U.S. patent application number 14/509417 was filed with the patent office on 2015-01-22 for content classification method and content reproduction apparatus capable of performing the method.
The applicant listed for this patent is Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Hyong-uk CHOI.
Application Number | 20150026185 14/509417 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39370419 |
Filed Date | 2015-01-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150026185 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHOI; Hyong-uk |
January 22, 2015 |
CONTENT CLASSIFICATION METHOD AND CONTENT REPRODUCTION APPARATUS
CAPABLE OF PERFORMING THE METHOD
Abstract
A tag-based content classification method of classifying content
based on a custom tag defined using user taste-based category
information and a content reproduction apparatus to perform the
method. The content classification method includes: analyzing
content, and classifying the content based on whether the content
comprises a first custom tag, the first custom tag and a second
custom tag, the first custom tag, the second custom tag, and a tag,
or the first custom tag and the tag.
Inventors: |
CHOI; Hyong-uk; (Seoul,
KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. |
Suwon-si |
|
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
39370419 |
Appl. No.: |
14/509417 |
Filed: |
October 8, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11737960 |
Apr 20, 2007 |
8875014 |
|
|
14509417 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
707/740 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 16/287 20190101;
G06F 16/48 20190101 |
Class at
Publication: |
707/740 |
International
Class: |
G06F 17/30 20060101
G06F017/30 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 13, 2006 |
KR |
10-2006-0111885 |
Claims
1. A content classification method comprising: updating information
contained in a first custom tag and a second custom tag associated
with a content, wherein the content has the first custom tag
containing user taste-based category information and the second
custom tag containing information for monitoring a use pattern of
the content; classifying the content based on a result of the
updating; and displaying a result obtained by classifying the
content.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content further comprises at
least one content-based tag defined using content information-based
category information, wherein one or more of the at least one of
the content-based tags is set as a third custom tag, and wherein
the updating of the information comprises updating the at least one
content-based tag set as the third custom tag.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the updating of the information
is performed after receiving the content or after reproducing the
content.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the classifying of the content
comprises: determining at least one of the importance of each of
the category information and the importance of the content based on
the result of the updating, and classifying the content based on a
result of the determination.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the content comprises at least
one of music-based content, image or video-based content, text
based content, and multimedia-based content.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein, if the content is music-based
content, the first custom tag and the second custom tag are set
using at least one of a command field and a variable space of the
content, wherein, if the content is image-based content, the first
custom tag and the second custom tag are set using the command
field of the content, wherein, if the content is video-based
content, the first custom tag and the second custom tag are set
using a description space of the content, and wherein, if the
content is text-based content, the first custom tag and the second
custom tag are set using a reserved area.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the classifying of the content
comprises: storing a result of the classification in a storage
unit.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the information for monitoring
the use pattern of the content comprises reproduction frequency
information related to the content and information on a number of
reproduction completions related to the content.
9. An apparatus comprising: a logging unit configured to update
information contained in a first custom tag and a second custom tag
associated with a content, wherein the content has the first custom
tag containing at least one item of category information based on a
user's taste, and the second custom tag containing information for
monitoring a use pattern of the content; a content classifier
configured to classify the content based on a result of the
updating by the logging unit; and a display unit configured to
present a result obtained by classifying the content.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the content further comprises
at least one content-based tag defined using content
information-based category information, wherein one or more of the
at least one content-based tag is set as a third custom tag, and
wherein the logging unit updates one or more of the at least one
content-based tag set as the third custom tag.
11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the logging unit operates
after receiving the content by the content reproduction apparatus
or after reproducing the content by the content reproduction
apparatus.
12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the content classifier
determines at least one of the importance of each of the items of
category information and the importance of the content based on the
result of the updating, and classifies the content based on a
result of the determination.
13. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a storage unit
configured to store a result of the classification.
