Abstract: An operation history utilization system including a terminal electric device, a server electric device (user server), and an application server that are connected to one another via network. On the terminal electric device, there is implemented a device agent for storing the device operated by a user, the operation details and the operation time as an operation history set. On the server electric device, there is implemented a user agent for receiving the operation history transmitted from the device agent at a predetermined timing and managing the history in a centralized manner. On the application server, there is implemented a service concierge for providing service, considering the user's taste by inquiring the user agent about the operation history.

Abstract: A named entity extracting apparatus that extracts a named entity suitable for a user by enabling an order to be set in which the named entity is extracted from texts includes: an extraction order reading unit 103 that acquires a named entity pattern name stored in association with an extraction order in an extraction order storage unit 102; a named entity extracting unit 105 that extracts the named entity from input texts using a named entity pattern corresponding to the named entity pattern name acquired by the extraction order reading unit 103; and an extraction end judging unit 106 which outputs, in the case where extraction has not ended, a text on which the extraction is in progress to the extraction order reading unit 103, and continues the named entity extraction processing.

Abstract: An apparatus including: a preference word obtainment unit that, when a search condition is input, obtains related words associated with keywords included in the search condition by a predetermined threshold or greater. Further, the preference word obtainment unit decreases the predetermined threshold to obtain related words, from a preference association dictionary when an expansion command is received. Moreover, the apparatus includes (i) a judgment unit which judges whether the related word obtained by the preference word obtainment unit is stored when the expansion command is received, (ii) a general word obtainment unit which obtains a related word from a general dictionary when it is judged that the related word obtained by the preference word obtainment unit is stored, and (iii) a retrieval unit which generates a search condition from the related word, obtains information meeting the generated search condition, and outputs the obtained information as a search result.

Abstract: A server, which transmits phonetic-sound information to a plurality of client machines and reproduces the transmitted phonetic-sound information, includes a storage unit for storing a plurality of pieces of voiced phonetic-sound information whose contents are voices of a plurality of speakers in a conversation made up of the voices of the plurality of speakers. The server also includes a timing determining unit for determining reproduction timing of the plurality of pieces of voiced phonetic-sound information, and a transmitting unit for transmitting the voiced phonetic-sound information which is applicable to each client machine, so that its reproduction is executed in the reproduction timing determined by the timing determining unit.

Abstract: An information recommendation apparatus has recommendation means of selecting and recommending contents coincident with or similar to conditions input by condition input means of inputting the conditions represented by predetermined items and attribute values corresponding thereto designated through the terminal of a user via the Internet, from among contents formed of plural pieces of data having plural items and attribute values corresponding thereto and stored in a content database in which the contents are registered by registration means, wherein the recommended contents are output to the terminal by output means via the Internet.

Abstract: There is provided an information retrieval apparatus which can properly retrieve information associated with a user's preference from one of a plurality of data bases having different use frequencies. An information retrieval apparatus includes: a retrieval instruction issue unit which identifies one of an information source A data base, an information source B data base and an information source C data base according to the user's operation; a retrieval keyword selection unit which preferentially selects, from a group of keywords indicating the user's preference, one or more strongly preferred keywords based on a number associated with the use frequency of the data base identified by the retrieval instruction issue unit; and a retrieval unit which retrieves information including the one or more keywords selected by the retrieval keyword selection unit from the data base identified by the retrieval instruction issue unit.

Abstract: An information recommendation apparatus selects and recommends contents coincident with or similar to conditions input. The conditions are represented by predetermined items and attribute values corresponding thereto, from among contents formed of plural pieces of data having plural items and attribute values corresponding thereto and stored in a content database in which the contents are registered, wherein the recommended contents are output to the terminal.

Abstract: An input supporting device, which supports a user's input in the case where an information search is not progressing, so that the user can promptly obtain a result of the search, and includes: an input unit that receives an input of a search keyword; a search progress management unit that monitors progress of the search in a search device; and a search condition presentation unit which obtains an appropriate search condition based on the inputted search keyword and presents the obtained search condition to the user, in the case where the search is not progressing, while the search condition presentation unit includes: a categorized knowledge storage unit in which a category and a search keyword are stored in an associated manner; a category obtainment unit that obtains a category of the inputted search keyword with reference to the categorized knowledge storage unit; a search method storage unit in which a name of a search method and a category string are stored in an associated manner; a search method obtain

Abstract: The user agent unit (202) includes: the pattern extracting unit (404) which extracts a frequent operation pattern of the log data that fulfills predetermined conditions from the operation log data registered in the operation log data data base (402); the pattern data base (405) which memorizes the frequent operation pattern; the pattern monitoring unit (406) which monitors an operation pattern, from the operation log data to be newly registered, that correspond with the frequent operation pattern registered in the pattern data base (405); and the pattern classifying unit (601) which specifies the operator of the frequent operation pattern memorized in the pattern data base (405).

Abstract: An association dictionary creation apparatus is provided that is capable of easily and efficiently creating an association dictionary suiting the user's taste.

