Abstract: In electric appliances (11) such as a digital TV and the like, a device agent (20) records viewing-and-listening date and time, a media type identifier and a content identifier in a group as viewing-and-listening history data. In server system (12), a user agent (30) receives viewing-and-listening history data from the device agent (20) and registers the viewing-and-listening history data in a viewing-and-listening history database. Each of external service concierges (40) and (50) accesses the server system (12) and collectively utilizes content viewing-and-listening histories in the electric appliances (11) that a user owns.

Abstract: A device linkage control system for controlling a plurality of devices in linkage with each other to suit the life pattern of a user, by extracting life pattern information of a user from an operating history of the plurality of devices, comprising: a life data recording apparatus (n107) for accumulating, in a life data storage unit (n102), usage information on the use of devices (n109 to n112) by the user, as life data; a life pattern extraction apparatus (n101) including an episode creation unit (n103) that takes, as element data, details related to an identified episode from among life data and creates episode data which is a combination of the element data, an episode analysis unit (n104) that analyzes relationships between the element data included in the episode data, and a life pattern interpretation unit (n105) that identifies, from the relationships between the element data, the life pattern which is characteristic of the user, and records this pattern, as life pattern information, in a life pattern

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 (100) includes: a retrieval instruction issue unit (102) which identifies one of an information source A data base (101A), an information source B data base (101B) and an information source C data base (101C) according to the user's operation; a retrieval keyword selection unit (105a) which preferentially selects, from a group of keywords indicating the user's preference, one or more strongly preferred keywords as many as a number associated with the use frequency of the data base identified by the retrieval instruction issue unit (102); and a retrieval unit (106) which retrieves information including the one or more keywords selected by the retrieval keyword selection unit (105a) from the data base identified by the retrieval instruction issue unit (102).

Abstract: A health care system includes a sampling means for sampling body fluid of a test subject person, an analysis means for analyzing the sampled body fluid, a transmission means for transmitting analytical data obtained from the analysis to a diagnosis means, the diagnosis means for diagnosing a health status of the test subject person from the transmitted analytical data, a server for storing and accumulating analytical data and/or diagnostic results, and a health-care-information display device for receiving and displaying diagnostic results or the like.

Abstract: In a network system providing a service, addition of an expanded function can be easily realized. A database server (105) provides a service such as accepting reservations of a facility to a terminal PC (101) via the Internet (104). To add an expanded function to the service provided by the database server (105), an agent server (106) executes a script, prepared by combining basic functions of the database server (105) and stored in a script storage section (209), according to a request from the terminal PC (101).

Abstract: A server, which transmits phonetic-sound information to a plurality of client machines that are communicably connected thereto 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; 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: A one-way data transmission method is disclosed for transmitting a set of rules to data receiving apparatuses that each control a controlled apparatus. Also, a method is disclosed for controlling a controlled apparatus according to a specific rule and a specific parameter of the controlled apparatus, such specific rule being one of a set of rules provided for control over the predetermined kind of controlled apparatuses. Further, a transmission method is disclosed for transmitting a program including a set of rules to at least one reception side having plural kinds of controlled apparatuses, over a network, via a receiving device, or memory device. Further still, a reception method is disclosed for receiving a program including a set of rules on a reception side having plural kinds of controlled apparatuses through a network or memory device. The predetermined controlled apparatuses have a common, primary operation function but different specific parameters.

Abstract: An image production method has steps of:

Abstract: An information processing apparatus comprises an indication means placed on a manuscript; a reading unit for reading information on the manuscript; an indication means detection unit for detecting the indication means placed on the manuscript, thereby detecting a region indicated by the indication means on the manuscript; and an information processing unit performing a predetermined process to the information obtained from the region indicated by the detected indication means, amongst the information on the manuscript read by the reading unit. Therefore, by only placing the indication means on a target portion to be processed on the manuscript, the portion is detected by the indicated means detection unit to be subjected to a process such as scale-up by the information processing unit.

Abstract: An image production method has steps of: a 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: A transmission apparatus 151 comprises a rule generation means 101 for generating rules, and a data transmission means 102 for converting the rules generated by the rule generation means 101 into data and for transmitting the data; and a receiving apparatus 152 comprises a data receiving means 103 for receiving the data transmitted by the data transmission means 102, a rule conversion means 104 for converting the data received by the data receiving means 103 into rules, a rule storage means 105 for storing the rules converted by the rule conversion means 104, and a control means 106 for controlling a controlled apparatus, such as a microwave oven, in accordance with the rules stored in the rule storage means 105. Consequently, it is possible to reduce burdens on the chance of the received information on the information receiving terminal apparatus side.

Abstract: A transmission apparatus 151 comprises a rule generation means 101 for generating rules, and a data transmission means 102 for converting the rules generated by the rule generation means 101 into data and for transmitting the data; and a receiving apparatus 152 comprises a data receiving means 103 for receiving the data transmitted by the data transmission means 102, a rule conversion means 104 for converting the data received by the data receiving means 103 into rules, a rule storage means 105 for storing the rules converted by the rule conversion means 104, and a control means 106 for controlling a controlled apparatus, such as a microwave oven, in accordance with the rules stored in the rule storage means 105. Consequently, it is possible to reduce burdens on the chance of the received information on the information receiving terminal apparatus side.

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.

Abstract: An information recommendation apparatus has

Abstract: A digital camera used for taking photographs is connected to a terminal to print one or more selected among the photographs on the spot. An advertisement supplied from an advertising server is added to the bottom of the printed photograph, to reduce the proportion of cost born by the user with the advertisement charge. After the photograph is printed, the digital camera is collected by the terminal for recycling. The photograph can also be temporarily uploaded to the Web, so that the user can download the photograph to the user's personal computer afterwards.

Abstract: An information receiving apparatus and method are disclosed. According to such apparatus and method, a DTMF signal is received over a telephone line, and coordinate data corresponding to the received DTMF signal are obtained. A predetermined figure then is displayed in a position based upon the coordinate data.