JP2012073781A - Information retrieval processor and information retrieval processing method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily and accurately retrieve content data according to a user's preference.SOLUTION: DMP 11 (an information retrieval processor) extracts MIME type information (first meta data) of content data and keyword information (second meta data), retrieves Web servers 13-1 and 13-2 having related content data through an own device or Internet 12 based on the information and acquires the related content data which the retrieved Web servers 13-1 and 13-2 have. At the same time it associates the acquired related data with the content data through the keyword information, and records or updates the number of times of association between the MIME type information of the content data and keyword information and the number of times of association between MIME type data of the related content data and the keyword information, or either one of the numbers.

Description

  The present invention relates to an information search processing device, an information search processing method, and a program.

  In recent years, in a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone, a digital audio player (DAP), or a digital media player (DMP), a user's favorite music, video, photo, dictionary, encyclopedia, etc. Content data indicating the so-called content (hereinafter simply referred to as “content data”) is recorded on this mobile terminal, and the style of carrying it around has become common. In addition, the above-described content data exists on the Internet, and the number and content types of the content data are rapidly increasing in recent years.

  Under such circumstances, for example, context data composed of content attribute data indicating an attribute of content data and relation attribute data indicating a relationship between a plurality of content data identified by the content attribute data is transferred to a computer network. Among the context data, the content attribute data is extracted from the context data including the relation attribute data having a predetermined content and displayed in a list (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2003-99466 A

  However, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, the user does not indicate a relation attribute between content data such as music data recorded in the terminal device and content data existing on a network such as the Internet. They are independent of each other. Moreover, in the technique etc. which are disclosed by patent document 1, the relationship attribute between the content data currently recorded in the terminal device is not shown, but it is mutually independent. Therefore, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, content data according to the user's preference when searching and acquiring via the network or in the terminal device based on the content data recorded in the terminal device Cannot be easily and accurately searched.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an information search processing device, an information search processing method, and a program that can easily and accurately search content data according to user preferences in order to solve any of the above-described problems. And

  In order to solve the above-described problems, an aspect of the present invention provides a data recording unit in which content data indicating content and metadata of the content data are recorded, and data of the content data from the metadata of the content data. A data extraction unit that extracts first metadata indicating format information and second metadata associated as keyword information of content data, and related to content data based on the information extracted by the data extraction unit When searching related content data from a data recording unit or another data recording unit connected via a network, and when the related content data is searched from another data recording unit by the data searching unit Through the second metadata or information identifying the second metadata When the association unit associates the content data with the related content data, and the association unit associates the content data with the related content data, the content data is associated with a combination of the first metadata and the second metadata. The numerical information indicating the association and the numerical information indicating the association associated with the combination of the first metadata and the second metadata of the related content data, or any one of them is recorded or recorded in the data recording unit. An information search processing device having a recording processing unit to be updated.

  In addition to the above-described configuration, this information search processing device also includes a search expression for searching for related content data based on a combination of the first metadata and the second metadata of the content data extracted by the data extraction unit. A data generation unit that generates data, and the data generation unit refers to the data recording unit when a plurality of combinations of the first metadata and the second metadata of the content data are extracted by the data extraction unit; Then, it is preferable to generate the search formula data in descending order of numerical information indicating the association associated with the combination of the first metadata and the second metadata.

  In addition to the above-described configuration, this information search processing device also includes a search expression for searching for related content data based on a combination of the first metadata and the second metadata of the content data extracted by the data extraction unit. A data generation unit for generating data, wherein the data extraction unit extracts a plurality of combinations of the first metadata and the second metadata of the content data by the data extraction unit, and the first metadata among them is extracted; For combinations of data and second metadata that are not recorded in the data recording unit, it is preferable to generate search formula data in the order in which the second metadata is extracted by the data extraction unit. .

  In addition to the above-described configuration, the information search processing apparatus includes a search instruction unit to which an instruction of content that is a search source for searching for related content is input. First metadata indicating data format information of the content data and second metadata associated as keyword information of the content data are extracted from the metadata of the content data indicated by the input search source content It is preferable to do.

  In addition to the above-described configuration, the information search processing device further includes a data output unit that reproduces content data. The data extraction unit includes first data format information indicating content data reproduced by the data output unit. And the second metadata associated as the keyword information of the content data are preferably extracted.

  Further, in addition to the above-described configuration, the information search processing device is provided with related content when related content data searched by the data search unit is searched from another data recording unit and is not recorded in the data recording unit. It is preferable to have a data acquisition unit that acquires data and records it in the data recording unit.

  The first metadata described above is preferably a MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension) type indicating the data format of the content data.

  In addition to the above-described configuration, the information search processing device searches the related content data related to the content data based on the information extracted by the data extraction unit with reference to the data recording unit. It is preferable to do.

