JPH11238079A - Information retrieval device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information retrieval device for performing information retrieval adapted to the subjective evaluation standard of a user relating to information contents. SOLUTION: This device is provided with a data base 1 for storing the identification name of an evaluation object to be the object of evaluation, an objective evaluation item and evaluation data, a subjective evaluation reference storage means 2 for storing the relation of subjective evaluation and objective evaluation in common to the evaluation object, a subjective evaluation input means 3, an individual profile generation means 4 for making inputted evaluation into an individual profile, a means 6 for inputting objective and subjective retrieval conditions to the data base 1, a means 7 for generating the objective retrieval condition based on the subjective evaluation standard and the individual profile, a retrieval means 8 of the data base based on it and a data output means 9.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information retrieval apparatus, and more particularly, to an information retrieval apparatus for performing a retrieval adapted to a subjective evaluation criterion of a user regarding information contents.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a data retrieval technique based on subjective evaluation, an ambiguous retrieval system using a learning type fuzzy connection operator and the like are introduced. With this data retrieval system, it was difficult to extract objective numerical values related to subjective judgment criteria, except when the evaluation could be made based on simple factors such as distance and price. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-680 discloses a data search apparatus for performing a subjective database search that solves this problem.
There is No. 2. This involves maintaining a database in which the evaluator assigns evaluation values for subjective evaluation items for each evaluation object, and the user inputs evaluation values for the subjective evaluation items, and the evaluator and the user's evaluation criteria Describes a device for searching a database from an evaluation value obtained by correcting the difference between the two.

[0003]

In the conventional method, it is first necessary for the evaluator to evaluate subjective evaluation items for all evaluation targets when creating a database. Therefore, according to the conventional method, when a new evaluation target is added, the evaluation may change due to the change of the evaluator or the change of the evaluation standard of the same evaluator over time even for the same evaluator. There is. Therefore, the conventional method has a problem in that it is difficult to perform a subjective evaluation on all evaluation targets based on a certain standard. Therefore, the present invention accumulates and stores evaluations for objective evaluation items for each evaluation object in a database, and uses the association between the evaluation for the subjective evaluation items common to the evaluation objects in the database and the evaluation for the objective evaluation items. By doing so, the objective of the subjective evaluation criteria for the evaluation target is to be constant. It is another object of the present invention to provide an evaluation target that matches a user's unique preference.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, in an information search apparatus for performing information search adapted to a subjective evaluation criterion of a user, an identification name of an evaluation target to be evaluated, an identification name of the evaluation target, A database that stores objective evaluation items and evaluation data of each evaluation item for each of the evaluation objects, and associates the evaluation of the subjective evaluation items common to the evaluation objects in the database with the evaluation of the objective evaluation items. A subjective evaluation criterion storage means for storing, a subjective evaluation input means for inputting a user's evaluation of a subjective evaluation item for the evaluation target evaluated by the user, and a subjective evaluation item input from the subjective evaluation input means. Personal profile generating means for converting an evaluation into a personal profile; personal profile storing means for accumulating personal profiles; Search condition input means for inputting a search condition and a subjective search condition, and from the search condition, an objective search condition based on a subjective evaluation criterion from the subjective evaluation criterion storage means and a personal profile from the personal profile storage means. , A search unit for searching the database based on the search condition generated by the search condition generation unit, and an output unit for outputting data from the search unit.

[0005] In the information retrieval device, further, a server for storing an evaluation target of the identifier stored in the database, and a control designation input for inputting a designation for extracting the evaluation target retrieved from the retrieval means from the server. Means, and output control means for taking out an evaluation target from the server based on an input from the control designation input means and outputting the data, wherein the output means outputs data from the search means and the output control means. did.

