Patent Publication Number: US-2013238615-A1

Title: Information management apparatus and information management method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-052284, filed on Mar. 8, 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD 
     The embodiments described herein are related to an information management apparatus and information management method for managing information used through browsers or the like. 
     BACKGROUND 
     As a conventional technique, WEB browsers have a function of registering as favorites information WEB pages that each user prefers. Favorites information includes the titles and URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) of WEB pages, etc. Thereby, users can view WEB pages registered as favorites information as needed after the registration. 
     As a technique related to the above technique, an information searching apparatus that searches for information related to properties of image data is known. 
     Also, an information searching know-how management system including an information obtaining device that obtains necessary information by searching for the information on the Internet so as to generate search history information representing the search history, and an information sharing management device that manages the obtained necessary information and the search history information in an associated manner so that they can be shared are known. 
     Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2006-285526 
     Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2007-128367 
     SUMMARY 
     According to an aspect of the embodiments, an information management apparatus includes elements as described below. 
     An obtainment unit obtains identification information for identifying first viewed information when a viewing unit that obtains viewed information published on a network so as to output the viewed information to a display unit has displayed the first viewed information. 
     An extraction unit extracts a frequently appearing character string included in the first viewed information. 
     A storage process unit stores, in a storage unit, route information on the first viewed information that includes the identification information for identifying the first viewed information and the frequently appearing character string included in the first viewed information. 
     A registration unit adds route information to identification information for identifying second viewed information in an associated manner when the second viewed information being output from the viewing unit is to be registered as favorites information. 
     A first output unit outputs to the display unit first display information for displaying a first selection unit that lists favorites information including route information including a frequently appearing character string for each frequently appearing character string included in the route information of the favorites information. 
     A second output unit outputs to the display unit second display information for displaying, in a listed manner, favorites information including route information including a frequently appearing character string that corresponds to a selected first selection unit when the first selection unit has been selected. 
     The object and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates the outline of an information management unit  100  according to an example; 
         FIG. 2  explains the outline of an information management apparatus  210  according to another example; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an example of favorites information  300 ; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates the outline of the process performed by a browser monitoring unit  211 ; 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrates the outline of the process performed by a favorites information management unit  212 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart explaining operations of the browser monitoring unit  211 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a flowchart explaining operations of the favorites information management unit  212 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a flowchart explaining operations of the favorites information management unit  212 ; and 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an example of a configuration of the information management apparatus  210 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     When a WEB browser is used for a long time, the number of pieces of registered favorites information increases. In such a case, it takes time to find a desired piece of favorites information unless the pieces of favorites information are sorted out. As a result of this, the usability of the favorites information becomes lower, which is problematic. Also, when the number of pieces of registered favorites information has increased, the sorting out of such pieces of information also becomes troublesome. Further, old favorites information sometimes include pieces of information to which links have become broken or pieces of information that have become outdated. In such a case, a search may have to be performed again for pages containing content similar to such old favorites information. 
     Hereinafter, an example of embodiments of the present invention will be explained by referring to  FIGS. 1 through 9 . Note that the embodiments explained below are only exemplary, and are not intended to exclude various modifications or applications of techniques that are not described below. In other words, the embodiments can be implemented with various modifications such as combining the respective examples without departing from the spirit of the embodiments. Also, the process sequences explained in the form of flowcharts in  FIGS. 6 through 8  are not intended to limit the order of those processes. Thus, as a matter of course, when it is possible, the order of the processes may be changed. 
     EXAMPLES 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an outline of an information management unit  100  according to an example. 
     The information management unit  100  is an information processing apparatus that includes an obtainment unit  110 , an extraction unit  120 , a storage process unit  130 , a registration unit  140 , a first output unit  150 , and a second output unit  160 . The obtainment unit  110 , the extraction unit  120 , the storage process unit  130 , the registration unit  140 , the first output unit  150 , and the second output unit  160  may be implemented by making the information management unit  100  execute a prescribed program. 