  Another aspect of the present invention is an information search processing method executed by an information search processing apparatus having a data recording unit in which content data indicating content and metadata of the content data are recorded. The processing device extracts the first metadata indicating the data format information of the content data and the second metadata associated as the keyword information of the content data from the metadata of the content data, and the extracted information When the related content data related to the content data is searched from the data recording unit or another data recording unit connected via the network, and the related content data is searched from the other data recording unit, Content via second metadata or information identifying second metadata Data and related content data are associated, and when the content data and the related content data are associated, numerical information indicating the association associated with the combination of the first metadata and the second metadata of the content data , And numerical information indicating the association associated with the combination of the first metadata and the second metadata of the related content data, or any one of them is recorded or updated in the data recording unit It is.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, a computer having a data recording unit in which content data indicating content and metadata of the content data are recorded is used to indicate data format information of the content data from the metadata of the content data. Data extraction means for extracting the first metadata and second metadata associated as keyword information of the content data, and related content data related to the content data based on the information extracted by the data extraction means When the related content data is retrieved from the other data recording unit by the data retrieving unit for retrieving from the data recording unit or another data recording unit connected via the network, the second Via information identifying the metadata or second metadata , An association means for associating the content data with the related content data, and when the association means associates the content data with the related content data, the association is performed by a combination of the first metadata and the second metadata of the content data. The numerical information indicating the associated information and / or the numerical information indicating the association associated with the combination of the first metadata and the second metadata of the related content data, or any one of them is recorded in the data recording unit. Or it is a program which functions as a recording processing means to update.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an information search processing apparatus, an information search processing method, and a program that can easily and accurately search content data according to user preferences.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the information search processing system containing DMP which is the information search processing apparatus which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the hardware of DMP shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a relationship between a function and a hardware configuration realized by reading and executing a program included in a DMP by a CPU illustrated in FIG. 2; It shows an example of information stored in the related DB shown in FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining DMP association processing shown in FIG. 3. It is a figure which shows the example of a display and correlation of DMP shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of a display and correlation of DMP shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of a display and correlation of DMP shown in FIG.

  Hereinafter, an information search processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The program of the present invention will be described together with the description of the configuration of the information search processing apparatus of the present invention, and the information search processing method of the present invention will be described together with the operation of the information search processing apparatus.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of an information search processing system including a digital media player 11 (hereinafter simply referred to as “DMP11”) which is an example of an information search processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. is there. In the DMP 11, for example, music data, moving image data, image data such as photographs, etc. are stored in a memory built in the device such as a flash memory or a hard disk, an external storage device or an external storage medium directly connected to the device. Content data (hereinafter simply referred to as “content data”) indicating various contents such as so-called music, moving images, photographs, encyclopedias, and the like, such as text data such as encyclopedia contents, is recorded. The DMP 11 outputs (reproduces or displays) the various contents described above based on the stored content data C. The content data C recorded in the DMP 11 is transferred and recorded from, for example, another information processing apparatus (not shown), the Web server 13-1, or the Web server 13-2.

  Further, the DMP 11 searches the Web server 13-1 or the Web server 13-2 having content data related to certain content data among the stored content data via the Internet 12, and searches The related content data can be acquired by connecting to the Web server 13-1 or the Web server 13-2. Note that the related content data here includes, for example, metadata of a certain content data (for example, data format information, keyword information, etc.) or a close relationship (for example, a part of the keyword). Content data that is common or has a common data format category). However, the related content data may be content data other than the above-described content data (for example, content data related to the user selecting the related data and the like).

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of the DMP 11 illustrated in FIG. In the DMP 11, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 51, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 52, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 53 are connected to each other by a bus 54. An input / output interface 55 is further connected to the bus 54. An input unit 56, an output unit 57, a storage unit 58, a communication unit 59, and a drive 60 are further connected to the input / output interface 55.

  The input unit 56 includes, for example, a button, a dial, a touch panel, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, and the like. The output unit 57 includes, for example, a display, a speaker, and the like. The storage unit 58 is composed of, for example, a hard disk or a non-volatile memory. The communication unit 59 includes, for example, a wireless network interface authenticated by the Wi-Fi Alliance. The drive 60 is composed of, for example, a device that drives a removable medium 61 such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a semiconductor memory.

  In the DMP 11 configured as described above, the CPU 51 reads, for example, a program (not shown) stored in the storage unit 58 into the RAM 53 via the input / output interface 55 and the bus 54 and executes the program. The series of processes described above is performed. Note that the hardware configuration of the above-described DMP 11 may be configured by other than the above-described example, or may have other hardware configurations in addition to the above-described hardware configuration of the DMP 11. .

  The program executed by the CPU 51 is stored in advance in the ROM 52 and the storage unit 58 and installed in the DMP 11 in an executable state. For example, a magnetic disk (including a flexible disk), an optical disk (CD- ROM (Compact Disc-Read Only Memory), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), etc.), a magneto-optical disc, or a removable media 61 that is a package media composed of a semiconductor memory, or a local area network, the Internet 12 The DMP 11 may be provided via a wired or wireless transmission medium such as digital satellite broadcasting. The program provided in this way is installed in an executable state in the DMP 11 by mounting the removable medium 61 in the drive 60 and storing it in the storage unit 58 via the input / output interface 55.

