Information processing apparatus and information processing method, and computer program

Abstract

Information relating to program contents is distributed in accordance with scheduled times. Program information formed of multiple items that are assigned a relevance ratio with respect to a program are managed. Programs related to a base program are searched for each of the items based on the relevance ratio with respect to the base program. A search result of the related programs is arranged in order of items having a decreasing relevance ratio with respect to the base program to create a base program related information page.

1 . An information processing apparatus which provides information related to program contents distributed in accordance with scheduled times, the information processing apparatus comprising:
 a base program setting module that sets a base program in accordance with an operation by a user with respect to contents;   a base program related information creating module that creates a base program related information page including program information related to the base program;   a page display control module that controls the display and output of the base program related information page;   wherein the base program setting module sets as the base program program contents that the user is playing back or watching, or program contents selected from a predetermined program list, the base program setting module automatically extracts program specification information related to the base program, and   the base program related information creating module specifies the base program based on the program specification information related to the base program, and creates the base program related information page including program information related to the specified base programs; and   a program information management module that manages program information formed of multiple items that are assigned to a relevance ratio with respect to a program,   wherein the base program related information creating module searches programs related to the base program for each of the items based on the relevance ratio with respect to the base program, and arranges a search result of the related programs in order of items having a decreasing relevance ratio with respect to the base program to create the base program related information page.   
     
     
         2 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the base program setting module extracts a program ID related to the base program as the program specification information. 
     
     
         3 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the base program setting module extracts as the program specification information any one of items of information that specify at least a broadcast date and time and a broadcast station of the base program, and an area to receive contents. 
     
     
         4 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the program information management module manages the program information so that program association schemes are subdivided into multiple items for each of the program contents. 
     
     
         5 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the program information management module manages the program information so as to assign a relevance ratio with respect to the base program in order of ‘next broadcast schedule’, ‘cast’, ‘title’, and ‘genre’. 
     
     
         6 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein when the same program contents are extracted as a related program for the base program on two or more items, the base program related information creating module or the page display control module omits display of the related programs after a second time. 
     
     
         7 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a base program shifting module that shifts the base program in response to a user operation,   wherein the base program related information creating module again creates a base program related information page in response to the shift of the base program.   
     
     
         8 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein when a related program is selected as a base program on the detail operation screen, the base program shifting module shifts the base program to the related program. 
     
     
         9 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein when a related program is set for preselected recording on the detail operation screen, the base program shifting module sets the related program to a base program. 
     
     
         10 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein when a related program is set for playback on the detail operation screen and playback operation is stopped or finished, the base program shifting module sets the related program to a base program. 
     
     
         11 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a history holding module that holds the history in which the base program has been shifted by the base program shifting module; and   a page reproducing module that reproduces an original base program related information page based on the held history.   
     
     
         12 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a user input module that accepts a user instruction to search for the base program on a display screen of the base program related information page;   wherein in response to a user operation, the base program shifting module searches for the base program and shifts the base program based on a predetermined search condition.   
     
     
         13 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein in response to a user operation to conduct a forward search on a time basis, the base program shifting module searches for a program in the same broadcast station as the base program currently set, having a maximum broadcast end date and time equal to or below a current broadcast start date and time, and shifts the base program. 
     
     
         14 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein in response to a user operation to conduct a backward search on a time basis, the base program shifting module searches for a program in the same broadcast station as the base program currently set, having a minimum broadcast start date and time equal to or above a current broadcast end date and time, and shifts the base program. 
     
     
         15 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the base program related information creating module creates a base program related information page which presents programs of the latest broadcast schedule on a priority basis. 
     
     
         16 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the base program related information creating module sorts related programs to the base program in accordance with a predetermined criterion, arranges a predetermined number of top programs of the related programs in order of the latest broadcast schedule, and creates a base program related information page. 
     
     
         17 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a program information management module that manages information associated with an entire program or a given portion of the program,   wherein in response to a content operation by a user, the base program setting module extracts as program specification information any one of items of information that specify at least a broadcast date and time and a broadcast station of a base program, and an area to receive contents, and   the base program information creating module takes from the program information management module program information associated with the entire base program or a portion of the base program where the content operation is performed by the user based on the program specification information, and uses the program related information to create a base program related information page.   
     
     
         18 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the base program information creating module creates a base program related information page which uses at the same time program information associated with the entire base program and program information associated with a specific portion of the base program. 
     
     
         19 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the program information management module manages resource identification information on a predetermined information space which accesses the information associated with the entire program or the given portion of the program, and the base program information creating module uses the resource identification information based on the program specification information, searches program related information on the predetermined information space, and creates a base program related information page. 
     
     
         20 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein
 the program information management module is operable to manage keyword information related to an entire program or a given portion of the program, and the base program information creating module uses the keyword information based on the program specification information, searches program related information on a predetermined information space, and creates a base program related information page.   
     
     
         21 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the program information management module manages related information about another portion of the program, a program different from the program, or a given portion of the different program as information related to an entire program or a given portion of the program, and in response to a user operation with respect to the related information about the another portion of the program, the different program, or the given portion of the different program on a base program related information page, the program information management module activates playback of the another portion of the program, the different program or the given portion of the different program. 
     
     
         22 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a module that searches for information associated with a program or a program portion being watched or played back, and   a module that presents indication information that indicates to a user on a screen when the associated information is found.   
     
     
         23 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the page display control module presents related information matched with user taste information. 
     
     
         24 . An information processing method which provides information related to program contents distributed in accordance with scheduled times, the information processing method comprising:
 setting a base program to be a base point for operations;   creating a base program related information page including program information related to the base program;   displaying and outputting the base program related information page;   wherein the setting step includes setting, as the base program, program contents that a user is playing back or watching or program contents selected from a predetermined program list,   the setting step includes automatically extracting program specification information related to the base program, and   the creating step includes specifying the base program based on the program specification information related to the base program, and creating the base program related information page including program information related to the specified base program; and   managing program information formed of multiple items that are assigned to a relevance ratio with respect to a program,   wherein the creating step includes searching programs related to the base program for each of the items based on the relevance ratio with respect to the base program, and arranging a search result of the related programs in order of items having a decreasing relevance ratio with respect to the base program to create the base program related information page.