Viewing terminal apparatus, viewing statistics-gathering apparatus, viewing statistics-processing system, and viewing statistics-processing method

A viewing statistics-gathering apparatus that gathers statistics on viewing of a content, said apparatus comprising:

• a receiving unit configured to receive viewing status information from each of a plurality of viewing terminal apparatuses including one viewing terminal apparatus that obtains at least one of images and voices of the viewers who are viewing the content displayed on the display, and determines the viewer category indicated by the viewing status information using the at least one of the images and the voices that are obtained, the viewing status information indicating a content that is being viewed by viewers and the viewer category indicating a relationship between the viewers, the content being associated with the viewer category;
• a viewing statistics information generating unit configured to generate viewing statistics information indicating a result of statistics on viewing of the content only by viewers who belong to a predetermined viewer category, based on the viewing status information of each of the viewing terminal apparatuses that is received by said receiving unit;
• and
• a providing unit configured to provide at least one of the viewing terminal apparatuses with the viewing statistics information generated by said viewing statistics information generating unit.

A viewing statistics-processing system, comprising:

• a viewing statistics-gathering apparatus that gathers statistics on viewing of a content;
• and
• viewing terminal apparatuses that communicate information on viewing of a content with said viewing statistics-gathering apparatus;
• wherein each of said viewing terminal apparatuses includes
• a category determining unit configured to determine, as a viewer category, a relationship between viewers who are viewing a content displayed on a display,
• a transmitting unit configured to transmit, to said viewing statistics-gathering apparatus, viewing status information indicating the content that is being viewed by the viewers and the viewer category determined by said category determining unit, the content being associated with the viewer category,
• a viewing statistics presenting unit configured to obtain viewing statistics information from said viewing statistics-gathering apparatus, and to present a result of statistics that is (i) indicated by the obtained viewing statistics information and (ii) a result of statistics on viewing of a content only by viewers who belong to a predetermined viewer category, and
• an obtaining unit configured to obtain at least one of images and voices of the viewers who are viewing the content displayed on display,
• said category determining unit being configured to determine the viewer category using the at least one of the images and the voices obtained by said obtaining unit;
• and
• wherein said viewing statistics-gathering apparatus includes
• a receiving unit configured to receive the viewing status information from each of said viewing terminal apparatuses,
• a viewing statistics information generating unit configured to generate the viewing statistics information, based on the viewing status information of each of said viewing terminal apparatuses that is received by said receiving unit, and
• a providing unit configured to provide at least one of said viewing terminal apparatuses with the viewing statistics information generated by said viewing statistics information generating unit.

A viewing statistics-processing method of gathering statistics on viewing of a content by communicating information on viewing of a content in a viewing statistics-processing system including a viewing statistics-gathering apparatus and viewing terminal apparatuses,

• wherein, in each of the viewing terminal apparatuses, said method comprises
• determining, as a viewer category, a relationship between viewers who are viewing a content displayed on a display,
• transmitting, to the viewing statistics-gathering apparatus, viewing status information indicating the content that is being viewed by the viewers and the viewer category determined in said determining, the content being associated with the viewer category, and
• obtaining viewing statistics information from the viewing statistics-gathering apparatus, and presenting a result of statistics that is (i) indicated by the obtained viewing statistics information and (ii) a result of statistics on viewing of a content only by viewers who belong to a predetermined viewer category, and
• obtaining at least one of images and voices of the viewers who are viewing the content displayed on the display,
• wherein, in said determining, the viewer category is determined using the at least one of the images and the voices obtained in said obtaining of at least one of images and voices;
• and
• wherein, in the viewing statistics-gathering apparatus, said method comprises
• receiving the viewing status information from each of the viewing terminal apparatuses,
• generating the viewing statistics information, based on the viewing status information of each of the viewing terminal apparatuses that is received in said receiving, and
• providing at least one of the viewing terminal apparatuses with the viewing statistics information generated in said generating.

A program that is stored in a non-transitory recording medium, for a viewing terminal apparatus that communicates information on viewing of a content with a viewing statistics-gathering apparatus, said program causing a computer to execute:

• determining, as a viewer category, a relationship between viewers who are viewing a content displayed on a display;
• transmitting, to the viewing statistics-gathering apparatus, viewing status information indicating the content that is being viewed by the viewers and the viewer category determined in the determining, the content being associated with the viewer category;
• obtaining viewing statistics information from the viewing statistics-gathering apparatus, and presenting a result of statistics that is (i) indicated by the obtained viewing statistics information and (ii) a result of statistics on viewing of a content only by viewers who belong to a predetermined viewer category;
• and
• obtaining at least one of images and voices of the viewers who are viewing the content displayed on the display,
• wherein, in the determining, the viewer category is determined using the at least one of the images and the voices obtained in the obtaining of at least one of images and voices.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium on which a program, for a viewing terminal apparatus that communicates information on viewing of a content with a viewing statistics-gathering apparatus, is stored, the program causing a computer to execute:

• determining, as a viewer category, a relationship between viewers who are viewing a content displayed on a display;
• transmitting, to the viewing statistics-gathering apparatus, viewing status information indicating the content that is being viewed by the viewers and the viewer category determined in the determining, the content being associated with the viewer category;
• obtaining viewing statistics information from the viewing statistics-gathering apparatus, and presenting a result of statistics that is (i) indicated by the obtained viewing statistics information and (ii) a result of statistics on viewing of a content only by viewers who belong to a predetermined viewer category;
• and
• obtaining at least one of images and voices of the viewers who are viewing the content displayed on the display,
• wherein, in the determining, the viewer category is determined using the at least one of the images and the voices obtained in the obtaining of at least one of images and voices.

An integrated circuit that communicates information on viewing of a content with a viewing statistics-gathering apparatus, said integrated circuit comprising:

• a category determining unit configured to determine, as a viewer category, a relationship between viewers who are viewing a content displayed on a display;
• a transmitting unit configured to transmit, to the viewing statistics-gathering apparatus, viewing status information indicating the content that is being viewed by the viewers and the viewer category determined by said category determining unit, the content being associated with the viewer category;
• a viewing statistics presenting unit configured to obtain viewing statistics information from the viewing statistics-gathering apparatus, and to present a result of statistics that is (i) indicated by the obtained viewing statistics information and (ii) a result of statistics on viewing of a content only by viewers who belong to a predetermined viewer category;
• and
• an obtaining unit configured to obtain at least one of images and voices of the viewers who are viewing the content displayed on the display,
• wherein said category determining unit is configured to determine the viewer category using the at least one of the images and the voices obtained by said obtaining unit.