  In addition to being installed in the DMP 11 by the above-described method, the program executed by the CPU 51 is received by the communication unit 59 via a wired or wireless transmission medium and stored in the storage unit 58. It may be installed in the DMP 11 in an executable state. Executable state here includes compiling and making it executable on DMP 11 and entering a predetermined license code and product key for this program to make it executable. It is. However, this program becomes executable only when a predetermined license code or product key for the program is input by the user, that is, it is not possible to execute it only by being installed in the DMP 11. May be provided.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the relationship between the functions realized by the CPU 51 shown in FIG. 2 having the DMP 11 read into the RAM 53 and executed, and the hardware configuration. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the DMP 11 includes, for example, a control unit 81, a metadata extraction unit 82, a data output control unit 83, a data selection unit 84, a WEB browser function 85, and an association control unit 86. And the related database 87 (hereinafter simply referred to as “related DB 87”), the functions shown by the data search acquisition unit 88 and the data update unit 89 are realized.

  The control unit 81 controls all the functions shown in FIG. That is, the control unit 81 includes the metadata extraction unit 82, the data output control unit 83, the data selection unit 84, the WEB browser function 85, the association control unit 86, the related DB 87, the data search acquisition unit 88, and the data update unit 89. Control all functions. However, the control unit 81 may not control all the functions shown in FIG. That is, the control unit 81 may control a part of these functions, or may control other functions in addition to the functions shown in FIG.

  The metadata extraction unit 82 includes, for example, a keyword information extraction unit 82A that extracts keyword information that is an example of metadata, and a data format information extraction unit 82B that extracts data format information that is an example of metadata. For example, when music data, which is an example of content data, is reproduced on the DMP 11, the keyword information extraction unit 82A, for example, a title, a song title, a player name, a composer name, a release year, or a lyric of the reproduced music Is extracted, and keyword information related to the music data is extracted. The keyword information extraction unit 82A extracts the keyword information of the content data with reference to the related DB 87. Alternatively, the keyword information extraction unit 82A may directly extract the data from the data included in the content data.

  For example, when music data, which is an example of content data, is reproduced, the data format information extraction unit 82B extracts information indicating the data format type of the music data. As an example of information indicating the type of data format, there is MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension) type information indicating an attribute of data to be transferred when data is transferred between a mail server, a WEB server, and the like. For example, when music data is reproduced in the DMP 11, the data format information extraction unit 82B acquires “audio” as MIME type information of the reproduced music data, for example. The MIME type information is generally described as “type name / subtype name”, but the data format information extraction unit 82B described above is information indicating “type name” among these pieces of information. Only extracted. However, the data format information extraction unit 82B may extract both “type name / subtype name” information or only “subtype name” information. Further, the data format information extraction unit 82B may extract information indicating the type of data format other than MIME type information (for example, extension information of content data). Further, the data format information extraction unit 82B may extract a plurality of pieces of information indicating the data format type of the content data. Further, the data format information extraction unit 82B may extract information indicating the type of data format of content data related to certain content data. Further, the data format information extraction unit 82B may directly extract the data format information of the content data from the data included in the content data, or data independent of the content data (for example, independent of the content data). If the data format information is recorded in the related database 87 to be described later, it may be extracted from the database.

  The data output control unit 83 performs output control when the content data indicated by the content selected by the user by operating the input unit 56 is output to the output unit 57. For example, when the output unit 57 is a display, the data output control unit 83 controls the display of screen information output to the display and displays content based on the content data. For example, when the output unit 57 is a speaker, the data output control unit 83 performs reproduction control of audio data output from the speaker and reproduces content based on the content data.

  The data selection unit 84 includes, for example, a content selection unit 84A that selects content data indicated by content selected by the user operating the input unit 56, and keyword information indicated by a keyword selected by the user operating the input unit 56. And a keyword selection unit 84B to be selected.

  The WEB browser function 85 uses the mechanism of the WWW (World Wide Web) system to convert document data (for example, HTML data, XML data) that is made public on the Internet 12 or with restricted access to a specific person. Based on this, a so-called Web page is displayed. Note that the WEB browser function 85 can also display a Web page that is not disclosed on the Internet 12 (for example, a Web page that exists in the LAN when the DMP 11 can be connected to the LAN).

  The association control unit 86 performs association processing between content data via the keyword information extracted by the keyword information extraction unit 82A. The association control unit 86 also includes keyword information that has been used as an intermediary for association between content data, and content data indicated by content selected by the user via the data selection unit 84 (content selection unit 84A) (hereinafter simply “selection”). The user's preference history information is generated from the combination with the MIME type information of “content data”, and the user's preference history information is stored and stored in the related DB 87. The association control unit 86 generates user preference history information from the combination of the keyword information and the MIME type information of the content data associated with the selected content data via the keyword information, and the user preference history information. May be stored in the related DB 87 and accumulated.