14. A non-transitory computer readable medium having one or more
programs which include commands for executing a method for
classifying a plurality of content, the method comprising: updating
information contained in a first custom tag and a second custom tag
associated with a content, wherein the content has the first custom
tag containing user taste-based category information and the second
custom tag containing information for monitoring a use pattern of
the content; classifying the content based on a result of the
updating; and displaying a result obtained by classifying the
content.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation application of a prior
application Ser. No. 11/737,960, filed on Apr. 20, 2007, which
claimed the benefit under 35 U.S.C .sctn.119(a) of a Korean Patent
Application filed on Nov. 13, 2006 in the Korean Intellectual
Property Office and assigned Serial number 10-2006-0111885, the
entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] Aspects of the present invention relate to content
classification and, more particularly, to a tag-based content
classification method and a content reproduction apparatus capable
of performing the method.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] The development of the World Wide Web and large memory
capacity of content reproduction apparatuses cause the amount of
content which users can access and possess to be greater than users
can easily manage. Due to this, the time taken for users to access
desired content has been increasing. Various content classification
methods to reduce the time taken to access desired content have
been suggested.
[0006] Tag-based content classification methods classify content
based on a description defined in a tag. One of the conventional
tag-based content classification methods is the ID3 tag-based
content classification method. The ID3 tag-based content
classification method classifies content based on content
information-based category information, such as artist, genre, and
album. The user can thus access desired content based on content
information-based category information. The user cannot access
desired content based on user taste-based category information. For
example, the user can access desired content based on content
information-based category information such as artist, song, genre,
etc. However, the user cannot access desired content based on user
taste-based category information (or user information-based
category information) such as drive, love, rain, work, sleep,
study, family, etc.
[0007] The conventional ID3 tag-based content classification method
classifies content based on a predefined order. For example, if
content is set to be classified in the order of artist, genre, and
album, a result obtained by classifying the content in the order of
artist, genre, and album as illustrated in FIG. 1 is provided to
the user regardless of the user's pattern of use. In FIGS. 1, A and
B denote artist names, C denotes an album name, and D, E, F, and G
denote music content names corresponding to rock. The user cannot
access desired content based on his/her pattern of use.
[0008] Even if a reproduction frequency of the content E in the
rock category is high, the time taken for the user to access the
content E in the rock category is always the same. If the amount of
content possessed by the user increases, the time taken for the
user to access the content E in the rock category may increase as
well.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Aspects of the present invention provide a tag-based content
classification method of classifying content based on a custom tag
that is defined using user taste-based category information and a
content reproduction apparatus to perform the method.
[0010] Aspects of the present invention also provide a tag-based
content classification method of classifying content by setting a
tag that is defined using content information-based category
information as a custom tag and a content reproduction apparatus to
perform the method.
[0011] Aspects of the present invention also provide a tag-based
content classification method of classifying content based on tags
that are defined using content information-based category
information and user taste-based category information and a content
reproduction apparatus to perform the method.
[0012] Aspects of the present invention also provide a tag-based
content classification method based on a pattern of use and a
content reproduction apparatus to perform the method.
[0013] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a content classification method comprising analyzing
content; and if the content comprises a first custom tag,
classifying the content based on the first custom tag, wherein the
first custom tag contains at least one item of category information
according to a user's taste.
[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, if the
content further comprises a second custom tag to monitor a pattern
of use, the classifying of the content may comprise classifying the
content based on the first custom tag and the second custom
tag.
[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, if the
content further comprises at least one content-based tag defined
using content information-based category information, the
classifying of the content may comprise classifying the content
based on the first custom tag and the second custom tag; and
classifying the content based on the content-based tags, wherein
one of the results of the classifying is selectively output
according to a request of the user.
[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, if at
least one of the content-based tags is set as a custom tag, the
classifying the content based on the first custom tag comprises
classifying the content based on the first custom tag, the second
custom tag, and the at least one content-based tag set as a custom
tag.
[0017] According to another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a content reproduction apparatus comprising a content
analyzer to analyze received content; and a content classifier to
classify the content based on a first custom tag if the content
comprises the first custom tag, wherein the first custom tag
contains at least one item of category information according to a
user's taste.
