Preference-information gathering system, preference information gathering apparatus and preference-information gathering method

A system, comprising:

• a server;
• and
• an information searching apparatus that comprises:
• a storage unit;
• and
• one or more first processors configured to:
• store first information associated with at least one of commodities or services in the storage unit;
• acquire search information from a first terminal of a user of a plurality of users, wherein the search information corresponds to the first information;
• search for second information for display to the user, based on the search information;
• acquire a user identifier associated from the first terminal based on the search information, wherein the acquired first user identifier is associated with the user;
• and
• transmit, from the information searching apparatus to the server, a search result, wherein the search result is associated with the second information and the user identifier, and
• wherein the server comprises one or more second processors configured to:
• store preference information of the plurality of users;
• update the preference information based on the search result and the user identifier;
• and
• transmit third information from the server to a timing providing apparatus, based on the updated preference information.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by one or more first processors of an information searching apparatus and one or more second processors of a server, cause the one or more first processors and the one or more second processors to execute operations, the operations comprising:

• storing, by the one or more first processors, first information associated with at least one of commodities or services in a storage unit;
• acquiring, by the one or more first processors, search information from a first terminal of a user of a plurality of users, wherein the search information corresponds to the first information;
• searching, by the one or more first processors, for second information for display to the user, based on the search information;
• acquiring, from the first terminal by the one or more first processors, a user identifier associated with the user, based on the search information;
• transmitting, by the one or more first processors from the information searching apparatus to the server, a search result,
• wherein the search result is associated with the second information and the user identifier,
• storing, by the one or more second processors, preference information of the plurality of users;
• updating, by the one or more second processors, the preference information based on the search result and the user identifier;
• and
• transmitting, by the one or more second processors, third information from the server to a timing providing apparatus based on the updated preference information.

A method, comprising:

• storing, by one or more first processors of an information searching apparatus, first information associated with at least one of commodities or services in a memory of the information searching apparatus;
• acquiring, by the one or more first processors, search information from a first terminal of a user of a plurality of users, wherein the search information corresponds to the first information;
• acquiring, by the one or more first processors from the first terminal, a user identifier associated with the user, based on the search information;
• searching, by the one or more first processors, for second information for display to the user, based on the search information;
• transmitting, by the one or more first processors from the information searching apparatus to a server, a search result,
• wherein the search result is associated with the second information and the user identifier,
• storing, by one or more second processors of the server, preference information of the plurality of users;
• updating, by the one or more second processors, the preference information based on the search result and the user identifier;
• and
• transmitting, from the server by the one or more second processors, third information to a timing providing apparatus based on the updated preference information.