Display control device, display control system, display control method, and program

Abstract

To understand how other users are adding markers to their ebooks. [Solution] Server 10 extracts the words that make up the string of characters at the marked locations (marker words) based on the markers M placed on the e-book by each user's terminal 20. Based on the marker words extracted for each user, Server 10 generates marker word ranking data (12f) for each group of users (overall / school / grade / class / region, etc.) grouped based on user attributes, in descending order of the number of users who placed the marker M on the marker words. Server 10 generates a list of rankings of marker words in the marker word ranking data (12f) for the ranking target groups arbitrarily selected and set by the user, and displays it on the user terminal 20 as marker word ranking RW.

Description

Technical Field

[0004] ,

[0006] , , , , ,

[0005] , , ,

[0007] , , ,

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a display control device, a display control system, a display control method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In a conventional information display control device, there is known a technique of attaching a marker to a character string designated by a user in teaching material text displayed on a display unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in a conventional information display control device, it is impossible to grasp a situation where another user other than oneself has attached a marker to teaching material text displayed on a display unit.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to provide a display control device, a display control system, a display control method, and a program capable of grasping an addition state of markers to e-books of other users.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A first display control device according to the present invention acquires a word included in a marker location designated by each of a plurality of users for an e-book, and based on the word included in the marker location of each of the plurality of acquired users, causes a display unit to display content reflecting the number of users who designated the marker location of the word. It is provided with a control unit that executes processing.

[0007] The second display control device according to the present invention includes a control unit that performs processing to obtain words or phrases contained in marker locations specified by each of a plurality of users in an e-book, and to display content on the display unit that reflects the number of times the words or phrases have been specified as marker locations, based on the words or phrases obtained from each of the plurality of users. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it becomes possible to understand the status of markers added to ebooks by other users. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This block diagram shows an example of the configuration of a server (display control device) 10 and a user terminal (display device) 20 provided in a display control system 1. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of the contents of the marker word registration data (12e) stored on server 10 for each user. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of the contents of the marker word ranking data (12f) stored on server 10 for each user group. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of the contents of the ranking target group setting data (12g) stored for each user on server 10. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of a display setting menu Rm for setting marker word display setting data (12h) stored on server 10 for each user. [Figure 6] This figure shows the e-book displayed on the user terminal 20 according to the display control processing of the server 10, and the markers M1 and M2 attached to the text of the e-book. [Figure 7] This figure shows the marker word ranking RW displayed on the user terminal 20 according to the marker word display processing on server 10. [Figure 8] This flowchart shows an example of display control processing performed by server 10. [Figure 9]This is a flowchart showing an example of the marker word registration process included in the display control process of server 10. [Figure 10] This flowchart shows an example of the marker word display process performed by server 10. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the display control device, display control system, display control method, and program of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figure 1, the display control system 1 is configured to include a server (display control device) 10 for learning support, for example, which is provided on a communication network N such as the Internet, and a user terminal (display device) 20 on which an application program that uses the server 10 (here, a server-using application) is installed. The user terminal 20 can be configured as a PC (personal computer), smartphone, tablet terminal, wearable terminal, electronic dictionary, mobile phone, e-book, portable game console, etc., which have a communication function with the server 10.

[0011] As shown in Figure 1, the server 10 comprises a control unit (CPU: central processing unit) 11, which is a computer; a storage unit 12; a recording medium reading unit 14; a communication unit 15; an input unit 16; and a display unit 17. The control unit 11 controls the operation of each circuit part according to a server control program 12a stored in the storage unit 12, in response to input signals corresponding to user operations from the input unit 16, or to signals received by the communication unit 15 from a user terminal 20 on the communication network N. The server control program 12a may be pre-stored in the storage unit 12, or it may be read into the storage unit 12 from an external recording medium 13 such as a CD-ROM via the recording medium reading unit 14 and stored there, or it may be downloaded from a Web server (in this case, a program server) on the communication network N and read into the storage unit 12 and stored there. The server control program 12a includes at least a program for executing an example of the function described in the operation described later.

