Information search method, information search server, and information search system for providing content based on current progress status of content

1. An information search server comprising:

a database including a table storing a progress status of content, and information related to the content at the progress status in a mutually associated manner, and a table storing user information with respect to a content playback apparatus, an identifier of the content playback apparatus, and an identifier of a terminal apparatus which differs from the content playback apparatus, in a mutually associated manner;

a connecting user management unit configured to manage the user information with respect to the content playback apparatus connected to the information search server; and

a related information acquisition unit configured to acquire, via a network, a current progress status of content that is being played back on the content playback apparatus, and to search the database so as to acquire related information that corresponds to the content at the current progress status that is being played back on the content playback apparatus,

wherein the connecting user management unit is configured to search the database so as to identify the terminal apparatus which is connected to the information search server, and which differs from the content playback apparatus,

and wherein the related information acquisition unit is configured to transmit the related information to the terminal apparatus identified by the connecting user management unit.

2. An information search server according to claim 1 , wherein the content is game content,

and wherein the related information acquisition unit further comprises: a progress situation classification unit configured to classify the game into several stages, and to acquire, as the current progress status of the content, information of whether or not a player reaches a given stage; and

a search unit configured to search for tutorial information with respect to a given stage as the related information when the number of times the player reaches the stage exceeds a predetermined threshold to be used for judgment of whether or not related information is to be searched for.

3. A computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program executed by a processor of an information search server, wherein the the computer program comprises:

a module configured to provide a function for accessing a database including a table storing a progress status of content, and information related to the content at the progress status in a mutually associated manner, and a table storing user information with respect to a content playback apparatus, an identifier of the content playback apparatus, and an identifier of a terminal apparatus which differs from the content playback apparatus, in a mutually associated manner;

a module configured to provide a function for identifying, with reference to the database, the terminal apparatus connected to the information search server, which differs from the content playback apparatus; and

a module configured to provide a function for acquiring, via a network, a current progress status of the content that is being played back on the content playback apparatus, to search the database so as to acquire related information that corresponds to the content at the current progress status that is being played back on the content playback apparatus, and to transmit the related information thus acquired to the terminal apparatus.

4. An information search system comprising: a database including a table storing a progress status of content, and information related to the content at the progress status in a mutually associated manner, and a table storing user information with respect to a content playback apparatus, an identifier of the content playback apparatus, and an identifier of a terminal apparatus that differs from the content playback apparatus, in a mutually associated manner;

a server that can be connected to the database; and

a content playback apparatus that can be connected to the server via a network,

wherein the server is configured to authenticate, with reference to the database, the acceptability of a request from the content playback apparatus to establish a connection to the server via the network,

wherein, when the connection authentication by the server is successful, the content playback apparatus is configured to transmit, to the server, a current progress status of the content that is being played back on the content playback apparatus,

wherein the server is configured to search the database so as to acquire related information that corresponds to the content at the current progress status received from the content playback apparatus, and to transmit the related information thus acquired to the terminal apparatus identified with reference to the database as a terminal apparatus that differs from the content playback apparatus.

5. An information search method for a system comprising a server and a content playback apparatus that can be connected to the server, the information search method comprising:

performing authentication of the acceptability of a connection request from the content playback apparatus and a connection request from a display terminal to establish a connection to the server via a network;

transmitting, from the content playback apparatus to the server, a current progress status of content that is being played back on the content playback apparatus, which can be connected to the server via the network, when connection authentication by the server is successful; and

searching the database storing a progress status of content and the information related to the content at the progress status in a mutually associated manner so as to acquire related information that corresponds to the content at the current progress status received from the content playback apparatus, and transmitting the information thus acquired to a terminal device identified with reference to a database storing user information with respect to the content playback apparatus and an identifier of the terminal apparatus that differs from the content playback apparatus in a mutually associated manner.