阅读说明：本技术 信息处理设备和信息处理方法 (Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer program ) 是由 ***衣 于 2017-04-17 设计创作，主要内容包括：信息处理设备和信息处理方法。一种信息处理设备包括：接收单元,所述接收单元在再现视频期间从用户接收关于所述视频的预定操作；关联单元,所述关联单元将已接收操作与所述已接收操作在所述视频中被生成的再现时间关联；以及控制器,所述控制器控制按照时间序列显示与所述已接收操作关联的所述再现时间的重要度。(An information processing apparatus and an information processing method. An information processing apparatus includes: a receiving unit that receives a predetermined operation on a video from a user during reproduction of the video; an associating unit that associates a received operation with a reproduction time at which the received operation is generated in the video; and a controller that controls displaying the importance of the reproduction time associated with the received operation in time series.)

1. An information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit that receives a predetermined operation on a video from a user during reproduction of the video;

an associating unit that associates a received operation with a reproduction time at which the received operation is generated in the video; and

a controller that controls to display the importance of the reproduction time associated with the received operation in time series.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller updates the magnitude of the importance degree in response to a content of the received operation.

3. The information processing apparatus according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the receiving unit receives operations of a plurality of different viewers with respect to the video,

wherein the associating unit associates the received operation with the reproduction time at which the received operation was generated in the video on a per viewer basis, and

wherein the controller sets the importance level at the reproduction time associated with the received operation based on each viewer in response to the received operation, and performs importance level update by accumulating the importance levels set for each viewer.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller sets a weighting coefficient of the importance degree for each viewer who has performed the received operation.

5. The information processing apparatus according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the controller sets a weighting coefficient for each viewing period of the video serving as a target of the received operation.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller sets a weighting coefficient for each viewing period of the video serving as a target of the received operation.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the controller sets a weighting coefficient for each viewing period of the video serving as a target of the received operation.

8. An information processing method, comprising the steps of:

receiving a predetermined operation with respect to a video from a user during reproduction of the video;

associating a received operation with a reproduction time at which the received operation was generated in the video; and

control to display the importance of the reproduction time associated with the received operation in time series.

Technical Field

The invention relates to an information processing apparatus and an information processing method.

Background

Japanese unexamined patent application publication No. 2011-118292 discloses an electronic learning system. In the disclosed e-learning system, a management server, a video server, and a plurality of participant terminal devices are interconnected via the internet. When the management server sends a transfer command to the video server, the video server transfers video data to the plurality of participant terminal devices and causes the participant terminal devices to display the received video data. The electronic learning system thereby educates the participants who respectively watch the participant terminal devices.

Japanese unexamined patent application publication No. 2014-142586 discloses a test drive electronic learning system. In the disclosed test-driven e-learning system, video data for lectures is transmitted to a terminal device via a network. After the video data is transmitted to the terminal device, the test question data is transmitted to the terminal device.

A viewer who is a participant in a lecture can reproduce and view video provided in video data or moving image data. In the related art, it is difficult for the sender side that provides the video to identify the scene of the video in which the viewer is interested (the scene that the viewer considers to be valuable).

Disclosure of Invention

The purpose of the present invention is to help the user identify the importance of each scene in the video.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes: a receiving unit that receives a predetermined operation with respect to a video during or after reproduction of the video; an associating unit that associates the received operation with a reproduction position in the video at which the received operation was generated; and a setting unit that sets the importance of the reproduction position associated with the received operation in response to the received operation.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in view of the first aspect, the setting unit updates the magnitude of the importance degree in response to the content of the received operation.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in view of one of the first and second aspects, the receiving unit receives operations of a plurality of different viewers with respect to the video. The association unit associates the received operation with the reproduction position generated in the video by the received operation on a per viewer basis. The setting unit sets the importance level at the reproduction position associated with the received operation on a per viewer basis in response to the received operation, and performs importance level update by accumulating the importance levels set for each viewer.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in view of the third aspect, the setting unit sets a weighting coefficient of the importance degree for each viewer who performs the received operation.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in view of one of the first to fourth aspects, the setting unit sets a weighting coefficient for each viewing period of the video serving as a target of the received operation.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method. The information processing method includes: receiving a predetermined operation with respect to a video during or after reproduction of the video; associating the received operation with a reproduction location in the video at which the received operation was generated; and setting an importance of the reproduction position associated with the received operation in response to the received operation.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the user can recognize the importance of each picture in the video.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the accuracy of the obtained importance can be improved.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the accuracy of the obtained importance can be improved.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the accuracy of the obtained importance can be improved.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the accuracy of the obtained importance can be improved.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the user can recognize the importance of each picture in the video.