Further, in an information search apparatus for performing information search adapted to a subjective evaluation criterion of a user, an identification name of an evaluation target to be evaluated, an objective evaluation item of the evaluation target, and evaluation data of each evaluation item are stored. A database for storing for each of the evaluation objects, a subjective evaluation criterion storage means for storing a relation between the evaluation for the subjective evaluation item common to the evaluation objects in the database and the evaluation for the objective evaluation item, A subjective evaluation input unit for inputting an evaluation for a subjective evaluation item for the evaluation target; a personal profile generation unit for converting the evaluation for the subjective evaluation item input from the subjective evaluation input unit into a personal profile; Input personal profile storage means for storing and objective and subjective search conditions for the database Search condition input means, search condition generation means for generating objective search conditions based on the subjective evaluation criteria from the subjective evaluation criterion storage means from the search conditions, and search generated by the search condition generation means. Search means for searching the database based on a condition, a server for storing an evaluation target of an identifier stored in the database, and a control specification for inputting a specification for extracting the evaluation object retrieved from the search means from the server Input means;
An individual correction unit for correcting the evaluation target based on the personal profile from the personal profile storage unit, and the evaluation target is taken out from the server based on an input from the control designation input unit and corrected by the individual correction unit. And output means for outputting data from the search means and the output control means.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an information retrieval apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the information search apparatus of the present invention, which is incorporated in a system for searching and viewing video software. The apparatus includes a database 1, a subjective evaluation criterion storage unit 2,
Subjective evaluation input means 3, personal profile generation means 4,
Personal profile storage means 5, search condition input means 6, search condition generation means 7, search means 8, output means 9, control designation input means 11, video operation / display means (output control means)
12 and a video server 10.

[0008] The database 1 stores an index of video software, objective evaluation items, and evaluation of each evaluation item for each video software. Subjective evaluation criterion storage means 2
Stores the association between the evaluation for the subjective evaluation item and the evaluation for the objective evaluation item common to each video software. The subjective evaluation input means 3 inputs a subjective evaluation when the user views the searched video software. The personal profile generating means 4 stores the evaluation of the subjective evaluation item input by the user in combination with the evaluation of the objective evaluation item of the video software in addition to the user's personal profile in the personal profile storage means 5. The personal profile is generated for each user, and includes the user's evaluation of the subjective evaluation items of the video software viewed so far.

The search condition input means 6 allows a user to input search conditions for video software. As the search conditions, objective conditions (genre, performer, etc.) used in the conventional database and subjective conditions including the degree (fun, gorgeousness, etc.) can be input. Search condition generating means 7
Generates an objective search condition for the database 1 based on the objective condition and the subjective condition input by the user.
The association between the evaluation of the subjective evaluation item and the evaluation of the objective evaluation item is extracted from the subjective evaluation criterion storage means 2. The search condition generation means 7 extracts a personal profile relating to the user from the personal profile storage means 5 and, if the input subjective condition evaluation item has been evaluated up to now, the corresponding objective evaluation. Using the item evaluation, the subjective evaluation criterion is modified for the user, and a combination of objective evaluation item evaluations that satisfy the subjective condition is generated as an objective search condition.

A simple example will be given for explanation. 0.1 is the evaluation of subjective evaluation items and S _1, the evaluation of a two objective endpoints and each O _1, O _2, evaluation is 0.0 to 1.0 of
Expressed in steps. When S ₁ is a combination of linear functions of O ₁ and O ₂ , and S ₁ = 1.0 × O ₁ + 0.4 × O ₂ −0.4 (S ₁ is 0 or more), the subjective evaluation value S ₁ If you try to search for data that is 0.5 or more, the combination of objective evaluation values (O ₁ , O ₂ ) that satisfies this will be (0.5, 1.0), (0.6, 0.8 or more), (0.7, 0.5 or more), (0.8,0.3 or more), (0.9,0 or more)
Becomes

The search means 8 searches the database 1 based on the objective search conditions generated by the search condition generation means 7. Actually, the evaluation of the objective evaluation item that is a factor of the evaluation of one subjective evaluation item is numerous, and there is a correlation between the objective evaluation items, and the association is complicated. As one method for associating a subjective evaluation item with an objective evaluation item, an existing fuzzy search method for performing a search by combining the matching degrees of a plurality of conditions may be used. In the present embodiment, the evaluation of the objective evaluation item in each video software evaluated by the user is stored in the personal profile storage unit 5 in combination with the evaluation of the subjective evaluation item. Can be shared with the database 1 so as to be retrieved from the database 1 each time by using an index.