     The obtainment unit  110  obtains identification information for identifying first viewed information when it has been detected that a viewing unit  170  has displayed the first viewed information. The viewing unit  170  obtains arbitrary viewed information published on networks such as the Internet, and outputs the obtained information to a display unit  180  to display it. A browser for viewing WEB pages, and the like, for example, can be used as the viewing unit  170 . The viewing unit  170  can operate on the information management unit  100  or on other information processing apparatuses (not illustrated) connected to the information management unit  100  through a network. 
     The extraction unit  120  extracts a frequently appearing character string included in the first viewed information. Frequently appearing character strings are character strings that appear frequently among character strings included in viewed information. The extraction unit  120  can extract character strings appearing at least a prescribed number of times among character strings included in viewed information. It is also possible to limit extraction target character strings to a particular character string. 
     The storage process unit  130  stores in a storage unit  190  first-viewed-information related route information that includes identification information for identifying the first viewed information and a frequently appearing character string included in the first viewed information. Information for identifying viewed information can include location information specifying the location of the viewed information such as, for example, the URL or the title of the viewed information. Also, as the storage unit  190 , not only a storage device such as a magnetic disk device but also, for example, volatile memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory) or the like and non-volatile memory such as EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) or the like can be used. Also, the storage unit  190  can also use a storage device connected through a network such as the Internet, i.e., so-called online storage in the cloud. 
     The registration unit  140  adds one or more pieces of route information to identification information for identifying the second viewed information in an associated manner when the second viewed information output from the viewing unit  170  is to be registered as favorites information. 
     For each frequently appearing character string included in route information of favorites information, the first output unit  150  outputs, to the display unit  180 , first display information displaying a first selection unit that selects a list display of favorites information including route information including the frequently appearing character string, and displays the information. When the first display information is displayed on the display unit  180 , the user can select a first selection unit that he or she likes by using an input unit such as a mouse or the like provided by the information management unit  100 . 
     When an arbitrary first selection unit has been selected, the second output unit  160  outputs to the display unit  180  a second display information that displays, in a listed manner, favorites information including route information including a frequently appearing character string that corresponds to the selected first unit, and displays the information. 
     Note that the first output unit  150  may output first display information directly to the display unit  180  so as to display the information as indicated by an arrow in  FIG. 1 . However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, it is also possible to employ a configuration in which the first output unit  150  outputs first display information to the viewing unit  170  so that the viewing unit  170  makes the display unit  180  display the first display information. Similarly, while the second output unit  160  may output second display information directly to the display unit  180  so as to make it display the information as indicated by an arrow in  FIG. 1 , this example does not limit the scope of the present invention. For example, it is also possible to employ a configuration in which the second output unit  160  outputs second display information to the viewing unit  170  so that the viewing unit  170  makes the display unit  180  display the second display information. Also, while the display unit  180  may be connected to the information management unit  100  directly, it may also be connected to the information management unit  100  through a network such as the Internet in a communicable manner. 
     As described above, for each frequently appearing character string included in route information of favorites information, the information management unit  100  outputs, to the display unit  180 , first display information displaying a first selection unit that selects a list display of favorites information including route information including the frequently appearing character string, and displays the information. When an arbitrary first selection unit has been selected, the information management unit  100  outputs to the display unit  180  second display information that displays in a listed manner favorites information including route information including a frequently appearing character string corresponding to the selected first selection unit, and displays the information. 
     In this example, frequently appearing character strings included in viewed information express the abstract, characteristics, and the like of the viewed information. Accordingly, users are enabled to easily obtain desired favorites information by selecting a first selection unit corresponding to a frequently appearing character string that seems to express viewed information registered as desired favorites information even when the number of pieces of favorites information has increased. 
     &lt;Another Example&gt; 
       FIG. 2  explains the outline of an information management apparatus  210  according to another example. 
     The information management apparatus  210  includes a browser monitoring unit  211 , a favorites information management unit  212 , a temporary storage unit  213 , and a favorites information storage unit  214 . The information management apparatus  210  manages information handled by a browser  220 . 
