Abstract: A vehicle drive control apparatus for use in a vehicle collects the number of travels in each of road sections in a traveled route for each of travel directions, extracts road sections having been traveled for more than a threshold number for each of travel directions, and stores extracted road sections as control section data maps in a durable storage medium. If the vehicle travels into the road sections stored as the control section data map, the “stored-as-the-map” road sections are identified as a series of road sections of high-travel-probability. In this manner, a series of road sections can be accurately identified as a high-probability section without having a user input of a travel destination or the like.

Abstract: A printing apparatus having an input unit through which a print-job is input; a printing unit, which executes the print-job input through the input unit, and which prints an image onto a recording medium; a connecting unit that is connectable to a removable storage medium; and a control unit, which reads identification information of the print-job from the connected removable storage medium when the removable storage medium is connected to the connecting unit, and which causes the printing unit to execute the print-job identified by the read identification information with priority over at least one print-job that starts being input to the input unit at a time earlier than when the print-job identified by the read identification information started being input.

Abstract: A technology that makes a program line-up related to contents distributed to a user side, depending on various conditions, preferences, and communication environments of the user side that views and listens to the content is disclosed. According to the technology, an on-board device (content receiving and reproducing device) 1 receives, from a service server 5, potential content list information of contents that can be distributed from a content server 7. The on-board device 1 sorts appropriate content from among the contents in the potential content list information and decide on a reproducing order of the contents, based on conditions of the user side, such as user preferences and vehicle conditions, conditions related to an environment on the user side, such as the communication environment, and conditions related to the contents, such as the genre of the content. The on-board device 1 creates program table information (timetable) and transmits the program table information to the content server.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to improve the accuracy of estimating a destination in a destination estimating apparatus. A destination estimating apparatus 100 includes: a learning data storing unit 9b that stores a history of a location specified as a destination in the past; a destination estimating unit 83 that estimates a destination from among a plurality of destination candidates including a location stored in the learning data storing unit 9b; and a candidate excluding unit 84 that, based on the history stored in the learning data storing unit 9b, excludes a destination candidate for which it is determined that a certainty factor of being a destination is lower than a predetermined threshold value from destination candidates that are estimated as being a destination by the destination estimating unit 83.

Abstract: To improve accuracy of determining whether route elements stored as a history are route elements familiar to the user, a navigation apparatus 100 includes: a passage history storage unit 9a that stores a history of route elements passed in the past; a memory cost determination unit 84 that determines memory costs indicative of how less likely a user still has in mind the route elements stored in the passage history storage unit 9a based on the history stored in the passage history storage unit 9a; a route search unit 85 that searches for a route leading to a destination by combining the route elements to minimize a route cost of the entire route including the memory costs determined by the memory cost determination unit 84; and a navigation unit 86 that performs a route guide in accordance with the route searched by the route search unit 85.

Abstract: A data-processing device is capable of connecting to a storing unit storing a plurality of image files, each of the plurality of image files including image data and additional information. The data-processing device includes a acquiring unit, a creating unit, a determining unit and a recording unit. The acquiring unit acquires the additional information from each of the plurality of image files. The creating unit that creates an annexed information set with respect to each of the plurality of image files. The annexed information set includes the additional information and identifying information corresponding to the additional information, the identifying information identifying the image file. The determining unit determines one of a plurality of pieces of the additional information included in the annexed information sets corresponding to the plurality of image files.

Abstract: A printing apparatus having an input unit through which a print-job is input; a printing unit, which executes the print-job input through the input unit, and which prints an image onto a recording medium; a connecting unit that is connectable to a removable storage medium; and a control unit, which reads identification information of the print-job from the connected removable storage medium when the removable storage medium is connected to the connecting unit, and which causes the printing unit to execute the print-job identified by the read identification information with priority over at least one print-job that starts being input to the input unit at a time earlier than when the print-job identified by the read identification information started being input.

Abstract: A vehicle drive control apparatus for use in a vehicle collects the number of travels in each of road sections in a traveled route for each of travel directions, extracts road sections having been traveled for more than a threshold number for each of travel directions, and stores extracted road sections as control section data maps in a durable storage medium. If the vehicle travels into the road sections stored as the control section data map, the “stored-as-the-map” road sections are identified as a series of road sections of high-travel-probability. In this manner, a series of road sections can be accurately identified as a high-probability section without having a user input of a travel destination or the like.

Abstract: A vehicle navigation apparatus determines whether or not the currently traveled route having a current vehicle position matches with estimated routes after determining, on the basis of the traveled route history, the estimated routes which correspond to destination candidates. Then, the navigation apparatus further determines whether or not the subsequent portion of the estimated route overlaps with other estimated route, for selecting one of the destination candidates. The vehicle navigation apparatus thus selects the destination candidate, in a highly accurate manner in terms of user preference, based on the traveled route history.

Abstract: An information processing system includes a content providing device (20) providing content appropriate for a user. The content providing device (20) includes: a model storage unit (40) containing a plurality of different models depending on the user attribute; a model determining unit (34) for selecting a model corresponding to the user attribute from the models stored in the model storage unit (40); a Bayesian reasoning unit (30) for reading out the model determined by the model determining unit (34) from the model storage unit (40) and using the read-out model to obtain the content appropriate for the user through probabilistic reasoning; and a recommending unit (22) for recommending the content obtained by the Bayesian reasoning unit (30) to the user. The content providing device (20) further includes a Bayesian learning unit (32) for learning models by using a user response to the content received from an operating unit (24).