[0012] The memory unit 12 is allocated the following areas: a memory area for the server control program 12a, an e-book database memory area 12b, a user management data memory area 12c, a marker registration data memory area 12d, a marker word registration data memory area 12e, a marker word ranking data memory area 12f, a ranking target group setting data memory area 12g, a marker word display setting data memory area 12h, a learning course-specific word data memory area 12i, and a work data memory area 12j. The e-book database memory area 12b stores data for e-books used by the user for learning purposes (e.g., Japanese literature, English literature, dictionaries, textbooks, reference books, paperback novels, etc.). The user management data memory area 12c stores user attributes (e.g., school, grade, class, desired school, address, etc.) associated with a user ID (user identification information: in this case, application ID) for each user on a user terminal 20 that has the server application installed. These user attributes are updated periodically by the user, for example, at the time of the annual update.

[0013] In the marker registration data storage area 12d, for each user (user A, user B, ...) managed in the user management data (12c), the book title (or identification code) of the ebook to which the user has placed marker M (here, M1, M2) is associated with the marker locations 1 to n (which may also be location information to which marker M is attached), as shown in Figure 6, for example. In the marker word registration data storage area 12e, for each user (user A, user B, ...) managed in the user management data (12c), the words constituting the strings of marker locations 1 to n are extracted and obtained by syntactic analysis, etc., based on the marker locations 1 to n of the ebook stored in the marker registration data storage area 12d, as shown in Figure 2, for example. Furthermore, if a marker word identical to a marker word already acquired and stored in the marker word registration data storage area 12e is extracted from the string of marker locations stored in the marker registration data storage area 12d, the number of times it corresponds to the already stored marker word (marker count) is added and stored.

[0014] In the marker word ranking data storage area 12f, based on the marker words 1 to m and their marker counts for each user stored in the marker word registration data storage area 12e, a ranking is generated for each group (school / grade / class / desired school / region / ...) grouped based on user attributes, as shown in Figure 3, for example. The number of people who have marked a marker word (number of markers) is associated with each marker word in the generated ranking and stored. In the ranking target group setting data storage area 12g, as shown in Figure 4, for each user managed in the user management data (12c), the group name (or identification code) of the group that the user wants to know about (want to be ranked) as a ranking of marker words is arbitrarily selected and set (stored) by the user. The ranking target group setting data (12g) can be set by the user at any time by operating the user terminal 20. For example, while the marker word ranking RW (see Figure 7) is being displayed, the user may operate an icon or other control displayed on the user terminal 20 to switch and set the group that the user wants to keep track of (to be included in the ranking).

[0015] In the marker word display setting data storage area 12h, for each user managed in the user management data (12c), as shown in FIG. 5 for example, display setting data of the display format ([ranking] or [mining]) and the language ([Japanese] or [English]) to be extracted, which are selectively set according to the marker word display menu Rm to be displayed on the touch panel display unit 21 in response to the user operation of the user terminal 20, are stored. Here, when [ranking] is selected as the display format, setting data ([attach meaning]) as to whether to attach the meaning to the marker word for display and setting data ([display above nth place]) as to which rank and above in the ranking to be displayed are also selected and stored according to the user operation. Further, for the language to be extracted, setting data ([exclude simple words]) as to whether to exclude simple words from the ranking is also selected and stored according to the user operation. In the word data storage area 12i for each learning course, for example, a list of words by school year according to the curriculum guidelines, a list of words by score level targeted in a predetermined language proficiency test, and a list of words such as articles and auxiliary words are stored. The word data (12i) for each learning course may be used to exclude words already acquired at the user's learning level from the marker word ranking RW, that is, words (simple words) already acquired in learning courses below the user's learning level, when "[exclude simple words]" is set in relation to the setting of "language to be extracted" in the marker word display setting data (12h). The user's learning level is obtained based on the user attributes (for example, school, school year, desired school) managed in the user management data (12c). In the work data storage area 12j, various types of data generated or acquired according to the control of the operations of each part by the control unit 11 are temporarily stored as necessary.

