Abstract: There is provided a product information supply method for supplying a user who desires to purchase a product with proper information about a related product that could be bought in combination with the product, so that the user is assisted in purchasing products. Registration of combination information to be supplied to the user is made with a database managed by a service provider server by a person who has bought the above product by means of a registration page so that a lot of combination information is accumulated in the database. The registered information includes not only information specifying a combinable product but also information about the effects of the combination and the ways of using products in combination. The database is searched in response to inquiry information from the user who makes reference to a page of products. Thus, corresponding combination information is extracted from the database and is sent to the user.

Abstract: In a role-playing simulation apparatus, a setting section sets a plurality of patterns of parameters indicating characters of player agents who participate in a virtual role-playing and also sets patterns of negotiation rules, and player agent sections realize the player agents. A lecture attendant agent section realizes a lecture attendant agent who carries out virtual negotiations with the player agents, a learning material preparing section allows the player agents and the lecture attendant agent to carry out negotiations, a learning material evaluating section evaluates a negotiation result for each combination and sets a parameter evaluated with at least a predetermined level as a learning material, and a lecture attendance processor that allows the player agents and an actual lecture attendant to execute a virtual role-playing based on the learning material.

Abstract: In a method for providing information on commodities to a user by using a computer, commodity-comparison information indicating at least one result of at least one comparison between the commodities is acquired and stored. Next, a commodity-comparison map which visually indicates at least one relationship between the commodities is produced by using the commodity-comparison information stored above, in such a manner that at least one coordinate axis of the commodity-comparison map corresponds to at least one evaluation criterion used in evaluation of the commodities, respectively. Then, relative-evaluation information which indicates at least one relative evaluation of the commodities is produced by using the commodity-comparison map. Finally, the relative-evaluation information is provided to the user.

Abstract: In a role-playing simulation apparatus, a setting section sets a plurality of patterns of parameters indicating characters of player agents who participate in a virtual role-playing and also sets patterns of negotiation rules, and player agent sections realize the player agents. A lecture attendant agent section realizes a lecture attendant agent who carries out virtual negotiations with the player agents, a learning material preparing section allows the player agents and the lecture attendant agent to carry out negotiations, a learning material evaluating section evaluates a negotiation result for each combination and sets a parameter evaluated with at least a predetermined level as a learning material, and a lecture attendance processor that allows the player agents and an actual lecture attendant to execute a virtual role-playing based on the learning material.

Abstract: A document search method for extracting document information similar in content to given document information, from a document database with high accuracy and efficiency. A first document database is searched based on a search query which is input by a user. First document information extracted by the search of the first document database is formatted into a format of a second document database. The second document database is searched by using the formatted first document information. Second document information which is similar in content to the formatted first document information is extracted. A degree of similarity between the formatted first document information and the second document information is calculated. The calculated degree of similarity is corrected in accordance with a condition of correction which is preset. The first and second document information and the corrected degree of similarity are output.

Abstract: A personnel skill enhancement plan supporting apparatus includes a necessary skill input section that inputs a necessary skill, a difference keyword extracting section that extracts a difference keyword indicating a not-yet-mastered skill between learning keywords of the input skill and keywords mastered by a target member, a target member extracting section that extracts a target member having a smallest number of extracted difference keywords, a module extracting section that extracts a teaching material module, an essential keyword extracting section that extracts essential keywords of the extracted module, a lacked essential keyword extracting section that extracts a lacked essential keyword, and a learnable module extracting section that extracts a module in which the number of lacked essential keywords is zero.

Abstract: A computer network system that executes a virtual outlet establishment mediation method is composed of a plurality of user terminals, a plurality of servicer terminals, and a single virtual outlet establishment mediation server that are capable of communicating via the Internet with one another. The virtual outlet establishment mediation server extracts one or more servicers whose desiring conditions (business group, region) match the attributes (business group, region) of a user. From the servicer or servicers extracted here, the virtual outlet establishment mediation server extracts servicers with attributes (product lineup, payment methods, delivery time, discount rate, point rate) that satisfy the conditions (product lineup, payment methods, delivery time, discount rate, point rate) desired by the user.

Abstract: In a method for providing information on commodities to a user by using a computer, commodity-comparison information indicating at least one result of at least one comparison between the commodities is acquired and stored. Next, a commodity-comparison map which visually indicates at least one relationship between the commodities is produced by using the commodity-comparison information stored above, in such a manner that at least one coordinate axis of the commodity-comparison map corresponds to at least one evaluation criterion used in evaluation of the commodities, respectively. Then, relative-evaluation information which indicates at least one relative evaluation of the commodities is produced by using the commodity-comparison map. Finally, the relative-evaluation information is provided to the user.

Abstract: A method of delivering sample pictures containing information about how to purchase the original picture data. A computer system stores picture data received from mobile stations over a network. It then creates sample pictures from the stored picture data. Each sample picture contains ordering information that shows where to purchase the original version of the picture data. When a request is received from a terminal station on the network, the computer transmits such sample pictures to the requesting station.

Abstract: There is provided a product information supply method for supplying a user who desires to purchase a product with proper information about a related product that could be bought in combination with the product, so that the user is assisted in purchasing products. Registration of combination information to be supplied to the user is made with a database managed by a service provider server by a person who has bought the above product by means of a registration page so that a lot of combination information is accumulated in the database. The registered information includes not only information specifying a combinable product but also information about the effects of the combination and the ways of using products in combination. The database is searched in response to inquiry information from the user who makes reference to a page of products. Thus, corresponding combination information is extracted from the database and is sent to the user.

Abstract: A method of displaying help information about operations and concepts used in a device includes the steps of storing skill-development information which shows at least one general pattern of skill development for the operations according to a functional classification of the operations, storing help documents which describe the operations and the concepts, and storing an operation log which records use of the operations by a user. The method further includes the steps of comparing the operation log with the skill-development information so as to determine skill levels of the user according to the functional classification of the operations, generating from the help documents the help information which matches with the skill levels of the user, the help information regarding at least one of the operations and the concepts, and displaying the help information.