Abstract: A navigation system for providing a destination of a trip and for use in a vehicle includes a position detector for detecting a current position of the vehicle, a condition detector for detecting a combination of a plurality of predetermined vehicle conditions when the vehicle is stopping at a stop location, a first determination unit for determining that the stop location is one of a stop-by place of the trip and the destination of the trip based on the combination of the plurality of the predetermined vehicle conditions detected by the condition detector, a storage unit for storing at least the destination of the trip based on a determination result by the first determination unit and an information provision unit for providing destination information regarding the trip at least based on the destination stored in the storage unit.

Abstract: When a vehicle deviates from a guide route at a first branch point, the state of the first branch point is memorized. Afterward, when a second branch point becomes a target for a route guide and the state of the second branch point is similar to the memorized state, a user of the vehicle is provided with a guide for preventing deviation from the guide route at the second branch point with a manner of the guide changed. This procedure allows learning of tendency of the user with respect to a state apt to cause the user to mistake a guide route. A guide to help prevent a user from deviating from a guide route at a branch point can be thus performed appropriately.

Abstract: A data-processing device is capable of connecting to a storing unit storing a plurality of image files, each of the plurality of image files including image data and additional information. The data-processing device includes a acquiring unit, a creating unit, a determining unit and a recording unit. The acquiring unit acquires the additional information from each of the plurality of image files. The creating unit that creates an annexed information set with respect to each of the plurality of image files. The annexed information set includes the additional information and identifying information corresponding to the additional information, the identifying information identifying the image file. The determining unit determines one of a plurality of pieces of the additional information included in the annexed information sets corresponding to the plurality of image files.

Abstract: A navigation system, having a route calculation unit for providing a navigation route from a start point to a destination based on an evaluation of a plurality of cost parameters by an evaluation function, includes a storage unit for storing a weighting factor determination relation for determining a weighting factor of the cost parameter based on a travel situation of predetermined type identified in a specific length of time and a weighting factor determination unit for determining the weighting factor based on the weighting factor determination relation and the travel situation derived from an actual state of traveling.

Abstract: A technology that makes a program line-up related to contents distributed to a user side, depending on various conditions, preferences, and communication environments of the user side that views and listens to the content is disclosed. According to the technology, an on-board device (content receiving and reproducing device) 1 receives, from a service server 5, potential content list information of contents that can be distributed from a content server 7. The on-board device 1 sorts appropriate content from among the contents in the potential content list information and decide on a reproducing order of the contents, based on conditions of the user side, such as user preferences and vehicle conditions, conditions related to an environment on the user side, such as the communication environment, and conditions related to the contents, such as the genre of the content. The on-board device 1 creates program table information (timetable) and transmits the program table information to the content server.

Abstract: There is disclosed a technique for automatically creating a detailed program table for playing contents according to various conditions. According to this technique, a constraint condition generation unit 103 acquires a condition (constraint condition) related to a user and describes this constraint condition through the use of a constraint condition description function. A constraint condition solution unit 104 carries out constraint solution processing by making reference to content attribute information stored in a content attribute storage unit 124 on the basis of the constraint condition description function supplied from the constraint condition generation unit, thereby deriving an optimal program table (optimal solution) defining a temporal arrangement of a plurality of contents.

Abstract: An information processing system includes a content providing device (20) providing content appropriate for a user. The content providing device (20) includes: a model storage unit (40) containing a plurality of different models depending on the user attribute; a model determining unit (34) for selecting a model corresponding to the user attribute from the models stored in the model storage unit (40); a Bayesian reasoning unit (30) for reading out the model determined by the model determining unit (34) from the model storage unit (40) and using the read-out model to obtain the content appropriate for the user through probabilistic reasoning; and a recommending unit (22) for recommending the content obtained by the Bayesian reasoning unit (30) to the user. The content providing device (20) further includes a Bayesian learning unit (32) for learning models by using a user response to the content received from an operating unit (24).

Abstract: When a vehicle deviates from a guide route at a first branch point, the state of the first branch point is memorized. Afterward, when a second branch point becomes a target for a route guide and the state of the second branch point is similar to the memorized state, a user of the vehicle is provided with a guide for preventing deviation from the guide route at the second branch point with a manner of the guide changed. This procedure allows learning of tendency of the user with respect to a state apt to cause the user to mistake a guide route. A guide to help prevent a user from deviating from a guide route at a branch point can be thus performed appropriately.

Abstract: A navigation system, having a route calculation unit for providing a navigation route from a start point to a destination based on an evaluation of a plurality of cost parameters by an evaluation function, includes a storage unit for storing a weighting factor determination relation for determining a weighting factor of the cost parameter based on a travel situation of predetermined type identified in a specific length of time and a weighting factor determination unit for determining the weighting factor based on the weighting factor determination relation and the travel situation derived from an actual state of traveling.

Abstract: A navigation system for providing a destination of a trip and for use in a vehicle includes a position detector for detecting a current position of the vehicle, a condition detector for detecting a combination of a plurality of predetermined vehicle conditions when the vehicle is stopping at a stop location, a first determination unit for determining that the stop location is one of a stop-by place of the trip and the destination of the trip based on the combination of the plurality of the predetermined vehicle conditions detected by the condition detector, a storage unit for storing at least the destination of the trip based on a determination result by the first determination unit and an information provision unit for providing destination information regarding the trip at least based on the destination stored in the storage unit.