  The related DB 87 is recorded in the storage unit 58 shown in FIG. The related DB 87 includes, for example, content data, information for uniquely identifying the content data (content data identification information in FIG. 3), and MIME information (metadata for the content data) (first meta data of claims). An example of data) and keyword information (an example of second metadata in claims) are recorded in association with each other. Thereby, in the related DB 87, metadata of the content data can be specified from the content data indicating a certain content. Further, in the association DB 87, information for uniquely identifying keyword information (keyword information identification information in FIG. 3) and content data are recorded in association with each other in order to perform association between the content data. Thereby, in the related DB 87, the content data can be associated with each other through the common keyword information. Further, in the related DB 87, user preference history information is recorded as an example of the above-described metadata. The user's preference history information includes, for example, keyword information that is an intermediary for association between content data, MIME type information of selected content data or related content data, and a combination of the content data with each other. There is information on the number of times made (related number information in FIG. 3). Thereby, in the related DB 87, it is possible to provide a search result reflecting the user's preference. Note that the related DB 87 may be recorded in a storage area other than the storage unit 58, or may be constructed with a plurality of relational databases as long as the above-described functions can be realized, even if it is not constructed with one relational database. Good.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of user preference history information stored in the related DB 87. The user's preference history information may be information other than the example shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, there are title items indicating information such as “MIME type”, “keyword”, and “number of associations”. The next line below this title item (simply referred to as “the first line of the data item”, and so on) includes “MIME type” as “image” and “keyword” as “Tokyo”. This indicates that the number of times the content data is associated with each other (hereinafter simply referred to as “relevance number”) has been “10” times in the past. Similarly, as shown in the second line of the data item, “MIME type” is “text”, “Keyword” is “Mie”, and the number of associations in these combinations is “1” times in the past. It shows that there is. In addition, as shown in the third line of the data item, “MIME type” is “audio”, “Keyword” is “Sea”, and the number of associations in these combinations is “3” times in the past. Show. In addition, as shown in the fourth line of the data item, “MIME type” is “audio”, “Keyword” is “Sea”, and the number of associations in these combinations has been “3” times in the past. Show. In addition, as shown in the fifth line of the data item, the “MIME type” is “geo”, the “keyword” is “sea”, and the number of associations in these combinations is “4” times in the past. Show. In addition, as shown in the sixth line of the data item, “MIME type” is “image”, “Keyword” information is “Studio BBB Museum”, and the number of associations in these combinations is “3” times in the past. It shows that there is. Also, as shown in the 7th line of the data item, “MIME type” is “image”, “Keyword” is “Mie”, and the number of associations in these combinations is “8” times in the past. Show. Note that the “keyword” shown in FIG. 4 may count the number of associations only when it is completely matched, but in the case of partial matching of “keyword” (for example, including forward matching and backward matching). Alternatively, the number of associations may be counted. In addition, although the “number of associations” has been described as the number of times of association, it is not the number of times of association, but a predetermined value (for example, 2, 3, 4,. ), That is, it may not be the same numerical value as the number of times associated.

  The data search acquisition unit 88 includes, for example, a search formula data generation unit 88A and a content data search acquisition unit 88B. The search formula data generation unit 88A generates search formula data for searching related content data related to the keyword information of the content data from certain content data. When one keyword information is extracted by the keyword extraction unit 82A, the search formula data generation unit 88A obtains search formula data (for example, inquiry data in the SQL language) for searching content data associated with the one keyword information. Generate. Further, when a plurality of pieces of keyword information are extracted by the keyword extraction unit 82A, the search expression data generation unit 88A searches for the search data for content data for each combination of the plurality of keyword information and the MIME type information of the selected content data. Is generated.

  Note that the search formula data generation unit 88A refers to the related DB 87 and confirms whether or not there is a combination for each combination of a plurality of keyword information and MIME type information of the selected content data. Then, the search formula data generation unit 88A generates search formula data in descending order of the number of associations for each combination recorded in the related DB 87, and in the generated order, the search formula data is sent to the content data search acquisition unit 88B. Supply. On the other hand, when the above-described combination is not recorded in the related DB 87 at all, the search formula data generation unit 88A generates the search formula data in the order in which the keyword information is supplied from the keyword extraction unit 82A. The search formula data is supplied to the content data search acquisition unit 88B in order.

  Note that the search formula data generation unit 88 </ b> A determines that some combinations exist in the related DB 87 in the combination of the plurality of keyword information and the MIME type information of the selected content data, but the remaining combinations do not exist in the related DB 87. Generates search formula data in the descending order of the number of associations among the combinations existing in the related DB 87, and for the combinations not existing in the related DB 87, the search formulas are entered in the order in which the keyword information is supplied from the keyword extracting unit 82A. Data may be generated, and the search formula data may be supplied to the content data search acquisition unit 88B in the order of generation.

  The content data search acquisition unit 88B searches the Web server 13-1 or the Web server 13-2 having related content data based on the search formula data supplied from the search formula data generation unit 88A. Further, the content data search / acquisition unit 88B obtains information related to the related content data itself from the searched Web server 13-1 or Web server 13-2, or information related to the related content data (for example, a Web including related content data). Download and obtain page URL information). Further, the content data search / acquisition unit 88B acquires information (for example, URL information representing the related content data itself) for acquiring the related content data itself acquired from the Web server 13-1 or the Web server 13-2, or related information. Information acquisition information including content data (for example, URL information of a Web page including related content data) is supplied to the data output control unit 83.

  The content data search / acquisition unit 88B may be included in the WEB browser function 85 described above without being included in the data search / acquisition unit 88. Further, the content data search / acquisition unit 88B may be realized by a so-called server-side script technique. The content data search / acquisition unit 88B searches the related content data via the Internet 12, but the storage unit 58 of the DMP 11, the recording medium (intranet or home network) designated by the user via the input unit 56 ( (Not shown) or the like may be set as the search target range.