     The browser  220  is WEB-page viewing software that uses a protocol such as HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) or the like so as to obtain a WEB page published by an information processing apparatus connected to the browser  220  through the Internet  230 , outputs the obtained WEB page to a display device  240 , and displays the page. The browser  220  may include a search engine that searches for WEB pages including a character string corresponding to a keyword. The browser  220  may operate on the information management apparatus  210 , and also may operate on a different information processing apparatus (not illustrated) connected to the information management apparatus  210  through a network such as the Internet  230 . Also, data or the like output from the browser  220  or the information management apparatus  210  may be displayed on the display device  240  connected to the information management apparatus  210 , or may be displayed on, for example, a different display device (not illustrated) connected to the information management apparatus  210  through a network such as the Internet  230 . 
     The browser monitoring unit  211  monitors operations of the browser  220 . For example, the browser monitoring unit  211  periodically obtains, from the browser  220 , the URLs of WEB pages that the browser  220  outputs to the display device  240  to display. When the browser monitoring unit  211  has detected a change in the URL of a WEB page that the browser  220  outputs to the display device  240  to display, the browser monitoring unit  211  determines that display contents of a WEB page that the browser  220  outputs to the display device  240  to display have been updated. In such a case, the browser monitoring unit  211  obtains the updated display contents of the WEB page from the browser  220 . The browser monitoring unit  211  stores the URL and the title of the updated WEB page, link information included in the WEB page, and the like in the temporary storage unit  213  as visited page information. Further, the browser monitoring unit  211  extracts frequently appearing words from character strings included in the display contents of the updated WEB page, and adds the extracted words to the visited page information. 
     Also, the browser monitoring unit  211  detects, for example, that a favorites registration button provided to the browser  220  has been pressed. When this favorites registration button has been pressed, the browser  220  stores, in the favorites information storage unit  214  as favorites information, the WEB page being displayed by the browser  220 , i.e., the WEB page that the browser  220  is currently outputting to the display device  240  to display it. When the browser monitoring unit  211  has detected that the favorites registration button was pressed, it adds, to favorites information, search route information including the visited page information stored in the temporary storage unit  213 , in such a manner that the search route information is associated with the favorites information. Note that pressing of a “button” herein means selection by a user of a “button” displayed on the display device  240  by using an input device  903  such as, for example, a mouse. 
     The favorites information management unit  212  provides to users an interface for managing favorites information stored in the favorites information storage unit  214 . For example, the favorites information management unit  212  displays, on the display device  240  and in various forms, the contents of favorites information stored in the favorites information storage unit  214 , as needed. Examples of windows that the favorites information management unit  212  outputs to the display device  240  and displays are illustrated in  FIGS. 5A and 5B . 
     The browser monitoring unit  211  and the favorites information management unit  212  explained by referring to  FIG. 2  may be implemented by, for example, making a CPU  901  execute a prescribed program. The CPU  901  will be explained by referring to  FIG. 9 . For example, when Internet Explorer (registered trademark) available from the Microsoft Corporation is used as the browser  220 , WEB Browser control or the like maybe used as the browser monitoring unit  211  and the favorites information management unit  212 . WEB Browser control is a standard control based on NET Framework 2.0 provided from the Microsoft Corporation. 
     When, for example, a function of obtaining the contents of a WEB page displayed by the browser  220  such as, for example, the URL, the title, the link information, or the like from the browser  220  is to be implemented by the browser monitoring unit  211 , a program language that can use WEB Browser control can be used. Similarly, when a function or the like of displaying desired windows on the browser  220  is to be implemented by the favorites information management unit  212 , a program language that can use WEB Browser control can be used. However, known techniques can be used as program languages that can use WEB Browser control, and thus detailed explanations thereof will be omitted. 
     As the temporary storage unit  213  and the favorites information storage unit  214  explained by referring to  FIG. 2 , a memory device  902  or an external storage device  905 , which will be explained in  FIG. 9 , may for example be used. Note that although  FIG. 2  illustrates the temporary storage unit  213  and the favorites information storage unit  214  as separate storage units, the temporary storage unit  213  and the favorites information storage unit  214  may also be implemented as a single storage unit as a matter of course. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an example of favorites information  300  stored in the favorites information storage unit  214 . 
