U.S. patent application number 11/299871 was filed with the patent office on 2006-05-11 for information processing apparatus and method, and recording medium.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sony Corporation. Invention is credited to Naomi Go.
Application Number | 20060101007 11/299871 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 17655211 |
Filed Date | 2006-05-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060101007 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Go; Naomi |
May 11, 2006 |
Information processing apparatus and method, and recording
medium
Abstract
The home page provided by a WWW server is described using
<IDTAG> tag for assigning an object ID to objects such as a
text, an image, and voice constituting the home page; in a search
server, URL of the home page having the object and the object ID
assigned to the object corresponded are stored; and when the object
ID is received from the user terminal, URL of the home page
corresponded to the object ID is searched and transmitted to the
user terminal.
Inventors: |
Go; Naomi; (Kanagawa,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SONNENSCHEIN NATH & ROSENTHAL LLP
P.O. BOX 061080
WACKER DRIVE STATION, SEARS TOWER
CHICAGO
IL
60606-1080
US
|
Assignee: |
Sony Corporation
|
Family ID: |
17655211 |
Appl. No.: |
11/299871 |
Filed: |
December 12, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09857364 |
Jun 4, 2001 |
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PCT/JP00/06916 |
Oct 4, 2000 |
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11299871 |
Dec 12, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 ;
707/999.003; 707/E17.115 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10S 707/99933 20130101;
G06F 16/9566 20190101 |
Class at
Publication: |
707/003 |
International
Class: |
G06F 7/00 20060101
G06F007/00; G06F 17/30 20060101 G06F017/30 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 4, 1999 |
JP |
P11/282644 |
Claims
1-12. (canceled)
13. An information processing apparatus for requesting a server for
providing position information indicative of a position of a home
page, comprising: transmission means for transmitting
discrimination information assigned to an object constituting the
home sage to said server; receiving means for receiving a list of
said position information with respect to the home page constituted
from said object o which the discrimination information transmitted
from said server corresponding to the transmission of said
discrimination information is assigned; display control means for
displaying the list of said position information; and request means
for requesting said server to issue said discrimination
information.
14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13
further comprising input means for inputting said discrimination
information transmitted to said transmission means.
15. (canceled)
16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13
further comprising request means for requesting said server to
search said discrimination information by a key word.
17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13
wherein the home page is a file described in a predetermined
description language.
18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13
wherein said predetermined description language is HTML (Hyper Text
Markup Language).
19. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13
wherein said position information is URL (Uniform Resource
Locator).
20. An information processing method for requesting a server for
providing position information indicative of a position of a home
page, comprising: transmission step for transmitting discrimination
information assigned to an object constituting the home page to
said server; receiving step for receiving a list of said position
information with respect to the home page constituted from said
object o which the discrimination information transmitted from said
server corresponding to the transmission of said discrimination
information is assigned; display control step for displaying the
list of said position information; and issuing step for issuing
said discrimination information not registered in said data base in
response to the request from said terminal.
21. A recording medium having a program recorded therein, said
program causing a computer to execute information processing for
requesting a server for providing position information indicative
of a position of a home page, a program being recorded, said
program comprising: transmission step for transmitting
discrimination information assigned to an object constituting the
home page to said server; receiving step for receiving a list of
said position information with respect to the home page constituted
from said object to which the discrimination information
transmitted from said server corresponding to the transmission of
said discrimination information is assigned; display control step
for displaying said list of position information; and issuing step
for issuing said discrimination information not registered in said
data base in response to the request from said terminal.
22. An information network system comprising a server for providing
position information indicative of a position of a home page and a
terminal for requesting said server said position information, said
server comprising: first receiving means for receiving
discrimination information assigned to an object constituting the
home page transmitted from said terminal; search means for
searching said position information corresponded to discrimination
information from said terminal from a data base for storing
discrimination information assigned to the object constituting the
home page and said position information with respect to the
information corresponded; preparing means for preparing a list of
said position information searched; and first transmission means
for transmitting said list of position information to said
terminal, wherein said terminal comprises: second transmission
means for transmitting discrimination information assigned to the
object constituting the home page to said server; second receiving
means for receiving said list of said position information with
respect to the home page constituted from said object to which the
discrimination information transmitted from said server
corresponding to the transmission of said discrimination
information is assigned; and display control means for displaying
said list of position information.
23. The information network system apparatus according to claim 22
wherein the terminal further comprises: identification read means
operatively connected to said sensing means for determining the
discrimination information assigned to the object from the audio
and/or visual data obtained by the sensing means; display means for
displaying the home page including the object; and communication
means operatively connected to said first and second transmission
means, said identification read means, and said display means.
24. The information network system apparatus according to claim 23
further comprising operation means operatively connected to the
communication means, wherein said discrimination information
includes an object identifier and a cursor controlled by said
operation means is displayed by the display means over the home
page and the object identifier is displayed on the home page when
the cursor is moved on the object.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION DATA
[0001] This application claims priority from Japanese Patent
Application No. P11-282644 filed Oct. 4, 1999 and International
Application No. PCT/JP00/06916 filed Oct. 4, 2000. All of the
forgoing applications are incorporated herein by reference to the
extent permitted by law.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The present invention relates to an information processing
apparatus and method, and a recording medium, and particularly
relates to an information processing apparatus and method, and a
recording medium capable of easily obtaining desired information by
a user.
