Patent ID: 7305428

Claim:
A retrieval device accessible to at least one retrieval server providing retrieval service, said retrieval device comprising: a retrieval condition modifying unit for modifying a first retrieval condition having a first scale into a second retrieval condition having a second scale which includes said first scale and which is greater than said first scale; a retrieval information receiving unit for transmitting said second retrieval condition to said retrieval server and for receiving first retrieved information matched to said second retrieval condition from said retrieval server; and a retrieving unit for retrieving second retrieved information from said first retrieved information, said second retrieved information being matched to said first retrieval condition, so that said second retrieved information has a lesser scale than does said first retrieved information, wherein said first retrieval condition includes a first factor in connection with a user's privacy-related information, and said second retrieval condition includes a second factor corresponding to said first factor, said second factor having a greater scale than said first factor, wherein said retrieval information receiving unit is configured to receive, from said retrieval server, pointer information in connection with said first retrieved information; and wherein said retrieving unit is configured to retrieve condition-matched pointer information, which is matched to said first retrieval condition, from said received pointer information.