  The data update unit 89 is configured so that, for example, a user who has viewed information (for example, a content list indicating a search result) displayed on the output unit 57 based on the acquisition information supplied from the content data search acquisition unit 88B The data included in the related DB 87 is updated based on the selected content data indicated by the content selected via 84 or content data serving as a search source. For example, the data updating unit 89 adds a predetermined value (for example, 1) to the number of associations in the combination of the data format information (for example, MIME type information) of the selected content data that is the search source and the keyword information, Update the number of associations in the combination. Further, for example, the data updating unit 89 sets a predetermined value (for example, the number of associations in the combination of the data format information (for example, MIME type information) of the related content data selected through the data selection unit 84 and the keyword information). 1) is added to update the number of associations in the combination.

  Note that the data update unit 89 includes a combination of data format information (for example, MIME type information) of selected content data that is a search source, keyword information, and data format information (for example, MIME type information) of related content data. The number of associations in both combinations with the keyword information may be updated, or the number of associations in either one of the combinations may be updated. Note that the data update unit 89 is not recorded in the related DB 87 when it is confirmed from the search formula data generation unit 88A described above whether there is a combination of data format information (for example, MIME type information) and keyword information. When there is a combination, the combination may be newly recorded in the related DB 87.

  Next, DMP11 association processing will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the following description of processing, “related content search trigger” indicates that a processing request for searching for content data related to certain content data occurs due to some processing. For example, with respect to certain content data, when the user's playback ends or the user's viewing ends (for example, when the user instructs a playback stop process via the input unit 56), the content data is automatically Or when the user directly instructs the related content data acquisition request process via the input unit 56. In the following description of the process, the metadata extraction unit 82 (keyword information extraction unit 82A and data format information extraction unit 82B) of the DMP 11 uses the related content search trigger to detect the metadata included in the content data that the user has finished watching. The MIME type information and the keyword information are extracted and acquired from the data, but not only when the user finishes viewing the content, but at a predetermined timing during viewing of the content data, or the content data is selected. It may be when. Further, the metadata extraction unit 82 (keyword information extraction unit 82A and data format information extraction unit 82B) of the DMP 11 extracts and acquires MIME type information and keyword information from the metadata of content data included in the past viewing history. You may do it.

  In step S11, the control unit 81 of the DMP 11 determines whether or not a related content search trigger has occurred. When a related content search trigger occurs, the metadata extraction unit 82 (keyword information extraction unit 82A and data format information extraction unit 82B) determines the MIME type from the metadata of the content data indicated by the content that the user has finished viewing in step S12. Information and keyword information are extracted. On the other hand, if the related content search acquisition trigger does not occur in step S11, the control unit 81 of the DMP 11 ends the association process (END). Note that the control unit 81 of the DMP 11 determines whether or not the related content search trigger is generated in step S11, but the DMP 11 is touched or touched by the touch panel which is an example of the input unit 56 and the output unit 57. Whether or not a related content search trigger has occurred may be determined based on whether or not another event has occurred, such as a dial that is an example of the unit 11 being turned.

  The processing in steps S11 and S12 in FIG. 5 will be described based on a specific example. As shown in FIG. 6, when a part of or all of the music data “movie ABC soundtrack” is viewed in the DMP 11 and a related content search trigger is generated due to the end, FIG. As shown in the conceptual diagram showing the association on the right side of the DMP 11, the data format information extracting unit 82 B uses the MIME type “audio” from the metadata included in the music data indicating the “movie ABC soundtrack”. In addition to extracting information (not shown, first metadata), the keyword information extraction unit 82A includes “movie ABC” as the name of the movie, “singer DDD” singing the music in the soundtrack, and in the soundtrack Four musicians, "Musician AAA", who composed the music of the song, and "Studio BBB", who produced the movie ABC Extracts information (second metadata).

  Then, in step S13, the data search acquisition unit 88 searches for related content data from the MIME type information extracted by the data format information extraction unit 82B and the plurality of keyword information extracted by the keyword information extraction unit 82A. . That is, the data search / acquisition unit 88 refers to the related DB 87, and includes MIME type information “audio” and four keyword information “movie ABC”, “singer DDD”, “musician AAA”, and “studio BBB”. (Ie, “audio” and “movie ABC”, “audio” and “singer DDD”, “audio” and “musician AAA”, “audio” and “studio BBB”) ) Search for presence or absence.

  Returning to FIG. 5, the description of the processing is continued. When the combination described above is recorded in the related DB 87 by the search in step S13, the data search acquisition unit 88 (search formula data generation unit 88A) further increases the “number of associations” among the combinations. Search formula data based on "keyword" information is generated in numerical order. If the combination described above is not recorded in the related DB 87 as a result of the search in step S13, the data search acquisition unit 88 (search formula data generation unit 88A) sets the “keyword” information in the order in which the keyword information is extracted. Generate search formula data based.

  Then, in step S14, the data search acquisition unit 88 (content data search acquisition unit 88B), according to the order of the search formula data generated in any of the above-described order, the storage area such as the storage unit 58 of the DMP 11, or the DMP 11 The content data associated with a plurality of keyword information extracted by the keyword extraction unit 82A as metadata is searched by referring to an external storage device or an external storage medium directly connected to the computer 12 without going through a network such as the Internet 12. To do. In step S15, the association control unit 86 selects content data other than the content data searched in step S13 among the content data searched in step S14 (that is, content data not related to the related DB 87). ) To get. Then, in step S <b> 16, the association control unit 86 stores the association with each of a plurality of pieces of keyword information extracted from the content data indicated by the content being viewed in the association DB 87.

