing a local computer user with detailed activity information regarding remote users, in order to assist the local user in determining whether to initiate a communication session with a remote user. The system provides activity information that may describe the number of instant messaging sessions one or more remote users are currently involved in, the identities of participants in those sessions, activity levels, time period information, and other information. The system further provides detailed activity information describing recent instant messaging sessions of one or more remote users.

Abstract: An audio communication system includes a generation unit that superimposes an addition sound having a volume level determined on the basis of a voice acquired by a voice acquisition unit on an input voice acquired by the voice acquisition unit of a transmission terminal and generates a synthesis sound and a transmission unit that transmits a signal of the synthesis sound generated by the generation unit to a reception terminal.