Information processing device, information processing system and information processing method

Abstract

To enable a user to easily acquire an NFT and to improve user satisfaction through the NFT.SOLUTION: An information processing server 2 includes a server information processing unit 10 that acquires identification information read by a user terminal 3 via wireless communication from a relevant wireless tag 20 attached to a relevant item 4, generates an address for granting, which is an address that can be associated with an NFT, in response to the acquisition of the identification information, and grants the NFT (Non-Fungible Token) corresponding to the identification information to the generated address for granting.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing system, and an information processing method relating to NFTs. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, with the spread of blockchain technology, NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) have become widespread. NFTs are tokens that have no fungibility and are used to prove the uniqueness of digital assets and their owners. In response to the spread of NFTs, various technologies related to NFTs have been proposed, and for example, the following technology is described in Patent Document 1. That is, a technology is described in which an NFT issuance support device 100 transmits a transaction to a blockchain network to issue an NFT whose owner is the creator of a derivative work, with the smart contract deployed by the creator of the original work as the destination, thereby issuing the NFT. According to the technology in Patent Document 1, it is possible to return the sales profits of the NFT for the derivative work to the administrator of the original work that is the basis of the derivative work. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-987859 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In order for users to acquire NFTs, they basically need to acquire a wallet to manage NFTs by themselves in advance, which has been a hurdle for users to acquire NFTs. Also, in the field of NFTs, there is a constant need to improve user satisfaction through NFTs.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and aims to enable users to easily obtain NFTs and to improve user satisfaction through NFTs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention obtains identification information read by a terminal via wireless communication from a wireless tag attached to an item, generates an assignment address, which is an address that can be associated with an NFT, in response to the acquisition of the identification information, and grants an NFT (Non-Fungible Token) corresponding to the identification information to the generated assignment address. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention configured as described above, a user can receive an NFT for a newly generated address and acquire an NFT by performing a simple task of wirelessly communicating between a wireless tag attached to an item and the user's own terminal to read the identification information. Furthermore, by performing this task, the user can obtain an experience that leads to increased satisfaction of acquiring an NFT corresponding to the item. In other words, according to the present invention, it is possible for a user to easily acquire an NFT, and to increase user satisfaction through the NFT. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a user terminal and an information processing server according to an embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 3] 1 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of an information processing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram used to explain the premise of an example of the operation of the information processing system. [Diagram 5] 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of an information processing system according to a modified example. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the contents of a record in a management database. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] An embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing system 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the information processing system 1 includes an information processing server 2 (information processing device, computer) and one or more user terminals 3 (terminals, information processing devices, computers). The information processing server 2 and the user terminals 3 can be connected to a network N including the Internet, a telephone network, and other communication networks.

[0010] As shown in FIG. 1, an information processing server 2 and a user terminal 3 can communicate with a blockchain network B via a network N. For convenience of explanation, in FIG. 1, the network N and the blockchain network B are depicted separately. The blockchain network B is a P2P distributed network related to Ethereum, in which a large number of nodes are connected to each other by a P2P method. Note that the blockchain network B according to this embodiment includes a network related to the Ethereum layer 2 platform and other networks that can be linked to the blockchain network B. The Ethereum layer 2 platform is, for example, Arbitrum or Polygon. Each node of the blockchain network B stores a blockchain (distributed ledger) using blockchain technology.

[0011] In FIG. 1, the information processing server 2 is depicted outside the blockchain network B. However, the information processing server 2 may be configured to function as one of the nodes (however, it does not have to be a full node) that make up the blockchain network B. The same applies to the user terminal 3. The information processing server 2 may also be configured to request, from another device (for example, a device that functions as an endpoint of the blockchain network B), all or part of the processing that involves sending a transaction to the blockchain network B, executing a specific function of a specific smart contract, checking the state of a specific account in the world state, and other access to the blockchain network B. The same applies to the user terminal 3.

[0012] Since the blockchain network B is an Ethereum-related network, it is possible to register (deploy) a smart contract in the blockchain. The blockchain network B can issue a non-fungible token (NFT) using a smart contract. An NFT is a token that has no fungibility. An NFT is widely used to prove the uniqueness of digital assets and the owner. In this embodiment, the NFT is a token that complies with ERC-721 or ERC-721a.

[0013] In this embodiment, the blockchain network B is a network related to Ethereum, but this is merely an example. The blockchain network B may be a network built on a blockchain platform other than Ethereum. The blockchain may be any of a public chain, a private chain, and a consortium chain. The standard to which the NFT conforms is not limited to the exemplified standard. The term "smart contract" is a name that conveniently expresses a program unit (a collection of program modules and associated data) registered in the blockchain. In other words, a smart contract may be an object that has the functions described below as the functions of a smart contract.

[0014] The information processing server 2 is a server device (computer) connected to the network N. The information processing server 2 has a function of providing services related to NFT. Hereinafter, the service provided by the information processing server 2 is referred to as the "service in question." In addition, hereinafter, the entity that operates the information processing server 2 is referred to as the "operator." As an example, the operator is a company that develops systems. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 described later, the information processing server 2 is represented by one block. However, this does not mean that the information processing server 2 is composed of a single server device. For example, the information processing server 2 may be composed of multiple server devices. Particularly in this embodiment, the information processing server 2 has a function as a Web server with the user terminal 3 as a client, and the information processing server 2 may be composed of multiple server devices including a Web server.

[0015] The user terminal 3 is a terminal (computer) used by a user. In this embodiment, a user refers to a person who may acquire the item 4 described below. The user terminal 3 refers to a terminal used by a user for convenience, and does not refer to a terminal used exclusively by the user. The user terminal 3 may be of any type. For example, a tablet computer (including a so-called smartphone), a desktop computer, or a notebook computer can function as the user terminal 3.

