Abstract: A content searching apparatus facilitating a search of a content, which a user desires, even where relativity between a content and a keyword change, wherein the content searching apparatus includes: a content table storing unit storing content tables; an input unit obtaining a keyword, which has been selected as a selected keyword; a relevant keyword creating unit (i) calculating a relevance degree, for each of keywords, to the selected keyword, based on a target content table, (ii) selecting a keyword having a predetermined relevance degree out of each of the keywords, and (iii) creating a relevant keyword out of the corresponding keywords; and a variance calculating unit calculating a variance value of selected keywords including the keyword, when the user is confused. Further, the content searching apparatus includes a content table selecting unit changing the above mentioned target content table to another content table, when the variance value is larger than a threshold value.

Abstract: To provide a content searching device which can efficiently present to the user a topical related keyword.

Abstract: A contents retrieval device (100) presenting an appropriate related keyword to a user even when an object user wishes to retrieve dynamically changes. The contents retrieval device (100) includes a contents estimation unit (107) retrieving contents according to a search keyword, a document space database (103) storing document spaces according to an occurrence frequency of the keyword, a document space selection unit (104) selecting a the narrowing-down document space and an expansion document space from the document space database (103) according to the search keyword and the occurrence frequency of the document space indicating a degree of relevance with the contents according to the search keyword, a related keyword estimation unit (108) selecting keywords corresponding to the narrowing-down document space and the expansion document space as a narrowing-down keyword and an expansion keyword, respectively, and an output unit displaying the selected narrowing-down and expansion keywords.

Abstract: A speech recognition device presenting whether a user's utterance is an unregistered word and whether the utterance should be repeated. The device includes a vocabulary storage unit (102) defining a vocabulary for speech recognition, and a speech recognition unit (101) checking the uttered speech against registered words. The device also includes a similarity calculation unit (103) calculating a similarity between the uttered speech and acoustic units, a judgment unit (104) judging, based on the check by the speech recognition unit (101) and the calculation performed by the similarity calculation unit (103), whether the uttered speech is a registered or unregistered word, an unregistered word unit (106) storing unregistered words, an unregistered word candidate search unit (105) searching the unregistered word unit (106) for unregistered word candidates, the, when the judgment unit (104) judges that the uttered speech is an unregistered word, and a display unit (107) displaying the result.

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 information retrieval apparatus using a preference-based association dictionary, having words stored therein that are dynamically changed according to user's preferences, and using a general association dictionary storing a relationship between keywords included in a database. The apparatus includes: a matching unit which calculates a degree of matching between a search condition inputted from an input unit and a profile; a generation unit which obtains (i) one or more related words from a general association dictionary in a case where the matching degree is smaller than a predetermined threshold, and (ii) one or more related words from a preference-based association dictionary in a case where the matching degree is greater than the predetermined threshold; and a retrieval unit which retrieves information that meets the generated search condition.

Abstract: In an interactive program search apparatus (100) which presents search condition candidates for expanding or narrowing down search results, reason words indicating the reason why the search condition candidates are presented are adaptively determined based on user's preference, search actions, and watching actions. An association-source word extracting unit (109) extracts an association-source word from the program search results, and an associated word extracting unit (110) extracts associated words associated with the association-source word, from an association dictionary storage unit (103). A reason word extracting unit (111) extracts reason words illustrating the relationships between the association-source word and the associated words, using the association-source word, the associated words, and the obtainment history information composed of words included in the program information of the programs selected by the user in the past and selected words among the words.

Abstract: An information retrieval apparatus, which can present to a user only a related word matching a user search intent, includes: an associative dictionary storage unit (102A) for storing words included in plural pieces of text to be searched and relevance degrees between the words; an appearance frequency storage unit (102B) for storing an appearance frequency that is the number of pieces of text in which the words stored in the associative dictionary storage unit (102A) appear, among the plural pieces of text to be searched; and a related word obtaining unit (104) that obtains a related word to be presented to the user, from the relevance degree between the search word entered by the user and another word among the words, the appearance frequency, and the user search intent.