Drawings

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described in detail based on the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 generally illustrates the construction of an e-learning system of an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 illustrates a hardware configuration of a computer;

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of an e-learning system;

FIG. 4 illustrates a video management table;

FIG. 5 illustrates a User Interface (UI) screen presented on a participant terminal device;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an importance generation process;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart (subroutine) of a personal interestingness generation process;

FIG. 8 illustrates an interest coefficient management table;

fig. 9A to 9F illustrate examples of transition of personal interestingness and importance;

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of an importance file and a time bar for importance;

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a time bar image; and

fig. 12A and 12B illustrate weighting coefficient management tables.

Detailed Description

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 generally illustrates the configuration of an electronic learning system 1 of an exemplary embodiment.

The electronic learning system 1 includes a participant terminal device group 10 having a plurality of participant terminal devices 10A to 10C (three terminal devices in the exemplary embodiment), a server device 20, an administrator terminal device 30, and a network 40.

Each of the participant terminal devices 10A to 10C forming the participant terminal device group 10 is a computer that can be used by a participant (such as a student) listening to a lecture in electronic learning based on video content (lecture video). The participant terminal devices 10A to 10C may be used by different participants, respectively. Each of the participant terminal devices 10A to 10C may be allocated to a plurality of participants. In the exemplary embodiment, the participant terminal device group 10 includes three participant terminal devices 10A to 10C. The number of participant terminal devices included in the participant terminal device group 10 is any number equal to or more than 1.

The server device 20 is a computer that stores video content to be used in lectures for e-learning and various data related to the video content and outputs (transmits) the video content in response to a request from each of the participant terminal devices 10A to 10C. The server device 20 of the exemplary embodiment generates an "importance" determined by the degree to which each participant is interested in the output video content. The "importance" is described in detail below.

The administrator terminal device 30 is a computer that can be used by an administrator (e.g., a teacher) who manages lectures for e-learning. The administrator terminal device 30 is used to manage (register, delete, or edit) the video content stored on the server device 20. The administrator terminal device 30 receives the "importance" from the server device 20 via the network 40.

In the electronic learning system 1 of the exemplary embodiment, one of the participant terminal devices 10A to 10C receives video content (lecture video) from the server device 20 via the network 40, and reproduces the video content. The viewer using the participant terminal device thus learns using the video content. Also, in the electronic learning system 1, each of the participant terminal devices 10A to 10C can receive and reproduce the same video content. The participant terminal devices 10A to 10C may receive the same video content during the same time period (server device 20 multicasting the video content), or may receive the same video content during different time periods (server device 20 unicasting the video content). In the electronic learning system 1 of the exemplary embodiment, the participant terminal devices 10A to 10C receive various operations (as described in detail below) to be applied to video content currently reproduced or reproduced later from the respective participants, and output the operations to the server device 20 via the network 40. Based on the content of each received operation, server device 20 determines the "importance" of each piece of video content stored on server device 20. The "importance" determined by the server device 20 is transmitted to the administrator terminal device 30 via the network 40.

Fig. 2 illustrates a hardware configuration of the computer 70, the computer 70 serving as each of the participant terminal devices 10A to 10C, the server device 20, and the administrator terminal device 30.

The computer 70 includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU)71, a Read Only Memory (ROM)72, and a Random Access Memory (RAM) 73. The CPU71 reads and executes the OS and various programs. The ROM 72 stores programs executed by the CPU71 and data used when the CPU71 executes the programs. The RAM 73 stores data temporarily generated when a program is executed. The computer 70 further includes a Hard Disk Drive (HDD)74, a Network Interface Card (NIC)75, an input device 76, a display 77, and a bus 78. The HDD 74 stores various programs and various data. The NIC 75 exchanges data with a device provided outside the computer 70. The input device 76 receives input from a user. The display 77 displays an image on its display screen. A bus 78 interconnects these elements. The input device 76 includes a keyboard, a mouse, and the like. The display 77 includes a liquid crystal display or the like. The program to be executed by the CPU71 in the computer 70 may be stored in advance on the ROM 72 or the HDD 74. Alternatively, the program may be transferred to the CPU71 in a form recorded on a storage medium such as a compact disc-read only memory (CD-ROM), or may be transferred to the CPU71 via the network 40.

Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram of the electronic learning system 1 of fig. 1. Referring to fig. 3, the participant terminal devices 10B and 10C and the network 40 forming the participant terminal device group 10 are not illustrated. Each of the participant terminal devices 10B and 10C is identical in construction to the participant terminal device 10A.

The participant terminal device 10A includes a video reproduction unit 11 and an operation acquisition unit 12. The video reproduction unit 11 reproduces video content (an example of video) acquired from the server device 20 via the network 40 (not illustrated). The operation acquisition unit 12 receives an operation of a participant using the participant terminal device 10A. The participant terminal device 10A displays video content on the display 77 (see fig. 2), and receives an operation by the user via the input means 76 (see fig. 2).

The server apparatus 20, which is an example of an information processing apparatus, includes a video management unit 21 and an operation recording unit 22. The video management unit 21 manages video content to be provided to the participant terminal device 10A and the like. The operation recording unit 22 records data relating to the content of the operation acquired from the participant terminal device 10A or the like, with respect to each piece of video content or with respect to each participant. The server device 20 further includes a personal interestingness generation unit 23 and an interest coefficient storage unit 24. The personal interestingness generation unit 23 generates a time-series variation of the interestingness of each participant with respect to the video content (hereinafter referred to as "personal interestingness"). The interest coefficient storage unit 24 stores a predetermined interest coefficient used when the personal interest level generation unit 23 generates the personal interest level. The server device 20 further includes an importance degree generation unit 25 and a weighting coefficient storage unit 26. The importance level generating unit 25 generates a time-series variation (hereinafter referred to as "importance level") of the interest levels of the plurality of participants with respect to the video content by successively accumulating the personal interest levels of the plurality of participants generated by the personal interest level generating unit 23. The weighting coefficient storage unit 26 stores a predetermined weighting coefficient used when the importance generating unit 25 generates the importance. The server device 20 further includes an importance degree notification unit 27, and the importance degree notification unit 27 notifies the administrator terminal device 30 of data of the importance degree of the video content (data of a time bar image described below) generated by the importance degree generation unit 25 via the network 40 (not illustrated). According to the exemplary embodiment, the operation recording unit 22 serves as an example of a receiving unit, the personal interest degree generating unit 23 serves as an example of an associating unit, and the personal interest degree generating unit 23 and the importance degree generating unit 23 serve as examples of a setting unit.

The administrator terminal device 30 includes an importance level receiving unit 31. The importance receiving unit 31 receives data of importance (data of time bar images) transmitted from the server device 20 via the network 40 (not illustrated). The administrator terminal device 30 displays the received data of importance on the display 77 (see fig. 2).

Fig. 4 illustrates a video management table used by the server device 20. The video management table is stored on a video management unit 21 (see fig. 3) provided in the server apparatus 20.

The video management table of fig. 4 registers "video data". The video data is associated with a title of a lecture video (referred to as a video title) of the video content, a file path of the lecture video (referred to as a video file path), a file path of an index file including an index of the lecture video (referred to as an index file path), and a file path of an importance file including the importance of the lecture video (referred to as an importance file path). In the electronic learning system 1 of the exemplary embodiment, the video management table is updated every time the administrator using the administrator terminal device 30 adds, deletes, or edits (corrects) the lecture video to be provided to the participants.

In the example of fig. 4, "biological profile" and "physics profile" are registered as lecture content on the video management table. The "biological profile" registered as the video data includes three pieces of video data including a "biological profile (first utterance)", "biological profile (second utterance)", and "biological profile (third utterance)". The "physics profile" registered as the video data includes three pieces of video data including the "physics profile (first utterance)", "physics profile (second utterance)", and "physics profile (third utterance)". For example, in "biology overview (first talk)", the video file path is set to "C: $ movie $ biologi 1. wmv", the index file path is set to "C: $ index $ biologi 1. txt", and the importance file path is set to "C: $ import $ biologi 1. dat".

Fig. 5 illustrates a User Interface (UI) screen 100 presented on the display 77 in each of the participant terminal devices 10A to 10C in the electronic learning system 1 of the exemplary embodiment.