[0016] Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the information processing server 2 and the user terminal 3. As shown in Fig. 2, the information processing server 2 includes, as its functional configuration, a server information processing unit 10 (information processing unit), a server communication unit 11, and a server storage unit 12. The user terminal 3 includes, as its functional configuration, a terminal information processing unit 13 (information processing unit), a terminal communication unit 14, a terminal display unit 15, a terminal input unit 16, a terminal storage unit 17, and a reading unit 18.

[0017] The server information processing unit 10 of the information processing server 2 includes a processing device and a main storage device. The processing device is a device having an information processing function and includes a CPU. The CPU includes a control device, an arithmetic device, a register, and a cache memory. The main storage device includes a DRAM and other volatile memories. The server information processing unit 10 executes processing by the processing device reading a program stored in the server storage unit 12 into the main storage device and executing it. That is, the server information processing unit 10 executes processing by cooperation between hardware and software. The server communication unit 11 includes a communication device having a function of communicating with an external device. The communication device includes a communication control device and a network interface. The server communication unit 11 communicates with the external device by the communication device under the control of the server information processing unit 10. In the following, detailed description of the communication using the network N by the information processing server 2 and other communications will be omitted, assuming that they are appropriately performed by the server communication unit 11. The server storage unit 12 includes a hard disk drive (which may be another magnetic storage device), a ROM, a flash memory, and other non-volatile memories. The server storage unit 12 stores data in the non-volatile memory.

[0018] The terminal information processing unit 13 of the user terminal 3 has the same hardware as the server information processing unit 10 and executes processing in the same manner. That is, the terminal information processing unit 13 executes processing by cooperation between hardware and software. The terminal communication unit 14 has the same hardware as the server communication unit 11 and communicates with an external device in the same manner. In the following, detailed explanations of communication using the network N by the user terminal 3 and other communications are omitted, assuming that they are appropriately performed by the terminal communication unit 14. The terminal display unit 15 has a liquid crystal panel, an organic EL panel, or other display device. The terminal display unit 15 displays an image on the display device under the control of the terminal information processing unit 13. The terminal input unit 16 has a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, or other input device. The terminal input unit 16 detects input to the input device and outputs the detection result to the terminal information processing unit 13. The terminal storage unit 17 has a non-volatile memory and stores data in the non-volatile memory. The reading unit 18 has a wireless tag reader. The wireless tag reader includes an antenna, an RF unit, and a signal processing circuit with modulation / demodulation functions. The reading unit 18 performs short-distance wireless communication with the wireless tag according to a predetermined short-distance wireless communication standard, and can read information stored in the IC memory of the wireless tag. The wireless tag that can communicate with the reading unit 18 includes an antenna and an IC chip. The IC chip includes a control circuit, an RF unit, a signal processing circuit with modulation / demodulation functions, and an IC memory.

[0019] The information processing system 1 according to this embodiment is characterized by the operation when the "item 4 (FIG. 2) to which the wireless tag 20 (FIG. 2) is attached" is acquired by a user and a predetermined operation is performed by the user. The wireless tag 20 is a wireless tag attached to the item 4 for convenience. The item 4 is a physical item that exists in real space and can be acquired by the user. The item 4 is typically a product distributed in the market (for example, clothes, shoes, accessories, food, or electrical appliances), and the user acquires the item 4 by purchasing it. However, the item 4 is not limited to a purchased product, and may be, for example, an item distributed to the user free of charge.

[0020] The wireless tag 20 is attached to the item 4, which means that the wireless tag 20 is associated with the item 4. The wireless tag 20 may be attached directly to the item 4 by pasting, bonding, embedding, or other means. The wireless tag 20 may also be provided on a tag, label, or other object that is attached to the item 4 in a detachable manner. The wireless tag 20 may also be provided on something that wraps the item 4 (e.g., wrapping paper) or something that stores the item 4 (e.g., a storage box or storage bag). The wireless tag 20 may also be provided on an object (e.g., a card or paper medium) provided together with the item 4.

[0021] Hereinafter, a description will be given of the operation of the information processing system 1 when the present article 4 attached with the present wireless tag 20 is acquired by a user and a predetermined task is performed by the user. Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the information processing system 1. Symbol FA in Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the present wireless tag 20, symbol FB is a flowchart showing the information processing method by the user terminal 3, and symbol FC is a flowchart showing the information processing method by the information processing server 2.

[0022] Here, regarding the processing of the flowchart in FIG. 3, the item 4 is assumed to be "shoes" sold as a commodity in the market. The use of shoes as the item 4 is merely an example. Hereinafter, the shoes, which are the item 4, will be referred to as "target shoes 21" ((A) of FIG. 4). Also, the entity that manufactures / sells the target shoes 21 will be referred to as "provider". And before the processing of the flowchart in FIG. 3 is started, the following state is constructed. That is, the operator deploys a smart contract (hereinafter referred to as "item-compatible contract") related to the target shoes 21 in advance to the blockchain network B. Furthermore, as shown in (B) of FIG. 4, the operator constructs a state in which a token ID, an operator address, and associated information (including a token URI) are associated with each of the target shoes 21 to be sold in the item-compatible contract. The operator address is the address of the operator's external account. As a result, a corresponding NFT is issued for each of the target shoes 21, and a state is constructed in which the operator holds each of the NFTs. Hereinafter, the NFT corresponding to the target shoes 21 will be referred to as an "item-compatible NFT". In this manner, in this embodiment, a token ID is registered for each item 4 in the item-related contract of the blockchain network B.