[0004] 2. Background Art
[0005] In the internet having been popularized rapidly, recently,
information can be easily provided by WWW (World Wide Web). That
is, it is possible for WWW to provide information according to a
so-called hyper text by a file described in a page description
language called HTML (Hyper Text Markup). The file described in
HTML is generally called the home page, and a location on the
internet where the home page is present is expressed by position
information called URL (Uniform Resource Locator). Further, the
home page (HTML file) is interpreted and displayed by WWW browser,
but the home page interpreted and displayed by WWW browser is
designated by URL thereof.
[0006] Incidentally, the internet is a network of a world scale,
and an enormous number of home pages are present, thus making it
difficult for a user himself to find the desired home page out of
such an enormous number of home pages. So, the home page called a
search engine is present on the internet, and in such a home page
as described, when a key word is input, a list of URL for home
pages on which words matched to the key word are described is
provided in the form of the home page. For example, in a server
having a function as a research engine for carrying out full
sentence matched type search, URL for home pages and key words used
for search for the home pages are corresponded and registered in
the data base. When a key word is input, URL corresponded to the
key word is searched to provide a list therefor.
[0007] Accordingly, in the conventional search engine, for example,
when a person's name is input as a key word, URL for the home page
on which the name is described is searched. Therefore, URL for the
home page on which the other person of the same family and personal
name as a person the name input as a key work is sometimes included
in the home page on which a list of URL is displayed as a result of
search. In this case, it is necessary for a user to see, from a
list of URL displayed, comments on URL, that is, generally,
comments displayed on the home page together with URL as a result
of search for URL and representative of an outline of the home page
specified by URL displayed to find the desired URL of the home
page, failing to carry out easy search.
[0008] Further, in the conventional search engine, search for URL
is carried out for a text described in the home page as an object,
that is, search is carried out according to whether or not a key
word transmitted from a user is included in the text described in
the home page, and it is difficult to carry out search with images
and voices constituting the home page as objects. As the search
result, a user is sometimes impossible to obtain the desired URL
for the home page.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention has been accomplished in view of the
circumstances as described above. It is an object of the present
invention to provide an information processing apparatus and
method, and a recording medium useful for use with these apparatus
and method, capable of easily obtaining the desired information
through a communication network.
[0010] An information processing apparatus according to the present
invention proposed for achieving such an object as described
includes receiving means for receiving discrimination information
assigned to an object constituting information transmitted from a
terminal; discrimination information assigned to the object
constituting information; search means for searching position
information corresponded to the discrimination information from the
terminal from a data base for storing the discrimination
information assigned to the object constituting information and
position information on the discrimination information; preparing
means for preparing a list of position information searched; and
transmission means for transmitting the list of the position
information to the terminal.
[0011] The data base for storing the discrimination information and
the position information corresponded can be further provided on
the information processing apparatus.
[0012] Further, collection means for collecting, from information
present on a network, discrimination information of an object
constituting the information, and position information of the
discrimination information to register the collected discrimination
information and the position information corresponded in the data
base can be further provided on the information processing
apparatus.
[0013] In the collection means, related information in relation to
an object is collected, and the position information and the
related information are corresponded to the discrimination
information and registered in the data base.
[0014] The related information may include a key word used to
search the discrimination information assigned to the object. In
this case, the receiving means receives also a key word transmitted
from the terminal, the search means also searches also the
discrimination information corresponded to the related information
including the key word received by the receiving means, and the
transmission means transmits also the search result of the
discrimination information.
[0015] In the information processing apparatus, adding means for
adding an importance degree to the object can be further provided.
In this case, the preparing means may prepare a list of the
searched position information on the basis of the importance
degree. Further, in the information processing means, issuing means
for issuing discrimination information not registered in the data
base in response to a request from the terminal can be further
provided.
[0016] Here, for information, a file described in a predetermined
description language can be used. As the predetermined description
language, HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) can be used, and for
the position information, URL (Uniform Resource Locator) can be
used.
[0017] An information processing method according to the present
invention includes receiving step for receiving discrimination
information assigned to an object constituting information
transmitted from a terminal; search step for searching position
information corresponded to the discrimination information from the
terminal from a data base for storing the discrimination
information assigned to the object constituting information and
position information on the discrimination information; preparing
step for preparing a list of position information searched; and
transmission step for transmitting the list of the position
information to the terminal.
[0018] Further, in a recording medium according to the present
invention is recorded a program including a search step for
searching position information corresponded to discrimination
information from a terminal, from a data base storing
discrimination information assigned to an object constituting
information transmitted from a terminal and position information of
the discrimination information corresponded, and a preparing step
for preparing a list of the searched position information.
[0019] In the information processing apparatus and method according
to the present invention, the position information corresponded to
the discrimination information corresponded to the discrimination
information from the terminal is searched from the data base
storing the discrimination information assigned to an object
constituting information transmitted from a terminal and the
position information of the discrimination information
corresponded, and the list of the searched position information is
prepared.
[0020] Another information processing apparatus according to the
present invention includes transmission means for transmitting the
discrimination information assigned to the object constituting
information to the server; receiving means for receiving a list of
position information with respect to information constituted from
the object to which the discrimination information is assigned
transmitted from the server corresponding to the transmission of
the discrimination information; and display control means for
displaying the list of position information.
[0021] Another information processing apparatus further comprises
input means for inputting discrimination information to be
transmitted to the transmission means.