The UI screen 100 includes a title display area 110 provided at the upper left corner of the screen, a video display frame 120 provided at the center of the screen, and a video operation reception frame 130 provided below the video display frame 120. The UI screen 100 also includes an index display frame 140 set to the left side of the video display frame 120. The UI screen 100 further includes a note reception display frame 150 (which is set as a top frame), a favorite reception display frame 160 (which is set as a middle frame), and a test reception display frame 170 (which is set as a bottom frame) on the right side of the video display frame 120. Fig. 5 also illustrates the pointer 180 moving within the UI screen 100 in response to an operation of the input device 76 (see fig. 2).

In the electronic learning system 1 of the exemplary embodiment, each of the participant terminal devices 10A to 10C acquires a lecture video that the participant wants to watch from the server device 20 by specifying a video title to the server device 20. Fig. 5 illustrates the UI screen 100 displayed on the participant terminal device 10A when video data of "biological overview (first lecture)" of fig. 4 is acquired.

The title display unit 110 displays the title of the lecture video. In this example, "biological profile (first utterance)" is displayed as a video title of the video data in the title display area 110.

The video display frame 120 displays a lecture video. In this example, the video display box 120 displays a lecture video specified by the video file path "C: $ movie $ biologic 1. wmv" of the video data.

The video operation reception block 130 receives an operation performed by the participant using the pointer 180 and related to reproduction of the lecture video to be displayed on the video display block 120. Such operations may include reproduction, pause, fast forward, rewind, and volume control. Time information of the lecture video reproduced on the video display frame 120 (the current reproduction time and the time period for reproducing the entire lecture video) is displayed on the right side of the video operation reception frame 130. In this example, 0:50 is the current reproduction time, and 3:00 is a time period for reproducing the entire lecture video.

The index display box 140 displays an index of the lecture video. An index specified by the index file path "C: $ index $ bioly1. txt" of the video data is displayed in the index display box 140. In this example, the index includes "0: 00 beginning → 1:00 for A → 2: 00 with respect to B ".

While the lecture video is displayed on the video display frame 120 regardless of the operation (regardless of whether the participant terminal device is reproduced or paused), the note reception display frame 150 receives an operation of displaying a screen configured to receive a note or text input (hereinafter referred to as a note screen) from the participant via the pointer 180. When the note reception display frame 150 receives the operation, a note screen (not illustrated) is displayed on the UI screen 100 together with the video display frame 120. Thereby enabling the participant to input text on the note screen via the input device 76 (see fig. 2) in a state where the lecture video is displayed on the video display frame 120.

While the lecture video is displayed on the video display frame 120 regardless of the operation (regardless of whether the participant terminal device is reproduced or paused), the favorite reception display frame 160 receives an operation of registering the current reproduction time as the time for the favorite video among the lecture videos from the participant via the pointer 180. When the favorite reception display frame 160 receives this operation, the lecture video can be reproduced from the registration time (time for the favorite video).

The test reception display frame 170 receives an operation of displaying a screen on a test related to the lecture video from the participant via the pointer 180 while the lecture video is displayed on the video display frame 120 regardless of the operation (regardless of whether the participant terminal device is reproduced or paused) or after the lecture video is displayed (after reproduction). When the test reception display box 170 receives the operation, a test screen (not illustrated) is displayed on the UI screen 100 instead of the video display box 120. The participant can input text (answer to the test) on the test screen via the input device 76 (see fig. 2) in a state where the lecture video may serve as a hint not illustrated.

The importance generation process to be executed by the server device 20 in the electronic learning system 1 of the exemplary embodiment is described below. The importance level generation process of the exemplary embodiment is executed each time the server device 20 outputs (transmits) lecture video (video data) to one of the participant terminal devices 10A to 10C forming the participant terminal device group 10.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the importance level generation process. The following discussion is based on the premise of the viewing (listening) importance generation process by the participant on the participant terminal device 10A of the participant terminal device group 10. The following discussion is also based on the premise that the server device 20 has output lecture video such as "biometrics profile (first lecture)" to the participant terminal device 10A. The processes of fig. 6 and 7 are performed by the server device 20 executing the program thereof.

In the process of fig. 6, the server apparatus 20 determines whether the operation recording unit 22 has received an operation related to the reproduction start of the lecture video from the operation acquiring unit 12 in the participant terminal apparatus 10A (step S10). If the result of the determination in step S10 is non-affirmative (no), the server device 20 returns to step S10 to perform the operation in step S10.