  Returning to FIG. 6, the processing from step 13 to step S16 in FIG. 5 will be described based on a specific example. In step S13, the data search / acquisition unit 88 searches the related DB 87 from the four keyword information extracted in step S12, moving image data related to “movie ABC”, and other movies composed by musician AAA. The music data of the movie “HIJ Soundtrack”, and the three content data of the “YY City Studio BBB Museum”, which is operated by Studio BBB or exhibits related to Studio BBB. Suppose that it was acquired.

  Further, in step S14, the data search / acquisition unit 88 acquires music data “movie EFG / EFG soundtrack” which is still another movie composed by the musician AAA in addition to the above-described three content data. Suppose that Then, in step S16, the association control unit 86 displays the keyword information “musician AAA” and “movie EFG / EFG” as shown in the conceptual diagram showing the association between the data on the right side of the DMP 11 in FIG. The association with the music data “soundtrack” is stored in the related DB 87.

  As shown in the screen of the DMP 11 on the left side of FIG. 7, the output unit 57 displays a list of the contents indicated by the content data searched in step S13 and the content data acquired in step S15 as related contents. Is done.

  Returning to the description of the processing shown in FIG. In step S <b> 17, the data selection unit 84 (content selection unit 84 </ b> A) selects content data indicated by the content selected by the user from the content list displayed on the output unit 57. In step S18, the data output control unit 83 causes the output unit 57 to display information related to the selected content data, and the association control unit 86 displays the content data being viewed and the selected content data. The associated DB 87 stores the associated keyword information as information indicating the user's preference history. In step S18, when the combination of the keyword information and MIME type information is already recorded in the related DB 87, the data updating unit 89 sets a predetermined value (for example, 1) for the number of associations of the keyword information of the combination. 2, 3, etc.). On the other hand, if there is processing other than the user selecting content from the content list displayed on the output unit 57 in step S18, the association control unit 86 ends the association processing (END).

  When the related content acquisition trigger occurs after the process of step S18 in FIG. 5, the DMP 11 shifts the process to step S12, and the MIME of the content data indicated by the selected content is MIME. Type information and keyword information are extracted with reference to the related DB 87. And DMP11 repeats the process of step S12-step S17. The series of processes described above can be configured and executed by hardware, or may be configured and executed by software. Further, the processing shown in the above-described flowchart is executed in parallel or individually even if each step is not necessarily processed in time series, as well as processing performed in time series in the order described. It may be a process.

  The process of step S17 shown in FIG. 5 will be specifically described with reference to FIG. For example, when the user selects a character string “movie EFG / EFG soundtrack” via the input unit 56 on the screen shown in the DMP 11 of FIG. 7, a part of the output unit 57 like the screen shown in the DMP 11 of FIG. The sound track list is displayed based on the information indicating the list of sound tracks recorded in the music data “movie EFG / EFG sound track”.

  Then, as shown in the conceptual diagram showing the association between the data on the right side of the DMP 11 in FIG. 8, the music data “movie EFG / EFG soundtrack” and the music data “movie ABC soundtrack” are associated with each other. The identifier of “musician AAA”, which is the keyword information, is stored in the related DB 87 as information indicating the user's preference history. That is, in the related DB 87, the music data “movie EFG / EFG soundtrack” and the music data “movie ABC soundtrack” are associated with each other through the keyword information “musician AAA” and the music data “ The value of the number of associations between the MIME type information “audio” and the keyword information “musician AAA” is registered or updated.

  As described above, the DMP 11 uses the related DB 87 (an example of a data recording unit) in which content data indicating content and metadata of the content data are recorded, and data format information of the content data from the metadata of the content data. A metadata extraction unit 82 (an example of a data extraction unit) that extracts MIME type information (an example of the first metadata) indicating content information and keyword information (an example of the second metadata) of the content data; Based on the information extracted by the extraction unit 82, the related content data related to the content data is stored in the storage unit of the Web servers 13-2 and 13-3 connected via the related DB 87 or the Internet 12 (network) ( Data search / acquisition unit 88 (data) that searches from one example of another data recording unit An example of a search unit) and when the related content data is searched from the storage unit of the Web server 13-2 or 13-3 by the data search acquisition unit 88, via MIME type information or information identifying the MIME type information, An association control unit 86 (an example of an association unit) that associates content data with related content data, and when the association control unit 86 associates content data with related content data, MIME type information and keyword information of the content data The number of associations associated with a combination of (an example of numerical information indicating association) and / or the number of associations associated with a combination of MIME type information and keyword information of related content data, or one of these, Record in related DB87 or The new data update unit 89 (an example of a recording processing unit), and has a.

  Thus, the DMP 11 can provide information that matches the user's preference by learning the user's preference based on the association between the content data stored in the related DB 87. That is, conventionally, content data, which is data indicating music, moving images, photos, and the like in the device, and content data searched by the user via the Internet 12 or the like have an independent relationship. Since it is possible to determine the user's interest and degree of interest based on the association between the contents, it is possible to more appropriately propose content data that is predicted to be meaningful to the user.

