Patent ID: 8260760
Filing Date: 2012-09-04
Classification: G06F,G10H

Abstract:
1. A content providing apparatus comprising: a memory in which a plurality of pieces of content are divided into a plurality of groups based on related attributes and are stored, the groups being part of a hierarchical data structure and corresponding to a same level within the hierarchical data structure; input detection means for detecting a first input from a user; providing means for providing a first content to the user; and provided-content changing means for selecting, from the plurality of pieces of content stored in the memory, a second content belonging to a different group than the first content, and causing the providing means to provide the second content to the user in response to the first input being detected by the input detection means in a state in which the first content is provided to the user such that the user specifies that a change of group is desired but does not specify the different group, the apparatus having a first operation button that performs operations of switching on a power supply of the apparatus in response to the first button being depressed during a power supply off state, switching from a content belonging to a first of the groups to another content belonging to the first group in response to the first button being depressed during a power supply on state and the depression is not a long depression, and switching from a content belonging to a first group to a content belonging to a second group in response to the first button being depressed during a power supply on state and the button is depressed two times continuously, a server stores content provision history for the apparatus and analyzes the content provision history to determine a preference tendency for the user, and the preference tendency is reflected in the selection of the second content, dividing the plurality of pieces of content into a plurality of groups is performed according to a rule and the rule changed by the user through use of the first button, the rule being changed in response to a three-time continuous operation of the button, the apparatus having a second operation button, the provided-content changing means selecting the second content other than the first content currently being provided from the plurality of pieces of content stored in the content storage section and providing the second content to the user in response to the input detection means detecting a first one of the two different operations of the second operation button, and the provided-content changing means sequentially providing a portion of each of a plurality of pieces of content belonging to the differing group in response to the input detection means detecting a second one of the two different operations of the second operation button.