Information providing system, information providing method, information providing device, program, and information storage medium

1. An information providing system, comprising:

a sever computer, including:

a user data collecting unit configured to obtain user evaluations of a plurality of application programs;

a first feature data generating unit configured to generate a feature data item for each of a plurality of users providing the user evaluations;

a classifying unit configured to classify the plurality of users into a plurality of clusters based on the feature data item of each of the plurality of users;

a reference feature data generating unit configured to generate a respective reference feature data item for each of the plurality of clusters; and

a representative feature data sending unit configured to send a representative feature data item, which represents each of the plurality of clusters, to the client computer;

a client computer, including:

a representative feature data receiving unit configured to receive the representative feature data item;

a second feature data generating unit configured to generate a feature data item for a given user based on usage of another plurality of application programs by the given user;

a cluster selecting unit configured to select at least one of the plurality of clusters for the given user based on comparing the feature data item generated by the second feature data generating unit with the reference feature data items, and based on the representative feature data item received by the representative feature data receiving unit; and

an information output unit configured to output information related to the selected cluster.

2. The information providing system according to claim 1 , wherein the information output unit outputs information related to at least one of the plurality of users classified into the selected cluster.

3. The information providing system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an information storing unit configured to store given information in association with at least one of the clusters,

wherein the information output unit outputs the given information stored in the information storing unit in association with the selected cluster.

4. The information providing system according to claim 1 , wherein the first feature data obtaining unit comprises:

an information receiving unit configured to receive information related to each of the plurality of users through a communications network; and

a feature data generating unit configured to generate the feature data item of each of the plurality of users based on the received information.

5. The information providing system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first feature data obtaining unit repeatedly obtains the feature data item of each of the plurality of users,

wherein the classifying unit classifies the plurality of users into the plurality of clusters each time the feature data item of each of the plurality of users is obtained.

6. An information providing device, comprising:

a user data collecting unit configured to obtain user evaluations of a plurality of application programs;

a first feature data generating unit configured to generate a feature data item for each of a plurality of users providing the user evaluations;

a classifying unit configured to classify the plurality of users into a plurality of clusters based on the feature data item of each of the plurality of users;

a reference feature data generating unit configured to generate a respective reference feature data item for each of the plurality of clusters thereby producing a plurality of reference feature data items;

a representative feature data sending unit configured to send one or more of the plurality of reference feature data items to other computers;

a cluster specifying data receiving unit configured to receive respective cluster specifying data from the other computers, each of the respective cluster specifying data being produced by one of the other computer via: (i) a second feature data generating unit configured to generate a feature data item for a given user based on usage of another plurality of application programs by the given user, and (ii) selecting at least one of the plurality of clusters for the given user based on comparing the generated feature data item with the reference feature data items; and

an information sending unit configured to send information related to the cluster specified by the cluster specifying data to the other computers.

7. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a program stored thereon, which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to:

obtain user evaluations of a plurality of application programs;

generate a feature data item for each of a plurality of users providing the user evaluations;

classify the plurality of users into a plurality of clusters based on the feature data item of each of the plurality of users;

generate a respective reference feature data item for each of the plurality of clusters;

send one or more of the reference feature data items to other computers;

receive respective cluster specifying data from the other computers, each of the respective cluster specifying data being produced by one of the other computers via: (i) generating a feature data item for a given user based on usage of another plurality of application programs by the given user, and (ii) selecting at least one of the plurality of clusters for the given user based on comparing the generated feature data item with the reference feature data items; and

send information related to the cluster specified by the cluster specifying data to the other computers.

8. A computer having a program stored thereon, which when executed, causes the computer to:

obtain user evaluations of a plurality of application programs;

generate a feature data item for each of a plurality of users providing the user evaluations;

classify the plurality of users into a plurality of clusters based on the feature data item of each of the plurality of users;

generate a respective reference feature data item for each of the plurality of clusters;

send one or more of the reference feature data items to other computers;

receive respective cluster specifying data from the other computers, each of the respective cluster specifying data being produced by one of the other computers via: (i) generating a feature data item for a given user based on usage of another plurality of application programs by the given user, and (ii) selecting at least one of the plurality of clusters for the given user based on comparing the generated feature data item with the reference feature data items; and

send information related to the cluster specified by the cluster specifying data to the other computers.

9. A client computer, comprising:

a representative feature data receiving unit configured to receive a plurality of reference feature data items from a server computer, the reference feature data items representing each of a plurality of clusters, wherein the server computer includes: (i) a user data collecting unit configured to obtain user evaluations of a plurality of application programs; (ii) a first feature data generating unit configured to generate a feature data item for each of a plurality of users providing the user evaluations; (iii) a classifying unit configured to classify the plurality of users into a plurality of clusters based on the feature data item of each of the plurality of users; and (iv) a reference feature data generating unit configured to generate a respective reference feature data item for each of the plurality of clusters;

a second feature data generating unit configured to generate a feature data item for a given user based on usage of another plurality of application programs by the given user;

a cluster selecting unit configured to select at least one of the plurality of clusters for the given user based on comparing the feature data item generated by the second feature data generating unit with the reference feature data items; and

an information output unit configured to output information related to the selected cluster.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving a plurality of reference feature data items from a server computer, the reference feature data items representing each of a plurality of clusters, wherein the server computer includes: (i) a user data collecting unit configured to obtain user evaluations of a plurality of application programs; (ii) a first feature data generating unit configured to generate a feature data item for each of a plurality of users providing the user evaluations; (iii) a classifying unit configured to classify the plurality of users into a plurality of clusters based on the feature data item of each of the plurality of users; and (iv) a reference feature data generating unit configured to generate a respective reference feature data item for each of the plurality of clusters;

generating a feature data item for a given user based on usage of another plurality of application programs by the given user;

selecting at least one of the plurality of clusters for the given user based on comparing the feature data item that was generated for the given user with the plurality of reference feature data items received; and

outputting information related to the selected cluster.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a program stored thereon, which when executed by a computer causes the computer to perform the method of:

receiving a plurality of reference feature data items from a server computer, the reference feature data items representing each of a plurality of clusters, wherein the server computer includes: (i) a user data collecting unit configured to obtain user evaluations of a plurality of application programs; (ii) a first feature data generating unit configured to generate a feature data item for each of a plurality of users providing the user evaluations; (iii) a classifying unit configured to classify the plurality of users into a plurality of clusters based on the feature data item of each of the plurality of users; and (iv) a reference feature data generating unit configured to generate a respective reference feature data item for each of the plurality of clusters;

generating a feature data item for a given user based on usage of another plurality of application programs by the given user;

selecting at least one of the plurality of clusters for the given user based on comparing the feature data item that was generated for the given user with the plurality of reference feature data items received; and

outputting information related to the selected cluster.