Related information presentation system, related information presentation method, and information storage medium

1. A related information presentation system, comprising:

link information storage means for storing a plurality of link information items in a database, wherein each of the link information items in the database is associated with at least one other link information item;

information acquisition means for acquiring, from a user, an information item which serves as a base point;

link information application means for selecting an information item stored in the link information storage means related to a given information item;

related information selection means for selecting an information item which is indirectly related to the information item which serves as a base point acquired by the information acquisition means by utilizing the link information application means a plurality of times,

wherein the information item acquired by the information acquisition means is used as the given information item a first time the link information application means is utilized by the related information selection means, and

wherein, for each of a subsequent plurality of times the link information application means is utilized by the related information selection means, the selected information item output from a previous utilization of the link information application means is used as the given information item; and

information presentation means for presenting to the user on a display the information item selected by the related information selection means,

wherein the information presentation means presents, concurrently, all of the information items selected by the link information application means in the order that the information items were selected by the link information application means, and

wherein the information presentation means presents text linking each of subsequently presented information items to the previously presented information item.

2. A related information presentation system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

attribute information storage means for storing attribute information in association with each of the plurality of link information items;

attribute degree of relevance calculation means for calculating a degree of relevance between the user and the attribute information; and

first link information selection means for selecting, based on the degree of relevance calculated by the attribute degree of relevance calculation means, the link information item which is applied by the link information application means.

3. A related information presentation system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

information degree of relevance calculation means for calculating a degree of relevance between the user and an information item which is related, by each of the plurality of link information items, to the given information item; and

second link information selection means for selecting, based on the degree of relevance calculated by the information degree of relevance calculation means, the link information item which is applied by the link information application means.

4. A related information presentation system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

text information storage means for storing text information in association with at least some of the plurality of link information items; and

text information presentation means for presenting, to the user, the text information which is associated with the at least some of the plurality of link information items to be applied by the link information application means.

5. A related information presentation system according to claim 1 , further comprising priority presentation information acquisition means for acquiring at least one priority presentation information item,

wherein the related information selection means uses the link information application means repeatedly until the at least one priority presentation information item is reached, and selects the at least one priority presentation information item as the information item which is indirectly related to the information item acquired by the information acquisition means.

6. A related information presentation method, comprising:

an information acquisition step of acquiring, from a user, an information item which serves as a base point;

a link information application step of selecting an information item related to a given information item from a link information storage means,

wherein the link information storage means stores a plurality of link information items in a database, wherein each of the link information items in the database is associated with at least one other link information item;

a related information selection step of selecting an information item which is indirectly related to the information item which serves as a base point acquired in the information acquisition step by executing the link information application step a plurality of times,

wherein the information item acquired by the information acquisition step is used as the given information item utilized a first time the link information application step is executed by the related information selection step, and

wherein fore each of the subsequent plurality of times the link information application step is executed by the related information selection step, the selected information item output from a previous execution of the link information application step is used as the given information item; and

an information presentation step of presenting to the user on a display the information item selected in the related information selection step,

wherein the information presentation step further presents, concurrently, all of the information items selected by the link information application step in the order that the information items were selected by the link information application step, and

wherein the information presentation step further presents text linking each of the subsequently presented information items to the previously presented information item.

7. A non-transitory information storage medium recorded with a program for causing a computer to function as:

information acquisition means for acquiring, from a user, an information item which serves as a base point;

link information application means for selecting an information item related to a given information item from a link information storage means,

wherein the link information storage means stores a plurality of link information items in a database, wherein each of the link information items stored in the database is associated with at least one other link information item;

related information selection means for selecting an information item which is indirectly related to the information item which serves as a base point acquired by the information acquisition means by utilizing the link information application means a plurality of times,

wherein the information item acquired by the information acquisition means is used as the given information item a first time the link information application means is utilized by the related information selection means, and

wherein, for each of a subsequent plurality of times the link information application means is utilized by the related information selection means, the selected information item output from a previous utilization of the link information application means is used as the given information item; and

information presentation means for presenting to the user on a display the information item selected by the related information selection means,

wherein the information presentation means presents, concurrently, all of the information items selected by the link information application means in the order that the information items were selected by the link information application means, and

wherein the information presentation means presents text linking each of the subsequently presented information items to the previously presented information item.

8. The related information presentation system according to claim 7 , wherein the link text for each of the presented information items describes a relationship to the previously presented information item.

9. The related information presentation system according to claim 1 , wherein the related information selection means automatically utilizes the link information application means a plurality of times.

10. The related information presentation method according to claim 6 , wherein the related information selection step automatically executes the link information application step a plurality of times.

11. The information storage medium recorded with a program according to claim 7 , wherein the related information selection means automatically utilizes the link information application means a plurality of times.