FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
[See section 10, Rule 13]
INFORMATION PROVISION DEVICE, INFORMATION PROVISION METHOD,
AND INFORMATION RECEPTION DEVICE
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION, A CORPORATION ORGANISED AND
EXISTING UNDER THE LAWS OF JAPAN, WHOSE ADDRESS IS 7-3,
MARUNOUCHI 2-CHOME, CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 1008310, JAPAN
THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATION PARTICULARLY DESCRIBES THE
INVENTION AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS TO BE PERFORMED.
2
DESCRIPTION
TITLE: INFORMATION PROVISION DEVICE, INFORMATION PROVISION
METHOD, AND INFORMATION RECEPTION DEVICE
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information providing apparatus, an5
information providing method, and an information receiving apparatus to provide
multimedia information including at least one of text, images, and sounds to an indefinite
number of users.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] As a conventional information providing apparatus, technology of managing10
video information in units of segments, extracting a portion of interest to a user, and
providing the extracted portion to the user is disclosed (see Patent Document 1, for
example), for example.
PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS
PATENT DOCUMENT15
[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-250944
SUMMARY
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION
[0004] In technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, information of interest to a user is
displayed using a preference of the user, but the information is displayed in the same form20
irrespective of the user. Thus, it cannot be said that information preferentially required by
a user is provided in a form intelligible to the user.
[0005] The present disclosure has been conceived to solve such a problem, and it is an
object of the present disclosure to provide an information providing apparatus, an
information providing method, and an information receiving apparatus capable of25
3
providing information preferentially required by a user in a form intelligible to the user.
MEANS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM
[0006] To solve the above-mentioned problem, an information providing apparatus
according to the present disclosure includes: a multimedia information database to record
therein multimedia information including at least one of text, images, and sounds; an input5
information acquisition unit to acquire input information input by a user; a similarity
calculation unit to calculate similarity between the input information acquired by the input
information acquisition unit and the multimedia information recorded in the multimedia
information database; a user information database to record therein user information
including an attribute and a preference of the user; a providing structure construction unit10
to construct a providing structure to provide the multimedia information to the user based
on the user information recorded in the user information database; and a providing unit to
provide, to the user, provided information created based on the similarity calculated by the
similarity calculation unit and the providing structure constructed by the providing
structure construction unit.15
EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0007] According to the present disclosure, information preferentially required by the
user can be provided in a form intelligible to the user.
[0008] These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure
will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in20
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0009] [FIG. 1] is a block diagram showing one example of a configuration of an
information providing apparatus according to Embodiment 1.
[FIG. 2] is a diagram showing one example of a hardware configuration of the25
4
information providing apparatus according to Embodiment 1.
[FIG. 3] is a flowchart showing one example of operation of the information
providing apparatus according to Embodiment 1.
[FIG. 4] is a diagram showing one example of a providing structure according to
Embodiment 1.5
[FIG. 5] is a diagram showing one example of the providing structure according
to Embodiment 1.
[FIG. 6] is a diagram showing one example of the providing structure according
to Embodiment 1.
[FIG. 7] is a diagram showing one example of the providing structure according10
to Embodiment 1.
[FIG. 8] is a diagram showing one example of the providing structure according
to Embodiment 1.
[FIG. 9] is a diagram showing one example of the providing structure according
to Embodiment 1.15
[FIG. 10] is a diagram showing one example of the providing structure according
to Embodiment 1.
[FIG. 11] is a diagram showing one example of the providing structure according
to Embodiment 1.
[FIG. 12] is a block diagram showing one example of a configuration of an20
information providing apparatus according to Embodiment 2.
[FIG. 13] is a flowchart showing one example of operation of the information
providing apparatus according to Embodiment 2.