  In DMP11, for example, even if the keyword information of content data is the same “keyword” or similar “keyword”, it is related by data format information (for example, MIME type) of selected content data or related content data. A number is distinguished and recorded in the related DB 87. For example, if the keyword information associated with image data such as a photo is “Mie” (Mie), the keyword information associated with data indicating geographic information such as a map is “Mie Tower” ), These “MIME types” are completely different data formats from “image” indicating image information and “geo” indicating geographic information. Even keywords that contain the same character string are separately distinguished and the number of associations is tabulated. That is, the DMP 11 is simply that all or part of the character strings of keywords having different meanings are essentially the same, and sums up the numbers of these associations as they are, so that completely different content data are not associated with each other through the keywords. Therefore, a more accurate search process according to the user's preference can be realized.

  Further, in the DMP 11, in addition to the above-described configuration, a search expression that generates search expression data for searching for related content data based on a combination of MIME type information and keyword information of content data extracted by the metadata extraction unit 82. When the data extraction unit 88A (an example of a data generation unit) has a plurality of combinations of MIME type information and keyword information of content data extracted by the metadata extraction unit 82, With reference to the related DB 87, search formula data is generated in order from the largest number of relations associated with the combination of MIME type information and keyword information.

  Thereby, in addition to the effect mentioned above, DMP11 is estimated that it is suitable for a user's preference by producing | generating search formula data from the keyword information of a combination with a large relation number, and searching related content data. It is possible to preferentially search from related content data.

  Further, in the DMP 11, in addition to the above-described configuration, a search expression that generates search expression data for searching for related content data based on a combination of MIME type information and keyword information of content data extracted by the metadata extraction unit 82. A data generation unit 88A (an example of a data generation unit) is provided, and the search expression data generation unit 88A extracts a plurality of combinations of MIME type information and keyword information of content data by the metadata extraction unit 82, Thus, for those in which the combination of MIME type information and keyword information is not recorded in the related DB 87, search expression data is generated in the order in which the keyword information is extracted by the metadata extraction unit 82.

  As a result, in addition to the effects described above, the DMP 11 follows the keyword extraction order by the metadata extraction unit 82 for keywords in combinations in which keyword priorities cannot be determined from past user preferences registered in the related DB 87. Related content data can be searched.

  In addition, the DMP 11 has a data selection unit 84 (an example of a search instruction unit) to which an instruction of a content that is a search source for searching for related content is input, and the metadata extraction unit 82 receives data from the data selection unit 84. MIME type information indicating the data format information of the content data and keyword information of the content data are extracted from the metadata of the content data indicated by the input search source content.

  Thereby, in addition to the effect mentioned above, DMP11 can extract the content data relevant to the content data which the content directly selected by the user shows.

  Further, the DMP 11 has a data output control unit 83 (an example of a data output unit) that outputs content data, and the metadata extraction unit 82 indicates data format information of content data output by the data output control unit 83. The MIME type information and the keyword information of the content data are extracted.

  Thereby, in addition to the effect mentioned above, DMP11 can extract the content data relevant to the content data which the user gave an output instruction (reproduction, display, etc.).

  Further, the DMP 11 retrieves the related content data retrieved by the data retrieval / acquisition unit 88 from the recording units (an example of other data recording units) of the other Web servers 13-1 and 13-2, and If not recorded, the related content data is acquired and recorded in the related DB 87. The data search / acquisition unit 88 (an example of a data acquisition unit) is included.

  Thereby, in addition to the effect mentioned above, DMP11 can record the related content data according to a user preference in an own apparatus.

  Further, the DMP 11 uses MIME type information indicating the data format information of the content data as the metadata of the content data.

  Thereby, in addition to the effect mentioned above, DMP11 can distinguish a user's preference simply by rough data type (data classification) with the keyword information of content data.

  In the DMP 11, the data search acquisition unit 88 can also search related content data related to the content data based on the information extracted by the metadata extraction unit 82 with reference to the related DB 87.

  Thereby, in addition to the effects described above, the DMP 11 can search related content data by using the content data registered in the related DB 87 of its own device as a search target.

  In addition, the above-described effect of the DMP 11 that is the information search processing device can be obtained by the information search processing method that is a process executed by the DMP 11 and the above-described program for causing the DMP 11 to function.

  The DMP 11 has been described as associating the keyword information with the content data. However, any device that outputs (eg, reproduces, displays, etc.) the content data and can connect to the network may be used. A mobile phone, a digital audio player, a smartphone, The present invention can also be applied to other information retrieval processing devices such as a PDA or a personal computer.