[0016] The server 10 configured as described above has the control unit 11 control the operations of each part of the circuit according to the instructions described in the server control program 12a, and the software and hardware cooperate to operate, thereby realizing various functions as described in the following operation description.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, the user terminal 20 includes a control unit (CPU) 22 which is a computer, a storage unit 23, a recording medium reading unit 25, a communication unit (Wi-Fi (registered trademark) communication / mobile communication) 26, and a touch panel display unit 21. The control unit 22 controls the operations of each circuit unit according to an input signal corresponding to a user operation from the touch panel display unit 21 or a reception signal by the communication unit 26 from a Web server (including the server 10) on the communication network N, in accordance with the user terminal control program 23a and the server utilization application program (server utilization app) 23b stored in the storage unit 23. The user terminal control program 23a and the server utilization app 23b may be stored in the storage unit 23 in advance, or may be read from an external recording medium 24 such as a memory card through the recording medium reading unit 25 and stored in the storage unit 23, or may be downloaded from a Web server (in this case, a program server) on the communication network N and read and stored in the storage unit 23. The server utilization app 23b includes a program for executing a function of performing input of various data associated with a user operation and display of various data received from the server 10 in cooperation with at least the functions of the server 10 described in the operations below in the user terminal 20.

[0018] In the storage unit 23, in addition to the storage areas for the user terminal control program 23a and the server utilization app 23b, a work data storage area 23e and the like are secured. Note that the ranking target group setting data (12g) and the marker word display setting data (12h) for each user stored in the server 10 may be individually stored in the ranking target group setting data storage area 23c and the marker word display setting data storage area 23d of each user's user terminal 20. In the work data storage area 23e, various data generated or acquired according to the control of the operations of each unit by the control unit 22 are temporarily stored as necessary.

[0019] In this configuration, the user terminal 20 has a control unit 22 that controls the operation of each part of the circuit according to the instructions written in the user terminal control program 23a and the server usage application 23b. Through the cooperation of the software and hardware, the various functions described in the operation description below are realized.

[0020] Next, the operation of the display control system 1 of the embodiment will be described. For example, when a user uses the server 10 to view an ebook, the user operates the user terminal 20 to launch the server usage application 23b and logs in to the server 10 (requests a connection). When the server 10 receives a connection request from the user terminal 20 of a user managed by the user management data (12c) (step S1 (Yes) in Figure 8), the control unit 11 establishes a communication connection with the user terminal 20 that requested the connection (step S2). For example, when the user selects an ebook of their choice on the user terminal 20 according to the ebook menu displayed on the user terminal 20 by the server 10 (step S3 (Yes)), the control unit 11 of the server 10 displays the ebook selected by the user (here, "World Literature XX") on the touch panel display unit 21 of the user terminal 20, as shown in Figure 6 (step S4).

[0021] When the user terminal 20's touch panel display unit 21 is displaying the selected ebook, if a user-specified string in the displayed ebook is designated by the user, for example, as a string of high importance to the user, using a stylus or finger (including a pointing device, etc.), and a marker operation (an operation to designate a marker location) is performed (step S5 (Yes)), the control unit 11 of the server 10 displays the designated string in the displayed ebook with markers M1 and M2, for example, as shown in Figure 6 (step S6). The control unit 11 stores and registers the book title of the displayed ebook and the marker locations corresponding to the strings with markers M1 and M2 in the marker registration data storage area 12d, associating them with the user of the user terminal 20 that placed the markers M1 and M2 (step S7). The control unit 11 then proceeds to the marker word registration process (step S8 (see Figure 9)).