[0018] Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will
be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part,
will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice
of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention
will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the
following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings of which:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a diagram describing a conventional content
classification method;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a content reproduction
apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 3 illustrates data structures of content according to
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 4 illustrates a result of content classification, based
on the content illustrated in FIG. 3, according to an embodiment of
the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 5 illustrates a result of content classification, based
on the content illustrated in FIG. 3, according to another
embodiment of the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 6 illustrates a data structure of content according to
another embodiment of the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the content classifier
illustrated in FIG. 2, according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0027] FIG. 8 illustrates a first result of content classification,
based on the content illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 6, according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0028] FIG. 9 illustrates a second result of content
classification, based on the content illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 6,
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 10 illustrates a data structure of content according to
another embodiment of the present invention;
[0030] FIG. 11 illustrates a result of content classification,
based on the content illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 10, according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0031] FIG. 12 illustrates a data structure of content according to
another embodiment of the present invention;
[0032] FIG. 13 is a block diagram of the first content classifier
illustrated in FIG. 7, according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0033] FIG. 14 illustrates a result of content classification,
based on the content illustrated in FIGS. 3, 10, and 12, according
to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0034] FIG. 15 is a block diagram of a content reproduction
apparatus according to another embodiment of the present
invention;
[0035] FIG. 16 illustrates a content classification screen
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0036] FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating a content classification
method according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0037] FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating a content classification
process illustrated in FIG. 17, according to an embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0038] FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating a content classification
method according to another embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0039] Reference will now be made in detail to the present
embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference
numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are
described below in order to explain the present invention by
referring to the figures.
[0040] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a content reproduction
apparatus 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The content reproduction apparatus 200 includes a content analyzer
201 and a content classifier 202. The content reproduction
apparatus 200 may be a portable media device, such as a notebook
computer, an MP3 player, a mobile phone, or a Digital Multimedia
Broadcasting (DMB) receiver, or a device such as a Personal
Computer (PC).
[0041] The content analyzer 201 analyzes received content. The
content analyzer 201 can analyze content when the content is
received by the content reproduction apparatus 200 or when content
is reproduced by the content reproduction apparatus 200. The
content can be received by inputting the content directly into the
content reproduction apparatus 200 or by downloading the content to
the content reproduction apparatus 200 using a network such as the
Internet. The content may include music-based content, image or
video-based content, text-based content, and/or multimedia-based
content. In other words, the content may be music-based content
(such as a music file), image/video-based content (such as a
photograph or video), text-based content, and/or multimedia-based
content.
[0042] The content analyzer 201 determines whether the received
content contains a tag. If the received content contains a tag, the
content analyzer 201 can determine whether the tag contained in the
content is a content information-based tag or a user
information-based tag. In addition, the content analyzer 210 can
determine whether a tag set as the user information-based tag is in
the content information-based tag. If the received content contains
the content information-based tag and the user information-based
tag, the content analyzer 201 can determine which category
information is contained in each tag.
[0043] The content information-based tag may be the same as a
conventional ID3 tag and is used to set content information-based
category information, such as artist, genre, album, etc. The user
information-based tag is used to set user taste-based category
information, such as drive, love, rain, work, sleep, study, family,
etc., and category information based on a pattern use, such as a
reproduction frequency and the number of reproductions. Other
aspects of the invention may use tag systems other than ID3.
[0044] The user information-based tag can be embedded into the
content by the user via a content portal or a website, or set in
the content by the user using the content reproduction apparatus
200. The user information-based tag is defined hereinafter as a
custom tag. A custom tag based on the user taste-based category
information is defined as a first custom tag. A custom tag based on
the user's using pattern-based category information is defined as a
second custom tag. Since the custom tag is used to provide a result
obtained by classifying content according to a user's taste, the
custom tag can be defined as a smart tag.