[FIG. 14] is a block diagram showing one example of a configuration of an
information providing apparatus according to Embodiment 3.25
5
[FIG. 15] is a flowchart showing one example of operation of the information
providing apparatus according to Embodiment 3.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0010] The present disclosure can be implemented in many different manners, and
embodiments described below do not restrict the present disclosure.5
[0011]
<1-1. Configuration>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one example of a configuration of an
information providing apparatus according to Embodiment 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the
information providing apparatus according to Embodiment 1 includes an input information10
acquisition unit 10, an input information database 20, a multimedia information database
30, an input information analysis unit 40, a multimedia information analysis unit 50, a
similarity calculation unit 60, a user information database 70, a user preference
determination unit 71, a providing structure construction unit 72, a provided information
creation unit 80, a providing unit 81, and a preference information receiving unit 90.15
[0012] While the input information database 20, the multimedia information database 30,
and the user information database 70 are shown separately in FIG. 1 for convenience of
description, they may physically or virtually be a single database or a plurality of separate
databases. The multimedia information database 30 receives and records therein
multimedia information, and the user information database 70 receives and records therein20
user information, so that it can be said that the information providing apparatus according
to Embodiment 1 is an information receiving apparatus to receive information.
[0013] The input information acquisition unit 10 acquires input information input by a
user. Description will be made below based on the assumption that the input information
is search information input by the user to search for desired multimedia information. The25
6
search information acquired by the input information acquisition unit 10 is recorded in the
input information database 20 in connection with the user having input the search
information. Pieces of search information input by a plurality of users are stored in the
input information database 20 in connection with the respective users.
[0014] A plurality of pieces of multimedia information provided to a user are recorded in5
the multimedia information database 30. The multimedia information includes at least one
of text, images, and sounds. The multimedia information may be recorded (registered) in
advance in the multimedia information database 30 and may be added as needed.
[0015] The input information analysis unit 40 analyzes the input information recorded in
the input information database 20. The multimedia information analysis unit 50 analyzes10
the multimedia information recorded in the multimedia information database 30.
[0016] The similarity calculation unit 60 calculates similarity between the input
information analyzed by the input information analysis unit 40 and the multimedia
information analyzed by the multimedia information analysis unit 50.
[0017] User information including an attribute and a preference of the user is recorded in15
the user information database 70. An attribute, a specialty, and the like that can be collected
during user registration may be registered in advance in the user information database 70.
Examples of the attribute of the user include gender, age, a career, a job category, and a
feature.
[0018] The user preference determination unit 71 determines a preference of the user for20
the multimedia information based on the user information recorded in the user information
database 70.
[0019] The providing structure construction unit 72 constructs a providing structure to
provide the multimedia information to the user based on the preference of the user
determined by the user preference determination unit 71. The provided information25
7
creation unit 80 creates provided information to be provided to the user based on the
similarity calculated by the similarity calculation unit 60 and the providing structure
constructed by the providing structure construction unit 72.
[0020] The providing unit 81 provides, to the user, the provided information created by
the provided information creation unit 80. The preference information receiving unit 905
receives preference information on the user in response to the provided information
provided by the providing unit 81. The preference information on the user received by the
preference information receiving unit 90 is information relating to behavior of the user in
response to the provided information provided by the providing unit 81 and is recorded in
the user information database 70.10
[0021] Each of the functions of the information providing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 can
be performed using a general computer system. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing one example
of a hardware configuration of a computer system for the information providing apparatus
according to Embodiment 1.
[0022] As shown in FIG. 2, the computer system includes an information input/output15
unit 300 and an arithmetic unit 400. The information input/output unit 300 and the
arithmetic unit 400 may be connected via a communication network.
[0023] The information input/output unit 300 includes a display 200, a speaker 210, and
a keyboard 220. The input information acquisition unit 10 acquires the input information
input by the user via the keyboard 220. The preference information receiving unit 9020
acquires the preference information input by the user via the keyboard 220. The display
200 and the speaker 210 correspond to the providing unit 81.
