Abstract: It is arranged so that the history of access to a web page that has been returned to can be determined even in a case where a “BACK” button on a browser has been clicked. Owing to a transition from one web page to another in response to clicking of hot text from the one page to the other, the URL of the destination web page is transmitted to a server. As a result, the URL of the source web page and the URL of the access destination can be recognized by the server. In a case where one web page is returned to from another web page by pressing the “BACK” button on a browser, a URL is not transmitted to the server. Therefore, a URL combination in which the source URL and the access destination URL have been interchanged is generated and stored in an access history table. Thus, even if the preceding web page is restored by pressing the “BACK” button, the server is capable of ascertaining history of the access.

Abstract: It is so arranged that a cookie can be utilized even by a client terminal that does not support cookie information. An index.html file to which cookie information has been appended is transmitted from a web server to a proxy server. A link destination URL contained in a web page represented by the index.html file is changed by the proxy server and the cookie information is stored in the proxy server. The web page in which the changed URL has been embedded is displayed on the client terminal. If the proxy server is requested for the web page of the changed URL, the proxy server restores the URL to the URL that prevailed before the change and also reads the cookie information. The proxy server then requests the web server for both the web page of the URL that prevailed before the change and the cookie information. Thus the web server can utilize the cookie information even though the client terminal cannot.

Abstract: In a case where a padded orthogonally transformed block obtained by orthogonally transforming a padded image block of 8×8 pixels to which padding data has been added has been recorded as compressed image data, the padded orthogonally transformed block is subjected to an inverse orthogonal transformation to thereby restore the padded image block. Padding data contained in the restored padded image block is replaced with a portion obtained by copying a portion of the original image, thereby generating a modified image block. In a case where the true width of an edge pixel corresponding to an edge among the pixels forming the image block is less than 0.5, the pixel is obtained by adjusting the level of a pixel adjacent to the edge pixel in such a manner that it will have a level conforming to the width and level of the edge pixel.

Abstract: A background image wherein areas in which still images are to be rendered have been defined is prepared. Product images are obtained by multiplying mask images and positioned still images together. The background image and the product images are added to obtain a sum image that constitutes one frame of a slideshow. A plurality of still-image portions obtained from a plurality of still images in one frame are contained in the sum image. An advanced slideshow is thus obtained.

Abstract: With a registration function, a terminal device sends shooting-location information and a landmark name to a server. The shooting-location information is obtained from an image file, and the landmark name is inputted by a user. The server registers the received location information and the received landmark name in a database so as to relate them. With a retrieval function, the terminal device sends the shooting-location information to the server. On the basis of the received location information, the server retrieves one or more corresponding landmark names along a high-accuracy retrieval program. The retrieved landmark name is sent to the terminal device.

Abstract: It is arranged so that the history of access to a web page at a terminal device that does not have a unique IP address can be determined. To achieve this, a proxy server generates identification data of the terminal device upon accepting a request for a web page from the terminal device the first time. A link destination URL included in the web page conforming to the request is changed by the proxy server and a web page in which the URL after the change has been embedded is displayed on the terminal device. If the proxy server is requested for the web page having the URL after the change, the URL is restored by the proxy server to the URL that prevailed before the change and the web server is requested for the web page having the URL that prevailed before the change.

Abstract: A private network terminal device issues, to a repeating installation, a relay request for relaying a connection request. A global network terminal device connects with the repeating installation, to transmit the connection request. The repeating installation relays the connection request and relays communication between the terminal devices in an as-is manner. Here, the private network terminal device separately commences new connection with the global network terminal device through direct connection and transmits a replacement request for replacing the connection by way of the repeating installation with this direct connection. The global network terminal device transmits a disconnection request to the repeating installation. The private network terminal device disconnects communication with the repeating installation.

Abstract: It is so arranged that a cookie can be utilized even by a client terminal that does not support cookie information. An index.html file to which cookie information has been appended is transmitted from a web server to a proxy server. A link destination URL contained in a web page represented by the index.html file is changed by the proxy server and the cookie information is stored in the proxy server. The web page in which the changed URL has been embedded is displayed on the client terminal. If the proxy server is requested for the web page of the changed URL, the proxy server restores the URL to the URL that prevailed before the change and also reads the cookie information. The proxy server then requests the web server for both the web page of the URL that prevailed before the change and the cookie information. Thus the web server can utilize the cookie information even though the client terminal cannot.

Abstract: In a case where a padded orthogonally transformed block obtained by orthogonally transforming a padded image block of 8×8 pixels to which padding data has been added has been recorded as compressed image data, the padded orthogonally transformed block is subjected to an inverse orthogonal transformation to thereby restore the padded image block. Padding data contained in the restored padded image block is replaced with a portion obtained by copying a portion of the original image, thereby generating a modified image block. In a case where the true width of an edge pixel corresponding to an edge among the pixels forming the image block is less than 0.5, the pixel is obtained by adjusting the level of a pixel adjacent to the edge pixel in such a manner that it will have a level conforming to the width and level of the edge pixel.

Abstract: A data storage control system includes an expression-format changing device for changing applied data to data having a prescribed expression format, a storage device for storing data readably, a storage controller for accessing the storage device and reading data that has been stored in the storage device or writing data, the expression format of which has been change by the expression-format changing device, to the storage device in accordance with an applied read/write command, and a command execution device, to which an applied command is entered, for applying a read/write command to the storage controller in accordance with the entered command.