If the result of the determination in step S10 is affirmative (yes), the operation recording unit 22 starts recording about the operation acquired from the operation acquisition unit 12 in the participant terminal device 10A (step S20). The operation recording unit 22 determines whether an operation related to the lecture video has been received from the operation acquiring unit 12 in the participant terminal device 10A (step S30). If the result of the determination at step S30 is affirmative (yes), the server device 20 performs a generation process of personal interestingness to generate a personal interestingness of the participant using the participant terminal device 10A (watching lecture video) (step S40), and returns to step S30 to perform the operations in S30 and subsequent steps.

If the result of the determination in step S30 is non-affirmative (no), the operation recording unit 22 determines whether an operation regarding the end of reproduction of the lecture video has been received from the operation acquiring unit 12 in the participant terminal device 10A (step S50). If the result of the determination in step S50 is non-affirmative (no), the server device 20 returns to step S30 to perform the operations in step S30 and subsequent steps.

If the result of the determination at step S50 is affirmative (yes), the operation recording unit 22 ends the recording of the operation related to the lecture video acquired from the operation acquiring unit 12 in the participant terminal device 10A (step S60). The importance generating unit 25 acquires the weighting coefficients from the weighting coefficient storage unit 26 (step S70). The importance generating unit 25 generates a new importance using the importance generated in the previous importance generating process, the personal interest generated in the current importance generating process, and the weighting coefficient read in step S70, and performs importance updating (step S80). Then, the importance degree notification unit 27 generates importance degree display data for displaying the importance degree generated in step S80 on the screen (step S90), and outputs the importance degree display data to the administrator terminal device 30. The importance generation processing is thereby completed.

Fig. 7 is a flowchart (subroutine) illustrating the generation processing of the personal interestingness illustrated in step S40 of fig. 6.

In the process of fig. 7, the personal interest level generating unit 23 acquires the type of operation (hereinafter referred to as operation type) of the lecture video received in step S30 (step S41). The operation types are described in detail below.

The personal interest level generating unit 23 acquires the generation time of the operation of the intercom video received in step S30 (step S42). The generation time of the operation acquired in step S42 is not the current time, but the reproduction time of the operation on the target lecture video has already been generated.

The personal interest level generating unit 23 detects the generation timing of the operation of the intercom video received in step S30 (step S43). The generation timing of the operation is during reproduction of the target lecture video or after reproduction (after test).

The personal interestingness generating unit 23 acquires the interest coefficient corresponding to the operation type acquired in step S41 from the interest coefficient storage unit 24 (step S44). The personal interestingness generating unit 23 generates a personal interestingness regarding the lecture video by associating the generation time of the operation acquired in step S42 with the interest coefficient acquired in step S44 with respect to the lecture video, and performs personal interestingness update (step S45). The subroutine of the personal interestingness generation process thus ends. The process returns to step S30 of fig. 6 to continue the process.

Fig. 8 illustrates an interest coefficient management table used by the server device 20. The interest coefficient management table is stored on an interest coefficient storage unit 24 (see fig. 3) provided in the server device 20.

The interest coefficient management table of fig. 8 stores "interest coefficient data" associated with an operation type corresponding to a lecture video to be reproduced, a generation timing of the operation, an interest coefficient set for the operation, and an influence time set for the generation time of the operation. In the electronic learning system 1 of the exemplary embodiment, the administrator using the administrator terminal device 30 sets the interest coefficient management table. The interest coefficients of the exemplary embodiments are higher as positive values of the participant's interest become higher and lower as negative values of the participant's interest become lower. The interest coefficient management table of fig. 8 lists possible causes for each operation type in the rightmost column. This reason is listed only for discussion purposes and not in the real interest coefficient management table.

In the example of fig. 8, the operation type column lists "note", "favorite", "test", and "reproduction". The operation type "note" means that the note reception display box 150 is selected (clicked) on the UI screen 100 of fig. 5. The operation type "favorite" means that the favorite reception display box 160 is selected on the UI screen 100 of fig. 5. The operation type "test" means that the test reception display box 170 is selected on the UI screen 100 of fig. 5. The operation type "reproduction" means that the reproduction button in the video operation reception box 130 is selected on the UI screen 100 of fig. 5.

Regarding the operation type "note", the generation time column lists "in video viewing", the interest coefficient column lists "+ 2", and the influence time column lists "duration 3 seconds before and after the time when the note is written to start". The interest coefficient of the operation type "note" is set to "+ 2" for the following reason. The participant takes notes by clicking on the note receiving display box 150 during video viewing because the participant's interest in the generation time (scene) of the lecture video is considered to be higher.