[0024] The arithmetic unit 400 includes a processor 230, memory 240, and a hard disk
drive (HDD) 250. The HDD 250 corresponds to the input information database 20, the
multimedia information database 30, and the user information database 70.25
8
[0025] Functions of the input information acquisition unit 10, the input information
analysis unit 40, the multimedia information analysis unit 50, the similarity calculation unit
60, the user preference determination unit 71, the providing structure construction unit 72,
the provided information creation unit 80, and the preference information receiving unit 90
may be achieved by an unillustrated processing circuit. The processing circuit may be5
dedicated hardware and may be a processor (also referred to as a CPU, a central processing
unit, a processing unit, an arithmetic unit, a microprocessor, a microcomputer, and a digital
signal processor (DSP)) to execute a program stored in memory.
[0026] When the processing circuit is the dedicated hardware, the processing circuit
corresponds to a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel10
programmed processor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field
programmable gate array (FPGA), or a combination thereof, for example. Functions of the
input information acquisition unit 10, the input information analysis unit 40, the
multimedia information analysis unit 50, the similarity calculation unit 60, the user
preference determination unit 71, the providing structure construction unit 72, the provided15
information creation unit 80, and the preference information receiving unit 90 may each be
achieved by the processing circuit or may collectively be achieved by the single processing
circuit.
[0027] When the processing circuit is the processor 230 shown in FIG. 2, the functions
of the input information acquisition unit 10, the input information analysis unit 40, the20
multimedia information analysis unit 50, the similarity calculation unit 60, the user
preference determination unit 71, the providing structure construction unit 72, the provided
information creation unit 80, and the preference information receiving unit 90 are achieved
by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. The software or the
firmware is described as a program and is stored in the memory 240 or the HDD 250. The25
9
processor 230 reads and executes the program stored in the memory 240 or the HDD 250
to achieve the functions. The memory herein may be, for example, nonvolatile or volatile
semiconductor memory, such as random access memory (RAM), read only memory
(ROM), flash memory, erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), and
electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), a magnetic disk, a5
flexible disk, an optical disc, a compact disc, a digital versatile disc (DVD), and the like or
any storage medium to be used in the future.
[0028] One or more of the functions of the input information acquisition unit 10, the input
information analysis unit 40, the multimedia information analysis unit 50, the similarity
calculation unit 60, the user preference determination unit 71, the providing structure10
construction unit 72, the provided information creation unit 80, and the preference
information receiving unit 90 may be achieved by the dedicated hardware, and the other
one or more of the functions may be achieved by the software or the firmware.
[0029] The configuration of the computer system shown in FIG. 2 is one example, and a
Braille terminal, a plurality of processors, a solid state drive, a data input/output device, or15
the like may be included in place of another component or in addition to the other
components as long as the information providing apparatus according to Embodiment 1 is
achieved.
[0030] <1-2. Operation>
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing one example of operation (an information providing20
method) of the information providing apparatus according to Embodiment 1.
[0031] The user registers the user information including the attribute and the preference
of the user (step S10). The user information registered by the user is recorded in the user
information database 70.
[0032] The input information acquisition unit 10 acquires the input information input by25
10
the user (step S20). Description will be made below based on the assumption that the input
information is the search information.
[0033] For example, the user may input a sentence (text) or a word as the search
information via a keyboard of a computer, may transcribe a sentence or an image via a
mouse to input the transcribed sentence or image as the search information, or may input5
sound information as the search information via a microphone. The search information
acquired by the input information acquisition unit 10 is recorded in the input information
database 20.