[0022] The control unit 11 extracts and obtains English words (English words that make up the string) contained in the string of the marker location as marker words by syntactic analysis, based on the marker location in the user's ebook that was registered in the marker registration data storage area 12d and the "language to extract" (assuming [English] here) set in the marker word display setting data storage area 12h (step S81). The control unit 11 determines whether the same marker word as the obtained marker word has already been registered in the marker word registration data storage area 12e in association with the user in question (step S82). If it is determined that the same marker word as the marker word obtained in step S81 has not already been registered in the marker word registration data storage area 12e in association with the user who placed the marker M this time, and that it is a new marker word that the user placed the marker M on (step S82(No)), the control unit 11 stores and registers the obtained marker word and its marker count "1" (step S83). On the other hand, if it is determined that the marker word acquired in step S81 is already associated with the user who placed the marker M and has been registered in the marker word registration data storage area 12e, that is, that the user has already placed marker M (including cases where the same marker word appears multiple times in a string of characters at a series of marker locations) (step S82 (Yes)), the control unit 11 adds the number of markers associated with the registered marker word and updates it (step S84).

[0023] The control unit 11 generates a ranking of marker words in descending order of the number of people who have designated a marker word as a marker location (number of markers) for each group of users (e.g., school / grade / class / desired school / region) grouped based on user attributes, using marker words 1 to m and their marker counts registered for each user in the marker word registration data storage area 12e (step S85). This ranking is stored in the marker word ranking data storage area 12f, for example, as shown in Figure 3. At this time, each marker word in the ranking generated in descending order of the number of markers is associated with and stored the number of markers, and the marker count is also associated with and stored. The number of markers is obtained by counting the number of users who have registered the same marker word in the marker word registration data storage area 12e, associated with each user belonging to the target group. The marker count is obtained by counting the number of times the same marker word has been marked, associated with each user belonging to the target group, in the marker word registration data storage area 12e. Furthermore, if the marker word obtained in step S81 is associated with the user who placed the marker M this time and has already been registered in the marker word registration data storage area 12e (step S82 (Yes)), and the number of markers associated with the registered marker word is added and updated (step S84), then in the marker word ranking data (12f), the number of markers of the registered marker word is added and updated in the ranking of the group to which the user belongs (step S85).

[0024] If the control unit 11 does not receive a disconnection request (logout) from the user terminal 20 that is connected to the communication (step S9(No) in Figure 8), it continues the process of displaying the e-book selected by the user on the user terminal 20 (steps S3, S4).

[0025] Next, for example, if a user wants to check the ranking of marker words that are estimated to be of high importance within a group, based on markers M attached to any ebook among users in the group to which the user belongs, for example, as shown in Figure 6, when the [Ranking] icon Ri, which is displayed on the touch panel display unit 21 of the user terminal 20 by the server 10 to instruct the display of the marker word ranking, is touched (step S11 (Yes) in Figure 10), the control unit 11 retrieves the ranking target group set by the user from the ranking target group setting data storage area 12g (or from the ranking target group setting data storage area 23c of the user terminal 20) (step S12). The control unit 11 retrieves the marker word ranking data (12f) associated with the user-specified ranking target group (e.g., [Class]) obtained in step S12 from the marker word ranking data storage area 12f (step S13). Furthermore, the control unit 11 acquires the display setting data set by the user from the marker word display setting data storage area 12h (or from the marker word display setting data storage area 23d of the user terminal 20), for example, as shown in Figure 5 (step S14).

[0026] In step S14, the control unit 11 determines whether or not there is a setting to exclude a predetermined word in the display setting data (12h) acquired in step S14 (step S15). Here, it is assumed that the marker word display setting data (12h) has the following settings: "Display format" is set to [Add meaning] and "Display 5th place or higher", and "Language to extract" is set to [English] and "Exclude simple words". If it is determined that there is a setting to exclude a predetermined word [Exclude simple words] in the display setting data (12h), the control unit 11 excludes, for example, English words that have been acquired at the user's learning level (i.e., simple words for the user) from the marker words ranked in the ranking target group [class] marker word ranking data (12f) acquired in step S13, based on the learning process word data (12i) (step S16).