[0023] The access destination indicated by the token URI of one item-corresponding NFT stores the metadata of the item-corresponding NFT. In addition to the name, creator, and detailed information, the metadata of the item-corresponding NFT records a URI for accessing a storage location of at least the image data of the two-dimensional image of the item-corresponding NFT. Hereinafter, the image data of the item-corresponding NFT is referred to as "item-corresponding image data". The two-dimensional image indicated by the item-corresponding image data is an image derived from the corresponding target shoe 21. As an example, the image of the item-corresponding image data is an illustration or photograph of the corresponding target shoe 21. Thus, in this embodiment, the format of the content of the item-corresponding NFT (the entity that is the subject of ownership by the user) is a two-dimensional image. However, the format of the content of the item-corresponding NFT is not limited to a two-dimensional image, and may be, for example, a three-dimensional image, a video, or a text. As described above, in this embodiment, an NFT is prepared in advance for each of the target shoes 21, and image data of a two-dimensional image is prepared for each of the NFTs.

[0024] Here, it is assumed that smart contract-s1 is in a first state in which the token ID of NFT-n1 is associated with address-a1 corresponding to user-u1. This first state indicates that user-u1 owns NFT-n1 via address-a1. Based on this, in this embodiment, the first state may be expressed as "the owner of NFT-n1 is user-u1" or "user-u1 owns NFT-n1". Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first state may be expressed as "the owner of NFT-n1 is address-a1" or "address-a1 owns NFT-n1".

[0025] Also, in the first state, assume that a first event occurs in which an address associated with the token ID of NFT-n1 is transferred from address-a1 corresponding to user-u1 to address-a2 corresponding to user-u2. This indicates that the owner of NFT-n1 has been transferred from user-u1 (or address-a1) to user-u2 (or address-a2). Based on this, in this embodiment, the first event may be expressed as "the owner of NFT-n1 has been transferred from user-u1 to user-u2" or "the owner of NFT-n1 has been transferred from address-a1 to address-a2."

[0026] As shown in (A) of FIG. 4, the subject wireless tag 20 is embedded in the subject wireless tag 20. The subject wireless tag 20 has an item-corresponding URL stored in its IC memory. The item-corresponding URL is a predetermined URL of the information processing server 2. The item-corresponding URL may have a different value for each item, or may have a different value for each group (for example, a series of items). The item-corresponding URL includes item-corresponding identification information (identification information). For example, the item-corresponding identification information is described in a parameter (query parameter) of the item-corresponding URL. The item-corresponding identification information is information for identifying the subject shoes 21. In this embodiment, the item-corresponding identification information corresponding to one subject shoe 21 includes a contract address of the item-corresponding contract and a token ID of the item-corresponding NFT corresponding to the one subject shoe 21. The item-corresponding URL is communicated from the operator to an entity that manufactures or processes the subject wireless tag 20. However, the entity that manufactures or processes the subject wireless tag 20 may be a provider, an operator, or an entity independent of the proposer and the operator.

[0027] Before the start of the process shown in the flowchart of Fig. 3, the above state is established, and then a certain user (hereinafter referred to as the "noted user") purchases (acquires) one of the target shoes 21. Hereinafter, the target shoes 21 purchased by the noted user will be specifically referred to as "purchased shoes." Below, using the flowchart of Fig. 3, we will explain the operation of the information processing system 1 when the noted user purchases the purchased shoes and performs a predetermined task.

[0028] 3, as shown in the flowchart FB, the noted user performs an operation to read the information of the present wireless tag 20 attached to the purchased shoes by the user terminal 3 (step SB1). The operation is appropriately performed according to the specifications of the user terminal 3. As an example, the user activates the wireless tag reader of the user terminal 3 using a setting screen provided by the OS of the user terminal 3, and brings a predetermined part of the user terminal 3 close to the present wireless tag 20. Hereinafter, reading the information of the present wireless tag 20 by the user terminal 3 may be expressed as "scanning the present wireless tag 20 by the user terminal 3" or simply "scanning the present wireless tag 20". As shown in the flowchart FA, in response to the operation, the present wireless tag 20 transmits the article-corresponding URL stored in the IC memory through short-distance wireless communication with the reader 18 of the user terminal 3 according to a protocol (step SA1).

[0029] As shown in the flow chart FB, the terminal information processing unit 13 of the user terminal 3 controls the reading unit 18 to obtain the item-corresponding URL (step SB2). The process of step SB2 corresponds to "processing in which the user terminal 3 (terminal) reads item-corresponding identification information (identification information) from the present wireless tag 20 (wireless tag) attached to the present item 4 (item)" and "processing in which the user terminal 3 (terminal) reads a predetermined URL from the present wireless tag 20 (wireless tag) attached to the present item 4 (item)." Next, the terminal information processing unit 13 starts the browser (if not started), and accesses (requests) the item-corresponding URL using the browser's functions (step SB3).

[0030] As shown in the flow chart FC, the server information processing unit 10 acquires the item-related identification information included in the item-related URL in response to an access to the item-related URL (step SC1). Hereinafter, the item-related identification information acquired in step SC1 is referred to as "target identification information." Next, the server information processing unit 10 responds with drawing data (including an HTML file and associated information) corresponding to the item-related URL (step SC2). The drawing data is data for displaying a confirmation screen, which will be described later.

[0031] As shown in flowchart FB, the terminal information processing unit 13 displays a confirmation screen on the terminal display unit 15 based on the drawing data (step SB4). The confirmation screen is a screen for confirming whether or not it is OK to grant an item-related NFT corresponding to the purchased shoes to the noted user. The confirmation screen is provided with a button for permitting the granting of the item-related NFT. The noted user selects the button and permits the granting of the item-related NFT to the noted user (step SB5). In response to the instruction in step SB5, the terminal information processing unit 13 notifies the server information processing unit 10 that the granting of the item-related NFT has been permitted (step SB6).

[0032] As shown in the flowchart FC, in response to the notification in step SB6, the terminal information processing unit 13 determines whether an item-associated NFT corresponding to the target identification information has been given in the past (step SC3). Hereinafter, the item-associated NFT corresponding to the target identification information is referred to as the "target NFT." The target NFT is an item-associated NFT corresponding to the purchased shoes. The process of step SC3 will be described in detail below.

[0033] Here, in this embodiment, "granting an NFT to a user" means that the user becomes the owner of the NFT. More specifically, in a smart contract, it means that the address of the user is associated with the token ID of the NFT. In the following, "granting an NFT to (the user's) address" may be used in the same sense as "granting an NFT to a user". In this embodiment, when a user scans one of the present wireless tags 20 for the first time and an item-corresponding NFT is granted to the user in response to the scanning, the owner of the item-corresponding NFT is prohibited from being transferred to a user other than the user. Therefore, in this embodiment, only the person who first scans the present wireless tag 20 can acquire the corresponding item-corresponding NFT.

[0034] In step SC3, the server information processing unit 10 executes the following process. That is, first, the server information processing unit 10 recognizes the token ID included in the attention identification information. Hereinafter, the token ID included in the attention identification information is referred to as the "attention token ID". The attention token ID is the token ID of the item-corresponding NFT corresponding to the purchased shoes. Next, the server information processing unit 10 inquires of the blockchain network B about the address associated with the attention token ID in the item-corresponding contract. The inquiry to the blockchain network B is performed by calling an appropriate function of the item-corresponding contract. Next, the server information processing unit 10 determines whether the address currently associated with the attention token ID is an operator address (specific address) based on the result of the inquiry.

[0035] If it is not an operator address, the server information processing unit 10 determines that the attention NFT has been given in the past. If the address associated with the attention token ID is not an operator address, it means that the owner has been transferred in the past, and that an item-based NFT has already been given to one of the users. On the other hand, if it is an operator address, the server information processing unit 10 determines that the attention NFT has not been given in the past. If the address associated with the attention token ID is an operator address, it means that the owner has never been transferred, and that an item-based NFT corresponding to the attention token ID has not been given to any user.

[0036] If it is determined in step SC3 that the noted NFT has been granted in the past (step SC3: YES), the server information processing unit 10 executes the corresponding process (step SC4) and ends the process. In this case, the server information processing unit 10 does not grant an item-related NFT to the noted user. In step SC4, for example, the server information processing unit 10 communicates with the terminal information processing unit 13 and causes the terminal display unit 15 to display information indicating that an item-related NFT has already been granted in the past.

[0037] On the other hand, if it is determined in step SC3 that the NFT of interest has not been assigned in the past (step SC3: NO), the server information processing unit 10 generates a new address corresponding to the user of interest (step SC5). Hereinafter, the address generated by the server information processing unit 10 in response to the acquisition of the item-related identification information is referred to as an "assignment address." The "existing address" described later is also a type of assignment address. The assignment address is an address of an external account that complies with the standards related to the blockchain network B, and can be associated with an NFT. Naturally, the assignment address is required to be a unique value. For example, the terminal information processing unit 13 generates the assignment address using a tool (program) that has the function of generating an address from a random number.

[0038] The server information processing unit 10 sends the granting transaction to the blockchain network B (step SC6). The granting transaction is a transaction that associates the token ID of interest with the granting address generated in step SC5 in the goods-compatible contract. In other words, the granting transaction is a transaction that instructs the transfer of the owner of the NFT of interest from the operator address to the granting address generated in step SC5. The processing of step SC6 corresponds to "the processing in which the server information processing unit 10 (information processing unit) grants the goods-compatible NFT (NFT) corresponding to the goods-compatible identification information (identification information) to the generated granting address." Even if not specifically described, the transfer of the owner of the NFT is appropriately performed by the server information processing unit 10 by sending the necessary transaction to the blockchain network B, updating the necessary database, and other necessary processing.

[0039] After the grant transaction is sent, the node that won the mining competition in blockchain network B executes the transaction and records the result in the blockchain. As a result, the noted user (the grant address) owns the noted NFT on blockchain network B.

[0040] As described above, the information processing server 2 of this embodiment is equipped with a server information processing unit 10 that acquires item-related identification information (identification information) read by the user's user terminal 3 (terminal) via wireless communication from the wireless tag 20 (wireless tag) attached to the item 4 (item), generates an assignment address that can be associated with an item-related NFT (NFT) in response to the acquisition of the item-related identification information, and assigns the NFT corresponding to the item-related identification information to the generated assignment address.

[0041] According to this configuration, the user can receive an item-corresponding NFT for an address corresponding to the user by performing a simple task of wirelessly communicating the wireless tag 20 attached to the item 4 with the user's own user terminal 3 to read the item-corresponding identification information, and can acquire the item-corresponding NFT. Furthermore, by performing this task, the user can obtain an experience that leads to increased satisfaction, that is, acquiring an item-corresponding NFT corresponding to the item 4. In other words, according to the configuration of this embodiment, the user can easily acquire an NFT, and the user's satisfaction can be increased through the NFT.

[0042] In particular, in this embodiment, an item-corresponding URL is stored in the wireless tag 20, and when the user terminal 3 reads the information of the wireless tag 20, the information processing server 2 is automatically accessed by the browser function, and the item-corresponding NFT is finally granted to the user. Therefore, the user does not need to download an application or register in advance with a service to obtain an item-corresponding NFT corresponding to the item 4, which is very convenient for the user. However, this does not mean that the download of an application or prior registration with a service is excluded.

[0043] <Modification> Next, a modified example of the above embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process executed by the information processing system 1 according to this modified example instead of the process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3. In FIG. 5, the reference character FD is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the wireless tag 20, the reference character FE is a flowchart showing an information processing method by the user terminal 3, and the reference character FF is a flowchart showing an information processing method by the information processing server 2. In the flowchart of FIG. 5, the steps in which the same processes as those in the flowchart of FIG. 3 are performed are given the same reference characters as those in the flowchart of FIG. 3, and detailed explanations are omitted. In FIG. 5, the frames of steps different from those in FIG. 3 are drawn with thick lines.

[0044] As shown in the flowcharts FD, FE, and FF in Fig. 5, the flow up to step SC1 of the flowchart FF is the same as that in the flowchart in Fig. 3. As shown in the flowchart FF, after acquiring the target identification information in step SC1, the server information processing unit 10 requests the terminal information processing unit 13 to respond with the unique information of the user terminal 3 (step SF1). The unique information of the user terminal 3 means information having a unique value that can be used to identify the user terminal 3. In this embodiment, the type of the unique information is a serial number. However, the type of the unique information may be any type, and examples include IMEI, ICCID, MEID, or MAC address.

[0045] As shown in the flow chart FE, the terminal information processing unit 13 transmits the unique information of the user terminal 3 (step SE1). The server information processing unit 10 receives and acquires the transmitted unique information (step SF2). Hereinafter, the unique information acquired in step SF2 is referred to as "unique information of interest." The processes of steps SF1, SE1, and SF2 may be performed in any manner as long as the server information processing unit 10 can ultimately acquire the unique information. For example, the following method may be used. That is, the server information processing unit 10 transmits an HTML file incorporating a script for transmitting the unique information to the terminal information processing unit 13. The terminal information processing unit 13 receives the HTML file, acquires the unique information by the function of the script in the HTML file, and transmits it to the server information processing unit 10. The server information processing unit 10 receives and acquires the transmitted unique information. The above method may be used. As described above, the server information processing unit 10 acquires the unique information of the user terminal 3 together with the item-corresponding identification information (identification information) read by the user terminal 3 (terminal).

[0046] After the process of step SF2, the server information processing unit 10 determines whether or not an address to be assigned corresponding to the target user has been generated in the past (step SF3). The process of step SF3 will be described in detail below.

[0047] In step SF3, the server information processing unit 10 first refers to a management database (database) stored in the server storage unit 12. The management database is a database that manages the correspondence between unique information and an assignment address. FIG. 6 shows the contents of one management record. As will be apparent later, every time the server information processing unit 10 generates a new assignment address in response to the acquisition of item-corresponding identification information read by the user terminal 3, it registers in the management database a record in which the generated assignment address is associated with "unique information acquired together with the item-corresponding identification information." As a result, the management database contains records in which the assignment address and unique information are associated with each of the assignment addresses generated in the past.

[0048] After referring to the management database, the server information processing unit 10 determines whether a record including unique information with the same value as the value of the target unique information is registered in the management database. This process corresponds to "processing for determining whether unique information obtained together with identification information read by the first terminal is registered in the database when the identification information is obtained." Hereinafter, a record including unique information with the same value as the target unique information is referred to as a "target user corresponding record."

[0049] When the record corresponding to the noted user is registered, the server information processing unit 10 judges that the address to be assigned corresponding to the noted user has been generated in the past. In this case, the address to be assigned has been generated in response to access from the user terminal 3 of the noted user (= the user terminal 3 corresponding to the noted unique information) in the past, and the address to be assigned generated here is nothing but the address to be assigned corresponding to the noted user. On the other hand, when the record corresponding to the noted user is not registered, the server information processing unit 10 judges that the address to be assigned corresponding to the noted user has not been generated in the past. This is because the absence of the record corresponding to the noted user means that the address to be assigned has not been generated in response to access from the user terminal 3 of the noted user in the past. Note that the method by which the server information processing unit 10 judges whether the address to be assigned corresponding to the user has been generated in the past is not limited to the method exemplified in this modified example.

[0050] If it is determined in step SF3 that an assigning address corresponding to the noted user has not been generated in the past (step SF3: NO), the server information processing unit 10 transitions the processing procedure to step SC2. The flow from step SC2 to step SC6 is the same as that in the flowchart of FIG. 3. That is, if the server information processing unit 10 has not assigned the noted NFT in the past (step SC3: NO), it generates a new assigning address (step SC5) and sends an assigning transaction (step SC6). As a result, the item-corresponding NFT for the purchased shoes is assigned to the assigned address of the noted user. In this way, if an assigning address corresponding to the noted user has not been generated in the past, a new assigning address is generated and the item-corresponding NFT is assigned to this address.

[0051] As shown in the flowchart FF, after sending the assignment transaction in step SC6, the server information processing unit 10 registers a record in the management database in which the specific information of interest and the assignment address generated in step SC5 are associated with each other (step SF4). In this way, when the server information processing unit 10 generates a new assignment address, it registers the assignment address and the specific information in the database in association with each other.

[0052] On the other hand, if it is determined in step SF3 that an address to be assigned corresponding to the noted user has been generated in the past (step SF3: YES), the server information processing unit 10 acquires the address to be assigned contained in the record corresponding to the noted user (step SF5). Hereinafter, the address to be assigned acquired in step SF5 is referred to as an "existing address." An existing address is an address to be assigned that has been generated in the past for the noted user. Next, the server information processing unit 10 determines whether an item-associated NFT (=note NFT) corresponding to the noted identification information (the most recently acquired identification information) has already been assigned to the existing address (step SF6). The processing of step SF6 will be described in detail below.

[0053] In step SF6, the server information processing unit 10 queries the blockchain network B for the address (address that owns the NFT of interest) currently associated with the token of interest in the item-based contract. If the value of the address associated with the token of interest ID is equal to the value of the existing address, the server information processing unit 10 determines that the item-based NFT corresponding to the identification information of interest (the most recently acquired identification information) has already been assigned to the existing address. On the other hand, if the value of the address associated with the token of interest ID is not equal to the value of the existing address, the server information processing unit 10 determines that the NFT of interest has not yet been assigned to the existing address.

[0054] Here, if the attention NFT has already been assigned to the existing address, this means that the attention user has scanned the present wireless tag 20 of the purchased shoes for the second or subsequent time (not the first time). Due to this situation, the item-corresponding NFT corresponding to the purchased shoes has already been assigned to the existing address. On the other hand, if the attention NFT has not yet been assigned to the existing address, it is basically assumed that the user has previously scanned the present wireless tag 20 of target shoes 21 other than the purchased shoes, but this is the first time that the user has scanned the present wireless tag 20 of the purchased shoes. Due to this situation, while the existing address has already been generated, the item-corresponding NFT corresponding to the purchased shoes has not yet been assigned to the existing address.

[0055] If it is determined in step SF6 that the noted NFT has not yet been assigned to an existing address (step SF6: NO), it is determined whether the noted NFT has been assigned in the past (step SF7). The process of step SF7 is performed in the same manner as in step SC3. If the noted NFT has been assigned in the past (step SF7: YES), the server information processing unit 10 executes the corresponding process (step SF8). After the process of step SF8, the flowchart FF ends. In this case, the noted NFT is not assigned to the noted user.

[0056] On the other hand, if the noted NFT has not been assigned in the past (step SF7: NO), the server information processing unit 10 sends an assignment transaction that associates the noted token ID with an existing address to the blockchain network B (step SF9). This process assigns the noted NFT (i.e., the item-corresponding NFT for the purchased shoes) to the noted user. In this way, if the server information processing unit 10 has previously generated an assignment address for the noted user and has not yet assigned the noted NFT, it assigns the noted NFT to the previously generated assignment address for the noted user without generating a new assignment address.

[0057] After the process of step SF9, the server information processing unit 10 judges the status of the item-corresponding NFTs owned by the existing address and executes an action according to the status (step SF10). After the process of step SF10, the flowchart FF ends. The process of step SF10 will be described in detail below. In step SF10, the server information processing unit 10 first judges the number of all item-corresponding NFTs owned by the existing address by inquiring of the blockchain network B. Next, the server information processing unit 10 determines the type of rank of the noted user according to the number of all item-corresponding NFTs owned by the existing address. In this embodiment, the server information processing unit 10 sets the rank type to "regular" when there are 1 to 3 items, the rank type to "silver" when there are 4 to 6 items, and the rank type to "gold" when there are 7 items or more. Next, the server information processing unit 10 changes the content of the image of each item-corresponding NFT owned by the existing address according to the type of rank. Specifically, the server information processing unit 10 sets the background color of the image of the item-corresponding NFT to yellow when it is regular, silver when it is silver, and gold when it is gold. The server information processing unit 10 changes the content of the image of the item-corresponding NFT by performing image processing on the item-corresponding image data of the metadata or by replacing the data.

[0058] In this modified example, the server information processing unit 10 executes an action according to the status of the NFT owned by the user's assigning address. This makes it possible to provide a service, benefit, or benefit to the user by reflecting the status of the NFT owned by the assigning address, in other words, the history of the user's past scans of the wireless tag 20. In this modified example, the server information processing unit 10 provides a service that changes the image of the item-corresponding NFT according to the number of item-corresponding NFTs owned by the user. In particular, in this embodiment, in order to enjoy a service, benefit, or benefit, the user only needs to perform the extremely simple task of scanning the wireless tag 20 with his / her own user terminal 3, which is highly convenient for the user. In particular, the user does not need to perform tasks such as downloading an application or registering for some service, which is highly convenient for the user.

[0059] In this modified example, the status of the item-corresponding NFTs owned by the assigning address (hereinafter referred to as "NFT status") was "the number of all NFTs owned by the assigning address." Furthermore, the server information processing unit 10 executed the action of "changing the content of the image of the NFT" according to the number. However, the content of the NFT status is not limited to the content exemplified in this modified example. For example, the NFT status may be the number of NFTs belonging to a specific series owned by the assigning address. Also, for example, the NFT status may be the number of NFTs granted in a certain period of time. In this example, as an example, the timing at which the NFT was granted is recorded in the metadata, and the server information processing unit 10 recognizes the timing at which the NFT was granted based on the information recorded in the metadata.

[0060] Furthermore, the content of the action is not limited to the content exemplified in this modified example. For example, the action may be the granting of points, NFTs, rights, or other benefits. For example, the action may be the following. That is, in this modified example, the content of the item-compatible NFT was a two-dimensional image. However, the content of the item-compatible NFT is not limited to a two-dimensional image, and can be a three-dimensional image, video, text, or other format of object. In light of this, the action may be a change in the content of the item-compatible NFT in consideration of the format of the content. For example, in the case of a three-dimensional image of the item-compatible NFT, the action may be a change in the content of the three-dimensional image.

[0061] Now, as shown in the flowchart FF, if it is determined in step SF6 that the NFT of interest has already been assigned to an existing address (step SF6: YES), the server information processing unit 10 acquires item-corresponding image data of the NFT of interest (step SF11). The server information processing unit 10 acquires the item-corresponding image data based on the metadata of the NFT of interest. Next, the server information processing unit 10 transmits drawing data related to the display of the NFT display screen, including at least a two-dimensional image based on the item-corresponding image data (i.e., a two-dimensional image corresponding to the purchased shoes), to the terminal information processing unit 13 (step SF12). The processing of step SF12 corresponds to "processing in which the server information processing unit 10 displays, on the first terminal, an image corresponding to the content of the NFT corresponding to the identification information most recently acquired."

[0062] The terminal information processing unit 13 receives the drawing data and displays an NFT display screen on the terminal display unit 15 based on the drawing data. An image corresponding to the content of the noted NFT (a two-dimensional image in this embodiment) is displayed on the NFT display screen. The noted user can refer to an image of the item-corresponding NFT corresponding to the purchased shoes by viewing the terminal display unit 15. The server information processing unit 10 causes the user terminal 3 to display an image corresponding to the content in an appropriate manner according to the format of the NFT content. For example, if the format of the NFT content is a video, for example, the server information processing unit 10 causes the video to be displayed.

[0063] As described above, according to this modification, when the user scans the wireless tag 20 of the item 4 (the target shoes 21 in this modification) for the second or subsequent time with his / her user terminal 3, an image corresponding to the content of the item-associated NFT corresponding to the item 4 is displayed on the terminal display unit 15. Therefore, the user can refer to the image of the content of the item-associated NFT corresponding to the item-associated NFT assigned to him / her at any time by simply performing the extremely simple task of scanning the wireless tag 20 with the user terminal 3.

[0064] In a modified example, the server information processing unit 10 may acquire and use user identification information that identifies the user instead of the unique information of the user terminal 3. In other words, the server information processing unit 10 may use information that identifies the user instead of information that identifies the user terminal 3. In this case, for example, the server information processing unit 10 has the user input and acquires account information for a predetermined service (including SNS), account information for the subject service (if the subject service allows the user to register an account), and other information that identifies the user.

[0065] Although one embodiment of the present invention (including modifications, the same applies below) has been described above, the above embodiment is merely one example of a specific embodiment of the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited thereby. In other words, the present invention can be embodied in various forms without departing from the gist or main characteristics thereof.

[0066] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the granting of an NFT (item-corresponding NFT) to a user was performed by transferring the owner from the operator to the user. The transfer of the owner was performed by the server information processing unit 10 sending a transaction (granting transaction) to the blockchain network B in response to the acquisition of the item-corresponding identification information. However, the specific method of granting an NFT to a user is not limited to the method exemplified in this embodiment. That is, the granting of an NFT to a user may be performed by any method as long as it is guaranteed that the user will be the owner at present or in the future. For example, the server information processing unit 10 may grant an NFT to a user by newly issuing (minting) an NFT with the user (granting address) as the owner. In addition, for example, the server information processing unit 10 may be configured to manage the owner of the NFT off-chain and grant the NFT to the user as appropriate. In this case, for example, the server information processing unit 10 uses a database stored in the server storage unit 12 to manage the owner of each NFT, and grants the NFT to the user by making the owner of the NFT the user on the database as necessary. In this example, the server information processing unit 10 can make the owner the user on the database, and then later send a transaction to the blockchain network B to make the owner of the NFT the user on the item-compatible contract. The server information processing unit 10 may also be configured to issue NFTs, manage NFT owners, or grant NFTs to users by using a database on a P2P network that complies with a protocol for storing / sharing data using IPFS (InterPlanetary File System) or other distributed file systems.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the item-corresponding identification information (identification information) includes a token ID. In this regard, instead of the token ID, the item-corresponding identification information may include conversion information that can be converted into a token ID. In this case, for example, the server information processing unit 10 acquires the item-corresponding identification information, and then acquires the conversion information included therein, and further converts the conversion information into a token ID using a table that manages the correspondence between the conversion information and the token ID.

[0068] In the above embodiment, the server information processing unit 10 displays a confirmation screen on the user terminal 3 in response to access to the item-related URL, and asks the user whether or not to allow the issuance of an item-related NFT. In this regard, the server information processing unit 10 may be configured not to make such an inquiry, but to automatically grant an item-related NFT to the user in response to the access.

[0069] In the above configuration, the server information processing unit 10 generates an address for the user and assigns an NFT to the address for assignment, regardless of whether the user has a wallet that was acquired independently by using a publicly available predetermined service. In this regard, if the user has the wallet, the server information processing unit 10 may connect the wallet and assign an NFT to the wallet. In this configuration, for example, the server information processing unit 10 executes the following process. That is, the server information processing unit 10 inquires the user on a confirmation screen as to whether the user has the wallet, and when the user responds that the user has the wallet, the server information processing unit 10 provides a screen for inputting information required to connect the wallet. Then, when the necessary information is input on the screen and the wallet is connected, the server information processing unit 10 acquires the address of the wallet and assigns an NFT to the wallet address as appropriate.

[0070] In the above embodiment, the server information processing unit 10 prohibited the transfer of ownership of an NFT (item-associated NFT) once owned by a user. However, the server information processing unit 10 may be configured to permit such transfer. In this configuration, the server information processing unit 10 transfers the owner of the NFT to an assignment address (in a modified example, the assignment address may be an existing address) in response to access to the item-associated URL by the user terminal 3, regardless of the current owner of the NFT.

[0071] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a part or all of the processes that are supposed to be performed by the browser functions may be configured to be performed by the functions of an application corresponding to the present service. In this case, however, the user needs to install the application in advance.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the item-corresponding URL includes the item-corresponding identification information, and the server information processing unit 10 acquires the item-corresponding identification information included in the URL in response to an access to the item-corresponding URL. In this regard, the method by which the server information processing unit 10 acquires the item-corresponding identification information is not limited to the method exemplified in the above embodiment. As an example, the following configuration may be used. That is, the item-corresponding URL and the item-corresponding identification information are stored in the IC memory of the wireless tag 20. The item-corresponding URL does not include the item-corresponding identification information. Then, the terminal information processing unit 13 of the user terminal 3 reads the item-corresponding URL and the item-corresponding identification information in response to scanning the wireless tag 20, and accesses the item-corresponding URL by the browser function. In response to an access to the item-corresponding URL, the server information processing unit 10 inquires the terminal information processing unit 13 about the item-corresponding identification information, and the terminal information processing unit 13 responds with the item-corresponding identification information. Such an inquiry may be made by transmitting an HTML file in which a script for transmitting the item-corresponding identification information is embedded. The above configuration may be used.

[0073] In the above embodiment, the information processing server 2 is configured to include a storage unit (server storage unit 12). In this regard, a storage unit may be provided in another device capable of communicating with the information processing server 2, and the information processing server 2 may access the other device as appropriate.

[0074] The functional blocks shown in the above embodiment can be realized by any hardware or by a combination of any hardware and any software, that is, these functional blocks are not limited to specific hardware.

[0075] The processing units in the flowcharts shown in the figures are divided according to the main processing contents in order to make the processing easier to understand. The method of dividing the processing units and their names do not limit the present invention. The processing of each device can be divided into more processing units according to the processing contents. Also, one processing unit can be divided to include more processing. Also, as long as similar processing can be performed, the processing order of the above flowcharts is not limited to the example shown in the figures.

[0076] As described above, the information processing server 2 does not have to be a single device. For example, when the information processing server 2 is composed of multiple server devices, the information processing units of the multiple server devices cooperate to function as an "information processing unit."

[0077] Furthermore, for example, the embodiment may include the provision of a program executed by the computer of the information processing server 2 or the user terminal 3, or the provision of a recording medium on which the program is recorded so as to be readable by the computer. The recording medium may be a magnetic or optical recording medium or a semiconductor memory device. Specific examples of the recording medium include portable or fixed recording media such as flexible disks, HDDs (Hard Disk Drives), CD-ROMs (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs), Blu-ray (registered trademark) Discs, magneto-optical disks, flash memories, and card-type recording media. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1. Information Processing Systems 2. Information processing server (information processing device) 3 User terminal (terminal) 4 The article (article) 10 Server information processing unit (information processing unit) 20 This wireless tag (wireless tag) B Blockchain Network

Claims

1. The information processing unit acquires identification information read by a terminal via wireless communication from a wireless tag attached to an item, generates an address for assignment that can be associated with an NFT in response to acquisition of the identification information, and assigns an NFT (Non-Fungible Token) corresponding to the identification information to the generated address for assignment.

23. An information processing apparatus comprising:

2. A predetermined URL is stored in the wireless tag, The information processing unit includes: The terminal reads the predetermined URL from the wireless tag, and acquires the identification information when the terminal accesses the predetermined URL using a browser function.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

3. The predetermined URL includes the identification information, The information processing unit includes: The terminal reads the predetermined URL from the wireless tag, and when the terminal accesses the predetermined URL using a browser function, the terminal acquires the identification information included in the predetermined URL.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The information processing unit includes: When the identification information read by the terminal is acquired, it is determined whether or not an NFT corresponding to the identification information has been given in the past, and if so, the NFT (Non-Fungible Token) is not given.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

5. A token ID for each of the items is registered in a smart contract of a blockchain network; The identification information includes a token ID of an NFT corresponding to the item or conversion information convertible to a token ID, The information processing unit includes: After generating the grant address in response to acquisition of the identification information, a transaction is sent to the blockchain network to associate the token ID included in the identification information or the token ID converted from the conversion information included in the identification information with the grant address in the smart contract.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

6. The information processing unit includes: When the identification information is acquired, it is determined whether or not an address associated with a token ID included in the identification information or a token ID converted from the conversion information included in the identification information is a specific address, and if the address is not the specific address, the transaction is not sent.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5,

7. The information processing unit includes: When the identification information read by the first terminal is acquired, it is determined whether or not a first assignment address corresponding to the first terminal has been generated in the past, and if it has been generated, an NFT corresponding to the most recently acquired identification information is assigned to the first assignment address without newly generating the assignment address.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

8. The information processing unit includes: After the NFT corresponding to the most recently acquired identification information is assigned to the first assigning address, the status of the NFT owned by the first assigning address is determined, and an action according to the status is executed.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7,

9. The information processing unit includes: As the status of the NFTs owned by the first granting address, the number of all NFTs owned by the first granting address or the number of NFTs belonging to a specific series is determined.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8,

10. The information processing unit includes: As the action, the content of the NFT owned by the first granting address is changed, or a benefit is granted to the user of the first terminal.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8,

11. The information processing unit includes: When the first address for assignment has been generated in the past, it is determined whether or not an NFT corresponding to the identification information most recently obtained has already been assigned to the first address for assignment, and when the NFT has been assigned, an image corresponding to the content of the NFT corresponding to the identification information most recently obtained is displayed on the first terminal.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7,

12. The information processing unit includes: When acquiring the identification information read by the terminal, unique information of the terminal is also acquired, and when the address for assignment is generated, the address for assignment and the unique information are associated with each other and registered in a database; When the identification information read by the first terminal is acquired, it is determined whether the unique information acquired together with the identification information is registered in the database, and if it is registered, it is determined that the first address for assignment has been generated in the past, and if it is not registered, it is determined that the first address for assignment has not been generated in the past.

12. The information processing device according to claim 7, wherein the information processing device is a computer.

13. The information processing unit includes: When acquiring the identification information read by the terminal, user identification information for identifying the user of the terminal is also acquired, and when the address for assignment is generated, the address for assignment and the user identification information are associated with each other and registered in a database; When the identification information read by the first terminal is acquired, it is determined whether the user specific information acquired together with the identification information is registered in the database, and if it is registered, it is determined that the first address for assignment has been generated in the past, and if it is not registered, it is determined that the first address for assignment has not been generated in the past.

12. The information processing device according to claim 7, wherein the information processing device is a computer.

14. An information processing system including an information processing device and a terminal capable of communicating with the information processing device, the terminal has a function of reading identification information from a wireless tag attached to an article by wireless communication; The information processing device has a function of acquiring the identification information read by the terminal through wireless communication, generating an assignment address that is an address that can be associated with an NFT in response to acquisition of the identification information, and assigning an NFT (Non-Fungible Token) corresponding to the identification information to the generated assignment address. An information processing system comprising:

15. An information processing unit of the information processing device acquires identification information read by a terminal through wireless communication from a wireless tag attached to the article; generating an address for assignment, which is an address that can be associated with an NFT, in response to acquisition of the identification information by the information processing unit of the information processing device; and a step of the information processing unit of the information processing device assigning a non-fungible token (NFT) corresponding to the identification information to the generated address for assignment.

23. An information processing method comprising:

Images