[0034] The multimedia information is recorded in the multimedia information database
30 (step S30).10
[0035] The input information analysis unit 40 analyzes the search information recorded
in the input information database 20 (step S40). When the search information is sentence
information, the input information analysis unit 40 analyzes the sentence information by
morphological analysis, syntax analysis, part-of-speech analysis, reference resolution, or
discourse analysis, for example. When the search information is image information, the15
input information analysis unit 40 analyzes the image information by feature analysis,
pattern recognition, image processing, an image database, computer vision, or visualization,
for example. When the search information is the sound information, the input information
analysis unit 40 analyzes the sound information by frequency analysis, spectrogram
analysis, acoustic analysis, or voice recognition, for example. When the search information20
is video information, the input information analysis unit 40 analyzes the video information
by time series data, for example, in addition to feature analysis, pattern recognition, image
processing, the image database, computer vision, visualization, frequency analysis,
spectrogram analysis, acoustic analysis, or voice recognition, which is similar analysis to
that performed on the image information or the sound information, for example.25
11
[0036] The input information analysis unit 40 may combine the above-mentioned
analysis methods as appropriate for analysis of multimodal information, such as a
combination of the sentence information and the image information and a combination of
the image information and the sound information.
[0037] While a case where the search information recorded in the input information5
database 20 is the sentence information, the image information, the sound information, or
the video information has been described above as one example, the search information is
not limited to these pieces of information. The search information may be information
other than these pieces of information. In this case, the input information analysis unit 40
performs analysis according to each piece of information.10
[0038] A case where the search information is the sentence information will be described
below as one example.
[0039] The input information analysis unit 40 performs morphological analysis on the
sentence input by the user as the search information to break down the sentence into words
(step S40).15
[0040] On the other hand, the multimedia information including at least one of sentences
(text), images, and sounds to be searched for is recorded (stored) in advance in the
multimedia information database 30 (step S30). The multimedia information analysis unit
50 performs similar analysis to that performed by the input information analysis unit 40 on
the multimedia information recorded in the multimedia information database 30 (step S50).20
[0041] The similarity calculation unit 60 calculates similarity between the search
information and the multimedia information based on a result of analysis performed by the
input information analysis unit 40 and a result of analysis performed by the multimedia
information analysis unit 50 (step S60).
[0042] For example, the similarity calculation unit 60 compares the words obtained by25
12
breakdown by morphological analysis performed by the input information analysis unit 40
with the result of analysis performed by the multimedia information analysis unit 50 in
order from a word corresponding to a greater number of times the word is repeatedly
described in sentences as the search information.
[0043] Each of the words obtained by breakdown by morphological analysis performed5
by the input information analysis unit 40 is weighted. Weighting may herein be set in any
manner, and, for example, a weight expressed by an equation (1) below may be applied to
each of the words. In the equation (1), Xt is a weight of a word t, nt is the number of times
the word appears in a sentence, and S is a total number of times all words in the sentence
appear.10
Xt = nt/S ···(1)
[0044] The weight applied to the word is not limited to the above-mentioned weight and
may be changed based on the preference information on the user, which will be described
below. Part-of-speech analysis may be performed to weight a particular part of speech or
a particular feature word, such as a noun, a verb, and a number, and to apply a weight of 015
to the other words.
[0045] The similarity calculation unit 60 judges that a degree of correlation (similarity)
between the search information and the multimedia information is higher when the same
word (word as the result of analysis performed by the input information analysis unit 40)
appears in a sentence (sentence included in the multimedia information) more frequently.20
In this case, the similarity calculation unit 60 considers a weight applied to each word. The
similarity calculation unit 60 selects multimedia information having similarity equal to
higher than a predetermined threshold as a candidate (reply candidate) for information to
be provided to the user.
[0046] The similarity calculation unit 60 has a function to prepare the reply candidate for25
13
the user, and the system can desirably dynamically change a calculation algorism based on
a response of the user to a reply.
[0047] After the similarity calculation unit 60 calculates similarity, the user preference
determination unit 71 determines the preference of the user (a form of the reply required
by the user) based on the user information recorded in the user information database 70.5
Determination of the preference of the user by the user preference determination unit 71
may be made in parallel with or may be made before determination of similarity by the
similarity calculation unit 60.
[0048] The providing structure construction unit 72 constructs the providing structure (a
reply structure) matching the preference of the user determined by the user preference10
determination unit 71 (step S70).