[0027] The control unit 11 determines whether the "display format" of the display setting data (12h) acquired in step S14 is set to [Add meaning] (step S17). If it is determined that the "display format" is set to [Add meaning] (step S17 (Yes)), the control unit 11, based on the "display format" [Display 5th place or higher] of the display setting data (12h) acquired in step S14, generates a list of marker words ranked 5th or higher from the marker word ranking data (12f) of the ranking target group [class] from which predetermined words were excluded in step S16, for example as shown in Figure 7, by adding meaning ex to each marker word based on an English-Japanese dictionary stored in the e-book database (12b), and displays it as the marker word ranking RW on the touch panel display unit 21 of the user terminal 20 (step S18). At this time, the marker word ranking RW is displayed with larger font sizes for marker words with higher rankings. By checking the Marker Word Ranking RW, users can easily and clearly understand the ranking of marker words, along with their meanings, based on the number of users in their group (e.g., students in the same class) who have marked them, in descending order of importance and attention. This allows them to identify important words they should study and effectively use this information for their subsequent learning.

[0028] On the other hand, if it is determined that the "display format" of the display setting data (12h) acquired in step S14 is not set to [Add meaning] (step S17(No)), the control unit 11 generates a list of marker words ranked 5th or higher from the marker word ranking data (12f) of the ranking target group [class] from which predetermined words were excluded in step S16, based on the "display format" [Display 5th place or higher] of the display setting data (12h) acquired in step S14, and displays it as the marker word ranking RW on the touch panel display unit 21 of the user terminal 20 (step S19). In this case as well, the marker word ranking RW displays marker words with higher rankings in font size. By checking the marker word ranking RW, the user can easily and clearly grasp the ranking of marker words in order of the number of people who have noticed them, their importance, and designated them as marker locations among users in the group to which they belong (e.g., among students in the same class), and as described above, can effectively use this to help them in their subsequent learning, such as by identifying important words that they should learn.

[0029] Furthermore, if [Mining] is selected as the "Display Format" in the marker word display setting data (12h), the control unit 11 generates a list of marker words by text mining each marker word ranked in the marker word ranking data (12f) of the ranking target group set by the user, with the higher-ranked marker words having larger font sizes and being centered, and displays this list on the user terminal 20.

[0030] When the server 10 receives a disconnection request (logout) from a user terminal 20 that is currently connected to it (step S9 (Yes) in Figure 8), the control unit 11 disconnects the communication connection with the user terminal 20 that requested the disconnection and terminates the series of display control processes (step S10).

[0031] According to the display control system 1 of this embodiment, the server 10 displays the selected ebook on the touch panel display unit 21 of the user terminal 20 in response to user operation, and displays the ebook with a marker M placed on the string specified by the user operation. Based on the marker locations of the marker M placed on the ebook by each user's user terminal 20, the server 10 extracts the words (marker words) contained in the string at the marker locations and registers them in the marker word registration data storage area 12e for each user. Based on the marker words registered for each user, the server 10 generates a ranking of the marker words in descending order of the number of users who have placed a marker M on each marker word for each group of users (overall / school / grade / class / region, etc.) grouped based on user attributes, and stores it in the marker word ranking data storage area 12f. The server 10 targets the ranking target group arbitrarily selected and set by the user, and displays a list of the rankings of the marker words stored in the marker word ranking data storage area 12f as the marker word ranking RW on the user terminal 20. Furthermore, the marker word ranking data (12f) for the ranking target group may be generated each time the user instructs to display the marker word ranking, and the marker word ranking RW may be displayed. Users can easily grasp the ranking of marker words in descending order of the number of people who have designated them as marker locations, based on their level of attention and importance among users of their own group (e.g., [class]). Thus, it becomes possible to grasp the status of markers added to other users' ebooks. In other words, the display control system 1 of the present invention can reliably support the user in performing a technical task (understanding the status of markers added to other users' ebooks) through a user-machine interaction process.