[0022] Another information processing apparatus further comprises
request means for requesting the issue of discrimination
information to the server.
[0023] Another information processing apparatus further comprises
request means for requesting the search of discrimination
information by a key word to the server.
[0024] The information can be placed in a file described in a
predetermined description language.
[0025] Here, also, for information, a file described in a
predetermined description language can be used.
[0026] Another information processing method according to the
present invention includes transmission step for transmitting the
discrimination information assigned to the object constituting
information to the server; receiving step for receiving a list of
position information with respect to information constituted from
the object to which the discrimination information is assigned
transmitted from the server corresponding to the transmission of
the discrimination information; and display control step for
displaying the list of position information.
[0027] Another recording medium according to the present invention
has a program recorded therein, the program including transmission
step for transmitting the discrimination information assigned to
the object constituting information to the server; receiving step
for receiving a list of position information with respect to
information constituted from the object to which the discrimination
information is assigned transmitted from the server corresponding
to the transmission of the discrimination information; and display
control step for displaying the list of position information.
[0028] In another information processing apparatus and method
according to the present invention shown herein, the discrimination
information assigned to the object constituting information is
transmitted to the server, and the list of position information
with respect to information constituted from the object to which
discrimination information transmitted from the server
corresponding to the transmission is received and displayed.
[0029] Another information processing apparatus according to the
present invention further includes first receiving means for
receiving discrimination information assigned to an object
constituting information transmitted from a terminal; search means
for searching position information corresponded to discrimination
information from the terminal, from the data base storing
discrimination information assigned to the object constituting
information and position information with respect to the
information corresponded; preparing means for preparing a list of
position information searched; first transmission means transmitted
to the terminal; second receiving means for receiving a list of
position information with respect to information constituted from
an object to which discrimination information is assigned
transmitted from the server corresponding to the transmission of
discrimination information; and display control means for
displaying the list of position information.
[0030] In another information processing apparatus and method
according to the present invention shown herein, discrimination
information assigned to the object constituting information
transmitted from the terminal is received; position information
corresponded to discrimination information from the terminal is
searched from the data base storing discrimination information
assigned to the object constituting information and position
information of the discrimination information corresponded; and the
list of position information of the searched position information
is prepared and transmitted to the terminal. On the other hand, the
discrimination information assigned to the object constituting
information is transmitted to the server, and the list of position
information with respect to information constituted from the object
to which the discrimination information transmitted from the server
corresponding to the transmission is received and displayed.
[0031] Other objects of the present invention and the concrete
advantages obtained by the present invention will become further
apparent from ensuing description of the embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0032] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one example of the network
system to which the present invention is applied.
[0033] FIGS. 2(A) and (B) are respectively views showing the home
page described using ID tag.
[0034] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the search server
constituting the network system shown in FIG. 1.
[0035] FIG. 4 is a view showing the stored contents of the data
base shown in FIG. 3.
[0036] FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the collection
processing by the search server.
[0037] FIG. 6 is a flow chart for explaining the search processing
by the search server.
[0038] FIG. 7 is a flow chart for explaining the issue processing
by the search server.
[0039] FIG. 8 is a flow chart for explaining the reverse processing
by the search server.
[0040] FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the user terminal
constituting the network system shown in FIG. 1.
[0041] FIG. 10 is a flow chart for explaining the search request
processing by the user terminal.
[0042] FIG. 11 is a flow chart for explaining the issue request
processing by the user terminal.
[0043] FIG. 12 is a flow chart for explaining the reverse request
processing by the user terminal.
[0044] FIGS. 13(A) and (B) are respectively views showing display
examples of the home page described using ID tag.
[0045] FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing one example of the
computer for executing a program recorded in the recording medium
to which the present invention is applied.
MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0046] The information processing apparatus and method, and the
recording medium according to the present invention will be
described in detail.
[0047] First, one example of the network system to which the
present invention is applied will be described with reference to
FIG. 1.
[0048] In the network system shown in FIG. 1, WWW servers 1.sub.1
to 1.sub.N (will be hereinafter described as WWW server 1 as long
as WWW servers 1.sub.1 to 1.sub.N need not be discriminated) store
HTML file, and image data, voice data, programs and so on
constituting the home page. WWW server 1 transmits, for example,
when URL is transmitted from a user terminal 3 through an internet
2, HTML file specified by URL, HTML specified by URL and so on to
the user terminal 3 through the internet 2. In this case, in the
WWW browser of the user terminal 3, HTML file is interpreted and
displayed.
[0049] Here, in the home page displayed as the result that WWW
browser interpreted HTML file, texts, image data, voice data,
programs and so on as occasion demands. In the following
description, elements constituting the home page sch as texts,
image data, voice data, programs and so on as described above are
suitably called the object.
[0050] The user terminal 3 is constituted, for example, by a
computer and so on, in which WWW browser for perusing the home page
is installed. The user who peruses the home page starts WWW browser
installed in the user terminal 3 to input URL. The input URL is
transmitted to the WWW server 1 through the internet 2. In the WWW
server 1, HTML file specified by URL from the user terminal 3 as
described above is transmitted to the user terminal 3 whereby in
the WWW browser of the user terminal 3, HTML file is interpreted
and displayed.
[0051] The search server 4 provides the home page as a search
engine (will be hereinafter suitably called the search page).