Abstract: It is arranged so that the history of access to a web page that has been returned to can be determined even in a case where a “BACK” button on a browser has been clicked. Owing to a transition from one web page to another in response to clicking of hot text from the one page to the other, the URL of the destination web page is transmitted to a server. As a result, the URL of the source web page and the URL of the access destination can be recognized by the server. In a case where one web page is returned to from another web page by pressing the “BACK” button on a browser, a URL is not transmitted to the server. Therefore, a URL combination in which the source URL and the access destination URL have been interchanged is generated and stored in an access history table. Thus, even if the preceding web page is restored by pressing the “BACK” button, the server is capable of ascertaining history of the access.

Abstract: It is arranged so that the history of access to a web page at a terminal device that does not have a unique IP address can be determined. To achieve this, a proxy server generates identification data of the terminal device upon accepting a request for a web page from the terminal device the first time. A link destination URL included in the web page conforming to the request is changed by the proxy server and a web page in which the URL after the change has been embedded is displayed on the terminal device. If the proxy server is requested for the web page having the URL after the change, the URL is restored by the proxy server to the URL that prevailed before the change and the web server is requested for the web page having the URL that prevailed before the change.

Abstract: An appropriate tag is assigned to an image in comparatively simple fashion. An image of interest to be tagged is selected and tags that have already been assigned to the selected image of interest are displayed in a present-tag display area. Tags having a high frequency of appearance are extracted from among tags that have been assigned to images having tags identical with the tags that have already been assigned to the image of interest, these images being taken from among images that have been stored in an image database. The extracted tags are displayed in a tag candidate display area as candidate tags. Since the tags displayed in the tag candidate display area often are tags related to the selected image of interest, they are tags suitable for assignment to the image of interest.

Abstract: Moving-image data is streamed to a large number of client computers even though line band of a streaming server is kept narrow. To achieve this, the address of a relay server closer to a client computer than is the streaming server is transmitted when the client computer issues the streaming server a connection request for moving-image data. The client computer then sends this relay server a request to transmit the moving-image data. When this occurs, the address of another relay server even closer to the client computer than is the first-mentioned relay server is transmitted to the client computer. Since this other relay server is closest to the client computer, moving-image data is streamed from this relay server to the client computer.

Abstract: Ten representative images are extracted from an image database storing images of a number of frames. The extracted representative images are displayed in a coordinate area, along the coordinate axes of which the image characteristics of the images are plotted, in a form in which the images are distributed in accordance with the image characteristics possessed by the extracted representative images. An image having characteristics resembling those of a required image is designated from among the representative images displayed. Images of ten frames having characteristics resembling those of the designated image are again displayed in distributed form in a coordinate area having image characteristics plotted along the coordinate axes thereof. The coordinate axes of the coordinate area displayed the second time are made more detailed than those of the coordinate area displayed the first time.

Abstract: A disk inscribed with the identification code of a store is distributed to a user. The disk is inserted into the client computer of the user and software, which is for ordering merchandise or the like, stored on the disk is installed in the computer. The identification code is input to the client computer and is transmitted from the client computer to a server computer. The IP address of the store is retrieved by the server computer from a database based upon the identification code, and the IP address retrieved is transmitted to the client computer. When the user enters the content of an order to the client computer, the entered content of the order is transmitted to a store computer located at the store having the IP address that was transmitted from the server computer. Thus the user is capable of ordering merchandise from this store.

Abstract: A data storage control system includes an expression-format changing device for changing applied data to data having a prescribed expression format, a storage device for storing data readably, a storage controller for accessing the storage device and reading data that has been stored in the storage device or writing data, the expression format of which has been change by the expression-format changing device, to the storage device in accordance with an applied read/write command, and a command execution device, to which an applied command is entered, for applying a read/write command to the storage controller in accordance with the entered command.

Abstract: With a registration function, a terminal device sends shooting-location information and a landmark name to a server. The shooting-location information is obtained from an image file, and the landmark name is inputted by a user. The server registers the received location information and the received landmark name in a database so as to relate them. With a retrieval function, the terminal device sends the shooting-location information to the server. On the basis of the received location information, the server retrieves one or more corresponding landmark names along a high-accuracy retrieval program. The retrieved landmark name is sent to the terminal device.

Abstract: A database system is provided with a search unit for searching image attribute information that has been stored in a relational database management system. A search interface is provided between the search unit and a command execution unit, which applies a search command to the search unit. The command execution unit and search unit can be connected in detachable fashion. Thus a search unit that has been connected to the command execution unit can be replaced by detaching it and connecting a search unit that employs another search technique.

Abstract: A search that is efficient and lightens the load on servers is conducted. An original program list containing IP addresses of a number of servers is stored in a center server. The center server supplies the original server list to a client computer, which proceeds to divide the list into a plurality of divided server lists. The divided server lists, together with a search command, are applied to respective ones of master servers. The master servers further divide the divided server lists into subdivided server lists, and each master server transmits the subdivided server lists, together with the search command, to respective ones of slave servers. These operations of dividing the server list and transmitting the divided server lists to subsequent servers are repeated. A search is conducted by the master and slave servers in accordance with the search command, data representing the search results are sent back to a transmit-source server and this server supplies the data to the client computer.