[0045] The content information-based tag and the custom tag are set
using a reserved area of the content. If a reserved area exists in
a front end of the content, at least one of the content
information-based tag and the custom tag can be set in the front
end of the content. If a reserved area exists in a back end of the
content, at least one of the content information-based tag and the
custom tag can be set in the back end of the content. If reserved
areas exist in the front end and back end of the content, at least
one of the content information-based tag and the custom tag can be
set in the front end and/or the back end of the content.
[0046] The tags may be located in any convenient part of the
content. If the content is music-based content, at least one of the
content information-based tag and the custom tag may be set using
at least one of a command field and a variable space of the
content. If the content is image-based content, at least one of the
content information-based tag and the custom tag may be set using a
command field of the content. If the content is video-based
content, at least one of the content information-based tag and the
custom tag may be set using a description space of the content. If
the content is text-based content, at least one of the content
information-based tag and the custom tag may be set using a
reserved area of the content or another convenient area of the
content.
[0047] The analysis result of the content analyzer 201 is output to
the content classifier 202. If the content includes the first
custom tag as the analysis result, the content classifier 202
classifies the content based on the first custom tag. If the
content includes the first custom tag, a data structure of the
content can be defined as illustrated in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 illustrates
data structures of content in which each tag area exists in a back
end of the content according to an embodiment of the present
invention. However, the data structures are not limited thereto;
the tag areas illustrated in FIG. 3 can also be defined to exist in
a front end of the content.
[0048] Since user information-based category information is set in
each tag area in FIG. 3, the tag areas can be called first custom
tag areas. FIG. 3 illustrates data structures of .mp3 files AAA,
BBB, CCC, and EEE, a .jpg file DDD, and a .doc file FFF. User
information-based category information "love", "drive", and "work"
is set in the content AAA. User information-based category
information "love" and "drive" is set in the content BBB. User
information-based category information "drive" is set in the
content CCC. User information-based category information "love" is
set in the content DDD. User information-based category information
"drive" is set in the content EEE. User information-based category
information "work" is set in the content FFF.
[0049] If the received content is the same as that illustrated in
FIG. 3, the content classifier 202 sets "love", "drive", and "work"
as category information based on the analysis result with respect
to the first custom tag, which is input from the content analyzer
201. The content classifier 202 classifies the content so that each
of the corresponding content names is disposed in a lower layer of
the category information. The content classifier 202 outputs a
content classification result as illustrated in FIG. 4.
[0050] FIG. 4 illustrates a result of content classification based
on the content illustrated in FIG. 3, according to an embodiment of
the present invention. Categories of the content possessed by the
user are "love", "drive", and "work". The "love" category contains
the .mp3 files AAA and BBB and the .jpg file DDD. The "drive"
category contains the .mp3 files AAA, BBB, CCC, and EEE. The "work"
category contains the .mp3 files AAA and the .doc file FFF.
[0051] When the content classifier 202 classifies the content, the
arrangement order of the category information can be determined by
the user or based on the amount of content in each category. FIG. 4
illustrates the case where the user determined the arrangement
order of the category information to be "love", "drive", and
"work". However, any ordering is possible: if the user determined
the arrangement order of the category information to be "drive",
"love", and "work", the order of "love" and "drive" shown in FIG. 4
would have the order of "drive" and "love" switched. In addition,
the arrangement order is determined according to the amount of
content in each category, the arrangement order of "love" and
"drive" in FIG. 4 would be changed to the order of "drive" and
"love".
[0052] If the user gathers all of the content contained in the
"love" and "drive" categories and sets the "drive" category as a
child category of the "love" category, a content classification
result output from the content classifier 202 with respect to the
content illustrated in FIG. 3 is as illustrated in FIG. 5. FIG. 5
illustrates a result of content classification based on the content
illustrated in FIG. 3, according to another embodiment of the
present invention. The "drive" category is set in a lower layer of
the "love" category at the same level as the .jpg file having the
content name DDD. Each category can be set in a hierarchical
structure according to a request of the user. Thus, the user can
quickly access content commonly related to the "love" and "drive"
categories.