Accordingly, the user terminal 3 is able to get access to the
search page similarly to getting access to the ordinary home page
to thereby enable searching URL, That is, the search server 4
searches, when receives a search request of URL, searches URL
matched to the request so as to transmit a list thereof in the form
of the home page to the user terminal.
[0052] In the present embodiment, in the home page provided in the
WWW server 1 is described, as occasion demands, object ID
(Identification) assigned to the object constituting the home
page.
[0053] That is, in the present embodiment, the tag of HTML is
expanded so that the object ID may be described, and ID tag
<IDTAG> is newly defined as such a tag as described. The
object ID can be assigned to the object by the ID tag.
[0054] FIG. 2(A) and FIG. 2(B) show the home page described using
the ID tag.
[0055] FIG. 2(A) and FIG. 2(B) show the home page in a state that
the HYML file is interpreted and displayed by the WWW browser, and
the source for the home page (actual described contents of the HTML
file), respectively.
[0056] In the embodiment of FIG. 2(A), the home page is constituted
by three objects in total: images V.sub.1 and V.sub.2 with a face
as a motif, and a text T.sub.1 comprising [YAMADA-SAN, TODAY . .
.].
[0057] In the present embodiment, the tag of HTML is expanded so
that the object ID may be assigned to the object, as described
above. That is, in the source file of HTML shown in FIG. 2(B),
<IDTAG> tag (ID tag) is also used in addition to the existing
<HTML> tag, <HEAD> tag, <TITLE> tag, <BODY>
tag, <IMG> tag, and <P> tag. A tag without/is a start
tag, and a tag with/is an end tag.
[0058] The <IDTAG> tag is the tag for assigning the object ID
to the object, and ID, Date, Make, Att, Key, and Kind can be
described as genus thereof.
[0059] Genus ID is used to designate object ID assigned to the
object described between the start tag <IDTAG> and the end
tag </IDTAG>. Genus Date is used when a date having the
object ID assigned to the object is described. Genus Make is used
when a name for discriminating a preparer who prepared the object
is described. Genus Att is used when a name for discriminating a
person by who assigned the object ID is described. Genus Key is
used to describe a key word when the object ID is searched. Genus
Kind is used to designate a data form of the object (for example,
data are a text, an image or voice; and an image is JPEG form, GIF
form, etc.).
[0060] Out of the above-described genera, description of ID is
indispensable, but description of other genera is optional.
[0061] FIG. 3 shows the search server 4 constituting the network
system shown in FIG. 1. A collection engine 11 collects information
of the home page controlled by the WWW server 11 on the internet 2
by carrying out collection control described later, and registers
the object assigned to the object constituting the home page and
other information, and URL of the home page including the object
corresponded in the data base 12. The data base 12 with the object
ID and so on supplied from the collection engine 11 and URL
corresponded is stored.
[0062] That is, FIG. 4 shows data stored in the data base 12.
[0063] In the data base 12, stored in each record are the object ID
with respect to the object, and presence information, an ID
attached date, an ID preparer, an ID attacher, a key word, a kind
of object, other data, and an importance degree corresponded.
[0064] URL of the object is described on the column of the presence
information. Information in accordance with the genera Data, Make,
Att, Key, and Kind of the <IDTAG> tag described in FIG. 2(B)
are described on the column of an ID attached date, an ID preparer,
an ID attacher, a key word, and a kind of object. The column of
data for expansion is the column for describing, when the genus of
the <IDTAG> tag is expanded in future, information of the
expanded genus and so on. The importance degree of the object is
described on the column of the importance degree.
[0065] The importance degree of the object is computed on the basis
of the genus of the <IDTAG> tag in the collection engine 11.
That is, the collection engine 11 sets the importance degree to a
higher value, for example, as the date described in the genus Date
is close to the present time. Further, the collection engine 11
sets, for example, where the names of the genera Make and Att are
coincided, the importance degree higher than that of the different
case.
[0066] Out of the records of the data base shown in FIG. 4, the
record in the first line from top is prepared with respect to the
image V.sub.1 as the object shown in FIG. 2, and the record in the
second line is prepared with respect to the text T.sub.1 as the
object shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, URL of the home page is
http://www.aaa/sample.html. Returning to FIG. 3, the search engine
13 carries out search processing for searching the data base in
response to the request from the user terminal 3.
[0067] That is, the search engine 13 is constituted by an input
processing section 15, a search processing section 16, and an
output processing section 17. The input processing section 15
receives the search request of URL of the object, which is
transmitted through the internet 2 from the user terminal 3, that
is, URL of the home page constituted including the object, to
supply it to the search processing section 16. The search
processing section 16 searches the data base 12 in accordance with
the search request from the input processing section 15 to supply
URL as the search result to the output processing section 17. The
output processing section 17 processes such that a list of URL as
the search result from the search processing section 16 may be
displayed in the form of the home page (prepares HTML file of such
a home page) to transmit it to the user terminal 3 having
transmitted the search request through the internet 2.
[0068] The control engine 14 comprises an I/F (Interface) section
18, an issue processing section 19, and a reverse processing
section 20, which sections carry out the issuing processing and the
reverse processing described later.
[0069] That is, the I/F section 18 receives an issue request and a
reverse request supplied through the internet 2 form the user
terminal 3, supplies them to the issue processing section 19 and
the reverse processing section 20, respectively, and transmits the
object ID supplied from the issue processing section 19 and the
reverse processing section 20 to the user terminal 3 through the
internet 2.
