Abstract: There are provided an operation history obtaining unit that obtains an operation history of an electronic device installable in a home, and a classification unit that classifies a life pattern of a user operating the electronic device on the basis of the operation history obtained by the operation history obtaining unit.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an information processing method for an information processing apparatus includes, but is not limited to, the following processes. Viewing information indicating a state of television broadcast viewed by a viewer is acquired. Correspondence information indicating correspondence between a searching service that searches information in a prescribed field and the viewing information is acquiring from a storage unit included in the information processing apparatus. A searching service is selected based on the correspondence information acquired and the viewing information acquired. Selected service information indicating the searching service selected is outputted.

Abstract: An external data detecting portion transmits, when detecting external data such as an incoming call, an incoming detected signal to a load estimating portion. The load estimating portion estimates, when receiving the external data incoming detected signal, a level of a load applied to display of the plurality of video images of a display apparatus by the processing related to the external data. A video image display control portion determines display quality of the video image according to the load level estimated by the load estimating portion to control a video image displayed on a video image display portion. The video image display portion displays a plurality of video images with video image quality controlled by the video image display control portion.

Abstract: An advertisement distributing system, advertisement distributing server, and advertisement distributing method, program and recording medium are provided for encouraging the users to buy a product in such a manner that the most suitable program video scene is selected in accordance with the advertisement distributed by an advertiser, and distributed to the users with the advertisement. An advertising video searching unit of a server, based on an advertisement ID received from a first terminal device, searches through advertisement video, extracts a video ID corresponding to the advertisement ID and outputs it to a viewing history searching unit. A viewing history searching unit determines whether the video ID has been stored in viewing history that reflects user's taste, and outputs the corresponding video ID if it is found, to a content synthesizer. The content synthesizer distributes the advertisement data and video data to the first terminal device.

Abstract: A gateway device includes a third block communicating information, and a control unit controlling the third block so as to generate second information representing an operation of an air conditioner and to transmit the second information to the air conditioner based on first information representing control contents of the air conditioner received by the third block. Accordingly, an apparatus connected to a network and absent of a high-level circuit can be controlled at high level.

Abstract: A gateway device includes a third block communicating information, and a control unit controlling the third block so as to generate second information representing an operation of an air conditioner and to transmit the second information to the air conditioner based on first information representing control contents of the air conditioner received by the third block. Accordingly, an apparatus connected to a network and absent of a high-level circuit can be controlled at high level.

Abstract: A gateway device includes a third block communicating information, and a control unit controlling the third block so as to generate second information representing an operation of an air conditioner and to transmit the second information to the air conditioner based on first information representing control contents of the air conditioner received by the third block. Accordingly, an apparatus connected to a network and absent of a high-level circuit can be controlled at high level.

Abstract: An agent interface device provides information suited for user preferences on the basis of a usage history. In an example implementation, the agent interface device controls the display and action of the agent. A user preference database stores user preferences. An information providing engine provides information to the user according to information in the preference database, and a timer sets a time for the information providing engine to provide information to the user.

Abstract: An example window display device on a window-system type computer system displays a main window and a sub-window. The window display device includes a sub-window moving mechanism for moving the sub-window in accordance with movement of the main window so that the sub-window may always keep a specified relative position with respect to the main window on a display screen.

Abstract: An agent interface device for providing information suited for user preferences on the basis of the user usage history.

Abstract: An on-demand interface device comprises a voice input means for voice-inputting a retrieval request and instruction by a user, a request text input means for inputting the request and instruction by text, an input starting means for informing a control means of starting input operation, a voice recognizing means for recognizing an input speech, a control means for controlling the on-demand interface device, a selecting means for selecting a user's desired one from the results output by an output means, an output means for outputting a result of retrieval from a function database, an impersonated character image and a speech of the character, a function database containing scripts of help descriptions and instructions, a fail-in-retrieval response database containing massages to be output to the output means if a retrieval result is zero and scripts of actions of the character, and a command database containing commands to instruct the control means.

Abstract: An agent interface controls display of an agent and receives a request from a user. A search engine searches for an action script describing a procedure of controlling the agent interface in accordance with the request input from the agent interface. An action script executing engine executes the action script searched by the search engine. Thus, since action scripts adapted to be used for the same kind but different types of electrical household appliances are prepared in action script DB, for example, the different types of electrical household appliances can be operated by the same procedure and interfaces can be unified.

Abstract: A retrieval apparatus is capable of simultaneously executing keyword retrieval and semantic retrieval of information.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide an on-demand interface device which is capable of retrieving a function corresponding in meaning to an inputted request sentence and easily executing the retrieved function. The on-demand interface device comprises a function-description database containing function-descriptive sentences for respective functional items and action scripts for realizing respective functions, retrieving means for retrieving a functional item corresponding to a requesting sentence inputted through an input means, script executing means for realizing the retrieved function by executing a corresponding script. The retrieving means can conduct the retrieval of keywords as well as the retrieval of a requesting function by determining an inner product of two sentence vectors, i.e., of a request and each of function-descriptions for respective functional items.