Patent ID: 7441190

Claim:
An agent system providing information for a user by displaying a computer-controlled character, comprising: an agent program portion provided in a user computer connected to a communication channel of a network; a user information storage portion storing user information; and a character display data storage portion storing character display data for determining a display form of the character, the character display data storage portion including: an outer state storage part for storing outer parameters describing physical properties of the character; and an inner state storage part for storing inner parameters describing personal feelings of the character, wherein the agent program portion is adapted to (i) collect the user information and information selected by the user, (ii) create a key word based only on the user information, and (iii) use the character for: obtaining the selected information from a server connected to the network; providing the selected information to the user with the display form of the character; varying the display form of the character based on the selected information and the character display data in compliance with a type of the selected information; and inquiring at predetermined times on user selections.