[0070] The issue request termed herein means a request for the
issue of the object ID assigned to the object. The reverse request
means a request for the research of the object ID assigned to the
object.
[0071] The issue processing section 19 refers to, when receives the
issue request from the I/F section 18, the data base 12 to
recognize the object ID not used and return the object ID to the
I/F section 18. The reverse processing section 20 searches, when
receives the reverse request from the I/F section 18, the object ID
assigned to an object and return it to the I/F section 18.
[0072] Next, the collection processing carried out in the
collection engine 11 of the research server 4 will be described
with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 5.
[0073] In the collection processing, first, in Step S1, a home page
(a home page controlled by the WWW server 1) on the internet 2 is
searched, and the procedure proceeds to Step S2, then, in Step S2,
judgment is made of whether or not the object ID is described, that
is, whether or not the <IDTAG> tag is present, in the HTML
file as the source file of the searched home page (hereinafter
referred to as an attention home page). In Step S2, where judgment
was made of that the <IDTAG> tag is not present in the
attention home page, the procedure skips Steps S3 and S4 and
proceeds to Step S5.
[0074] Where judgment was made of that the <IDTAG> tag is
present in the attention home page, the procedure proceeds to Step
3 to obtain the genus described in the <IDTAG> tag, and URL
of the home page (the attention home page). That is, for example,
where the home page that URL shown in FIG. 2(B) is
http://www.aaa/sample.html is the attention home page, with respect
to the object specified by the description <IMG
SRC="YAMADA-SAN.gif> between the start tag <IDTAG ID=1111111
Date=1999/01/01 10:00 Make="TARO"Att="SABURO" Key="eraser"
Kind=Gif>, and the end tag </IDTAG>,
http://www.aaa/sample.html which is URL of the attention home page,
and genus ID=1111111, Date=1999/01/01, 10:00 Make="TARO",
Att="SABURO", Key="eraser", Kind=Gif described in <IDTAG> tag
are obtained.
[0075] Thereafter, the procedure proceeds to Step 4, and the
collection engine 11 has URL of the home page obtained in Step S3
and the genus corresponded, which is registered as shown in FIG. 4,
for example.
[0076] The processing of Step 3 and Step 4 is carried out for all
<IDTAG> which are present in the home page searched in Step
S1.
[0077] After the processing in Step 4, the procedure proceeds to
Step 5, and judgment is made of whether or not a link is extended
from the home page searched in Step 1 to the other home page.
Where, in Step 5, judgement was made of that a link is extended to
the other home page, that is, where URL of the other home page is
described, for example, by <A> tag, on the home page searched
in Step S1, the procedure proceeds to Step S6, and processing
similar to the case of Steps S2 to S6 is carried out for the other
home page. Then, the procedure returns to Step S1, and the similar
processing is repeated for the home page not researched.
[0078] On the other hand, where in Step S5, judgment was made of
that a link was not extended from the home page searched in Step S1
to the other home page, the procedure returns to Step S1, and the
similar processing is repeated for the home page not
researched.
[0079] Next, the search processing carried out in the search server
4 will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 6.
[0080] When the request for connection is brought through the
internet 2 from the user terminal, in the search server 4, the
connection relative to the user terminal 3 is established, and the
procedure proceeds to Step 12, in which step, judgment is made of
whether or not the search research for requesting search of URL of
the home page including the object ID and the object to which the
object ID is assigned is transmitted from the user terminal 3.
[0081] In Step 12, where judgment was made of that the search
request was transmitted along with the object ID, the procedure
proceeds to the step S13, and the input processing section 15
receives the object ID to output it to the search processing
section 16.
[0082] The search processing section 16 searches, when receives the
object ID from the input processing section 15, URL corresponded to
the object ID referring to the data base 12, in Step S14, to output
URL as the search result to the output processing section 17.
[0083] The output processing section 17 prepares the home page
(hereinafter suitably referred to as the search result page) on
which URL from the search processing section 16 is displayed, in
Step 15. Where a plurality of URLs are searched in the search
processing section 16, the output processing section 17 is caused
to prepare the search result page in which the plurality of URLs
are arranged in suitable order, or can be sometimes caused to
prepare the search result page arranged in order of the high
importance degree described in FIG. 4.
[0084] When the output processing section 17 prepares the search
result page, the procedure proceeds to Step S16, and the search
result page is transmitted to the user terminal 3 through the
internet 12, to complete the search processing.
[0085] While in the above-described case, only the URL corresponded
to the object ID transmitted along with the search request from the
user terminal 3 is displayed on the search result page, it is noted
that in addition thereto, the outline relating to the object
specified by URL and the object ID can be displayed on the search
result page.
[0086] In the following, the issue processing carried out in the
search server 4 will be described with reference to the flow chart
of FIG. 7.
[0087] When the request for the connection is brought through the
internet 2 from the user terminal 3, in the search sever 4, the
connection relative to the user terminal 3 is established in Step
S21. The procedure proceeds to Step S22, the I/F section 18 judges
whether or not the request for the issue for requesting the issue
of the object ID is transmitted from the user terminal 3. In Step
S22, where judgment was made of that the request for the issue is
not transmitted, the procedure returns to Step S22, In Step S22,
where judgment was made of that the request for the issue is
transmitted, the procedure proceeds to Step S23, and judgment is
made whether or not the object ID is transmitted along with the
request for the issue.