Regarding the operation type "favorite", the generation time column lists "in video viewing", the interest coefficient column lists "+ 1", and the influence time column lists "duration of 3 seconds before and after the time when favorite is set". The interest coefficient of the operation type "favorite" is set to "+ 1" for the following reason. The participant sets the favorite lecture video by clicking the favorite reception display box 160 during "video viewing" because the participant may want to re-watch the lecture video later from the reproduction time of the lecture video (the participant may be interested in the lecture video).

Regarding the operation type "test", the generation time column lists "in video viewing", the interest coefficient column lists "-3", and the influence time column lists "after the viewing time when the lecture is transitioned to the test". The interest coefficient of the operation type "test" is set to "-3" for the following reason. The participant performs the test by clicking the test reception display frame 170 during "video viewing" (instead of the UI screen 100 having the video display frame 120, the participant displays a test screen without the video display frame 120), because the participant may not want to watch the lecture video to the end because his or her reproduction time (screen) of the lecture video is not very interesting.

Regarding the operation type "reproduction", the generation time column lists "after test", the interest coefficient column lists "+ 1", and the influence time column lists "time at the start of reproduction". The interest coefficient of the operation type "reproduction" is set to "+ 1" for the following reason. The participant reproduces the lecture video corresponding to the test by clicking the reproduction button of the video operation reception box 130 after the "test" (i.e., after the participant has performed the test by clicking the test reception display box 170). In this case, the participant may verify lecture contents (which are highly interesting to the participant) which are not well understood by the participant during the test by re-watching the designated lecture video from the reproduction time (scene).

Four operation examples are described herein as operation types. The operation type is not limited to these examples, and may include another example. The interest coefficients are not limited to those listed in fig. 8, and the administrator may change the operation type.

The importance generation process (and the personal interestingness generation process as a subroutine) of the exemplary embodiment are described using specific examples. The electronic learning system 1 can now start from an initial state in which the importance degree is not set, and the same lecture video "biological profile (first lecture)" can be viewed by the participant X using the participant terminal device 10A, the participant Y using the participant terminal device 10B, and the participant Z using the participant terminal device 10C in order.

Fig. 9A to 9F illustrate examples of transition of personal interestingness and importance. Fig. 9A illustrates the personal interestingness of the participant X who has viewed the "biological profile (first utterance)", and fig. 9B illustrates the importance of the "biological profile (first utterance)" obtained from the personal interestingness of the participant X. Fig. 9C illustrates the personal interestingness of participant Y who has viewed the "biological profile (first utterance)" subsequent to participant X, and fig. 9D illustrates the importance of the "biological profile (first utterance)" obtained from the personal interestingness of participants X and Y. Fig. 9E illustrates the personal interestingness of participant Z who has viewed the "biological profile (first lecture)" subsequent to participants X and Y, and fig. 9F illustrates the importance of the "biological profile (first lecture)" derived from the personal interestingness of participants X, Y and Z. The horizontal axis of each of fig. 9A to 9F represents the reproduction time t of lecture video ("biology profile (first lecture)"), the vertical axis of each of fig. 9A, 9C, and 9E represents the personal interestingness, and the vertical axis of each of fig. 9B, 9D, and 9F represents the importance. The discussion of the weighting coefficients is omitted here.

Participant X can now watch the lecture video "biological profile (first lecture)" on the participant terminal device 10A. Participant X may now click on the favorite receiving display box 160 at or near reproduction time 0:25 and may now click on the note receiving display box 150 at or near reproduction time 1: 20. As illustrated in fig. 9A, the obtained personal interestingness of participant X is +1 for the reproduction time period of 0:22 to 0:28 for 3 seconds before and after including reproduction time 0:25, is +2 for the reproduction time period of 1:17 to 1:23 for 3 seconds before and after including reproduction time 1:20, and is ± 0 for the remaining reproduction time.

The importance is generated using the personal interestingness of participant X. Since no participant viewed the "biological profile (first lecture)" before participant X in this example, the newly gained importance is the personal interestingness of participant X. As illustrated in fig. 9B, the interestingness is +1 in the reproduction period of 0:22 to 0:28, is +2 in the reproduction period of 1:17 to 1:23, and is ± 0 in the remaining reproduction time.