[0049] For example, when the user is engaged in a technical job, the providing structure
construction unit 72 constructs an abstract (seeds information) of a technical document as
illustrated in FIG. 4 as the providing structure. When the user is engaged in a sales-related
job, the providing structure construction unit 72 constructs expert information as illustrated15
in FIG. 5 as the providing structure.
[0050] When information relating to the preference of the user is stored in the user
information database 70, a providing structure preferentially including information
displayed many times during previous use of the user may be constructed. When, as
information relating to a preference of a user engaged in a music-related job, information20
indicating that the user checks a proposal of notes in detail is stored in the user information
database 70, for example, the providing structure construction unit 72 constructs staff
notation information (score information) as illustrated in FIG. 6 as the providing structure.
When, as the information relating to the preference of the user engaged in the music-related
job, information indicating that the user checks frequency information is stored in the user25
14
information database 70, the providing structure construction unit 72 constructs frequency
analysis information (spectral information) as illustrated in FIG. 7 as the providing
structure. When the user has a preference for output of a sound, the providing structure
construction unit 72 constructs output of a sound as illustrated in FIG. 8 as the providing
structure. When the user has a preference for check of lyrics, the providing structure5
construction unit 72 constructs lyric information as illustrated in FIG. 9 as the providing
structure.
[0051] When, as information relating to a preference of a user engaged in a video-related
job, information indicating that the user checks a video is stored in the user information
database 70, the providing structure construction unit 72 constructs video information as10
illustrated in FIG. 10 or 11 as the providing structure.
[0052] The provided information creation unit 80 selects, from among pieces of
multimedia information having high similarity calculated by the similarity calculation unit
60, a piece of multimedia information matching the providing structure constructed by the
providing structure construction unit 72. The provided information creation unit 80 inputs15
(applies) the selected piece of multimedia information to the providing structure to create
the provided information (step S80). The provided information creation unit 80 can thereby
create the provided information matching the preference of the user.
[0053] The providing unit 81 presents the provided information created by the provided
information creation unit 80 to the user (step S90).20
[0054] The user is provided with a function to sort, from among pieces of the provided
information provided by the providing unit 81, information matching the preference of the
user from information not matching the preference of the user (step S100). When the user
selects the information matching the preference thereof (information matching an object of
search) (Yes in step S100), the providing unit 81 presents details of the selected information25
15
to the user (step S110). On the other hand, when the user selects the information not
matching the preference thereof (No in step S100), the preference information receiving
unit 90 receives the information not matching the preference of the user. The preference
information receiving unit 90 records the information not matching the preference of the
user received by the preference information receiving unit in the user information database5
70. The preference information receiving unit 90 may record the information matching the
preference of the user in the user information database 70.
[0055] <1-3. Effects>
According to the information providing apparatus according to Embodiment 1,
information preferentially required by the user can be provided in a form intelligible to the10
user. The user information is stored over time, so that information matching the preference
of the user can be provided even when the attribute or the preference of the user is changed.
The user information is recorded in advance, so that information can be provided in a form
desired by the user during first use.
[0056] 15
<2-1. Configuration>
FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing one example of a configuration of an
information providing apparatus according to Embodiment 2. As shown in FIG. 12, the
information providing apparatus according to Embodiment 2 is characterized in that the
input information acquired by the input information acquisition unit 10 is recorded in the20
multimedia information database 30. The other configuration and operation are similar to
those according to Embodiment 1, so that detailed description thereof is omitted herein.
[0057] The input information (at least one of text, images, and sounds) acquired by the
input information acquisition unit 10 is recorded in the multimedia information database
30.25
16
[0058] <2-2. Operation>
FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing one example of operation of the information
providing apparatus according to Embodiment 2. Operation shown in FIG. 13 is
characterized in that step S120 has been added to operation shown in FIG. 3. Steps S10 to
S110 in FIG. 13 are similar to steps S10 to S110 in FIG. 3, so that detailed description5
thereof is omitted herein.