[0088] That is, in the present invention, where the object ID is
issued to the user, the search server 4 can issue the object ID
determined by the search server 4 and can also issue the object ID
desired by the user as well. Where the user requests the issue of
the object ID desired by himself, the user operates the user
terminal 3 to transmit the object ID desired to be issued along
with the request for the issue. In Step S23, judgment is made
whether or not the object ID is transmitted along with the request
for the issue.
[0089] Where judgment is made of that the object ID is not
transmitted along with the request for the issue in Step S23, that
is, where only the request for the issue is transmitted, the I/F
section 18 receives the request for the issue to transmit it to the
issue processing section 19. Then, the procedure proceeds to Step
S24.
[0090] The issue processing section 19 obtains the object IDs not
registered (the unused ID) referring to the data base 12 in Step
S24. The procedure proceeds to Step S25, and one of them is
registered in the data base 12. The issue processing section 19
supplies the object ID registered in the data base 12 to the I/F
section 18. The procedure proceeds to Step S26. The I/F section 18
transmits the object ID from the issue processing section 19 to the
user terminal 3 through the internet 2, in Step S26 to thereby
issue the object ID and end the issue processing.
[0091] On the other hand, where in Step S23, judgment was made of
that the object ID was transmitted along with the object ID, the
I/F section 18 supplies the object ID to the issue processing
section 19. The procedure proceeds to Step S27.
[0092] The issue processing section 19 judges, in Step S27, whether
or not the object ID from the I/F section 18 is already registered
in the data base 12. In Step S27, where the object ID from the I/F
section 18 is not registered in the data base 12, the procedure
proceeds to Step S28, and the object Id is registered in the data
base 12. The issue processing section 19 supplies the message to
the effect that the object ID is registered (hereinafter suitably
referred to as the registration message) to the I/F section 18. The
procedure proceeds to Step S29. The I/F section 18 transmits the
registration message from the issue processing section 19 to the
user terminal 3 through the internet 2 in Step S29 to end the issue
processing.
[0093] Further, where in Step S27, the object ID from the I/F
section 18 is already registered in the data base 12, the issue
processing section 19 supplies the message to the effect that the
object ID cannot be registered (hereinafter suitably referred to as
the registration disable message) to the I/F section 18, and the
procedure skips Step S2 and proceeds to Step S29. The I/F section
18 transmits the registration disable message from the issue
processing section 19 to the user terminal 3 through the internet 2
and ends the issue processing.
[0094] Where the object ID was issued by the issue processing, the
record having only the object ID is registered in the data base 12,
but thereafter, when the home page including the object to which
the object ID was assigned by the user is prepared to upload it on
the internet 2, the above-described collection processing is
carried out whereby URL of the home page including the object to
which the object ID was assigned by the user, and genera except the
object ID are registered as shown in FIG. 4.
[0095] Next, the reverse processing carried out in the search
server 4 will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG.
8.
[0096] When the request for the connection is brought through the
internet 2 from the user terminal 3, in the search server 4, the
connection relative to the user terminal 3 is established in Step
S31, and the procedure proceeds to Step S32. The I/F section judges
whether or not the request for the reverse for requesting the
search for the object ID from the key word is transmitted from the
user terminal 3 along with the key word used for the search. Where
judgment was made in Step S32 that the reverse request and the key
word are not transmitted, the procedure returns to Step S32.
[0097] Further, where judgment was made in Step S32 that the
reverse request and the key word are transmitted, the I/F section
18 outputs the reverse request and the key word to the reverse
processing section 20, and the procedure proceeds to Step S33.
[0098] In Step S33, the reverse processing section 20 refers to the
data base 12 to thereby search the record in which the key word
coincided with the key word from the I/F section 18 to extract the
object ID registered in the record.
[0099] Then, the reverse processing section 20 outputs the
extracted object ID to the I/F section 18, and the I/F section 18
in turn transmits the object ID from the reverse processing section
20 to the user terminal 3, in Step S34, and ends the reverse
processing.
[0100] According to the reverse processing as described above, the
user is able to know the object ID of the object to which a key
word is attached.
[0101] Next, the user terminal 3 constituting the network system
shown in FIG. 1 will be described in more detail. The user terminal
3 is provided with a camera 31 as shown in FIG. 9. This camera 31
takes a photograph of an object to thereby output the image on
which the object is displayed to the ID read section 32. The ID
read section 32 carries out, for example, the image recognition
with respect to the image from the camera 31 to thereby recognize,
that is, read the object ID of the object related to the
object.
[0102] That is, in the embodiment shown here, for example, the
objects related to the goods such as an eraser, for example, such
as the image on which the goods are photographed, the text for
explaining the goods, and the object ID assigned to the voice are
displayed. The ID read section 32 reads the object ID displayed on
the goods from the image from the camera 31. The object ID read by
the ID read section 32 is supplied to the communication section
33.
[0103] On the goods, the object ID itself can be displayed, and,
for example, those in the form of a bar code can be displayed.
Further, the object ID is not always displayed on the goods, but in
the ID read section 32, it is also possible to recognize the image
of the goods from the camera 31 to recognize the object ID of the
object related to the goods from the result of recognition.
Accordingly, the object photographed by the camera 31 need not be
the goods, but a person, an animal such as a dog, and a plant may
be included.