[0032] Furthermore, according to the display control system 1 of this embodiment, the server 10 displays the marker word ranking RW with larger font sizes for marker words that have a higher ranking. Users can easily and clearly understand the ranking of marker words in descending order of the number of users in their group who have designated them as marker locations.

[0033] Furthermore, according to the display control system 1 of the embodiment, if the display setting data (12h) is set to "Display format" [Add meaning], the server 10 generates a list of marker words in the marker word ranking data (12f) corresponding to the ranking target group, adding meaning ex to each marker word, and displays it on the user terminal 20 as the marker word ranking RW. Users can easily and clearly grasp the ranking of marker words in descending order of the number of users who have designated them as marker locations among the users to which they belong, along with the meaning of each word.

[0034] Furthermore, according to the display control system 1 of the embodiment, the server 10 generates a list of marker words ranked n or higher from the marker word ranking data (12f) of the marker word ranking data (12f) of the group to be ranked, based on the setting [Display n or higher] in the "Display format" of the display setting data (12h), and displays it on the user terminal 20 as the marker word ranking RW. The user can narrow down to marker words with a high level of attention or importance that are higher than the ranking rank they have set, and grasp the ranking of marker words in descending order of the number of users who have designated them as marker locations among the users to which they belong.

[0035] Furthermore, according to the display control system 1 of the embodiment, if a setting to exclude predetermined words [excluding simple words] is made in the marker word display setting data (12h), then, from the ranked marker words in the ranking target group marker word ranking data (12f), words that have already been learned at the user's learning level, which is obtained based on user attributes (simple words for the user), are excluded based on the learning process-specific word data (12i), and displayed on the user terminal 20 as the marker word ranking RW. The user can easily grasp the ranking of marker words from which the simple words they have already learned have been excluded.

[0036] Furthermore, according to the display control system 1 of the embodiment, the server 10 generates a ranking of marker words in descending order of the number of users who have marked them with marker M, targeting ranking target groups (overall / school / grade / class / region, etc.) that can be switched and set by the user, and displays this as the marker word ranking RW on the user terminal 20. Users can easily compare and understand the marker word ranking RW for each group to which they belong, for example.

[0037] In the display control system 1 of the embodiment described above, marker word ranking data (12f) is generated for each user group in descending order of the number of markers for each marker word, and the operation of obtaining the marker word ranking data (12f) for the target group and displaying the marker word ranking RW has been explained. However, the system is not limited to this, and marker word ranking data may also be generated in descending order of the number of markers based on the number of markers stored in association with the marker words in the marker word ranking data (12f), and displayed as the marker word ranking RW. Users can easily and clearly grasp, for example, the ranking of marker words that have attracted attention or are important among users in their group and have been marked many times, and as described above, they can effectively use this to their subsequent learning, such as grasping the important words that they should learn.

[0038] The words described in the above-mentioned embodiment are not limited to single words, but may also include phrases such as idioms and expressions that represent a certain meaning. Furthermore, the ranking of marker words only needs to reflect the number of users who have designated a location as a marker (or the number of times it has been designated as a marker), and the display format of the ranking is not limited to a table, but may be another display format such as a bubble chart.

[0039] The methods for each process performed by the display control system 1 described in the above embodiments, namely the display control process shown in the flowchart of Figure 8, the marker word registration process shown in the flowchart of Figure 9, and the marker word display process shown in the flowchart of Figure 10, all of which are executed by the server 10, can be distributed as programs that can be executed by a computer by storing them on a medium (recording medium 13 or recording medium 24) of an external recording device such as a memory card (ROM card, RAM card, etc.), magnetic disk (floppy disk, hard disk, etc.), optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD, etc.), or semiconductor memory. The control unit (CPU) of the information processing device (electronic device) reads the program recorded on the medium of this external recording device into the storage device, and its operation is controlled by the read program, thereby realizing the various functions described in the embodiments and executing the same processes as described above.

[0040] Furthermore, the program data for implementing each method can be transmitted over a communication network (N) in the form of program code. The program data can then be taken from a computer device (program server) connected to this communication network (N) into an information processing device (electronic device), stored in a memory device, and the various functions described above can be implemented.