[0053] If a data structure of the received content is the same as
that illustrated in FIG. 6, the content analyzer 201 provides an
analysis result of the received content to the content classifier
202. The content analysis result provided to the content classifier
202 indicates that the received content includes a first tag area
and a second tag area. A plurality of tags defined as the content
information-based category information are set in the first tag
area and the custom tag is set in the second tag area. The first
custom tag includes information indicating the category information
contained in the plurality of tags and the category information
contained in the custom tag.
[0054] FIG. 6 illustrates a data structure of content according to
another embodiment of the present invention. A first tag area and a
second tag area are included in a back-end of the content. A
plurality of tags, defined as the content information-based
category information, is set in the first tag area. The first
custom tag is set in the second tag area. The positions of the
first tag area and the second tag area can be exchanged. The first
tag area and the second tag area can exist in a front end of the
content.
[0055] If received content has the data structure illustrated in
FIG. 3 or the data structure illustrated in FIG. 6, the content
classifier 202 can be configured as illustrated in FIG. 7. FIG. 7
is a block diagram of the content classifier 202 illustrated in
FIG. 2, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The
content classifier 202 includes a tag transmitter 701, a first
content classifier 702, a second content classifier 703, and a
selector 704.
[0056] When the content analysis result is received, the tag
transmitter 701 transmits category information of the first custom
tag set in the second tag area to the first content classifier 702
and transmits category information of the plurality of tags set in
the first tag area to the second content classifier 703.
[0057] The first content classifier 702 classifies the content
based on the first custom tag. Like the content classification
operation of the content classifier 202 illustrated in FIG. 3, the
first content classifier 702 classifies the content. The content
being received includes the content illustrated in FIG. 3 and the
content illustrated in FIG. 6. The content illustrated in FIG. 6
has category information "love" and "drive" in the first custom
tag. Thus, a content classification result output from the first
content classifier 702 can be defined as illustrated in FIG. 8.
FIG. 8 illustrates a first result of content classification, based
on the content illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 6, according to an
embodiment of the present invention. Unlike FIG. 4, FIG. 8 shows a
content classification result in which an .mp3 file having a
content name GGG is contained in the "love" category and the
"drive" category.
[0058] The second content classifier 703 classifies the content
based on the plurality of tags set in the first tag area. Referring
to FIG. 6, in the plurality of tags, "singer name A" is set as an
artist, "ballad" is set as a genre, and "album2" is set as an album
name. The second content classifier 703 classifies the content
based on category information "artist", "genre", and "album" as
illustrated in FIG. 9. FIG. 9 illustrates a second result of
content classification, based on the content illustrated in FIGS. 3
and 6, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The
reason why the second result of content classification, illustrated
in FIG. 9, includes only information on the content illustrated in
FIG. 6 is that the content illustrated in FIG. 3 does not include a
tag in which content information-based category information is
set.
[0059] The selector 704 selects one of an output of the first
content classifier 702 and an output of the second content
classifier 703 according to a request of the user and outputs the
selected output.
[0060] At least one of the plurality of tags in the first tag area
included in the content illustrated in FIG. 6 can be set as a third
custom tag. At least one of the plurality of tags can be set as the
third custom tag when the custom tag is set in the content. When
the custom tag is embedded in the content by the user in a content
portal or a website or when the custom tag is set in the content by
the user in the content reproduction apparatus 200, at least one of
the plurality of tags can be set as the custom tag.