[0104] The communication section 33 communicates with the WWW
server 1 and the search server 4 through the internet to exchange
various kinds of data. That is, the communication section 33
transmits the object ID and data corresponding to the operation of
the operation section 34 to the WWW server 1 and the search server
4 through the internet 2. The communication section 3 receives and
supplies data, for example, such as HTML file, transmitted through
the internet 2 from the WWW server 1 and the search server 4 to the
display control section 35.
[0105] The operation section 34 is composed of, for example, such
as a keyboard, and a mouse so as to impart a command, and necessary
data to the communication section 33. The operation section 34 may
be composed of, for example, a microphone and a voice recognition
device. In this case, in the operation section 33, the user's voice
as the command is voice-recognized to impart the voice recognition
result to the communication section 33.
[0106] The display control section 35 receives data from the
communication section 33 to display it on the display section 36.
The display section 36 is composed of, for example, a liquid
crystal panel and CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), to carry out the display
in accordance with the control from the display control section
35.
[0107] In the user terminal 3 constituted as described above, the
search request processing for requesting the search for the home
page including the object from the object ID of the object related
to an object, the issue request processing for requesting the issue
of the object ID assigned to the object, or the reverse request
processing for requesting the search for the object ID of the
object corresponding to the key word from the key word are carried
out.
[0108] So, first, the search request processing will be described
with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 10.
[0109] The user photographs, for example, when desires the detailed
information with respect to an object, the object with a camera 31.
The image of the object obtained by the camera 30 is supplied to
the ID read section 32, and the ID read section 32 reads, from the
image, the object ID of the object related to the object displayed
on the image to supply it to the communication section 3. The
communication section 33 requests the search server 4, when
receives the object ID from the ID read section 32, the connection
through the internet 2 in Step S41, and when the connection
relative to the search server 4, the procedure proceeds to Step S42
to transmit the object ID from the ID read section 32 along with
the search request.
[0110] In the search server 4 having received the object ID and the
search request, the search processing is carried out as described
in FIG. 6, and the search result page is transmitted, and
therefore, in the communication section 33, judgment is made
whether or not the search result page is transmitted from the
search server 4 in Step S43.
[0111] Where in Step S43, judgment is made of that the search
result page is not transmitted, the procedure returns to Step S43
to wait till the search result page is transmitted. Further, where
in Step S43, judgment is made of that the search result page was
transmitted, the communication section 33 receives the search
result page to supply it to the display control section 35, and the
procedure proceeds to Step S44.
[0112] In Step S44, the display control section 35 causes the
search result page from the communication section 33 to display on
the display section 36 to end the search request processing.
[0113] The search result page is the home page on which is
displayed URL of he home page including the object corresponded to
the object ID transmitted along with the search request by the
user, and accordingly, the user is able to easily obtain
information related to the object photographed by the camera
31.
[0114] That is, where a person as the object is photographed by the
camera 31, the object ID assigned to the object related to the
person is transmitted to the search server 4 from the user terminal
3. Accordingly, since in the search server 4, URL of the home page
including the object related to the person photographed by the
camera 31 is searched, only such URL is displayed on the search
result page. Since only URL of the home page including the object
related to the person photographed by the camera 31 is displayed in
the manner as described, the desired information can be obtained
easily as compared with the case where URL of the home page on
which is described information related to a plurality of persons of
the same family and personal name as in the case where search is
made by a key word in the conventional search engine.
[0115] Further, the data forms of the object to which the object ID
is assigned may be the text, of course, or JPEG and GIF and other
video data, or may be WAV and AU and other audio data, and the
search with the image or voice as objects can be carried out.
[0116] While in the above-described case, the object is
photographed by the camera 31, and in the ID read section 32, the
object ID of the object related to the object is obtained from the
object output by the camera 31 is obtained, it is noted
alternatively that the object ID may be also input, for example, by
operating the operation section 34. The object ID of the object
related to the object enables to be notified to the user by issuing
the magazine or the like which prints the object ID on an
advertisement of the object, or prints the object ID of the object
related to the object.
[0117] Further, where the object ID is obtained by the ID read
section 32, the object itself is not photographed by the camera 31,
but a photograph or an image on which the object is displayed can
be photographed.
[0118] Next, the issue request processing will be described with
reference to the flow chart of FIG. 11.
[0119] When the user desires to assign the object ID to the object
constituting the existing home page or the home page prepared in
future, the user operates the operation section 34 to input the
command (hereinafter suitably referred to as the issue request
command) for causing the user terminal 3 to carry out the issue
request processing.
[0120] The issue request command is received by the communication
section 33, and when the communication section 33 requests, when
receives the issue request command, the search server 14 the
connection through the internet 2 in Step S54 to establish the
connection with the search server 4, then the procedure proceeds to
Step S52 to transmit the issue request to the search server 4.
[0121] In the search server 4 which receives the issue request, the
issue processing is carried out as described in FIG. 7, and since
the registration message or the registration disable message (both
of which will be hereinafter suitably referred to as the
registration result message) or the issued object ID is
transmitted, the communication section 33 receives the registration
result message or the object ID receives in Step S53 and supplies
it to the display control section 35. Further, in Step S53, the
display control section 35 supplies the registration result message
or the object ID to the display section 36 for display, and the
issue request processing ends.
[0122] Where an optional object ID is desired to be issued, the
user will suffice merely to operate the operation section 34 to
input the issue request command, but where an object ID having a
value descried by himself, it is necessary for the user to operate
the operation section 34 to input the issue request command and
input the object ID desired also. In this case, in Step S52, the
input object ID is also transmitted along with the issue
request.