The output means 9 corresponds to a monitor and a speaker, and outputs search results and video software playback contents on a screen and in audio. The control designation input unit 11 inputs designation of video reproduction from the user to the video software of the search result output to the output unit 9. The video operation / display unit 12 extracts video data from the video server 10 based on the input from the control designation input unit 11 and outputs the video data to the output unit 9. The output of the video operation / display unit 12 is output to the output unit 9 by screen display and audio. The video server 10 stores video software data corresponding to a video title in the database 1. Each user input means can use a user's favorite interface among a voice input device, a keyboard, and a pointing device. These interfaces can be common to each user input means.

The items that can be evaluated as objective evaluation items in the present embodiment include, as images, screen brightness, color (saturation / hue), contrast, movement speed, scene change frequency, character expression, and background. For scenes and sounds, BG
M ・ Theme music ・ Speech volume, rhythm, tempo,
Other objective conditions such as tone, genre, performer, director, production company, production cost, and the like can be mentioned. Items to be evaluated by numerical values are standardized so that they are expressed in 0.1 units between 0.0 and 1.0.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of an apparatus for extracting image and sound characteristics of each video software as objective evaluation items.
It is explained along. The video software evaluation and extraction device shown in FIG. 2 includes a video playback unit 20, an image feature extraction unit 21, an audio feature extraction unit 22, a storage unit 23, a data processing unit 24, and a control unit 25. The video reproduction unit 20 reproduces the video software 26A and sends the image signal and the audio signal as digital data to the image feature extraction unit 21 and the audio feature extraction unit 22, respectively.

The image feature extracting unit 21 sequentially provides image features (brightness, color, contrast, movement speed, presence / absence of a scene change, face expression when a human face is detected on the screen, background scene Is retrieved and stored in the storage unit 23. The audio feature extraction unit 22 sequentially extracts features (volume, rhythm, tempo, tone, etc.) from audio data and stores them in the storage unit 23. Storage unit 23
Then, the extracted feature data of the image / sound is stored. The feature data is sent to the data processing unit 24 when the extraction processing of the video software of one title is completed. In the data processing unit 24, the feature data for one title is tabulated and standardized and output to the evaluation data file 26B.
The control unit 25 controls each unit. The data of the evaluation data file 26B is supplied to the database 1 shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the information search apparatus according to the present invention, which is incorporated in a system for searching and supporting a cooking menu. The apparatus includes a database 1, a subjective evaluation criterion storage unit 2, a subjective evaluation input unit 3, a personal profile generation unit 4, a personal profile storage unit 5, a search condition input unit 6, a search condition generation unit 7, a search unit 8, Output means 9, control designation input means 11,
It comprises a cooking recipe display means (output control means) 12A and a cooking recipe server 10A. Database 1
Stores an index of the cooking menu, objective evaluation items, and the evaluation of each evaluation item for each menu. The subjective evaluation criterion storage unit 2 stores a relation between the evaluation of the subjective evaluation item and the evaluation of the objective evaluation item common to each menu.

The subjective evaluation input means 3 inputs a subjective evaluation when the user creates and appreciates the searched cooking menu. The personal profile generation unit 4 stores the evaluation of the subjective evaluation item input by the user in combination with the evaluation of the objective evaluation item of the corresponding cooking menu in the personal profile storage unit 5 in addition to the user's personal profile. The personal profile is generated for each user, and includes the user's evaluation of the subjective evaluation items of the cooking menu created so far. The search condition input means 6 allows the user to input search conditions for the cooking menu. The search conditions include objective conditions used in conventional databases (Japanese, Western, Chinese,
Staple foods) and subjective conditions including the degree (sweetness, spiciness, sourness, refreshing feeling, volume feeling, etc.) can be input.

The search condition generating means 7 generates objective search conditions for the database 1 based on objective conditions and subjective conditions input by the user. The association between the evaluation of the subjective evaluation item and the evaluation of the objective evaluation item is extracted from the subjective evaluation criterion storage means 2. The search condition generation means 7 extracts the personal profile of the user from the personal profile storage means 5 and, if the input subjective condition evaluation item has been evaluated to date, the corresponding objective evaluation item Is used to modify the subjective evaluation criteria for the user, and a combination of evaluations of objective evaluation items that satisfy the subjective conditions is generated as an objective search condition. The search means 8 searches the database 1 based on the objective search conditions generated by the search condition generation means 7.
The output unit 9 corresponds to a monitor and a speaker, and outputs a search result and a cooking recipe output on a screen and in audio.