[0061] FIG. 10 illustrates a data structure of content according to
another embodiment of the present invention, in which an artist tag
is set as the third custom tag. The content illustrated in FIG. 10
has the same data structure as that illustrated in FIG. 6 except
that the artist tag is set as the third custom tag. If a data
structure of the received content is the same as illustrated in
FIG. 10 instead of that illustrated in FIG. 6, the first content
classifier 702 receives information on the artist tag from the tag
transmitter 701. The first content classifier 702 classifies the
content based on the first custom tag and the tag set as the third
custom tag (in the content shown in FIG. 10, the artist tag). Since
the "singer name A" is set in the artist tag in FIG. 10, a content
classification result output from the first content classifier 702
can be defined as illustrated in FIG. 11. FIG. 11 illustrates a
result of content classification, based on the content illustrated
in FIGS. 3 and 10, according to an embodiment of the present
invention. The content is classified so that an .mp3 file GGG is
contained in the "love" category, the "drive" category, and the
"singer name A" category.
[0062] FIG. 12 illustrates a data structure of content according to
another embodiment of the present invention. The content
illustrated in FIG. 12 is an .mp3 file HHH in which a plurality of
tags defined as content information-based category information is
set in a first tag area, and a first custom tag and a second custom
tag which is a category information-based custom tag through which
a using pattern of the user can be known, are set in a second tag
area. If the received content has a data structure as illustrated
in FIG. 12, the first content classifier 702 classifies the content
based on the first custom tag and the second custom tag.
[0063] Category information set in the second custom tag
illustrated in FIG. 12 contains reproduction frequency information
and information on the number of reproductions completed. For the
reproduction frequency information, a value incremented every time
reproduction of the content HHH starts is set. For the information
on the number of reproductions completed, a value incremented every
time reproduction of the content HHH is completed is set. An
arrangement order of content included in the same category can be
determined based on the information set in the second custom tag.
The first content classifier 702 can classify the content so that
content having both a higher reproduction frequency and a higher
number of reproductions completed is arranged in the uppermost
position in the same category. Content having both a lower
reproduction frequency and a lower number of reproductions
completed is arranged in the lowermost position in the same
category. For category information set in the first custom tag, a
value incremented on a category information basis each time
reproduction of the content HHH starts can also be set.
[0064] In order to classify content as described above, the first
content classifier 702 can be configured as illustrated in FIG. 13.
FIG. 13 is a block diagram of the first content classifier 702
illustrated in FIG. 7, according to an embodiment of the present
invention. The first content classifier 702 includes a logging unit
1301, a storage unit 1302, and a content classification unit
1303.
[0065] The logging unit 1301 logs the category information defined
in the first custom tag and the second custom tag. If the received
content has the data structure illustrated in FIG. 12 in which an
artist tag is not set as the third custom tag, and if reproduction
of the content is completed, the logging unit 1301 logs "love",
"reproduction frequency", and "the number of reproductions
completed". If the received content has the data structure
illustrated in FIG. 12 in which the artist tag is not set as the
third custom tag, and if reproduction of the content is not
completed, the logging unit 1301 logs "love" and "reproduction
frequency". If the received content is the content AAA, the logging
unit 1301 logs "love", "drive", and "work". If the received content
has the data structure illustrated in FIG. 12, and if reproduction
of the content is completed, the logging unit 1301 logs category
information defined in the first custom tag, the second custom tag
and a tag set as a custom tag. The logging unit 1301 logs "singer
name B", "love", "reproduction frequency", and "the number of
reproductions completed". If the received content has the data
structure illustrated in FIG. 12, and if reproduction of the
content is not completed, the logging unit 1301 logs "singer name
B", "love", and "reproduction frequency".
[0066] The storage unit 1302 stores the result of the logging. If
the received content is the content illustrated in FIGS. 3, 10, and
12, the storage unit 1302 stores results obtained by logging the
category information of the content illustrated in FIGS. 3, 10, and
12.
[0067] The content classification unit 1303 classifies the content
by determining the importance of each of the category information
and/or content based on the results of the logging, which are
stored in the storage unit 1302. If the order of importance is
determined to be "love", "drive", "singer name B", "singer name A",
and "work" based on the results of logging, the order of the
content in the "love" category is determined to be HHH, GGG, AAA,
BBB, and DDD, the order of the content in the "drive" category is
determined to be GGG, AAA, BBB, CCC, and EEE, and the order of the
content in the "work" category is determined to be AAA and FFF. The
content classification unit 1303 outputs a result of content
classification as illustrated in FIG. 14, based on the content
illustrated in FIGS. 3, 10, and 12.