[0123] Next, the reverse request processing will be described with
reference to the flow chart of FIG. 12.
[0124] Where the user desires to obtain URL of the home page
including the object related to an object, it is necessary to
transmit the object ID to the search server 4 to carry out the
search request, but the object or the image on which the object is
displayed is not present near oneself, or when the object ID of the
object related to the object is not known, the search request
cannot be carried out.
[0125] So, according to the reverse request processing, when a key
word is input with respect to the object, the object ID of the
object related to the object can be obtained.
[0126] That is, the user operates, when desires to know the object
ID of the object related to an object, the operation section 34 to
input a key word along with the command (hereinafter suitably
referred to as the reverse request command) for causing the user
terminal 3 to carry out the reverse request processing.
[0127] The reverse request command and the key word are received by
the communication section 33. The communication section 33
requests, when receives the reverse request command and the key
word, the search server 4 the connection through the internet 2 in
Step S61, when the connection with the search server 41 is
established, the procedure proceeds to Step S62 to transmit the
reverse request command and the key word to the search server
4.
[0128] In the search server 4 having received the reverse request
command and the key word, the reverse processing is carried out as
described in FIG. 8 whereby in the data base 12 (see FIG. 4), the
object ID corresponded to the key word is searched and transmitted,
and therefore, in Step S63, the communication section 33 receives
the object ID to supply it to the display control section 35.
Further, in Step S63, the display control section 35 supplies the
object ID to the display section 36 for display, and the reverse
request processing ends.
[0129] The user carries out the search request processing described
in FIG. 10 using the object ID obtained as described above to
obtain URL of the object related to the desired object.
[0130] Where the home page on which the <IDTAG> tag is
described is displayed by the WWW browser, when the cursor is moved
on the object specified by the description surrounded by the
<IDTAG> tag, it is possible to display the object ID assigned
to the object.
[0131] That is, according to the HTML file shown in FIG. 2(B), in
the WWW browser, the home page as shown in FIG. 13(A) similar to
that shown in FIG. 2(A) is displayed but in this case, when the
cursor is moved on the image V.sub.1 as the object, the object ID
[1111111] assigned to the image V.sub.1 as the object can be
displayed on the WWW browser as shown in FIG. 13(B).
[0132] Further, when others assign the object ID described in a
home page without leave, information becomes confused, and
therefore, some measure is desirably taken so the use of the object
ID as described above can be prohibited.
[0133] A series of processing as described above can be carried out
by a hardware as well as a software. Where the series of processing
is carried out by a software, a program constituting the software
is installed on a general-purpose computer or the like.
[0134] FIG. 14 shows one example of a computer in which the program
for executing the aforementioned series of processing is
installed.
[0135] The program can be recorded in advance in a hard disc 150 as
a recording medium encased in a computer 101 or ROM 243 as a
semiconductor memory.
[0136] Alternatively, the program can be stored or recorded
temporarily or permanently in a removable recording medium 151 such
as a floppy disc, CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), MO
(Magneto optical) disc, DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), a magnetic
disc, and a semiconductor memory. Such a removable recoding medium
151 can be provided as a so-called package soft-ware.
[0137] In addition to the above, the program is transferred, from
the down-load side, to the computer 101 by radio through the
artificial satellite for digital satellite broadcasting, is
transferred to the computer by wire through network such as LAN
(Local Area Network) and an internet, and can be installed on a
hard-disc 102 encased.
[0138] In the description of the present invention, the processing
steps for describing programs for causing the computer to carry out
various processes not always need to be process in time series
along the order described as a flow chart, but, for example,
processing executed in parallel or individually or processing
according to the object is included.
[0139] Further, the program may be processed by a single computer,
or may be processed by being scattered by a plurality of computers.
Further, the program may be transferred to a distant computer for
execution.
[0140] The computer 101 encases therein CPU (Central Processing
Unit) 142. An input-output interface 145 is connected to CPU 142
through a bus 141. When a command is input as a result that the
input section 147 constituted by a keyboard or a mouse is operated
by the user through the input-output interface 145, CPU 142
executes the program stored in ROM (Read Only Memory) 143
accordingly. Further, CPU 142 loads, on RAM (Random Access Memory)
144, and executes a program stored in a hard-disc 150, a program
which is transferred from a satellite or a network, received by a
communication section 148 and installed in the hard-disc 150, or a
program which is read from a removable recording medium 151 mounted
on a drive 149 and installed on the hard-disk. Then, CPU 142
outputs the processed result, for example, to a display section 146
constituted by LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or the like through the
input-output interface 145, as occasion demands, or the processed
result is transmitted from the communication section 148.
[0141] As the object ID, characters such as alphabet and symbols in
addition to numerals can be used.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0142] According to the present invention, as described above,
discrimination information assigned to the object constituting
information transmitted from the terminal is received, position
information corresponded to discrimination information from the
terminal is searched from the data base storing discrimination
information assigned to the object constituting information and
position information of the information corresponded, and a list of
the searched position information is prepared and transmitted the
terminal. On the other hand, the discrimination information
assigned to the object constituting the information is transmitted
to the server, and a list of position information with respect to
information constituted from the object to which the discrimination
information transmitted from the server corresponding to the
transmission is received and displayed, and therefore, the position
information including the desired object can be obtained
easily.
* * * * *
References