[0059] The input information acquisition unit 10 acquires the input information input by
the user (step S120) and records the acquired input information in the multimedia
information database 30 (step S30).
[0060] The multimedia information analysis unit 50 performs similar analysis to that10
performed by the input information analysis unit 40 on the multimedia information
recorded in the multimedia information database 30 and the input information acquired by
the input information acquisition unit 10 and recorded in the multimedia information
database 30 (step S50).
[0061] The provided information creation unit 80 creates the provided information15
similarly to Embodiment 1 (step S80). In this case, the provided information creation unit
80 may create the provided information using the input information acquired by the input
information acquisition unit 10 and recorded in the multimedia information database 30.
[0062] <2-3. Effects>
According to the information providing apparatus according to Embodiment 2,20
not only the multimedia information but also the input information input by the user is a
target of the provided information, so that the target of the provided information can be
increased to provide more appropriate information to the user.
[0063]
<3-1. Configuration>25
17
FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing one example of a configuration of an
information providing apparatus according to Embodiment 3. As shown in FIG. 14, the
information providing apparatus according to Embodiment 3 includes an information
transmission unit 100, an information check recording unit 110, an information
transmission recording unit 111, a weighting unit 112, an extraction unit 120, and a5
notification unit 121. The other configuration is similar to that according to Embodiment
2, so that detailed description thereof is omitted herein.
[0064] The information transmission unit 100 transmits information (post-provision
information) relating to the user after the providing unit 81 provides the provided
information.10
[0065] The information check recording unit 110 records information indicating whether
the user has checked the provided information.
[0066] The information transmission recording unit 111 records information
(transmission/non-transmission information) indicating whether the information
transmission unit 100 has transmitted the information relating to the user. Specifically, the15
information transmission recording unit 111 records information indicating whether the
user has queried the provided information.
[0067] The weighting unit 112 weights the provided information based on the information
recorded by the information transmission recording unit 111. Specifically, the weighting
unit 112 increases a weight applied to the provided information queried by the user. The20
similarity calculation unit 60 calculates similarity similarly to Embodiment 2 and, in this
case, calculates similarity considering the provided information weighted by the weighting
unit 112.
[0068] The extraction unit 120 extracts a provider from the user information database
based on the information transmitted by the information transmission unit 100. The25
18
provider is herein an entity to provide the multimedia information to the user (an entity to
register the multimedia information to be a basis for the provided information in the
multimedia information database 30). The information transmitted by the information
transmission unit 100 (the queried provided information) and the provider of the
information are recorded in the user information database 70 in connection with each other.5
[0069] The notification unit 121 notifies the provider extracted by the extraction unit 120
that the multimedia information registered by the provider has been provided to the user.
[0070] <3-2. Operation>
FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing one example of operation of the information
providing apparatus according to Embodiment 3. Operation shown in FIG. 15 is10
characterized in that step S130 has been added to operation shown in FIG. 13. Steps S10
to S120 in FIG. 13 are similar to steps S10 to S120 in FIG. 3, so that detailed description
thereof is omitted herein.
[0071] The information transmission unit 100 transmits the information (post-provision
information) relating to the user after the providing unit 81 provides the provided15
information (step S130). In this case, the information transmission recording unit 111
records the transmission/non-transmission information. The provided information and the
provider of the provided information are recorded in the user information database 70 in
connection with each other.
[0072] <3-3. Effects>20
According to the information providing apparatus according to Embodiment 3,
when the user queries the provided information, the weight is applied to the queried
provided information. The similar information can thereby be included in the provided
information and presented during subsequent use.
[0073] The provider is notified that the multimedia information registered by the provider25
19
has been provided to the user. Communication between the user and the provider is thereby
facilitated, so that processing to obtain information more desirable for both of them is
expected.
[0074] Embodiments can freely be combined with each other and can be modified or
omitted as appropriate within the scope of the present disclosure.5
[0075] While the present disclosure has been described in detail, the foregoing
description is in all aspects illustrative and not restrictive. It is understood that numerous
unillustrated modifications can be devised.
EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE SIGNS
[0076] 10 input information acquisition unit, 20 input information database, 3010
multimedia information database, 40 input information analysis unit, 50 multimedia
information analysis unit, 60 similarity calculation unit, 70 user information database, 71
user preference determination unit, 72 providing structure construction unit, 80 provided
information creation unit, 81 providing unit, 90 preference information receiving unit, 100
information transmission unit, 110 information check recording unit, 111 information15
transmission recording unit, 112 weighting unit, 120 extraction unit, 121 notification unit,
200 display, 210 speaker, 220 keyboard, 230 processor, 240 memory, 250 HDD, 300
information input/output unit, 400 arithmetic unit.
20
We Claim :
[Claim 1] An information providing apparatus comprising:
a multimedia information database to record therein multimedia information
including at least one of text, images, and sounds;
an input information acquisition unit to acquire input information input by a user;5
a similarity calculation unit to calculate similarity between the input information
acquired by the input information acquisition unit and the multimedia information recorded
in the multimedia information database;
a user information database to record therein user information including an
attribute and a preference of the user;10
a providing structure construction unit to construct a providing structure to provide
the multimedia information to the user based on the user information recorded in the user
information database; and
a providing unit to provide, to the user, provided information created based on the
similarity calculated by the similarity calculation unit and the providing structure15
constructed by the providing structure construction unit.
[Claim 2] The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
information relating to behavior of the user in response to the provided
information provided by the providing unit is recorded in the user information database.
[Claim 3] The information providing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,20
wherein
the similarity calculation unit weights the input information.
[Claim 4] The information providing apparatus according to any one of claims
1 to 3, wherein
the user information is recorded in the user information database before the25
21
providing unit provides the provided information.
[Claim 5] The information providing apparatus according to any one of claims
1 to 4, wherein
the input information acquired by the input information acquisition unit is
recorded in the multimedia information database, and5
the similarity calculation unit calculates similarity between the input information
acquired by the input information acquisition unit and the multimedia information and the
input information both recorded in the multimedia information database.
[Claim 6] The information providing apparatus according to any one of claims
1 to 5, further comprising:10
an information transmission unit to transmit post-provision information as
information on the user after the providing unit provides the provided information;
an information transmission recording unit to record transmission/non-
transmission information indicating whether the information transmission unit has
transmitted the post-provision information; and15
a weighting unit to weight the provided information based on the
transmission/non-transmission information recorded by the information transmission
recording unit.
[Claim 7] The information providing apparatus according to any one of claims
1 to 6, wherein20
information relating to a provider to provide the multimedia information to the
user is recorded in the user information database, and
the information providing apparatus further comprises:
an information transmission unit to transmit post-provision information
as information on the user after the providing unit provides the provided information;25
22
an extraction unit to extract the provider from the user information
database based on the post-provision information transmitted by the information
transmission unit; and
a notification unit to notify the provider extracted by the extraction unit
that the multimedia information provided by the provider has been provided to the user.5
[Claim 8] An information providing method comprising:
constructing, based on user information including an attribute and a preference of
a user, a providing structure to provide information to the user; and
providing, to the user, provided information created based on the providing
structure.10
[Claim 9] An information receiving apparatus comprising:
a multimedia information database to receive and record therein multimedia
information including at least one of text, images, and sounds;
an input information acquisition unit to receive input information input by a user;
a similarity calculation unit to calculate similarity between the input information15
acquired by the input information acquisition unit and the multimedia information recorded
in the multimedia information database;
a user information database to receive and record therein user information
including an attribute and a preference of the user;
a providing structure construction unit to construct a providing structure to provide20
the multimedia information to the user based on the user information recorded in the user
information database; and
23
a providing unit to provide, to the user, provided information created based on the
similarity calculated by the similarity calculation unit and the providing structure
constructed by the providing structure construction unit.