Then, the participant X watches the lecture video "biological profile (first lecture)" on the participant terminal device 10B. Participant X may click on the favorite reception display box 160 at or near reproduction time 1:20, at or near reproduction time 1:35, and at or near reproduction time 2: 10. As illustrated in fig. 9C, the obtained personal interestingness of participant Y is +1 for the reproduction time period of 1:17 to 1:23 for 3 seconds before and after the reproduction time of 1:20, the reproduction time period of 1:32 to 1:38 for 3 seconds before and after the reproduction time of 1:35, and the reproduction time period of 2:07 to 2:13 for 3 seconds before and after the reproduction time of 2: 10. At the remaining reproduction time, the interestingness is ± 0.

The importance degree update is performed using the importance degree generated from the personal interest degree of the participant X and the newly obtained personal interest degree of the participant Y. More specifically, the importance level update is performed by adding the personal interestingness of the participant Y to the generated personal interestingness. As illustrated in fig. 9D, the reproduction time period of the interestingness at 0:22 to 0:28, the reproduction time period at 1:32 to 1:38, and the reproduction time period at 2:07 to 2:13 are +1, the reproduction time period at 1:17 to 1:23 is +3, and the remaining reproduction time is ± 0.

Then, the participant Z watches the lecture video "biological profile (first lecture)" on the participant terminal device 10C. Participant Z may click on the test receipt display box 170 at or near reproduction time 2: 05. As illustrated in fig. 9E, the obtained individual interestingness of the participant Z is-3 at the reproduction time period of 2:05 to 3:00 ("end time of biological probability (first talk)"), and is ± 0 at the remaining reproduction time.

The importance degree update is performed according to the importance degree generated based on the personal interests of the participants X and Y and the newly obtained personal interest degree of the participant Z. More specifically, the importance level update is performed by adding the personal interestingness of the participant Z to the previously generated personal interestingness. Referring to fig. 9F, the reproduction period of the interestingness from 0:22 to 0:28 and the reproduction period from 1:32 to 1:38 are + 1. The reproduction period of interest is +3 at 1:17 to 1:23, is-3 at 2:05 to 2:07 and 2:13 to 3:00, and is-2 at 2:07 to 2: 13. The interestingness is ± 0 at the remaining reproduction time.

Each time a participant watches a lecture video "biological profile (first lecture)", the personal interestingness of the participant is generated, and the importance is updated using the obtained personal interestingness. In this way, the number of participants contributing to the importance increases.

Fig. 10 illustrates an example of the importance file and the time bar of the importance thus obtained. The upper part of fig. 10 is a graph of an example of the importance file, and the lower part of fig. 10 illustrates an example of a time bar of the importance generated by the importance notifying unit 27 (see fig. 3) based on the importance file illustrated in the upper part of fig. 10. The horizontal axis of each of the upper and lower parts of fig. 10 represents the reproduction time t of the lecture video (here, "biological profile (first lecture)"), and the vertical axis of the upper part of fig. 10 represents the importance. The entire reproduction period of the lecture video "biological profile (first lecture)" is 3 minutes. The first minute is for the beginning of the lecture video, the second minute is for the explanation of a, and the third minute is for the explanation of B (see also fig. 5).

Referring to fig. 10, a first threshold Th1 and a second threshold Th2 larger than the first threshold are set with respect to the importance of the exemplary embodiment. The reproduction time period with the importance degree of 0:06 to 0:28 and the reproduction time period of 1:14 to 1:45 are higher than the second threshold Th 2. The reproduction period of importance from 0:45 to 1:14 and the reproduction period of importance from 1:45 to 2:07 are lower than the first threshold Th 1. The importance falls between the first threshold Th1 and the second threshold Th2 at the remaining reproduction time. It can be appreciated that some participants are more interested in the lecture video during periods of importance above the first threshold Th1, while other participants are less interested in the lecture video during periods of importance below the second threshold Th 2. In the upper part of fig. 10, the importance is a positive value, but the importance may be a negative value, as illustrated in fig. 9F.

According to the importance level file illustrated in the upper part of fig. 10, the time bars of importance levels illustrated in the lower part of fig. 10 are segmented into green periods having importance levels higher than the first threshold Th1, red periods having importance levels lower than the second threshold Th2, and yellow periods having importance levels falling between the first threshold Th1 and the second threshold T2. The time bar of importance of the exemplary embodiment is thus generated based on the importance file (i.e., the time distribution of importance) and the first threshold Th1 and the second threshold Th2 set with respect to the importance.

