User information processing unit, user information processing system, terminal unit, apparatus and method for providing information

Abstract

A user information processing method, an apparatus thereof and a user information processing system in which personal information can be more effectively employed. Terminal use record information is obtained when a user employs terminal units. The profile information of the user is generated on the basis of the accumulated terminal use record information and the generated profile information is stored, so that information peculiar to the user can be provided on the basis of the stored profile information of the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An information processing apparatus comprising one or more processors and one or more storage devices operably configured:
 to store a plurality of types of user profile information including use history information and terminal information;   to receive new use history information;   to analyze the new use history information;   to create new user profile based on the new use history information and the plurality of types of user profile information; and   to provide at least content information using the new user profile.   
     
     
         2 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the use history information includes at least one of viewing history information, selecting information, searching information and terminal position information. 
     
     
         3 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus overwrites a currently stored user profile with the new user profile. 
     
     
         4 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more storage units includes a removable memory card. 
     
     
         5 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the content information includes user taste tendency information relating to content consumption. 
     
     
         6 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the user taste tendency information includes content genre information. 
     
     
         7 . A method of processing information, comprising, using a specially configured information processing device:
 storing on one or more storage devices a plurality of types of user profile information for a user including use history information and terminal information;   receiving new use history information via a terminal accessed by the user;   analyzing the new use history information;   creating a new user profile for the user based on the new use history information and the plurality of types of user profile information; and   providing at least content information using the new user profile.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the use history information includes at least one of viewing history information, selecting information, searching information and terminal position information. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the processing device overwrites a currently stored user profile with the new user profile. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more storage units includes a removable memory card. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the content information includes user taste tendency information relating to content consumption. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the user taste tendency information includes content genre information. 
     
     
         13 . A computer product for use in an information processing device with one or more processors and one or more storage units, the product including computer executable instructions of causing the processing device to:
 store on one or more storage devices a plurality of types of user profile information for a user including use history information and terminal information;   receive new use history information via a terminal accessed by the user;   analyze the new use history information;   create a new user profile for the user based on the new use history information and the plurality of types of user profile information; and   provide at least content information using the new user profile.   
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein the use history information includes at least one of viewing history information, selecting information, searching information and terminal position information. 
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein the processing device overwrites a currently stored user profile with the new user profile. 
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more storage units includes a removable memory card. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein the content information includes user taste tendency information relating to content consumption. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the user taste tendency information includes content genre information.