Abstract: A related word presentation device (100) for appropriately performing omission prevention search includes: a program information storage unit (101) which stores program information (101a) of each program; an information dividing unit (103a) which generates, for each of the attributes of the words included in the program information (101a), at least one group which includes, as a unit, a reference word which is a word belonging to the attribute and a set of words which co-occur with the reference word in a program; a degree-of-relevance calculating unit (103b) which stores, in an association dictionary storage unit (102), attribute-based association dictionaries (102a, 102b, 102c) each of which indicates, for the corresponding attribute of words, (i) the words and (ii) the degrees of relevance between the words calculated based on the frequency of co-occurrence in each of groups; a search condition obtaining unit (104) which obtains the search word and the attribute; a substitute word obtaining unit (105) whic

Abstract: A content searching apparatus facilitating a search of a content which a user desires even where relativity between a content and a keyword change includes: a content table storing unit (108) storing content tables (108a); an input unit (112) obtaining a keyword which has been selected as a selected keyword; a relevant keyword creating unit (109) calculating a relevance degree, for each of keywords, to the selected keyword, based on a target content table (108a), selecting a keyword having a predetermined relevance degree out of each of the keywords, and creating a relevant keyword out of the corresponding keywords; a variance calculating unit (106) calculating a variance value of selected keywords including the keyword when the user is confused; and a content table selecting unit (114) changing the above mentioned target content table (108a) to another content table (108a) in the case where the variance value is larger than a threshold value.

Abstract: The contents retrieval device (100) which can present an appropriate related keyword to a user even when the object user wishes to retrieve dynamically changes includes a contents estimation unit (107) which retrieves the contents according to the search keyword, the document space database (103) where the plurality of document spaces according to the occurrence frequency of the keyword is stored, the document space selection unit (104) which selects the narrowing-down document space and the expansion document space from the document space database (103) according to the search keyword and the occurrence frequency of the document space indicating a degree of relevance with the contents according to the search keyword, the related keyword estimation unit (108) which selects the keywords corresponding to the narrowing-down document space and the expansion document space as the narrowing-down keyword and the expansion keyword respectively, and the output unit which displays the selected narrowing-down keyword an

Abstract: The present invention provides a polishing platen which does not require a large force for removing a polishing pad from an upper surface of the polishing platen and can thus make it relatively easy to remove the polishing pad therefrom. The present invention also provides a polishing apparatus having such polishing platen. The polishing platen (12) according to the present invention includes a surface to which a polishing pad is attached. The surface of the polishing platen (12) includes a combination of a first surface (20) and a second surface (21) having a surface roughness which is different from that of the first surface (20).

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: A joystick type switch device is provided that includes an operating shaft having an operating knob provided at one end, and a case supporting the operating shaft so that the operating shaft can move between a return position and a pushed-in position and tilt from a neutral position around a tilt center, it being possible to detect pushing of the operating shaft into the pushed-in position and tilting of the operating shaft from the neutral position into eight directions, wherein the operating shaft (16) has a magnet mounted at the other end, and a portion, facing the magnet, of a base plate (22) mounted on the case has at least three Hall elements (43A to 43D) fixed thereto at equal intervals around the axis of the operating shaft (16) in the neutral position. This enables excellent durability to be obtained and the number of components to be reduced.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first sheet discharge unit, a second sheet discharge unit, a switching unit configured to cause a sheet discharge destination to switch between the first sheet discharge unit and the second sheet discharge unit, a memory unit configured to store information about drying time of a print medium, a timer unit configured to determine elapse of the drying time of the printed print medium based on the information stored in the memory unit, and a control unit configured to control the switching unit to set the first sheet discharge unit to be the sheet discharge destination based on a determination of the timer unit that a drying time of a print medium discharged to the first sheet discharge unit has elapsed.

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: 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: A speech recognition device that is capable of presenting, to a user in an easy-to-understand manner, whether or not the user's utterance is a word unregistered in a speech recognition dictionary and whether or not the utterance should be repeated due to a recognition error includes: a speech recognition vocabulary storage unit (102) which defines vocabulary for speech recognition; a speech recognition unit (101) which checks the uttered speech against the registered words; a reference similarity calculation unit (103) which calculates a similarity between the uttered speech and a combination of acoustic units, which are subwords; an unregistered word judgment unit (104) which judges, based on the result of the check by the speech recognition unit (101) and a result of the calculation performed by the reference similarity calculation unit (103), whether the uttered speech is a registered word or an unregistered word; an unregistered word storage (106) which stores unregistered words; an unregistered word cand

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