The control designation input means 11 inputs designation of cooking recipe display from the user to the cooking menu of the search result output to the output means 9. Cooking recipe display means 1
In 2A, the cooking recipe data is extracted from the cooking recipe server 10A based on the input from the control designation input means 11, and is output to the output means 9. Cooking recipe display means 12A
Is output to the output means 9 as a screen display and voice.
The cooking recipe server 10A stores cooking recipe data corresponding to the cooking menu in the database 1.
Each user input means can use a user's favorite interface among a voice input device, a keyboard, and a pointing device. These interfaces can be common to each user input means.

In the present embodiment, items that can be evaluated as objective evaluation items include nutritional components (calories, fats, vitamins, calcium, etc.), types and concentrations of seasonings (salt concentration, sugar concentration, etc.), and cooking methods (fried food, fried food, Stir-fry, vinegar, etc.). By searching for a subjective condition input by the user as a combination of evaluations of objective evaluation items reflecting the criteria of personal taste, a search for a favorite menu is realized.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the information retrieval apparatus of the present invention, which will be described below. The third embodiment has a configuration in which the individual correction means 27 is added to the components of the second embodiment. Also, the output of the personal profile storage means 5 is not sent to the search condition generation means 7,
The configuration is supplied to the individual correction unit 27. This apparatus includes a database 1, a subjective evaluation criterion storage unit 2, a subjective evaluation input unit 3, a personal profile generation unit 4, a personal profile storage unit 5, a search condition input unit 6, a search unit 8, an output unit 9, a control designation. It comprises an input unit 11, a cooking recipe (procedure) server 10A, and an individual correction unit 27, and the operation of the search condition generation unit 7 and the like is different from the operation of the second embodiment. The search condition generating means 7 generates an objective search condition as a search condition for the database based on the user's objective condition and subjective condition. The association between the evaluation of the subjective evaluation item and the evaluation of the objective evaluation item is extracted from the subjective evaluation criterion storage means 2. A combination of evaluations of objective evaluation items that satisfy subjective conditions is generated as objective search conditions.

In the cooking recipe display means 12A, the cooking recipe server 10 based on the input from the control designation input means 11
A, the cooking recipe data is extracted from the
And corrects the recipe according to the personal preference by using the output means 9
Output to The individual correction unit 27 extracts the personal profile of the user from the personal profile storage unit 5 and, if the evaluation item of the input subjective condition has been evaluated so far, evaluates the corresponding objective evaluation item. Is used to correct the recipe for the menu searched by the search means 8 and output the corrected menu. Whereas the second embodiment is characterized in that the menu is searched according to the user's preference, the third embodiment is characterized in that the searched menu recipe is corrected according to the user's preference. I do.

The operation of the second and third embodiments will be described with a simple example. Table 1 shown below is a table showing an example of evaluation in the second and third embodiments of the information search device of the present invention. As shown in Table 1, in the evaluation criterion stored in the subjective evaluation criterion storage means 2, the relation between the subjective evaluation item “sweetness” and the objective evaluation item “sugar concentration (%)” is “sweetness”. = Sugar content (%) x 0.1, an example of searching for a dessert by specifying "sweetness" will be given. When the sugar concentration is 6% and 8%, the sweetness is 0.6 and 0.8, respectively, according to the evaluation criterion of the subjective evaluation criterion storage means 2, but according to the subjective evaluation of the user up to the present, the sweetness is respectively.
Assume that they were 0.4 and 0.6. When the user specifies and searches for a dessert having a sweetness of 0.6, in the second embodiment, an nectar having a sugar concentration of 8% is searched according to the user's preference.

[0024]

[Table 1]

In the third embodiment, honey beans having a sugar content of 6% are searched according to the evaluation criteria of the subjective evaluation criteria storage means 2, and a recipe is set so that the sugar content is set to 8% according to the user's preference. Is corrected. The sugar concentration in this example is an example for explanation, and does not always match a standard recipe in actual cooking. In addition, since a plurality of seasonings and ingredients are used in actual cooking, it is necessary to adjust the balance between them, and the relationship between the subjective evaluation and the concentration of the seasonings is further complicated.