[0041] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments, and can be modified in various ways during implementation without departing from its essence. The embodiments may also be combined as appropriate, and in that case, combined effects can be obtained. Moreover, the embodiments include various inventions, and various inventions can be extracted by selecting combinations from the multiple disclosed constituent elements. For example, if the problem can be solved and effects obtained even if some constituent elements are deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the embodiments, then the configuration with these deleted constituent elements can be extracted as an invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0042] 1...Display control system, 10...Server (display control device), 11...Control unit (CPU), 12a...Server control program, 20...User terminal (display device), 21...Touch panel display unit, M1, M2...Markers, Ri...[Ranking] icon, RW...Marker word ranking, ex...Word meaning.

Claims

1. For an ebook, retrieve the words or phrases contained in the marker locations specified by each of multiple users. Based on the words and phrases contained in the marker locations of each of the multiple users obtained, the display unit displays content that reflects the number of users who have designated the marker locations for those words and phrases. A display control device equipped with a control unit that performs processing.

2. For an ebook, retrieve the words or phrases contained in the marker locations specified by each of multiple users. Based on the words and phrases contained in the marker locations of each of the multiple users obtained, the display unit displays content that reflects the number of times the words and phrases were specified as marker locations. A display control device equipped with a control unit that performs processing.

3. The above content is a ranking. The control unit, The ranking of the aforementioned terms is displayed on the display unit, with the higher the ranking of the terms, the larger the font size. A display control device according to claim 1 or claim 2 that performs processing.

4. The control unit, The meaning of the aforementioned words is displayed on the display unit along with the aforementioned content. A display control device according to claim 1 or claim 2 that performs processing.

5. The above content is a ranking, and the ranking can be set to display a rank above a certain level depending on user operation. The display control device according to claim 1 or claim 2.

6. The above content is a ranking. The control unit, The ranking of the aforementioned terms is displayed on the display unit, excluding predetermined terms determined according to the user's attributes. A display control device according to claim 1 or claim 2 that performs processing.

7. The aforementioned users are users belonging to a predetermined group, and there are multiple such groups. The above content is a ranking. The control unit, Switch between multiple groups in response to user actions. Based on the words contained in the marker locations of each of the multiple users acquired, the ranking of the words is displayed on the display unit, according to the words contained in the marker locations of each of the multiple users belonging to the switched group. A display control device according to claim 1 or claim 2 that performs processing.

8. A display control device according to claim 1 or claim 2, A display device having a communication function with the aforementioned display control device and equipped with the aforementioned display unit, The display unit of the display device displays content that reflects the number of users designated as the marker locations of the phrase, or content that reflects the number of times the marker locations of the phrase have been designated. Display control system.

9. In the control unit of the display control device, For an ebook, retrieve the words or phrases contained in the marker locations specified by each of multiple users. Based on the words contained in the marker locations of each of the multiple users obtained, a ranking of the number of users designated as the marker locations for those words is displayed on the display unit. A display control method for executing a process.

10. In the control unit of the display control device, For an ebook, retrieve the words or phrases contained in the marker locations specified by each of multiple users. Based on the words and phrases contained in the marker locations of each of the multiple users obtained, a ranking of the number of times each word and phrase appeared as a marker location is displayed on the display unit. A display control method for executing a process.

11. The control unit of the display control device, For an ebook, retrieve the words or phrases contained in the marker locations specified by each of multiple users. Based on the words contained in the marker locations of each of the multiple users obtained, a ranking of the number of users designated as the marker locations for those words is displayed on the display unit. A program that makes something work and executes a process.

12. The control unit of the display control device, For an ebook, retrieve the words or phrases contained in the marker locations specified by each of multiple users. Based on the words and phrases contained in the marker locations of each of the multiple users obtained, a ranking of the number of times each word and phrase appeared as a marker location is displayed on the display unit. A program that makes something work and executes a process.

Images