Fig. 11 illustrates an example of a time bar image of importance. The time bar image of the importance is generated by the importance notifying unit 27 in the server device 20, received by the importance receiving unit 31 in the administrator terminal device 30, and then displayed on the display 77 of the administrator terminal device 30. Fig. 11 illustrates a time bar image of the importance obtained when the importance file illustrated in the upper part of fig. 10 is obtained in response to the lecture video "biological profile (first lecture)" of fig. 4.

The time bar image includes a check box on its leftmost side, a thumbnail (still image) set to the right of the check box and being a characteristic of the lecture video "biology profile (first lecture)", a time bar on the right of the thumbnail, and an update date on the right of the time bar. The administrator using the administrator terminal device 30 views the time bar of fig. 11, and thereby visually recognizes, in the lecture video, a period in which some participants are interested in the lecture video (green period with higher importance), a period in which other participants are not interested in the lecture video (red period with lower importance), and a period in which the participants are not low in interest (yellow period with not high or low importance).

Fig. 12A and 12B illustrate weighting coefficient management tables. Fig. 12A illustrates weighting coefficients set for participants individually. Fig. 12B illustrates weighting coefficients respectively set for the lecture attendance periods of the participant talkback video. The weighting coefficient management table is stored on the weighting coefficient storage unit 26 (see fig. 3) in the server apparatus 20.

Referring to fig. 12A, participants having relatively higher scores are weighted with higher weighting coefficients, and participants having relatively lower scores are weighted with lower weighting coefficients. In this example, the score of the participant becomes lower in the order of participant X, participant Y, and participant Z. The weighting coefficients for participant X, participant Y and participant Z are 2.0, 1.0 and 0.5, respectively.

In the importance level generation process of fig. 6, the importance level generation unit 25 generates (changes) the personal interest level using the weighting coefficient of the participant who watches the lecture video. By multiplying the original value by a weighting factor of 2.0, participant X has a personal interest level that is 2 times the original value. The personal interestingness of participant Y is equal to the original value by multiplying the original value by a weighting factor of 1.0. By multiplying the original value by a weighting factor of 0.5, the personal interest level of the participant Z is half of the original value. As a result, the importance degrees obtained from the three persons of the participants X, Y and Z who have viewed the lecture video reflect the above-described weighting coefficients. More specifically, the personal interestingness of a participant having a relatively high score is more reflected in the personal interestingness than the personal interestingness of a participant having a relatively low score.

The weighting coefficients of the participants are set according to the relative scores of the participants. The method of determining the weighting coefficients is not limited to this method. For example, the weighting coefficients of the participants may be set according to the attendance rates of the participants to the lecture. Alternatively, the weighting coefficients of the participants may be set according to a combination of the relative scores and the attendance rates of the participants.

Referring to fig. 12B, a participant who watches relatively early after the lecture video is publicly disclosed to each participant (after the lecture video is registered on the server apparatus 20) is weighted with a higher weighting coefficient, and a participant who watches relatively late is weighted with a lower weighting coefficient. In this example, a participant who watches the lecture video within one week from the public disclosure is weighted with a weighting coefficient of 2.0, a participant who watches the lecture video within one week to one month from the public disclosure is weighted with a weighting coefficient of 1.5, and a participant who watches the lecture video one month or more later than the public disclosure is weighted with a weighting coefficient of 1.0.

In the importance level generation process of fig. 6, the importance level generation unit 25 generates (changes) the personal interest level using the weighting coefficient of the lecture attendance period of the participant who watches the lecture video. The personal interestingness of a participant (e.g., participant X) viewed within one week from the public disclosure is twice the original interestingness by multiplying the original interestingness by the weighting factor 2.0 for the lecture attendance period. By multiplying the original interestingness by the weighting factor 1.5 for the lecture attendance period, the personal interestingness of the participant (e.g., participant Y) viewed within one week to one month from the public disclosure is 1.5 times the original interestingness. The personal interestingness of a participant (e.g., participant Z) who watches the lecture video from a month or more later than the publicly disclosed one is equal to the original interestingness by multiplying the original interestingness by the weighting coefficient of the lecture attendance period of 1.0. The importance of the three persons (i.e., participants X, Y and Z) reflects the weighting coefficients in this manner. More specifically, the personal interestingness of the participant who watches the lecture video earlier is reflected more in importance than the personal interestingness of the participant who watches the lecture video later.

In the above discussion, the weight management table of fig. 12A and the weight management table of fig. 12B are used separately. The exemplary embodiments are not limited to this method. A plurality of weighting tables (such as the two tables of fig. 12A and 12B) having different settings may be used in combination.

The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. It is evident that many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.