  The embodiments of the present invention described above are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, when a user searches for related content data, the DMP 11 device, intranet, or home network is set as a search target (hereinafter simply referred to as “internal search”), or others via the Internet 12. This information processing apparatus or other storage medium may be selected as a search target (hereinafter simply referred to as “external search”), or both may be selected as a search target. Further, the priority order of these search targets may be determined in advance. For example, when the user searches for the related content data for the first time, an internal search may be executed, and if the desired related content data cannot be searched, an external search may be executed. Conversely, a search method in which an internal search is performed after an external search is also possible.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... DMP (an example of an information search processing apparatus), 12 ... Internet (an example of a network), 13-1 and 13-2 ... Web server, 51 ... CPU, 52 ... ROM, 53 ... RAM, 56 ... Input part, 57 ... Output unit, 58 ... Storage unit, 59 ... Communication unit, 61 ... Removable media, 81 ... Control unit, 82 ... Metadata extraction unit (an example of data extraction unit), 82A ... Keyword information extraction unit (an example of data extraction unit) ), 82B ... Data format information extraction unit (an example of data extraction unit), 83 ... Data output control unit (an example of data output unit), 84 ... Data selection unit (an example of search instruction unit), 84A ... Content selection unit ( Example of search instruction unit), 84B ... Keyword selection unit (example of search instruction unit), 85 ... Web browser function, 86 ... Association control unit (example of association unit), 87 ... Database (an example of a data recording unit), 88... Data search acquisition unit (an example of a data search unit, an example of a data acquisition unit), 88A... A search expression data generation unit (an example of a data generation unit), 88B. Unit (an example of a data acquisition unit), 89... Data update unit (an example of a recording processing unit)

Claims (10)

A data recording unit in which content data indicating content and metadata of the content data are recorded;
A data extraction unit that extracts, from the metadata of the content data, first metadata indicating data format information of the content data and second metadata associated as keyword information of the content data;
A data search unit for searching related content data related to the content data from the data recording unit or another data recording unit connected via a network based on the information extracted by the data extraction unit;
When the related content data is searched from the other data recording unit by the data search unit, the content data and the related content are transmitted via the second metadata or information for identifying the second metadata. An association unit for associating data;
When the association unit associates the content data with the related content data, numerical information indicating association associated with a combination of the first metadata and the second metadata of the content data; and A recording processing unit for recording or updating numerical information indicating association associated with a combination of the first metadata of the related content data and the second metadata, or any one of them in the data recording unit; ,
An information search processing device comprising: The information search processing device according to claim 1,
A data generation unit that generates search expression data for searching for the related content data based on a combination of the first metadata and the second metadata of the content data extracted by the data extraction unit;
The data generation unit refers to the data recording unit when the plurality of combinations of the first metadata and the second metadata of the content data are extracted by the data extraction unit, and refers to the first metadata. And generating the search formula data in order from the largest numerical value information indicating the association associated with the combination with the second metadata,
An information search processing device characterized by that. The information search processing device according to claim 1 or 2,
A data generation unit that generates search expression data for searching for the related content data based on a combination of the first metadata and the second metadata of the content data extracted by the data extraction unit;
The data generation unit extracts a plurality of combinations of the first metadata and the second metadata of the content data by the data extraction unit, and among the first metadata and the second metadata among them, For the combinations that are not recorded in the data recording unit, the search expression data is generated in the order in which the second metadata is extracted by the data extraction unit.
An information search processing device characterized by that. The information search processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A search instruction unit for inputting an instruction of a content to be a search source for searching for the related content;
The data extraction unit includes first metadata indicating data format information of the content data from the metadata of the content data indicated by the search source content input from the search instruction unit, and a keyword of the content data Extracting the second metadata associated as information,
An information search processing device characterized by that. The information search processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A data output unit for outputting the content data;
The data extraction unit extracts first metadata indicating data format information of the content data output by the data output unit, and second metadata associated as keyword information of the content data. ,
An information search processing device characterized by that. The information search processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
When the related content data searched by the data search unit is searched from the other data recording unit and is not recorded in the data recording unit, the related content data is acquired and stored in the data recording unit. Data acquisition unit to record,
An information search processing device comprising: The information search processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The information retrieval processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first metadata is MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension) type information indicating data format information of the content data. The information search processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The data search unit refers to the data recording unit to search related content data related to the content data based on the information extracted by the data extraction unit;
An information search processing device characterized by that. An information search processing method executed by an information search processing device having a data recording unit in which content data indicating content and metadata of the content data are recorded,
The information search processing device extracts, from the content data metadata, first metadata indicating data format information of the content data and second metadata associated as keyword information of the content data. ,
Search related content data related to the content data based on the extracted information from the data recording unit or another data recording unit connected via a network,
When the related content data is retrieved from the other data recording unit, the content data and the related content data are associated with each other through the second metadata or information for identifying the second metadata. ,
When the content data and the related content data are associated with each other, numerical information indicating an association associated with a combination of the first metadata and the second metadata of the content data, and the related content data Recording or updating numerical information indicating the association associated with the combination of the first metadata and the second metadata, or any one of them in the data recording unit,
An information search processing method characterized by the above. A computer having a data recording unit in which content data indicating content and metadata of the content data are recorded;
Data extraction means for extracting, from the metadata of the content data, first metadata indicating data format information of the content data and second metadata associated as keyword information of the content data;
Data retrieval means for retrieving related content data related to the content data based on the information extracted by the data extraction means from the data recording unit or another data recording unit connected via a network;
When the related content data is searched from the other data recording unit by the data search unit, the content data and the related content are transmitted via the second metadata or information for identifying the second metadata. An association means for associating data;
When the content data and the related content data are related by the association means, numerical information indicating the association associated with a combination of the first metadata and the second metadata of the content data, and Recording processing means for recording or updating numerical information indicating association associated with a combination of the first metadata of the related content data and the second metadata, or any one of them in the data recording unit;
Program to function as.

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