Patent ID: 8700553

Claim:
An operation support apparatus which provides a user with operation support by inferring a target function of the user which is to be executed on an appliance that processes content, said operation support apparatus comprising: an operation record storage unit in which an operation record is stored, the operation record including an operation performed by the user on the appliance; a target function candidate storage unit in which functions of the appliance are stored; an operation strategy determination unit configured to determine on which one of operation strategies the operation on the appliance included in the operation record stored in said operation record storage unit is based on, the operation strategies having mutually different selection bases on which the user has focused in selecting the operation on the appliance; a target function inference unit configured to infer, with reference to the functions of the appliance stored in said target function candidate storage unit, the target function of the user according to a target function inference method suited to the operation strategy determined by said operation strategy determination unit; and an operation support determination unit configured to determine an operation support method which allows the user to achieve the target function inferred by said target function inference unit, and to provide the user with operation support according to the determined operation support method.