[0026]

According to the information retrieval apparatus of the present invention, the evaluation of the objective evaluation item of each data content to be evaluated is extracted and stored in the database, and the subjective evaluation item common to the evaluation objects in the database is extracted. By using the association between the evaluation and the evaluation of the objective evaluation items, the criteria for the subjective evaluation of the data contents are kept constant, so that even when a new evaluation target is added to the database, Of the subjective evaluation items of
Information search by subjective condition input can be realized as a combination of objective search conditions. Further, by storing the user's subjective evaluation of the data already used, and by using the evaluation of the user-specific subjective evaluation item and the evaluation of the corresponding objective evaluation item, the information by the user-adaptive subjective condition input is obtained. Search can be realized.

Also, according to the present invention, the user can immediately retrieve and output the relevant search data from the server by designating and inputting the information search result, which is efficient.
In addition, the present invention can correct the data content obtained by the information search according to the user's preference by using the evaluation of the user-specific subjective evaluation item and the evaluation of the corresponding objective evaluation item. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of an information search device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a video software evaluation and extraction device for extracting an evaluation of an objective evaluation item in creating a database according to the first embodiment of the information search device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the information search device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of the information search device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 database 2 subjective evaluation standard storage device 3 subjective evaluation input means 4 personal profile generation means 5 personal profile storage means 6 search condition input means 7 search condition generation means 8 search means 9 output means 10 video server (server) 10A cooking recipe Server (server) 11 control designation input means 12 video operation / display means (output control means) 12A cooking recipe display means (output control means) 20 video playback section 21 image feature extraction section 22 audio feature extraction section 23 storage section 24 data processing Unit 25 control unit 26A video software 26B evaluation data file 27 individual correction means

Claims (3)

[Claims] An information retrieval apparatus for performing information retrieval adapted to a subjective evaluation criterion of a user, comprising: an identification name of an evaluation target to be evaluated; an objective evaluation item of the evaluation target; and evaluation data of each evaluation item. A database for storing for each of the evaluation objects, a subjective evaluation criterion storage means for storing a relation between the evaluation of the subjective evaluation items common to the evaluation objects in the database and the evaluation of the objective evaluation items, A subjective evaluation input means for inputting the evaluation of the subjective evaluation item for the evaluation target; a personal profile generation means for converting the evaluation of the subjective evaluation item input from the subjective evaluation input means into a personal profile; Personal profile storage means for storing a search condition input means for inputting objective and subjective search conditions for the database; Search condition generating means for generating an objective search condition based on the subjective evaluation criterion from the subjective evaluation criterion storage means and the personal profile from the personal profile storage means; An information retrieval apparatus, comprising: a retrieval unit that retrieves the database based on the retrieval conditions generated in step (a); and an output unit that outputs data from the retrieval unit. 2. The information retrieval apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a server for storing an evaluation target of the identifier stored in said database, and a designation for extracting said evaluation target retrieved from said retrieval means from said server. Further comprising: a control designation input means for inputting a command; and an output control means for extracting data to be evaluated from the server based on an input from the control designation input means and outputting data. An information retrieval apparatus, which outputs data of the following. 3. An information retrieval apparatus for performing information retrieval adapted to a subjective evaluation criterion of a user, comprising: an identification name of an evaluation target to be evaluated; an objective evaluation item of the evaluation target; and evaluation data of each evaluation item. A database for storing for each of the evaluation objects, a subjective evaluation criterion storage means for storing a relation between the evaluation for the subjective evaluation item common to the evaluation objects in the database and the evaluation for the objective evaluation item, Subjective evaluation input means for inputting an evaluation for a subjective evaluation item for an evaluation target, personal profile generation means for converting the evaluation for the subjective evaluation item input from the subjective evaluation input means into a personal profile, and storing a personal profile Personal profile storage means for performing a search condition for inputting objective and subjective search conditions for the database. Case input means;
Search condition generating means for generating objective search conditions based on the subjective evaluation criteria from the subjective evaluation criteria storage means from the search conditions; and searching the database based on the search conditions generated by the search condition generating means Searching means, a server for storing the evaluation target of the identifier stored in the database, a control designation inputting means for inputting a specification for extracting the evaluation target retrieved from the searching means from the server, and the evaluation target For individual correction means for correcting based on the personal profile from the personal profile storage means, based on the input from the control designation input means,
Output control means for taking out the evaluation target from the server, adding the correction by the individual correction means and outputting data, and output means for outputting data from the search means and the output control means. Information retrieval device.