Abstract: A computer has a display device, a speaker device and an input device, and is capable of identifying problems concerning accessibility in web content displayed on the display device to a visually impaired user of the computer. The web content includes a plurality of structured objects. The computer also has text-to-speech capability such that the web content displayed on the display device is audibly read to the user. The user provides a specification operation input when he or she is uncomfortable with the audible reading. A reporter software module executing on the computer determines which one of the structured objects is causing the discomfort.

Abstract: A method of protecting information in search queries uses a search apparatus with a user interface that is configured for connection to a computer network that comprises a plurality of search engines on a plurality of servers. The method includes receiving a search query comprising a plurality of keywords; dividing the search query into a number of sub-queries, each sub-query comprising at least one of the keywords; and submitting the sub-queries to different search engines.

Abstract: A method and article of manufacture of making dynamic content more accessible to screen readers and web spiders. The method applies to a server connected to a client via a network. The method includes receiving from the client an action event indicative of an action performed by a user on content displayed on the client and a change event indicative of a change in the content. The method further includes generating metadata for improving accessibility to the content based on the action event and the change event.

Abstract: Degrees of similarity between pages from the viewpoint of metadata creation and verification can be estimated based on degrees of similarity between pages in terms of structure, style (appearance), and accessibility error, and, based on the estimation, representative pages appropriate for efficiently adding metadata can be recommended, or target pages appropriate for efficiently verifying the metadata can be recommended.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring and judging activities in a virtual world environment are disclosed. The method comprises a first user engaging in an activity in the virtual world environment, a witness witnessing the first activity and reporting the activity to a monitor as possibly malicious, and the monitor organizing a jury comprised of a plurality of jurors. The jurors view and judge the activity in the virtual world environment; and on the basis of this judging, defined benefits in the virtual world environment are awarded to the witness, monitor and jurors. The method may further comprise penalizing the first user in the virtual world environment. For instance, if the first user has friends in the virtual world environment, the penalizing may include penalizing these friends.

Abstract: A method for carrying out a secure transaction in a 3D virtual space is desired from both an administrator side operating a facility and a user side. It is also desired to solve the problems such as the confidentiality of a transaction in the 3D virtual space and a phishing scam. In the present invention, a copy space of an original space of a facility in the 3D virtual space is created. Since only avatars permitted to enter the copy space can enter the copy space, a secure transaction can be carried out between the facility and a user avatar.

Abstract: A transformation tree for an object model (OM) is defined. The transformation tree has nodes interconnected by edges, where each node is connected to at most one other tree node. Each node corresponds to a state of the OM; each edge corresponds to an event causing the OM to transition from the state of one node to the state of another node. A transformation graph for the OM is constructed by simulating the transformation tree. The transformation graph has nodes interconnected by edges, and is a directed graph in which each node is connected to one or more other nodes. Each node corresponds to a state of the OM; each edge corresponds to an event causing the OM to transition from the state of one node to the state of another node. Crawling-oriented actions are performed in relation to the OM by being performed in relation to the transformation graph.

Abstract: In a search support server, a related word extraction unit generates frequency information and co-occurrence information of keywords, a graph generation unit generates coordinate information of a spring graph including the keywords as nodes, on the basis of the co-occurrence information, a cluster generation unit groups the nodes into clusters and thereby generates cluster definition information, and a display information generation unit generates display information of the spring graph. In addition, an operation determination unit determines which operation is performed on the spring graph. Then, when a level change is instructed, the display information generation unit generates display information of the spring graph after the level is changed. When a node change is instructed, a cluster re-generation unit changes the cluster definition information and the frequency information.

Abstract: The present invention provides a search apparatus, method and program using a public search engine, which is capable of acquiring necessary information without allowing confidential information to be inferred. Input of a desired search word comprising characters is received, and characters are extracted from the search word. Multiple character strings comprising the extracted characters are generated. A word is selected as a noise word, and characters are selected from the noise word. A noise character string comprising the extracted characters is generated. A query is generated by combining the character strings and noise character strings, and is transmitted to the search engine. A search is performed by use of the search word over a search result transmitted from the search engine in reply to the query, and the search result is displayed.

Abstract: Degrees of similarity between pages from the viewpoint of metadata creation and verification can be estimated based on degrees of similarity between pages in terms of structure, style (appearance), and accessibility error, and, based on the estimation, representative pages appropriate for efficiently adding metadata can be recommended, or target pages appropriate for efficiently verifying the metadata can be recommended.

Abstract: A transformation tree for an object model (OM) is defined. The transformation tree has nodes interconnected by edges, where each node is connected to at most one other tree node. Each node corresponds to a state of the OM; each edge corresponds to an event causing the OM to transition from the state of one node to the state of another node. A transformation graph for the OM is constructed by simulating the transformation tree. The transformation graph has nodes interconnected by edges, and is a directed graph in which each node is connected to one or more other nodes. Each node corresponds to a state of the OM; each edge corresponds to an event causing the OM to transition from the state of one node to the state of another node. Crawling-oriented actions are performed in relation to the OM by being performed in relation to the transformation graph.

Abstract: The present invention provides a search apparatus, method and program using a public search engine, which is capable of acquiring necessary information without allowing confidential information to be inferred. Input of a desired search word comprising characters is received, and characters are extracted from the search word. Multiple character strings comprising the extracted characters are generated. A word is selected as a noise word, and characters are selected from the noise word. A noise character string comprising the extracted characters is generated. A query is generated by combining the character strings and noise character strings, and is transmitted to the search engine. A search is performed by use of the search word over a search result transmitted from the search engine in reply to the query, and the search result is displayed.

Abstract: A method of protecting information in search queries uses a search apparatus with a user interface that is configured for connection to a computer network that comprises a plurality of search engines on a plurality of servers.

Abstract: In a search support server, a related word extraction unit generates frequency information and co-occurrence information of keywords, a graph generation unit generates coordinate information of a spring graph including the keywords as nodes, on the basis of the co-occurrence information, a cluster generation unit groups the nodes into clusters and thereby generates cluster definition information, and a display information generation unit generates display information of the spring graph. In addition, an operation determination unit determines which operation is performed on the spring graph. Then, when a level change is instructed, the display information generation unit generates display information of the spring graph after the level is changed. When a node change is instructed, a cluster re-generation unit changes the cluster definition information and the frequency information.

Abstract: A computer having a display device, a speaker device and an input device, for identifying problems concerning accessibility in content the computer. The computer includes: display means for displaying content containing a plurality of structured objects; conversion means for converting the content into reading information based on predetermined rules; reading means for reading the converted reading information through the speaker device; history means for obtaining a history of operations of the input device by a user, the history including an operation by the user in response to a reading corresponding to a specific object; and identification means for identifying the specific object based on the reading information and the operation history. The method includes: displaying content containing structured objects; converting the content into reading information; reading the converted information; obtaining a history of operations; and identifying a specific object.

Abstract: The method may comprise the further step of on the basis of said judging, penalizing the first user in the virtual world environment. For instance, if the first user has friends in said virtual world environment, and the penalizing step includes the step of penalizing said friends.

Abstract: A method for carrying out a secure transaction in a 3D virtual space is desired from both an administrator side operating a facility and a user side. It is also desired to solve the problems such as the confidentiality of a transaction in the 3D virtual space and a phishing scam. In the present invention, a copy space of an original space of a facility in the 3D virtual space is created. Since only avatars permitted to enter the copy space can enter the copy space, a secure transaction can be carried out between the facility and a user avatar.