     The favorites information  300  includes the titles and the URLs of WEB pages stored as favorites information. Also, the favorites information  300  may include visited page information, i.e., information on a visited page, which is a 
     WEB page that was visited before the WEB page stored as the favorites information is reached. Also, a frequently appearing word may be a word that appears frequently in at least one character string of a particular word class among character strings included in a visited page. 
     Visited page information may include the title and the URL of a visited page, a frequently appearing word included in the visited page, link information included in the visited page, and the like. For example,  FIG. 3  illustrates an example where the visited page information of visited page  1  includes the title “BBB”, the URL “http//bbb”, a frequently appearing word “ABC”, and link information “http://ddd, http://eee”. In the example illustrated in  FIG. 3 , only one frequently appearing word is displayed. However, this example is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to a case where there is only one frequently appearing word. A plurality of frequently appearing words may be extracted from character strings included in a visited page. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the outline of a process performed by the browser monitoring unit  211 . 
     The browser monitoring unit  211  monitors operations of the browser  220  (step S 410   b ). 
     When the browser monitoring unit  211  has detected that the browser  220  outputs a WEB page to the display device  240  to display the page (step S 410   a ), the browser monitoring unit  211  stores, in the temporary storage unit  213  as visited page information, information included in a WEB page  410  (step S 420   b ) . This visited page information may include the title “BBB”, the URL “http/bbb” of the WEB page  410 , a frequently appearing word “ABC” included in the WEB page  410 , and link information “http://ddd, http://eee” included in the WEB page  410 . 
     Also, when the browser  220  has opened a WEB page  420  (step S 420   a ) as the link destination (http://ddd) in response to operations by a user, the browser monitoring unit  211  detects that the contents of the WEB page that the browser  220  outputs to the display device  240  to display have been updated. Also, the browser monitoring unit  211  stores information included in the WEB page  420  in the temporary storage unit  213  as visited page information (step S 430   b ). This visited page information includes the title “DDD”, the URL “http://ddd”, a frequently appearing word “ABC” included in the WEB page  410 , and link information “http://eee, http://fff” included in the WEB page  420 . 
     As described above, each time the contents of a WEB page that the browser  220  outputs to the display device  240  to display are updated, the browser monitoring unit  211  stores information included in the updated WEB page in the temporary storage unit  213  as visited page information. 
     Also, the browser  220  stores a WEB page  430  being displayed in the favorites information storage unit  214  as favorites information in response to operations by a user (step S 430   a ). In such a case, the browser monitoring unit  211  detects that the favorites registration button has been pressed, and adds, to favorites information, the visited page information that has already been stored in the temporary storage unit  213  in an associated manner (step S 440   b ). 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrates the outlines of display windows that the favorites information management unit  212  outputs to the display device  240  to display. 
     The favorites information management unit  212  displays a selection window  510  in response to a prescribed operation by a user (step S 501 ). 
     The selection window  510  may include a list display button  511  and a frequently appearing word button  512 . The list display button  511  displays in a listed manner all pieces of favorites information stored in the favorites information storage unit  214 . The frequently appearing word button  512  displays in a listed manner only pieces of favorites information that include a particular frequently appearing word among pieces of favorites information stored in the favorites information storage unit  214 .  FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrates an example where the selection window  510  is displaying the frequently appearing word buttons  512  corresponding to frequently appearing words “ABC”, “BBB”, “DDD”, and “EFG”, respectively. 
     When the favorites information management unit  212  has detected that the list display button  511  was pressed, the favorites information management unit  212  obtains favorites information from the favorites information storage unit  214 . The favorites information management unit  212  displays a list window  520  for the favorites information obtained from the favorites information storage unit  214  (step S 502 ). 
     The list window  520  may include, for each piece of favorites information, the title and the URL of a WEB page stored as favorites information, and a frequently appearing word included in each visited page information of favorites information. Also, the list window  520  includes a content display button  521 . 
