Patent ID: 7363311

Claim:
A method of mapping contents comprising: providing each item of the contents with classification information comprising a plurality of hierarchical levels; assigning each item of the contents a concept vector; and mapping each item of the contents in a predetermined dimensional space based on the provided classification information and the assigned concept vector; wherein the mapping comprises: calculating a distance between two items of contents based on the concept vectors assigned thereto; calculating an adjustment coefficient based on how nearly the classification information of said two items of contents match each other; adjusting the calculated distance based on the classification information of said two items of contents by multiplying the calculated distance by the adjustment coefficient so that the calculated distance is reduced to such an extent that the closer said two items of the contents are to each other the more nearly the assigned classification information of said two items of contents match each other; and assigning each item of contents the position information in the predetermined dimensional space based on the adjusted distance, wherein said adjustment coefficient is calculated using a distance matrix of which size is determined by the number of the classification categories in the lowest level down to which classification categories of said two items of contents match.