[0068] According to the results of the logging, the importance can
be evaluated as being high as the number of logged counts of a tag
increases. FIG. 14 indicates that the logged counts of the "love"
category is the greatest of the "love", "drive", "singer name B",
"singer name A", and "work" categories and indicates that the
logged counts of the content HHH are the greatest in the "love"
category.
[0069] FIG. 15 is a block diagram of a content reproduction
apparatus 1500 according to another embodiment of the present
invention. The content reproduction apparatus 1500 includes a
content analyzer 1501, a content classifier 1502, a storage unit
1503, and a display unit 1504. The content analyzer 1501 and the
content classifier 1502 operate similarly to the content analyzer
201 and the content classifier 202 illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0070] The storage unit 1503 stores a result of content
classification output from the content classifier 1502. Every time
a stored result is requested, the storage unit 1503 outputs the
stored result of content classification to the display unit 1504.
The display unit 1504 displays the result of content classification
output from the content classifier 1502 or the storage unit 1503.
The displayed result of content classification can be displayed in
a text format as illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, and 14.
However, as illustrated in FIG. 16, the displayed content
classification result can be displayed in another fashion in order
to display the importance of the category information more
clearly.
[0071] FIG. 16 illustrates a content classification screen
according to an embodiment of the present invention. The importance
of content which a user can currently access is set in the order of
"love", "drive", "singer name B", "singer name A", and "work"
categories. The "love" category is the largest, indicating that the
"love" category is the category with the highest importance.
[0072] FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating a content classification
routine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Content is analyzed in operation 1701. The content analysis can be
performed as described in the content reproduction apparatus 200
illustrated in FIG. 2. The content can be analyzed when content is
received or when content is reproduced. The content may include
music-based content, image or video-based content, text-based
content, and/or multimedia-based content.
[0073] If, in operation 1702, the content contains only a first
custom tag, the content is classified based on the first custom tag
in operation 1703. The first custom tag contains at least one piece
of category information according to a user's taste. If only the
first custom tag is contained in the received content, the content
classification method is the same as illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0074] However, as illustrated in FIG. 13, the content can be
classified by logging each piece of category information contained
in the first custom tag and determining the importance of each
piece of the category information based on a result obtained by
logging category information included in each piece of the content.
The content can be classified as illustrated in FIG. 18. FIG. 18 is
a flowchart illustrating a content classification process
illustrated in FIG. 17, according to an embodiment of the present
invention. Each piece of the category information contained in the
first custom tag is logged in operation 1801. A result of logging
on a category information basis of the content is stored in
operation 1802. The content is classified based on the result of
logging on the category information basis of the content in
operation 1803.
[0075] If, in operation 1704, the content contains only the first
custom tag and a second custom tag, the content is classified based
on the first custom tag and the second custom tag in operation
1705. The second custom tag is a custom tag to monitor a pattern of
use. When the content is reproduced, operation 1705 can be
performed as illustrated in FIG. 18. The category information
contained in the first custom tag and the second custom tag is
logged in operation 1801. A result of logging on the category
information basis of the content is stored in operation 1802. The
content is classified by determining the importance of each piece
of the category information and/or the importance of each piece of
the content based on the result of logging on the category
information basis of the content in operation 1803.
[0076] If, in operation 1706, the content contains only the first
custom tag and at least one of the tags defined as content
information-based category information, the content is classified
based on the first custom tag and the at least one tag in operation
1707. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the content is classified based on
the first custom tag, the content is classified based on the least
one tag, and one of the result of content classification based on
the first custom tag and the result of content classification based
on the at least one tag is selectively output.