     When the favorites information management unit  212  has detected that an arbitrary one of the frequently appearing word buttons  512  was pressed, the favorites information management unit  212  extracts favorites information including the frequently appearing word that corresponds to the frequently appearing word button  512  from among pieces of favorites information stored in the favorites information storage unit  214 . Thereafter, the favorites information management unit  212  displays a list window  530  for the extracted piece of favorites information (step S 503 ). The configuration of the list window  530  is the same as that of the list window  520 . 
     The list window  530  illustrated in  FIGS. 5A and 5B  is an example of a list window displayed when the frequently appearing word button  512  corresponding to the frequently appearing word “BBB” has been pressed. Note that although only one piece of favorites information is displayed in the list window  530 , this example is not intended to limit the number of pieces of favorites information that are displayed in the list window  530 . 
     When the favorites information management unit  212  has detected that an arbitrary piece of favorites information displayed in the list window  520  was selected and the content display button  521  was detected, the favorites information management unit  212  displays a favorites information window  540  for the selected piece of favorites information (step S 504 ). 
     The favorites information window  540  may include the title and the URL of the selected piece of favorites information. Further, the favorites information window  540  may include the URL included in visited page information included in the selected piece of favorites information, a detailed display button  541  for displaying the visited page information in detail, a frequently appearing word included in the selected piece of favorites information, and a re-search button  542 . The re-search button  542  displays a search window  570  for executing a WEB search using as a search keyword the frequently appearing word being displayed in the favorites information window  540 . 
     A URL or the like included in visited page information displayed in the favorites information window  540  such as, for example, “http://bbb” in the favorites information window  540  may be displayed as link information by using HTML (HyperText Markup Language). Thereby, users can easily refer to a visited page by selecting the URL of visited page information with a mouse or the like. 
     The favorites information window  540  illustrated in  FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrates an example of a favorites information window for displaying the contents of the favorites information with the title “FFF” and the URL “http://fff” that have been selected in the list window  520 . The favorites information window  540  illustrated as an example in  FIGS. 5A and 5B  is displaying visited page 1 having the URL “http://bbb” and visited page 2 having the URL “http://ddd”. The detailed display button  541  displayed next to the URL “http://bbb” of visited page 1 is a display button for displaying the visited page information of visited page 1 in detail. Similarly, the detailed display button  541  displayed next to the URL “http://ddd” of visited page 2 is a display button for displaying the visited page information of visited page 2 in detail. Also, the re-search button  542  displayed next to the frequently appearing words “ABC”, “BBB”, and “DDD” is a display button for displaying the search window  570  for executing a search using the frequently appearing words “ABC”, “BBB”, and “DDD” as search keywords. 
     When the favorites information management unit  212  has detected that the detailed display button  541  displayed in the favorites information window  540  was pressed, it displays a visited page window  550  for displaying the visited page information corresponding to the detailed display button  541  in detail. 
     The visited page window  550  may include the title and the URL included in visited page information. Also, the visited page window  550  may include link information included in visited page information, a frequently appearing word included in visited page information, and a re-search button  551 . The re-search button  551  displays a search window  560  for executing a WEB search using as a search keyword the frequently appearing word being displayed in the visited page window  550 . 
     Note that link information included in visited page information that is displayed in the visited page window  550 , such as, for example, “http://ddd” or “http://eee” displayed in the visited page window  550  illustrated as an example in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , maybe displayed by using HTML or the like. Thereby, users can easily refer to a WEB page specified by link information by selecting the link information with a mouse or the like. 
     When the re-search button  551  displayed in the visited page window  550  is pressed, the favorites information management unit  212  displays the search window  560  including a search keyword  561  and a search execution button  562  (step S 506 ). 
     The search keyword  561  may use a frequently appearing word displayed in the visited page window  550 . The favorites information management unit  212  displays the search keyword  561  in such a manner that users can edit it. When the search execution button  562  is pressed, the favorites information management unit  212  instructs the browser  220  to execute a WEB search using the search keyword  561  being displayed in the search window  560 . 
     When the re-search button  542  displayed in the favorites information window  540  is pressed, the favorites information management unit  212  displays the search window  570  including a search keyword  571  and a search execution button  572  (step S 507 ). 
     A frequently appearing word displayed in the favorites information window  540  may be used as the search keyword  571 . The favorites information management unit  212  displays the search keyword  571  in such a manner that users can edit it. When the search execution button  572  is pressed, the favorites information management unit  212  instructs the browser  220  to execute a WEB search using the search keyword  571  being displayed in the search window  570 . 
     As a matter of course, the selection window  510 , the list windows  520  and  530 , the favorites information window  540 , the visited page window  550 , and the search windows  560  and  570  illustrated in  FIGS. 5A and 5B  are only exemplary for display windows that the favorites information management unit  212  outputs to display, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to the contents illustrated in  FIGS. 5A and 5B . 
     Also, the selection window  510 , the list windows  520  and  530 , the favorites information window  540 , the visited page window  550 , and the search windows  560  and  570  illustrated in  FIGS. 5A and 5B  may be displayed by the browser  220  or may be displayed in a dedicated display window. 
       FIG. 6  is a flowchart for explaining operations of the browser monitoring unit  211 . 
     When the browser monitoring unit  211  is activated (step S 600 ), all pieces of information stored in the temporary storage unit  213  are deleted (step S 601 ). Thereafter, the browser monitoring unit  211  determines at constant intervals whether or not the browser  220  is operating (NO in step S 602 ). 
     When the browser  220  is operating (YES in step S 602 ), the browser monitoring unit  211  determines at constant intervals whether or not the contents displayed by the browser  220  has been updated (NO in step S 603 ). 
     When contents displayed by the browser  220  has been updated (YES in step S 603 ), the browser monitoring unit  211  obtains from the browser  220  the title and the URL of the WEB page being displayed by the browser  220  (step S 604 ). 
     Also, the browser monitoring unit  211  obtains the contents of the WEB page being displayed by the browser  220  so as to extract a frequently appearing word (step S 605 ). In such a case, the browser monitoring unit  211  for example may divide text or the like included in the WEB page into particular character strings by utilizing morphological analysis or the like. Also, the browser monitoring unit  211  may extract a most-frequently appearing word for a particular word class such as, for example, a noun, a verb, or the like from among character strings obtained by the division. 
     The browser monitoring unit  211  stores in the temporary storage unit  213  (step S 606 ) visited page information including the title and the URL obtained in step S 604 , the frequently appearing word extracted in step S 605 , and the link information included in the WEB page being displayed by the browser  220 . 
     When the favorites information registration button of the browser  220  is not pressed (NO instep S 607 ), the browser monitoring unit  211  repeats the processes of steps S 602  through S 607 . When it has been detected that the favorites registration button of the browser  220  was pressed (YES in step S 607 ), the browser monitoring unit  211  starts the process of step S 608 . In such a case, the browser monitoring unit  211  adds, in an associated manner, visited page information stored in the temporary storage unit  213  to favorites information stored in the temporary storage unit  213  by the browser  220  in response to the pressing of the favorites registration button (step S 608 ). Thereafter, the favorites information management unit  212  starts the process from the step S 601 . 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  are flowcharts explaining operations of the favorites information management unit  212 . 
     When a user has input a prescribed operation (step S 700 ), the favorites information management unit  212  obtains favorites information from the favorites information storage unit  214  (step S 701 ). When there are not a plurality of pieces of favorites information including the same frequently appearing word in the extracted favorites information (NO in step S 702 ), the favorites information management unit  212  displays a list window of the favorites information obtained in step S 701  (step S 707 ). 
     When there are a plurality of pieces of favorites information including the same frequently appearing word in the extracted favorites information obtained in step S 701  (YES in step S 702 ), the favorites information management unit  212  displays a selection window (step S 703 ). Thereafter, the favorites information management unit  212  waits until a list display button or a frequently appearing word button displayed in the selection window is pressed (NO in step S 704  and NO in step S 705 ). 
     When the favorites information management unit  212  has detected that a list display button displayed in the selection window was pressed (YES in step S 704 ), the favorites information management unit  212  displays a list window of the favorites information obtained in step S 701  (step S 707 ). 
     When the favorites information management unit  212  has detected that an arbitrary frequently appearing word button displayed in the selection window was pressed (NO in step S 704  and YES in step S 705 ), the favorites information management unit  212  starts the process in step S 706 . In such a case, the favorites information management unit  212  extracts a piece of favorites information corresponding to the frequently appearing word button that has been detected to be pressed from the favorites information obtained in step S 701  (step S 706 ). Thereafter, the favorites information management unit  212  displays a list window for the favorites information extracted in step S 706  (step S 707 ). 
     After displaying a list window, the favorites information management unit  212  waits (NO in step S 708 ) until an arbitrary piece of favorites information displayed in the list window is selected. When the favorites information management unit  212  has detected that an arbitrary piece of favorites information was selected in the list window (YES in step S 708 ), the favorites information management unit  212  waits (NO in step S 709 ) until a content display button displayed in the list window is pressed. 
     When the favorites information management unit  212  has detected that the content display button displayed in the list window was pressed (YES in step S 709 ), the favorites information management unit  212  displays a favorites information window for the piece of favorites information selected in step S 708  (step S 710 ). 
     When the favorites information management unit  212  has detected that an arbitrary detailed display button displayed in the favorites information window was pressed (YES in step S 711 ), the favorites information management unit  212  displays a visited page window for the visited page information corresponding to the pressed detailed display button (step S 712 ). Thereafter, the favorites information management unit  212  waits (NO in step S 713 ) until a re-search button displayed in the visited page window is pressed. 
     When the favorites information management unit  212  has detected that the re-search button displayed in the visited page window (YES in step S 713 ) has been pressed, the favorites information management unit  212  displays a search window having as a search keyword a frequently appearing word displayed on the visited page window (step S 714 ). 
     When the favorites information management unit  212  has detected that the re-search button displayed in the favorites information window was pressed (NO in step S 711  and YES in step S 715 ), the favorites information management unit  212  displays a search window having as a search keyword a frequently appearing word displayed in the favorites information window (step S 716 ). Thereafter, the favorites information management unit  212  waits (NO in step S 717 ) until the search execution button displayed in the search window is pressed. 
     Note that the favorites information management unit  212  can display a search keyword in such a manner that users can edit it. Thereby, users can adjust search keywords such as by adding new keywords, or deleting unnecessary keywords. 
     When the favorites information management unit  212  has determined that the search execution button displayed in the search window was pressed (YES in step S 817 ), the favorites information management unit  212  instructs the browser  220  to execute a WEB search using a search keyword displayed in the search window (step S 718 ). The browser  220  executes a WEB search, and displays the result of the search (step S 719 ). 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a configuration example of the information management apparatus  210 . 
     The information management apparatus  210  illustrated in  FIG. 9  includes a CPU  901 , a memory device  902 , an input device  903 , an output device  904 , an external storage device  905 , a medium driving device  906 , and a network connection device  908 . These devices are connected through a bus so that they can transmit and receive data to each other. 
     The CPU  901  is a computation device that executes a program for implementing the information management apparatus  210  according to the present example in addition to implementing peripheral devices and various types of software. 
     The memory device  902  is a volatile storage device used for executing programs. As the memory device  902 , RAM or the like, for example, may be used. 
     The input device  903  is an external data input unit. As the input device  903 , a keyboard or a mouse, for example, may be used. Users may press a list display button displayed in a selection window, edit a search keyword displayed in a search window, or perform other operations by using the input device  903 . 
     The output device  904  outputs data and the like to the display device  240  or the like. The output device  904  may include the display device  240 . 
     The external storage device  905  is a non-volatile storage device that stores programs for implementing the information management apparatus  210  according to the present example in addition to programs and data that the information management apparatus  210  needs to operate. As the external storage device  905 , a magnetic disk storage device or the like for example may be used. Also, as the external storage device  905 , a storage device connected through a network such as the Internet or the like, i.e., so-called online storage in the cloud, or the like may be used. 
     The medium driving device  906  is a device that outputs data of the memory device  902  or the external storage device  905  to a portable recording medium  907  such as, for example, a floppy disk, an MO disk, a CD-R, a DVD-R, or the like, or reads programs, data, or the like from the portable recording medium  907 . 
     The network connection device  908  is a device to be connected to a network  909 . 
     Note that as a recording medium that can be read by an information processing apparatus, such as the external storage device  905  and the portable recording medium  907 , a non-transitory medium may be used. 
     Also,  FIG. 9  illustrates an example of the configuration of the information management apparatus  210 . Accordingly, the information management apparatus  210  may include arbitrary components not illustrated in  FIG. 9  as needed. Also, the information management apparatus  210  may omit arbitrary components illustrated in  FIG. 9  as needed. 
     In the above explanations, a WEB page has been used as an example of viewed information. The display device  240  has been used as an example of a display unit. The browser  220  has been used as an example of a viewing unit. Titles and URLs have been used as examples of identification information for identifying viewed information. A frequently appearing word has been used as an example of a frequently appearing character string included in viewed information. Visited page information has been used as an example of route information. The selection window  510  has been used as an example of a method of displaying first display information. The frequently appearing word button  512  has been used as an example of a first selection unit. The list window  530  has been used as an example of a method of displaying second display information. 
     Also, the obtainment unit, the extraction unit, the storage process unit, and the registration unit can be implemented by making the CPU  901  included in the information management apparatus  210  execute the processes in, for example, steps S 604 , S 605 , S 606 , and S 608 , respectively, in accordance with a prescribed program. Similarly, the first and second output units can be implemented by making the CPU  901  included in the information management apparatus  210  execute the processes in, for example, steps S 703  and S 705  through S 707 , respectively, in accordance with a prescribed program. 
     As described above, when a user has operated the browser  220  to register favorites information, the information management apparatus  210  adds, to the registered favorites information, visited page information on WEB pages that were visited before the user reached the registered information. 
     The information management apparatus  210  provides an interface such as, for example, the selection window  510  and the list windows  520  and  530  for categorizing pieces of favorites information for each frequently appearing word included in visited page information in order to allow them to be viewed. 
     Because a frequently appearing word included in a WEB page represents the abstract and characteristics of the WEB page, users can easily obtain desired favorites information even when there are a large number of pieces of favorites information. Also, a user can easily obtain desired favorites information even when he or she does not sort out piece of favorites information frequently. 
     The information management apparatus  210  provides an interface such as for example the favorites information window  540  illustrated in  FIGS. 5A and 5B  for viewing WEB pages that were visited before registered favorites information was reached. URLs, such as for example “http://bbb”, “http://ddd” or the like in the favorites information window  540  illustrated in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , of visited page information included in the favorites information window provided by the information management apparatus  210  are displayed as link information by using HTML or the like. Accordingly, users can refer to WEB pages that he or she visited before reaching favorites information at any time. 
     The information management apparatus  210  provides an interface such as, for example, the favorites information window  540 , the visited page window  550 , and the search windows  560  and  570  illustrated in  FIGS. 5A and 5B  for executing a keyword search using as a search keyword a frequently appearing word included in favorites information. By executing a keyword search using as a keyword a frequently appearing word included in favorites information, users can obtain the latest information including the abstract of the contents and the characteristics of a WEB page registered as favorites information. Also, even when a link to a WEB page registered as favorites information has already been broken, the new link destination of the WEB page or a WEB page including the same or similar contents as the WEB page can easily be found. 
     The information management apparatus  210  provides an interface such as, for example, the search window  560  and the search window  570  illustrated in  FIGS. 5A and 5B  for executing a keyword search using a search keyword that has been edited as desired by users from a frequently appearing word included in favorites information. Users can execute a WEB search after editing a search keyword in the search windows  560  and  570  so that they can obtain contents related to the favorites information, information including more detailed contents about a portion included in the favorites information, and the like. 
     As described above, according to an aspect, it is possible to provide an information management apparatus and a method for managing information in which desired information can be easily obtained. 
     All examples and conditional language provided herein are intended for the pedagogical purposes of aiding the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to further the art, and are not to be construed as limitations to such specifically recited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of such examples in the specification relate to a showing of the superiority and inferiority of the invention. Although one or more embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it should be understood that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.