Abstract: There is provided a dictionary creation device and dictionary creation method which optimally creates and updates a dictionary for classifying, searching, or extracting text information in accordance with a changes in content of text information groups. The dictionary creation device includes: a keyword extraction unit that extracts a keyword from inputted text information; a keyword statistics unit that finds statistics regarding an appearance of the keyword; a keyword assessment value calculation unit that calculates an assessment value of the extracted keyword based on the statistics regarding the appearance of the keyword; a determination unit that determines whether or not to register or delete the keyword based on the calculated assessment value; a dictionary registration and deletion unit which registers or deletes the keyword in or from a dictionary database based on a result of the determination performed by the determination unit; and the dictionary database.

Abstract: There is provided a dictionary creation device and dictionary creation method which optimally creates and updates a dictionary for classifying, searching, or extracting text information in accordance with a changes in content of text information groups. The dictionary creation device includes: a keyword extraction unit that extracts a keyword from inputted text information; a keyword statistics unit that finds statistics regarding an appearance of the keyword; a keyword assessment value calculation unit that calculates an assessment value of the extracted keyword based on the statistics regarding the appearance of the keyword; a determination unit that determines whether or not to register or delete the keyword based on the calculated assessment value; a dictionary registration and deletion unit which registers or deletes is the keyword in or from a dictionary database based on a result of the determination performed by the determination unit; and the dictionary database.

Abstract: An information retrieval apparatus which includes: a preference related-word obtainment unit which, in the case where a search condition is inputted from an input unit, obtains one or more related words each being associated with search keywords included in the inputted search condition by an association value indicating a predetermined threshold or greater, and which decreases the predetermined threshold so as to obtain such one or more related words, from a preference-based association dictionary stored in a preference-based association dictionary storage unit, in the case where a search condition expansion command is inputted from the input unit; an unobtained related-word judgment unit which judges whether or not the related word obtained by the preference related-word obtainment unit is already stored in an obtained-word storage unit in the case where a search condition expansion command is inputted from the input unit; a general related-word obtainment unit which obtains a related word from a general as

Abstract: An information retrieval apparatus which can use a preference-based association dictionary, the words stored therein are dynamically changed according to user's preferences, and a general association dictionary storing a relationship between the keywords included in a database, by appropriately switching between the two association dictionaries, and which includes: a matching degree calculation unit which calculates a degree of matching between a search condition inputted from an input unit and a profile; a search condition generation unit which obtains one or more related words from a general association dictionary stored in a general association dictionary storage unit in the case where the calculated matching degree is smaller than a predetermined threshold, and obtains one or more related words from a preference-based association dictionary stored in a preference-based association dictionary storage unit in the case where the matching degree is greater than the predetermined threshold, in order to generat

Abstract: An image production method has steps of: detecting one or more descriptive regions exclusive of a background portion of a manuscript; calculating an image characteristic value of said descriptive region; selecting one from a plurality of previously defined layout patterns based on said determined image characteristic value, the layout pattern including information at least about a position of the descriptive region; and producing an image by laying out an image of said manuscript descriptive region or images of an illustration and said manuscript descriptive region according to the decided layout pattern.

Abstract: There is provided an operation history utilization system which includes a terminal electric device (101), a server electric device (user server) (102), and an application server (103) that are connected to one another via network. On the terminal electric device (101), there is implemented a device agent (201) for storing the device operated by a user, the operation details and the operation time as an operation history set. On the server electric device (102), there is implemented a user agent (202) for receiving the operation history transmitted from the device agent (201) at a predetermined timing and managing the history in a centralized manner. On the application server (103), there is implemented a service concierge (203) for providing service, considering the user's taste by inquiring the user agent (202) about the operation history.

Abstract: An information forwarding system and method including an information input device for inputting search conditions to a remote data base. The remote data base includes a search device for searching the data base based on the search conditions so as to gain search results. The information forwarding system includes an information display for displaying the search results; a selector for selecting one, or more, search results from among the search results; and an output device for sending the designated contents selected by the selector to a separate supply device so as to designate the operation of the separate supply device.

Abstract: An attendant circumstance utilization device provides a function of equipment and a content appropriate to a user by considering the attendant circumstance by whom the user is accompanied, and includes an attendant ID detecting unit (101) to detect an attendant information (attendant ID) indicating by whom the user is accompanied and an equipment operation detecting unit (103) to detect an equipment operation. A history data of an attendant ID is stored in an attendant ID database (102) and a history data of an equipment operation is stored in an operation history database (104) respectively by correlating with a time of detection.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed to include a transmission device 151 having a rule generation device 101 for generating rules, and a data transmission device 102 for converting rules generated by the rule generation device 101 into rule data and for transmitting the rule data. The apparatus also includes a receiving device 152 having a data receiving device 103 for receiving rule data transmitted by the data transmission device 102, a rule conversion device 104 for converting the rule data received by the data receiving device 103 into rules, a rule storage device 105 for storing rules converted by the rule conversion device 104, and a control device 106 for controlling a controlled apparatus, such as a microwave oven, in accordance with the rules stored in the rule storage device 105.

Abstract: Questions and answers associated with each other are stored in a document storage section. A clustering section classifies the answers in the document storage section into clusters based on feature vectors of the answers. When a natural language question is input by the user, a database retrieval/updating section retrieves a question similar to the input question, and presents answers associated with the retrieved question together for each cluster to the user or an expert. In addition, the database retrieval/updating section automatically updates the document storage section based on an answer selected as most appropriate by the user or the expert if selected, or based on an answer newly input by the expert if no appropriate answer is available. The natural language answer input by the expert is presented to the user as it is.