[0077] If, in operation 1708, the content contains only the first
custom tag, the second custom tag, and at least one of the tags
defined as content information-based category information, the
content is classified based on the first custom tag, the second
custom tag, and the at least one tag in operation 1709. The content
is classified based on the first custom tag and the second custom
tag, the content is classified based on the at least one tag, and
one of the result of content classification based on the first
custom tag, the second custom tag, and the result of content
classification based on the least one tag is selectively
output.
[0078] In addition, if the at least one tags defined as content
information-based category information is set as the third custom
tag, when the content is classified in operation 1707 or 1709, the
content is classified based on the tag set as the third custom
tag.
[0079] FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating a content classification
routine according to another embodiment of the present invention.
As in operation 1701, content is analyzed in operation 1901. As in
operations 1702 through 1709, the content is classified based on
tags in operation 1902. The tags can include the first custom tag,
the second custom tag, and the tags defined as content
information-based category information.
[0080] The content classification result is displayed in operation
1903. The content classification result can be displayed so that
the importance of the category information and/or the importance of
the content is displayed. The importance of the category
information and/or the importance of the content can be determined
by the logging operation described in relation to FIG. 13.
[0081] The custom tags used in the embodiments described above can
be used to display image content in a slide show format and to
reproduce multimedia associated with music when the image content
is reproduced. The reproduction can be performed by recording the
same category information in custom tags of the image content,
which a user desires to display in a slide show format, and
recording the same category information in the image content, which
the user desires to reproduce as multimedia.
[0082] Content classification techniques according to aspects of
the present invention may be recorded in computer-readable media
including program instructions to implement various operations
embodied by a computer. The media may also include, alone or in
combination with the program instructions, data files, data
structures, and the like. Examples of computer-readable media
include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and
magnetic tape; optical media such as CD ROM disks and DVD;
magneto-optical media such as optical disks; and hardware devices
that are specially configured to store and perform program
instructions, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory
(RAM), flash memory, and the like; and a computer data signal
embodied in a carrier wave comprising a compression source code
segment and an encryption source code segment (such as data
transmission through the Internet). Examples of program
instructions include both machine code, such as produced by a
compiler, and files containing higher level code that may be
executed by the computer using an interpreter. The described
hardware devices may be configured to act as one or more software
modules in order to perform the operations of the above-described
embodiments of the present invention.
[0083] As described above, according to aspects of the present
invention, by classifying content based on a custom tag defined as
user taste-based category information, a user can access desired
content more quickly by using the user taste-based category
information. For example, while driving, the user can access
content that the user frequently reproduces more quickly using a
"drive" category information.
[0084] In addition, the user can access desired content using the
content information-based category information as user taste-based
category information by setting a tag defined based on conventional
content information-based category information as the third custom
tag and classifying content based on the third custom tag. For
example, if the user sets "jazz", which is content
information-based category information, as the third custom tag,
the user can access content related to jazz more quickly using the
category information "jazz".
[0085] The user can access desired content using various kinds of
information by classifying content using both tags defined based on
the conventional content information-based category information and
custom tags.
[0086] In addition, by classifying content using a custom tag
defined based on a pattern of use, the user can access desired
content more quickly based on the using pattern of the user. For
example, if a reproduction frequency of content related to a
"drive" category is the highest from among "love", "rain", and
"drive" categories, since content is classified so that the user
can access the content contained in the "drive" category earlier
than content contained in the "love" and "rain" categories, the
user can access the content contained in the "drive" category more
quickly.
[0087] By displaying category information set in a custom tag in a
cloud form in which the size of the cloud corresponding to the
category information is determined according to the importance or
reproduction frequency of the category information, the user can
easily determine the category information having a higher
importance or reproduction frequency.
[0088] Furthermore, when image content is reproduced, based on a
custom tag, the image content can be displayed in a slide show
format, and the image content can be reproduced in multimedia
associated with music.
[0089] Although a few embodiments of the present invention have
been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled
in the art that changes may be made in this embodiment without
departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the
scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *