Information processing device

Abstract

To provide an information processing device that can safely trade an item between one or more individuals who wish to lend an item and one or more individuals who wish to borrow the item after ensuring trust between them. [Solution] In an information processing system, a management server 1, which is an information processing device, supports transactions of items between lender users UL1 to ULn and borrower users UB1 to UBm. A transaction management unit of the management server 1 records and manages information including the characteristics of the item, the owner of the item, and the transaction history of the item as lending / borrowing information in a blockchain B. Before an item is traded between a lender user and a borrower user, a transaction control unit of the management server 1 determines whether or not the item can be traded, using the rental information recorded and managed by the transaction management unit in the blockchain B.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, we have been transitioning from an era of buying things to an era of renting. There are services for lending and borrowing goods, such as BtoC (Business to Consumer), where companies rent goods to general consumers, but there are no person-to-person rental services yet. Furthermore, while systems that match two parties (see Patent Document 1) and various services for CtoC (Consumer to Consumer) e-commerce (Mercari, Yahoo! Auctions, etc.) have already been provided, they are limited to the buying and selling of goods. Mercari and Yahoo! Auctions are registered trademarks. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-129983 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with conventional technology, rental of goods is not included in the scope of CtoC e-commerce. In other words, when renting an item, the transaction continues until the item is returned safely, but in transactions between individuals, the trust of both the person renting the item and the person borrowing the item cannot be ensured, and this is hindering the spread of the service.

[0005] The present invention has been made in light of the above circumstances, and aims to enable safe transactions of goods between one or more individuals who wish to lend goods and one or more individuals who wish to borrow said goods, while ensuring trust. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, an information processing device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: An information processing device that supports a transaction of a predetermined item between a first user who wishes to lend the predetermined item and a second user who wishes to borrow the predetermined item, A management means for recording and managing information including the characteristics of the predetermined object, the owner of the object, and the transaction history of the object as lending / borrowing information in a blockchain or a distributed ledger; an information control means for executing control to confirm whether or not the transaction of the predetermined item is possible using the rental information recorded and managed by the management means in the blockchain or the distributed ledger before the predetermined item is traded between the first user and the second user; Equipped with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, goods can be traded safely after ensuring trust between one or more individuals who wish to lend goods and one or more individuals who wish to borrow said goods. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a configuration of an information processing system including a management server according to an embodiment of the information processing device of the present invention; [Figure 2] This is an image diagram showing the basic flow of this service. [Figure 3] This is an illustration showing the flow of fees paid by loan applicants for this service. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the management server of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] 5 is a functional block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the management server of FIG. 4. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a case where a loan application is made via a GUI (Graphical User Interface) displayed on a lender terminal and a borrower terminal. [Figure 7] 7A and 7B are diagrams showing specific examples of screens displayed on the lender terminal and the borrower terminal when a button indicating the "fashion" category is pressed from among the categories displayed in FIG. 6. FIG. [Figure 8] 8A and 8B are diagrams showing specific examples of screens displayed on the lender terminal and the borrower terminal when the buttons shown in FIG. 7 are pressed. [Figure 9] 9A and 9B are diagrams showing specific examples of screens displayed on the lender terminal and the borrower terminal when the buttons shown in FIG. 8 are pressed. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a specific example of a My Page displayed on a lender terminal and a borrower terminal. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a specific example of an operation screen when performing an operation to list a new item. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the configuration of an information processing system including a management server 1 according to an embodiment of the information processing device of the present invention.

[0010] The information processing system shown in Figure 1 is composed of a management server 1, lender terminals 2-1 to 2-n (n is any integer value greater than or equal to 1), borrower terminals 3-1 to 3-m (m is any integer value greater than or equal to 1), a payment server 4, and a blockchain B, which are connected to each other so that they can communicate with each other via a predetermined network N such as the Internet.

[0011] The management server 1 is an information processing device managed by a service provider M that provides a CtoC rental service (hereinafter referred to as "the service"). Specifically, the management server 1 publishes a CtoC rental site on the Internet and provides a service of renting items to registered member users. The management server 1 executes various processes to manage the operations of the lender terminals 2-1 to 2-n and the borrower terminals 3-1 to 3-m.

[0012] Each of the lender terminals 2-1 to 2-n is an information processing device operated by a user (hereinafter referred to as a "lender user") UL1 to ULn who wishes to lend an item, and is configured, for example, by a personal computer, a smartphone, a tablet, or the like.

[0013] Each of the borrower terminals 3-1 to 3-m is an information processing device operated by a user (hereinafter referred to as a "borrower user") UB1 to UBm who wishes to borrow an item, and is configured, for example, as a personal computer, a smartphone, a tablet, or the like. In the following, when there is no need to individually distinguish between lender users UL1 to ULn, lender terminals 2-1 to 2-n, borrower users UB1 to UBm, and borrower terminals 3-1 to 3-m, they will be collectively referred to as "lender user UL," "lender terminal 2," "borrower user UB," and "borrower terminal 3," respectively.

[0014] The payment server 4 is an information processing device managed by a payment service provider P that provides payment services, and performs payment processing based on the payment information generated by the management server 1.

[0015] Blockchain B is configured to combine cryptographic technology with multiple computers that make up a distributed network to synchronize and record data such as transaction information. In the case of blockchain B, transaction data over a certain period of time is compiled into blocks, and correct records are linked together like a chain and stored as they are verified by computers. A feature of Blockchain B is that even if transaction data is tampered with on some computers, the correct transaction data is selected by majority vote with other computers, preventing record tampering and fraudulent transactions. Blockchain B generates units of data called blocks and connects them in a chronological order like a chain to form a database. Each block has a hash value (a value calculated by a hash function) of the previous block in the chain, and by tracing back through it, the chain can be traced. If someone attempts to tamper with information in a previously generated block managed in blockchain B, the hash value calculated from the changed block will be different from the previous one, and the hash values ​​of all subsequent blocks will have to be changed. This makes the change practically difficult, and tamper-proof measures are in place.

[0016] Next, the flow of this service that can be realized by various processes executed by the management server 1, which is an embodiment of the information processing device of the present invention, will be described with reference to FIGS. Figure 2 is an image diagram showing the basic flow of this service. Note that Figure 2 and Figure 3, which will be described later, show one lender user UL and one borrower user UB, but this is a simplification to make the flow of this service easier to understand. In reality, there may be multiple lender users UL and multiple borrower users UB in this service.

[0017] In step SS1, in order to receive the service, the lender user UL operates the lender terminal 2 to apply to the service provider M for user registration for the service. Upon receiving an application from the lender user UL, the service provider M registers the lender user UL's personal information on the blockchain B and notifies the lender user UL that the registration is complete. conduct. In step SS2, the lender user UL operates the lender terminal 2 to apply to the service provider M of this service for registration of information about the item he or she wishes to lend (hereinafter referred to as "item information"). In step SS3, the service provider M, who has received the application for listing information, requests the blockchain B to confirm the accuracy of the registered personal information of the applicant, the lender user UL, and if it is confirmed that the applicant's information is correct, the service provider M registers the listing information of the lender user UL in the blockchain B. Once the listing information is registered, the item will be treated as an "item" that has been "listed" on this service, and the lender user UL who listed the item will be treated as the "seller." Here, the content of the listing information registered in this service is not particularly limited, and any information related to the item can be registered as the listing information. Specifically, the listing information can include, for example, text information about the name, type, characteristics, size, weight, purchase price, desired rental fee, rental period, whether or not the item is for sale, and image information based on captured images of the item. The items eligible for listing under this service are not limited to those that are eligible for rental.Specific examples of items eligible for rental include clothing, tents, and other camping equipment, golf clubs, fishing equipment, suitcases, game consoles, tablets, computers, office equipment, watches, land, space, houses, furniture, fixtures, cars, motorcycles, books, CDs, records, cameras, shoes, accessories, bags, special tools, and baby products such as strollers.

[0018] In step SS4, the lessee user UB operates the lessee terminal 3 to apply for user registration for this service in order to receive the service. Upon receiving the user registration application, the service provider M registers the borrower user UB's personal information in the blockchain B in the same manner as for the lender user UL, and returns the registration results to the borrower user UB. Here, the lender user UL who is registered as a user in step SS1 and the borrower user UB who is registered as a user in step SS3 are both registered as users who will receive this service, without any particular differentiation. Therefore, a lender user UL can receive services as a borrower user UB, and a borrower user UB can receive services as a lender user UL. In other words, when a user registers for this service, he or she can participate as a user who lends things or as a user who borrows things.

[0019] In step SS5, if the borrower user UB finds an item that he or she wishes to borrow among the items offered on this service, he or she applies to borrow that item (hereinafter referred to as a "borrowing application"). In addition, the borrower user UB applies for insurance as necessary. In this service, the borrower user UB who applies to borrow an item is also called the "borrowing applicant." One or more items for sale along with their sale information are displayed on the borrower terminal 3. If the borrower user UB wishes to borrow one of the one or more items displayed on the borrower terminal 3, the borrower user UB operates the borrower terminal 3 to apply for a loan of that item. A specific example of the operation for applying for a loan will be described later with reference to FIGS.

[0020] When the borrower user UB submits a borrowing request and is informed that the item can be borrowed, the borrower user UB makes a payment based on the desired rental fee included in the listing information. The payment flow will be described later with reference to Figure 3.

[0021] In step SS6, the lender user UL sends the item to the borrower user UB who has applied for the loan. Upon receiving the item, the borrower user UB compares the actual item sent with the image of the item included in the listing information, and if there are no problems, begins using the item. Specifically, when the item is sent to the borrower user UB, the borrower user UB visually compares the actual item with the image of the item included in the listing information provided by the lender user UL. If the borrower user UB visually compares the image and the actual item and finds no difference between them, or if the difference is within a tolerable range, the borrower user UB operates the borrower terminal 3 to send information to the management server 1 indicating that the rental will begin as is. Specifically, for example, although not shown in the figure, by pressing the ``Approve'' button or the ``Start Rental'' button displayed on the borrower terminal 3, information indicating that rental will begin is sent to the management server 1. The management server 1 then receives this information and acknowledges that the renter user UB has approved the start of rental. On the other hand, if a comparison of the actual item sent with the captured image reveals any significant differences, the borrower will postpone (i.e., will not start) the use of the item. In this case, the borrower will return the item to the sender without pressing, for example, the "Approve" button or the "Start Rental" button displayed on the borrower terminal 3. Furthermore, for example, in a system environment that allows refunds after the completion of payment processing, a borrower can negotiate with the seller via this service to start the rental by receiving a partial refund of the rental fee, or cancel the rental with a full refund. Such negotiations can be conducted directly using the communication tools between users provided by this service, or indirectly via this service provider M.

[0022] In step SS7, the borrower user UB returns the item to the seller of the item by the expiration date of the rental period. When the item is returned, the lender user UL compares the actual item returned with the photographed image of the item included in the listing information, and if there are no problems, the service is completed. If a comparison of the actual item returned with the photographed image reveals any significant differences, the seller can negotiate with the borrower via this service and take measures such as the following: That is, the seller can request an additional fee on top of the rental fee that has already been paid, or the item can be purchased. Such negotiations may be conducted directly using the communication tools between users provided by this service (FIGS. 8 and 9), or may be conducted indirectly via the service provider M.

[0023] Figure 3 is an illustration showing the flow of fees paid by loan applicants for this service.

[0024] In step SS21, the borrower user UB, who is the borrower applicant, makes a payment for the rental fee. Specifically, the borrower user UB operates the borrower terminal 3 to request the payment service provider SA to process the payment for the rental fee. In addition, if the borrower user UB is paying insurance fees and shipping fees, the borrower user UB requests the payment service provider P to process the payment of the rental fees, insurance fees, and shipping fees (hereinafter referred to as "rental fees, etc.").

[0025] The payment service provider SA, which has processed the payment of rental fees, etc. based on a request from the lessee user UB, sends points to the service provider M in step SS22 equal to the payment amount minus a specified fee (hereinafter referred to as the "sales amount"). In step SS23, the service provider M pools the points of the sales amount sent to it.

[0026] In step SS24, the seller, the lender user UL, can convert the points from the sales amount pooled in the service provider M into cash and withdraw them at a certain rate, up to the amount remaining after deducting the usage fee for the service. Specifically, the seller, the lender user UL, operates the lender terminal 2 to make a request (hereinafter referred to as a "withdrawal request") to cash out points within the amount of sales minus the usage fee for this service.

[0027] In step SS25, the service provider M awards points or deposits cash based on the content of the withdrawal request from the lender user UL who is the seller. Specifically, the service provider M awards points or deposits cash via a payment service based on the contents of a withdrawal request from the seller, the lender user UL. In addition, points may be awarded directly from the points pooled by the service provider M, without being awarded via a payment service.

[0028] Next, the hardware configuration of the management server 1 that executes various processes to provide this service will be described. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the management server 1 of FIG.

[0029] The management server 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, a bus 14, an input / output interface 15, an output unit 16, an input unit 17, a memory unit 18, a communication unit 19, and a drive 20.

[0030] The CPU 11 executes various processes according to a program recorded in the ROM 12 or a program loaded from the storage unit 18 into the RAM 13 . The RAM 13 also stores data and the like necessary for the CPU 11 to execute various processes.

[0031] The CPU 11, ROM 12, and RAM 13 are interconnected via a bus 14. An input / output interface 15 is also connected to this bus 14. An output unit 16, an input unit 17, a memory unit 18, a communication unit 19, and a drive 20 are connected to the input / output interface 15.

[0032] The output unit 16 is composed of various liquid crystal displays and the like, and outputs various information. The input unit 17 is configured with various hardware components and the like, and inputs various pieces of information. The storage unit 18 is configured with a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) or the like, and stores various data. The communication unit 19 controls communication with other devices (for example, the lender terminals 2-1 to 2-n, the borrower terminals 3-1 to 3-m, and the settlement server 4 in FIG. 1) via a network N including the Internet.

[0033] The drive 20 is provided as needed. Removable media 30, such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, or semiconductor memory, is appropriately attached to the drive 20. Programs read from the removable media 30 by the drive 20 are installed in the storage unit 18 as needed. The removable media 30 can also store various data stored in the storage unit 18 in the same way as the storage unit 18.

[0034] Next, the functional configuration of the management server 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of the management server of FIG.

[0035] 5, when a matching process is executed in the CPU 11 of the management server 1, an item acquisition unit 101, an item presentation unit 102, a loan acceptance unit 103, and a loan presentation unit 104 function. When a sales management process is executed, an expense presentation unit 105, a payment acquisition unit 106, a sales management unit 107, a payment presentation unit 108, a withdrawal acceptance unit 109, and a withdrawal decision unit 110 function. Furthermore, when an owner change process is executed in the CPU 11 of the management server 1, a buy-back reception unit 111 and a buy-back presentation unit 112 function. When an image diagnosis process is executed, a return reception unit 113, a comparison and extraction unit 114, a borrowing approval reception unit 115, and a return approval reception unit 116 function. When the CPU 11 of the management server 1 executes the estimated amount proposal process, the related acquisition unit 117 and the estimated amount presentation unit 118 function. Furthermore, when the CPU 11 of the management server 1 executes transaction-related processing for an item, a transaction management unit 201 and a transaction control unit 202 function.

[0036] The matching process refers to a process of matching each of the lender users UL1 to ULn with each of the borrower users UB1 to UBm.

[0037] The sales management process refers to a process of managing each of the rental fees paid by each of the lessee users UB1 to UBm as sales amounts for each of the lessor users UL1 to ULn.

[0038] The owner change process is a process in which the right to receive rental fees is transferred along with ownership without changing the rental period. Ownership is transferred to either the service provider M or the lessee user UB. The owner change process can be executed only if the lessor user UL expresses an intention to sell the item when putting it up for sale. Specific aspects of the owner change process will be described later with reference to Figures 6 to 10.

[0039] Image diagnosis processing refers to the process of comparing images of the item taken at the time of listing and at the time of return, and extracting differences, which allows for the diagnosis of changes in the item's appearance (shape, pattern, color, etc.) that occurred during the rental period. The specific method for comparing the captured images is not particularly limited. For example, a method of extracting differences by superimposing captured images taken at the same distance and angle at the time of auctioning and the time of returning the item, or a method of extracting predetermined feature amounts from the captured images and comparing them can be employed.

[0040] The estimated price proposal process is a process of calculating and proposing an estimated rental fee amount set by the lessor user UL when putting up an item. The specific calculation method for the estimated rental fee amount is not particularly limited. Specifically, for example, the estimated rental fee amount may be calculated based on past transaction records for the item that the lessor user UL is putting up for auction, or the estimated rental fee amount may be calculated based on the average price of past successful bids at various auctions.

[0041] Transaction-related processing for items for sale is a process that determines whether or not a transaction can be made in advance before a transaction, such as when a loan application for an item for sale is received or an owner change application is received, and then carries out the subsequent transaction if the transaction is possible. In this way, it is possible to calculate the average price of items sold at auctions based on the trading history of similar items at auctions, etc. This makes it possible to estimate rental fees based on the average price, which are linked to the target yield, depreciation rate over time, rental period, etc.

[0042] The commodity acquisition unit 101 acquires information about items provided by each of one or more lender users UL. Specifically, the commodity acquisition unit 101 acquires information about items provided by each of the lender users UL1 to ULn who are registered as member users of this service. The acquired information about the items is passed to the transaction management unit 201, and is registered (stored) and managed as commodity information 402 in the blockchain B through the transaction management unit 201.

[0043] The commodity presentation unit 102 presents the commodity information 402 registered and managed in the blockchain B to one or more second users, i.e., borrower users UB. Specifically, the commodity presentation unit 102 reads the commodity information 402 from the blockchain B and presents it to the borrower user UB, allowing the borrower user UB to view or rent the commodity and its contents.

[0044] When a borrower user UB applies to borrow an item, the borrowing acceptance unit 103 accepts the application as a borrowing application. Specifically, when a borrower user UB applies to borrow one of the items listed by a lender user UL, the borrowing acceptance unit 103 accepts the application as a borrowing application.

[0045] The loan presentation unit 104 presents to the first user that a loan application has been made. Specifically, the borrowing presentation unit 104 presents to the lender user UL, who is the seller, that a borrowing application has been received from the borrower user UB.

[0046] The cost presentation unit 105 presents the cost required to borrow the item to the borrower user UB who has applied for the loan. Specifically, the cost presentation unit 105 presents the rental fee and the like required to borrow the item to the borrower user UB who has applied for borrowing.

[0047] When the payment of the expenses is completed, the payment acquisition unit 106 acquires information indicating the completion of the payment. Specifically, the payment acquisition unit 106 acquires information indicating the completion of the payment process when the payment process for the rental fee or the like is completed by the payment server 4. The acquired information indicating the completion of the payment process is stored and managed in the listing information 402.

[0048] The sales management unit 107 records a predetermined amount of the expenses as sales and manages it. Specifically, the sales management unit 107 records the remaining amount after deducting the amount to be acquired by the payment service provider P from the rental fee, etc., as the sales amount, and manages it.

[0049] The payment presenting unit 108 presents the fact that the payment has been completed to the lender user UL, who is the first user. Specifically, when the payment process by the payment server 4 is completed, the payment presenting unit 108 presents that fact to the lender user UL. Here, the specific method for presenting the fact that the payment process is completed to the lender user UL is not particularly limited. For example, the fact that the payment process is completed may be displayed on the lender terminal 2, or the lender user UL may be notified using a communication tool such as email or SNS (Social Networking Service).

[0050] When there is a request from each of one or more lender users UL to withdraw at least a portion of the sales amount, the withdrawal receiving unit 109 receives this as a withdrawal request. Specifically, when the lender user UL wishes to cash out the sales amount of the item, the lender user UL operates the lender terminal 2 to make a withdrawal request to the service provider M. The withdrawal receiving unit 109 then receives this as a withdrawal request from the lender user UL.

[0051] The withdrawal determination unit 110 determines the amount of the sales amount that each of one or more lender users UL can withdraw based on the content of the withdrawal application. Specifically, the withdrawal determination unit 110 determines the amount of the sales amount that the lender user UL can withdraw based on the content of the withdrawal request from the lender user UL. The amount of the sales amount that the lender user UL can withdraw is the amount obtained by subtracting the service usage fee that the lender user UL should pay from the sales amount.

[0052] When a borrower user UB who has borrowed an item requests to purchase the item, the purchase acceptance unit 111 accepts the request as a purchase application. The borrower user UB who has borrowed an item may wish to purchase the item. As described above, the listing information provided by the lender user UL at the time of listing includes information regarding whether the item can be sold. Therefore, if the borrower user UB has confirmed that the item is available for sale, the borrower user UB who has borrowed the item can apply for purchase. Specifically, the buy-back receiving unit 111 receives a buy-back request for an item from a borrower user UB who has borrowed the item.

[0053] The purchase suggestion unit 112 notifies the lender user UL that a purchase request has been made. Specifically, when a resale request is received from the borrower user UB, the resale request unit 112 notifies the lender user UL that a resale request has been received. Here, the specific method for notifying the lender user UL that the borrower user UB has made a purchase request is not particularly limited. For example, the fact that the borrower user UB has made a purchase request may be displayed on the lender terminal 2, or the lender user UL may be notified using a communication tool such as email or SNS.

[0054] The return acceptance unit 113 accepts return information including at least a captured image of the item at the time of expiration of the loan period of the item. When the rental period of the item expires, the borrower user UB operates the borrower terminal 3 to take an image of the item and then transmits information including at least image information based on the captured image (hereinafter referred to as "return information") to the management server 1. The return acceptance unit 113 then accepts the transmitted return information.

[0055] The comparison and extraction unit 114 compares the captured image included in the auction information with the captured image included in the return information, and extracts differences. As described above, the listing information includes a captured image of the item. The comparison and extraction unit 114 compares the captured image included in the listing information with the captured image included in the return information transmitted from the borrower terminal 3, and extracts differences.

[0056] The borrowing approval receiving unit 115 accepts the approval if the borrower user UB who borrowed the item approves the difference between the actual shape of the item at the time the borrower user UB received the item and the shape of the item displayed in the captured image included in the listing information. When the item is sent to the borrower user UB, the borrower user UB visually compares the actual item with the image of the item included in the listing information provided by the lender user UL. If the borrower user UB's visual comparison reveals that there is no difference between the captured image and the actual item, or if the difference is within a tolerable range, as described above, the borrower user UB will operate the borrower terminal 3 to send information to the management server 1 indicating that he or she will begin renting the item as is. Specifically, for example, although not shown in the figure, by pressing the ``Approve'' button or the ``Start Rental'' button displayed on the borrower terminal 3, information indicating that rental will begin is sent to the management server 1. The management server 1 then receives this information and acknowledges that the renter user UB has approved the start of rental. This makes it possible to prevent fraudulent acts by the lender user UL, such as using images of new items or images from which scratches and other damage have been removed using image processing, as images of items included in the listing information.

[0057] The return approval receiving unit 116 accepts the return approval when the lender user UL who lent the item approves the difference between the actual shape of the item at the time the item is returned to the lender user UL and the shape of the item displayed in the captured image included in the return information. When the item is returned to the lender user UL, the lender user UL visually compares the actual item with the image of the item included in the return information provided by the borrower user UB. If the lender user UL visually compares the captured image and the actual item and finds that there is no difference between the image and the actual item, or if the difference is within a tolerable range, the lender user UL operates the lender terminal 2 to send information to the management server 1 indicating that the return has been completed successfully. Specifically, for example, although not shown in the figure, by pressing the ``Approval button'' or ``Return completed'' button displayed on the lender terminal 2, information indicating that the return has been completed successfully is sent to the management server 1. The management server 1 then receives this information and accepts that the return has been approved by the lender user UL. This prevents fraudulent acts by the borrower user UB, such as using an image included in the listing information or an image that has been processed to remove scratches and other damage that occurred during the rental period as an image of the item included in the return information.

[0058] The related acquisition unit 117 acquires the transaction records of other items related to the item. Specifically, the related information acquiring unit 117 acquires transaction records of other items related to the item being put up for auction, etc.

[0059] The reference price presentation unit 118 presents a price range for the cost of an item based on the acquired transaction history. Specifically, the reference price presentation unit 118 presents a price range for the rental fee of the item based on the transaction history of auctions and other transactions of other items related to the item acquired by the related acquisition unit 117. The lessor user UL can check the reference amount when deciding the rental fee for the item.

[0060] The transaction management unit 201 records and manages information including the characteristics of the items (specified items) put up for sale on the rental site, the true owner of the items, and the transaction history of the items as lending / borrowing information or transaction information in the blockchain B. Specifically, the transaction management unit 201 stores and manages, as lending / borrowing information related to transactions of items, for example, item information 402, history information 403, owner information 404, ledger information 405, etc., in a blockchain B or the like of an external network N. The transaction information is information used in transactions other than rentals (for example, when determining the lease price of an item at an auction, etc.). In addition, user information 401 and the like are also recorded and managed in blockchain B. The characteristics of the item (predetermined item) are stored as, for example, commodity information 402, and include information such as shape, model year, size, brand name, color, pattern, and condition for identifying the item. The condition includes, for example, the appearance of the item, the degree of use, scratches, malfunctions, repair history, performance, etc. The transaction history of the item is stored as, for example, history information 403. The history information 403 is information that corresponds, for example, the lender (lender user UL) who previously lent the item, the borrower (lessee user UB) who borrowed the item, the date, the period, the fee, the owner change information, and information indicating whether it is a lease or a purchase. By referring to the history information 403, details of the item can be found, such as when, who rented it to whom, for how much, for how long, when it was returned, for how much it changed hands, and whether it was purchased. The true owner of the item is stored, for example, as owner information 404, which is information about the owner (personal information such as name, address, contact information, etc.) The owner information is stored in association with each item. Ledger information 405 stores the history of changes in the above-mentioned commodity information 402, history information 403, and owner information 404. For example, this information includes information such as who has transferred ownership of an item to whom, who has passed the item itself from one person to another, when and where accessories for the item went missing, when the item was loaned out, and when it was returned.

[0061] The transaction management unit 201 includes a personal information management unit 211 . The personal information management unit 211 records and manages personal information about each of the lender user UL and the borrower user UB in the blockchain B. The personal information about each of the lender user UL and the borrower user UB includes, for example, the credit information of the borrower user UB (seller) in the auction where the item is rented, and the evaluation of the borrower user UB by the lender user UL after the rental (for example, an evaluation that this person was good, etc.).

[0062] When an item is traded between a lender user UL and a borrower user UB, the transaction control unit 202 controls the transaction of the item using rental information recorded and managed in the blockchain B. Specifically, when a loan application for a specified item from a borrower terminal 3 is accepted by the loan acceptance unit 103 (before the transaction is made), the transaction control unit 202 requests the blockchain B to inquire about the personal information and transaction history of the borrower user UB included in the loan application, and if there is an inconsistency in response to this request, it determines that the transaction for the item is not possible and presents to the borrower terminal 3 via the loan presentation unit 104 that the loan application for the specified item is rejected. Furthermore, if the result of checking the personal information and transaction history shows that the information is consistent, the transaction control unit 202 determines that the transaction for the item can be continued, approves the loan application for the specified item, and transitions to the next screen for the transaction for the item.

[0063] In addition, the transaction control unit 202 may control the transaction of the item using rental information and user information (personal information) managed in the blockchain B at a predetermined time after the item is traded between the lender user UL and the borrower user UB.

[0064] Blockchain B stores and manages information (hereinafter referred to as "user information 401") about users (lender users UL and borrower users UB) who have registered with this service. The user information includes information that uniquely identifies users who have registered with this service (identification information, etc.), name, address, contact information, owner change history, ratings from other users, etc. The following history information may be integrated into and managed in user information 401.

[0065] In addition, blockchain B stores and manages information about items being offered for sale on this service (such as the features and rental prices of the items) as listing information 402. Specifically, if the item for sale is an accessory, it may include, for example, clothes, bags, watches, etc. If the clothing is, for example, a jacket, the characteristics of the item for sale may include the jacket's product identification number, brand, manufacturer's model number, size, color, pattern, material, condition, etc. If the clothing is a bag, the characteristics may include the bag's product identification number, manufacturer's model number, size, color, material, condition, etc. Rental prices are based on a daily rate, such as a certain amount per day, or may be based on a weekly, monthly, or yearly rate.

[0066] In addition, blockchain B stores the transaction (borrowing and lending) history of items for sale (sales history, borrowing history, etc.) as history information 403. Specifically, the rental destination, date of loan, date of return, rental date overdue information (such as the number of days since the scheduled return date), rental price, etc. are stored as history information 403 in association with the item identification number.

[0067] By managing the history information 403 using the blockchain B, the following effects can be obtained. For example, if a lender user UL uses the website of this service to lend an item such as a ballpoint pen to a borrower user UB, the information that the lender user UL has lent the ballpoint pen to the borrower user UB is recorded on blockchain B, and the information that the borrower user UB has it is also recorded. Therefore, by viewing the information on Blockchain B, anyone can see who the ballpoint pen belongs to.

[0068] Even if there is a change of ownership from the lender user UL to the borrower user UB, if another buyer buys the ballpoint pen from the borrower user UB, the buyer will know that the ballpoint pen was originally owned by the lender user UL before the borrower user UB, and will know that the ballpoint pen that originally belonged to someone else has been put up for sale by the current owner. When lending and borrowing things, knowing this kind of information gives a sense of security.

[0069] In addition, blockchain B stores information about the true owner of the item (personal information such as name and address) in association with the item identification information of the item. Specifically, the owner information is personal information such as name and address. In addition, the owner information stores information about the owner who is entitled to receive rental fees for the item (information corresponding to the owner's name and the date they became the owner). When there is a change of owner, the owner information is changed.

[0070] Blockchain B stores ledger information 405. Specifically, ledger information 405 includes listing information 402, history information 403, and owner information 404 for the item, as well as the current status and points as lease fees incurred each time the item is traded, which are associated with the item's product identification number and stored in chronological order. The current status of the item is a status flag corresponding to the item's product identification number (a flag such as "0" for "on rental" or "1" for "in stock"). Furthermore, if the rental price of an item is, for example, OOOO points (hereinafter referred to as "P"), the ledger information stores a rental fee of OOOOP for the rental item in association with the item identification number of the item.

[0071] By managing the ledger information 405 using the blockchain B, the following effects can be obtained. For example, you can see the history (flow and history) of an item, such as who first purchased a ballpoint pen at which store in what month and year, how many years the person owned the pen from that point onwards, and to whom they later sold or lent it. Also, when there is a change of owner, the ledger information 405 records when and to whom the item was rented, and for how much rent. Therefore, for example, if the item was owned, used, or handled by a famous person in the past, such as art or alcohol, its value may increase and it may be traded at a high price.

[0072] Next, specific examples of operations for putting up an item for sale or applying to borrow will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a case where a loan application is made via a GUI displayed on the lender terminal 2 and the borrower terminal 3.

[0073] Of the screens displayed on the lender terminal 2 and the borrower terminal 3, the screen shown in FIG. 6 is configured to include display areas H1 to H5.

[0074] The display area H1 displays buttons that are pressed when a user of this service lists an item as a lender user UL. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, a button B11 displaying "New listing" and a button B12 displaying "Rental" are displayed. Here, when the button B11 displaying "New listing" is pressed, the screen transitions to the screen shown in Fig. 11. Note that a specific example of the operation when a user of this service lists an item as a lender user UL will be described later with reference to Fig. 11. Furthermore, when the button B12 displaying "Rented" is pressed, a list of items currently being lent by the user of this service as the lender user UL is displayed. Specifically, for example, pressing the button B12 displaying "Rented" may transition to the screen (my page) shown in FIG. 10, where a list of items currently being lent may be displayed. Specific examples of the list of items currently being lent will be described later with reference to FIG. 10.

[0075] Display area H2 displays buttons that a user of this service presses when borrowing an item as borrower user UB. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, a button labeled "Watch List," a button labeled "Search by Category," and various buttons indicating categories, such as button B21 labeled "Fashion," a button labeled "Seasonal Events," and a button labeled "Books, Manga, Magazines," are displayed. Specific details of the buttons indicating other categories are shown in display area H2 in Figure 6.

[0076] Display area H3 displays announcements and advertisements for the user. In the example shown in FIG. 6, an announcement such as "Men's jacket campaign starting September 1st!!" is displayed. The announcements and advertisements displayed in display area H3 can also be pressed as buttons. In this case, when the announcement shown in FIG. 6 is pressed, a dedicated screen (not shown) showing the specific content of the announcement may be displayed.

[0077] In the display area H4, three images of men's jackets are displayed as "seasonal event recommended items" from among the items listed by the lender users UL1 to ULn, along with the listing information. Note that "items" here refer to the items listed by the lender users UL.

[0078] In the display area H5, three images of handbags and three images of wristwatches are displayed as "recommended items" among the items listed by the lender users UL1 to ULn, along with the listing information. The borrower user UB can easily find the desired item by looking at the contents displayed in the display areas H2 and H3.

[0079] Among the items displayed in the display areas H4 and H5, there are some marked with a "Buy it Now" mark M41 and an "Owner Change" mark M51.

[0080] An item marked with the "Buy it Now" mark M41 indicates that the listing information includes an intention to sell the item. In other words, it indicates that the lessor user UL is willing to hand over the item as is after the specified rental period has elapsed. For example, if an item worth 10,000 points is rented out for 100 points per day, the total rental fee will reach 10,000 points once the rental period reaches 100 days. In this case, the seller will consider the item "recovered" and hand it over as is. Therefore, the listing information for the item displayed in display areas H4 and H5 in Figure 6 shows the outright purchase price in addition to the rental fee per day.

[0081] In addition, items marked with the "Owner Change" mark M51 are items for which the right to receive rental fees can be transferred along with ownership without changing the rental period. In other words, it means that the ownership of the item can be transferred to the service provider M or the lessee user UB while retaining the right to receive the rental fee.

[0082] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a specific example of a screen displayed on the lender terminal 2 and the borrower terminal 3 when button B21 indicating the "Fashion" category is pressed among the categories displayed in display area H2 of FIG.

[0083] Of the screens displayed on the lender terminal 2 and the borrower terminal 3, the screen shown in FIG. 7 is configured to include display areas H11 to H15.

[0084] The display areas H11 to H14 display buttons and input fields for narrowing down the multiple items extracted in the "Fashion" category by other factors, allowing the borrower user UB to efficiently find the desired item.

[0085] Display area H11 displays buttons for narrowing down the multiple items extracted in the "Fashion" category by factors such as gender, etc. Specifically, there is a button labeled "Men" for narrowing down to items for men, a button labeled "Women" for narrowing down to items for women, and a button labeled "Kids" for narrowing down to items for children.

[0086] The display area H12 displays a button for narrowing down the multiple items extracted in the "Fashion" category by the element of brand. Specifically, a button called "Specify Brand" is displayed. When the "Specify Brand" button is pressed, the screen changes to a screen for specifying a brand. For example, when the "Specify Brand" button is pressed, a pop-up screen listing specific brand names may be displayed.

[0087] Display area H13 displays buttons for narrowing down the multiple items extracted in the "Fashion" category by subcategory. Specifically, a "Total Coordinate" button is displayed for narrowing down the search by the subcategory "Total Coordinate," a "Tops" button is displayed for narrowing down the search by the subcategory "Tops," a "T-shirts and Cut and Sewn" button is displayed for narrowing down the search by the subcategory "T-shirts and Cut and Sewn," which is a subcategory of the "Tops" subcategory, a "Shirts and Blouses" button is displayed for narrowing down the search by the subcategory "Shirts and Blouses," a "Polo Shirts" button is displayed for narrowing down the search by the subcategory "Polo Shirts," and a "Knitwear and Sweaters" button is displayed for narrowing down the search by the subcategory "Knitwear and Sweaters."

[0088] The display area H14 displays price input fields for narrowing down the search results for multiple items extracted in the "Fashion" category by daily rental fee or outright purchase price, allowing the borrower user UB to efficiently find the desired item within their budget.

[0089] In the display area H15, captured images of a plurality of items extracted in the "fashion" category are displayed together with the item information. When the borrower user UB finds a desired item or an item that interests him / her among the captured images of the plurality of items displayed in the display area H15, he / she presses the captured image. For example, when the button B151 indicating an item for sale is pressed, a screen showing detailed information about the item for sale is displayed. A specific example of the screen displayed when the button B151 is pressed will be described later with reference to FIG.

[0090] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a specific example of a screen displayed on the lender terminal 2 and the borrower terminal 3 when the button B151 displayed in the display area H15 of FIG. 7 is pressed.

[0091] Of the screens displayed on the lender terminal 2 and the borrower terminal 3, the screen shown in FIG. 8 is configured to include display areas H21 to H26.

[0092] The display area H21 displays, as "seller information," part of the user information of the lender user UL who has put up the item shown in Figure 8. Specifically, the name of the lender user UL as the seller (Seller Taro), the total number of ratings from other users (145), a breakdown of the ratings from other users, and the region where the item is being sold (Hokkaido) are displayed. The breakdown of ratings from other users shows the number of "good" ratings (100), the number of "average" ratings (40), and the number of "bad" ratings (5). The listing region is important information when considering shipping costs.

[0093] The display area H22 displays part of the listing information for the item as "product information." Specifically, the weekly rental fee (XXXP), the purchase price (XXXP), the condition (Used: ★★★), the quantity (1), and the shipping method (courier service) for the item are displayed.

[0094] The display area H23 indicates whether or not an owner change is possible. In the example of FIG. 8, "Owner change possible" is displayed to indicate that an owner change is possible. Here, the part displaying "Owner change possible" is a button B231 that can be pressed. When the button B231 is pressed, the screen transitions to a screen for performing an operation to perform an owner change, as shown in FIG. 9. Note that a specific example of an operation to perform an owner change will be described later with reference to FIG. 9.

[0095] The display area H24 displays multiple captured images of the item for sale. This allows the borrower user UB to easily understand the shape of the item for sale. The display area H24 also displays a "Borrow" button B241, which is pressed when applying for a loan. The borrower user UB can apply for a loan by pressing the "Borrow" button B241.

[0096] A description of the item being sold is displayed in the display area H25. This allows the borrower user UB to easily obtain specific information about the item being sold. In the example of Figure 8, the description displayed as "<Product Description>" is "Price reduced! In excellent condition! After lending it out for about five months, I stored it at home and have now relisted it. It is made of jersey material, so it is stretchy and comfortable to wear. Recommended for office casual wear. Perfect for early autumn."

[0097] Display area H26 displays communication tools used between users. These communication tools allow users to exchange messages with each other, making it possible, for example, to exchange detailed information about the item being sold and negotiate the price. As a result, smooth transactions between users can be realized. Specifically, examples are shown of a question message from borrower user UB to lender user UL, "I'd really like to borrow it, but can you make it a little cheaper? If you can lower it by another 3000 points, I'll buy it right away!" and a reply message from lender user UL to borrower user UB, "I'll lower the price by 2000 points. Please consider it."

[0098] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a specific example of a screen displayed on the lessor terminal 2 and the lessee terminal 3 when the button B231 displaying "Owner Change Possible" in the display area H23 of FIG. 8 is pressed.

[0099] Of the screens displayed on the lender terminal 2 and the borrower terminal 3, the screen shown in FIG. 9 is configured to include display areas H31 to H36.

[0100] In the display area H31, as "seller information," a portion of the user information of the lender user UL who has put up the item shown in Fig. 8 is displayed. Note that the content displayed in the display area H31 is the same as the content displayed in the display area H21 in Fig. 8, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0101] A button B321 for inquiring about an owner change is displayed in the display area H32. When the button B321 is pressed, the current owner of the item is notified that the owner would like to change.

[0102] The display area H33 shows the current rental fee (10,000 P per month) as the "Reference Current Price" and "15% (15,000 P per month)" as the "Latest Monthly Interest Rate." In other words, it shows the rental fee (15,000 P) earned by renting out the item in the most recent month, and the percentage (15%) that rental fee accounts for of the reference current price (100,000 P). The display area H33 also displays a button B331 labeled "Check Auction Price." When the button B331 is pressed, the transaction prices of the same or similar items on other auction sites are displayed. This makes it easy to compare the transaction prices with the prices being traded at the auction.

[0103] The display area H34 displays information about past rental records as a "rental log." This allows you to see at a glance the period for which the item has been rented and at what rental fee. You can also see at a glance the evaluation of the borrower user UB who borrowed the item. Specifically, for example, the most recent rental was for one month from February 22, 2018 to March 22, 2018, and the rental fee was 15,000 P per month. Other details of the specific example shown in the rental log are as shown in display area H34 in Figure 9.

[0104] Display area H35 displays a graph showing the estimated rental fee for the item as a "reference depreciation table." Specifically, in the graph area with the vertical axis representing "estimated rental fee" and the horizontal axis representing "time," a line L1 sloping downward to the right and a line L2 perpendicular to the horizontal axis are displayed. Line L1 sloping downward to the right represents the estimated rental fee when the outright purchase price of the item is 40,000 P. Line L2 perpendicular to the horizontal axis represents the current rental conditions.

[0105] The display area H36 displays messages exchanged between users regarding items for sale. Messages regarding changes in ownership can also be exchanged. The content displayed in the display area H31 is the same as the content displayed in the display area H26 in FIG. 8, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0106] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a specific example of My Page displayed on the lender terminal 2 and the borrower terminal 3.

[0107] Of the screens displayed on the lender terminal 2 and the borrower terminal 3, the screen shown in FIG. 10 is configured to include display areas H41 to H47.

[0108] In the display area H41, a button B411 is displayed as "New listing" to be pressed when listing a new item. When the button B411 is pressed, the screen transitions to a screen for performing operations for listing a new item. A specific example of the operation for listing a new item will be described later with reference to FIG. 11.

[0109] In the display area H42, the points held by the user are displayed as "held points." In the display area H43, the amount of sales made by the user as the lender user UL is displayed as "sales amount". In this way, both "points" and "sales amount" can be treated as currencies circulating in the Service. Of these, points are awarded through various campaigns, etc. In addition, if a user UB is evaluated as an excellent borrower who borrows items carefully without damaging them, they will be awarded many points. Points can also be used to pay rental fees. However, points have an expiration date (for example, six months from the date of acquisition). As mentioned above, the sales amount can be withdrawn in cash at any time. The sales amount can also be used to pay rental fees. The sales amount can also be converted into points. Furthermore, rental fees can be paid by a combination of credit card payment, point payment, and appropriation from the sales amount.

[0110] In the display area H44, a notice from the service provider M to the user is displayed as "Notice to you." Specifically, in the example shown in Fig. 10, the notice displayed is "The expiration date of your owned points is approaching."

[0111] The display area H45 displays business-related messages for the user. Specifically, in the example shown in Fig. 10, a message is displayed saying, "We have received a question about the item you are selling."

[0112] The display area H46 displays a list of items currently being lent to other users (borrower users UB) as a "List of Items Being Loaned." Each listed item displays the number of points, the number of days for which it can be lent, and the number of days until it can be purchased outright. In addition, items that have been approached for a change of ownership are also displayed to that effect.

[0113] The display area H47 displays a list of items currently being borrowed from other users (lender users UL) as a "List of Borrowed Items." Each listed item displays the number of points, the number of days for which it can be borrowed, and the number of days until it can be purchased.

[0114] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a specific example of an operation screen when performing an operation to list a new item.

[0115] Of the screens displayed on the lender terminal 2, the screen shown in FIG. 11 is configured to include display areas H51 to H54.

[0116] The display area H51 displays a field for inputting basic information about the item to be newly put up for sale as "basic product information." Specifically, the basic information includes a field for selecting whether or not to link to Facebook (registered trademark), a field for selecting and inputting the product category, and a field for selecting and inputting the product subcategory. After inputting the basic information, pressing the button B511 labeled "Register" registers the basic information. Note that the basic information is not limited to the items displayed in FIG. 11 and can include a variety of items.

[0117] In the display area H52, a list of similar items to the item being newly put up for auction, etc., is displayed as "Similar Item Information." When the "Select" button B521 is pressed, information about the item is displayed. This makes it easy to compare the price and details of the item with those being traded at auction, etc.

[0118] The display area H53 is provided with a tool for calculating the rental fee for a newly listed item, called "Calculate rental fee from similar items," to ensure that the rental fee is at an appropriate level. Specifically, the display area H531 of the display area H53 displays a field for inputting the target yield, a field for inputting the rental period, and a check box for setting whether or not the item is a one-time purchase. Furthermore, in the display area H53, a display area H532 displays a guideline for the rental fee for the new item (250 P per day). Furthermore, in the display area H53, a display area H533 displays a period that serves as a guide for the rental period of the item related to the new listing as an "estimated rental period" calculated by trial calculation.

[0119] The display area H54 displays a field for inputting detailed information about the new item to be put up for auction as "item details information." Specifically, a field for registering a captured image of the item to be newly put up for auction as detailed information is displayed. Note that the number of items to be input as detailed information is not limited to this, and multiple items may be provided. Once the detailed information has been input, pressing the button B541 labeled "Register" registers the detailed information.

[0120] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and modifications, improvements, etc. within the scope of achieving the object of the present invention are included in the present invention.

[0121] For example, in the above embodiment, blockchain B was used to manage the legitimacy of rental information, but other distributed ledgers may also be used, and any means capable of recording information including the characteristics of a specified item, the owner of the property, and the transaction history of the property as rental information and managing the accuracy of the data will suffice.

[0122] In the above embodiment, almost all of the payment processes, including the service fee, lease fee for the item, insurance fee, and shipping fee, are processed with points. By linking and managing points to items in this way and creating a system in which points are determined based on the useful value of the item, it becomes possible to conduct transactions similar to barter.

[0123] In the above embodiment, an example of a transaction between individuals has been described in which a user who wishes to lend an item is a lender user UL and a user who wishes to borrow an item is a borrower user UB, but the users are not limited to the lender user UL and the borrower user UB shown here. That is, the users may be a first user who wishes to transfer a specified item and a second user who wishes to receive the specified item. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the predetermined items are exemplified as items to be put up for sale on a rental site (clothes, shoes, watches, ballpoint pens, etc.), but any other items may be used as long as they are predetermined items.

[0124] In the above embodiment, the management server 1 requests an inquiry from the blockchain B, but in addition to this, the transaction control unit 202 of the management server 1 may access the rental information in the blockchain B, read out part of the rental information, and control the transaction based on that information. For example, when a lender user UL registers an item on a rental site, the transaction control unit 202 refers to the ledger information 405 of blockchain B to determine whether the lender user UL is the true owner of the item, and registers the item only if it is confirmed that the lender user UL is the true owner of the item, thereby improving the reliability of the rental site.

[0125] Furthermore, when a third-party member user rents an item listed on a rental site, the third-party member user can refer to the ledger information 405 of blockchain B via the management server 1 from their terminal to confirm whether the seller of the item is the true owner and whether it is safe to borrow the item from the seller before proceeding with the rental transaction.

[0126] Member users who can access information on blockchain B in this way are different from regular member users, such as premium members, and those who meet certain conditions are considered premium members. The specific conditions include, for example, being a paid member user when a normal member user is free, or being a member user who has signed a contract to pay a higher membership fee than a normal member user. Premium members may be assigned ranks, and the level of access to information on Blockchain B and the scope of searches may be varied depending on the rank. Premium members may be able to view, for example, the history of owner changes of items listed in the owner information 404. In this case, the disclosure range of the owner information may be selectable.

[0127] As one of the services provided to premium members, in addition to the right to view information on blockchain B, the premium member may also be presented with average prices and market prices, etc., obtained from, for example, lease fee search sites on the Internet, for items specified by the premium member.

[0128] In addition, by allowing premium members to view the rental and sales history of the items they have specified, particularly the rental and sales prices, they can determine the market price and negotiate with the lessor user UL, who is the lender of the item.

[0129] Furthermore, by referencing the owner information 404 of blockchain B, the following can be done: For example, suppose that person X owned an item from XX to XY. Before that, person Y owned the item, and person Y held the item until XX after ownership was transferred from the previous owner, person Z. This history is recorded in owner information 404 as information about the true owner of the item. On the rental site of this service, transactions such as renting or selling cannot be carried out unless the owner information 404 of blockchain B is referenced through management server 1. This ensures that the item is actually owned by that person. For example, if someone asks the owner of an item to borrow it, but it is currently being lent to someone else, or if someone else owns it, the owner will know that they will not be able to borrow it until the return date, since there is information that someone else has borrowed it. Conversely, if someone who owns an item is acting like a lender, and in fact the true owner is someone else, and the true owner is lending it to that person, then naturally the owner is someone else, and it is clear that the item cannot be borrowed from the person who owns it.

[0130] In other words, the owner information 404 of blockchain B can also be used in the following ways: For example, on the first date and time, when the ownership of the rental item is held by Party A, the item is rented to Party B. Then, on the second date and time, while the item remains in the state of being rented to Party B, the ownership of the item is transferred from Party A to Party C. In such a case, the owner information 404 of blockchain B will contain a history that shows that Person A was the owner from a specified date and time before the first date and time to the second date and time, and that Person C is the owner from the second date and time onwards. As a result, Party C can use Blockchain B's owner information 404 as a third-party assertion that he or she is the owner from the second date and time onwards.

[0131] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the borrower user UB is configured to be able to borrow an item without any problems by applying to borrow the item, but the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which there may be multiple borrowing applicants. In this case, an auction format may be adopted so that the successful bidder can borrow the item. When an auction format is adopted, factors other than price may be used as competitive factors in determining the successful bidder, such as ratings from other users, the number of points held, etc. This will enable us to expect an increase in users who are serious about using this service, thereby preventing the occurrence of fraudulent activities and problems that are likely to occur in CtoC transactions.

[0132] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the rental object is exemplified as a visible object, but it is not limited to visible objects and may be an intangible object such as a human skill or right. Furthermore, these intangible objects may be substituted with a visible object such as a title deed. For example, a golf membership card is treated as a visible object that substitutes for the intangible "right to play golf."

[0133] For example, in the above-described embodiment, examples are presented in which items are traded individually (jackets, handbags, watches, etc.), but items (i.e., items available for rental) are not limited to individual items. For example, if a user does not own volume 9 of a comic that has 10 volumes, they can list "volumes 1 to 8 and volume 10 of the comic." In this case, if there is a user who only owns volume 9, they may apply to borrow or purchase the "comic consisting of volumes 1 to 8 and volume 10." Furthermore, users who only own volume 9 can borrow or purchase "volumes 1 to 8 and 10 of the comic" to collect all 10 volumes, and then lend them to other users for a set period of time (so-called sub-lending).

[0134] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the conditions for disclosing information recorded in the blockchain B to a third party were fixed, but are not limited to this and may be variable. For example, a flag indicating disclosure / non-disclosure to a third party can be attached to each predetermined unit of various information recorded in the blockchain B, and whether or not to disclose the information to a third party can be controlled based on this flag. This flag can then be made switchable between on (disclosure) and off (non-disclosure). This means that, for example, even if the flag is normally set to off (non-disclosure) because it is personal information, if certain conditions are met, such as in the case of a criminal investigation or when a loaned item is lost, the flag for that personal information can be switched from off (non-disclosure) to on (disclosure). For example, when applying for a credit card or loan, the flag for necessary information recorded in blockchain B as information on the underlying assets can be switched from off (non-disclosure) to on (disclosure).

[0135] Here, points awarded by the above-mentioned service, as well as other points awarded by other services, institutions, etc., can also be stored in blockchain B as credit information for credit cards, loan screening, etc.

[0136] Furthermore, the hardware configuration shown in FIG. 3 is merely an example for achieving the object of the present invention, and is not particularly limited.

[0137] Furthermore, the functional block diagram shown in Fig. 5 is merely an example and is not particularly limited. That is, it is sufficient for the information processing system to have the function of executing the above-described series of processes as a whole, and the type of functional block used to realize this function is not particularly limited to the example of Fig. 5.

[0138] Furthermore, the locations of the functional blocks are not limited to those shown in FIG. 5 and may be arbitrary. Furthermore, one functional block may be configured as a single piece of hardware, a single piece of software, or a combination thereof.

[0139] When the processing of each functional block is performed by software, the program that constitutes the software is installed into a computer or the like from a network or a recording medium. The computer may be a computer built into dedicated hardware, or may be a computer capable of executing various functions by installing various programs, such as a server, a general-purpose smartphone, or a personal computer.

[0140] The recording medium containing such a program may not only be composed of removable media that is distributed separately from the device itself in order to provide the program to each user, but may also be composed of recording media that are provided to each user in a state where they are pre-installed in the device itself.

[0141] In this specification, the steps describing the program to be recorded on the recording medium include not only processes that are performed in chronological order, but also processes that are not necessarily performed in chronological order but are performed in parallel or individually.

[0142] In addition, in this specification, the term "system" refers to an overall device that is made up of a plurality of devices, a plurality of means, and the like.

[0143] In summary, the information processing apparatus to which the present invention is applied is sufficient if it has the following configuration, and can take on a variety of different embodiments. That is, an information processing device to which the present invention is applied (for example, a management server 1, etc.) An information processing device (such as the management server 1 of FIG. 5) that supports a transaction of a predetermined item between a first user (such as a lender user UL) who wishes to lend the predetermined item and a second user (such as a borrower user UB) who wishes to borrow the predetermined item, A management means (e.g., transaction management unit 201 in FIG. 5) for recording and managing information including the characteristics of the predetermined object (e.g., an item for sale, etc.), the owner of the property (e.g., an item for sale, etc.), and the transaction history of the property (e.g., an item for sale, etc.) as lending / borrowing information in a blockchain (e.g., blockchain B in FIG. 5, etc.) or a distributed ledger; a transaction control means (e.g., the transaction control unit 202 in FIG. 5) that controls the transaction of the predetermined item (e.g., the item for sale, etc.) using the rental information recorded and managed in the blockchain B or the distributed ledger by the management means (e.g., the transaction management unit 201 in FIG. 5) before the predetermined item (e.g., the item for sale, etc.) is traded between the first user (e.g., the lender user UL, etc.) and the second user (e.g., the borrower user UB, etc.); Equipped with. In this way, rental information is recorded and managed in blockchain B or the distributed ledger, and the rental information in blockchain B or the distributed ledger is used to determine whether or not a transaction can be made for the specified item (e.g., an item for sale, etc.). This makes it possible to ensure trust between one or more individuals (e.g., lender users UL, etc.) who wish to lend out an item (e.g., an item for sale, etc.) and one or more individuals (e.g., borrower users UB, etc.) who wish to borrow the item (e.g., an item for sale, etc.) and safely trade (rental transactions, etc.) the item (e.g., an item for sale, etc.).

[0144] The management means (for example, the transaction management unit 201 in FIG. 5) a personal information management unit (e.g., the personal information management unit 211 in FIG. 5 ) that records and manages information about each of the first user (e.g., a lender user UL, etc.) and the second user (e.g., a borrower user UB, etc.) (e.g., credit information of a seller in an auction of a leased item, evaluation information such as "this person is good," etc.) in the blockchain or the distributed ledger; Further provided are: In this way, by managing not only transaction information for a specified item (e.g., an item for sale, etc.), but also information about each of the first user (e.g., a lessor user UL, etc.) and the second user (e.g., a lessee user UB, etc.) (e.g., credit information for the seller in an auction of leased items, evaluation information from the lessor to the lessee such as "this person is good"), the credit of the individual is guaranteed, and a service can be provided that makes transactions (rental transactions, etc.) for specified items (e.g., an item for sale, etc.) safer. [Explanation of symbols]

[0145] 1: Management server, 2, 2-1, 2-n: Lender terminal, 3, 3-1, 3-m: Borrower terminal, 4: Payment server, 11: CPU, 18: Memory unit, 19: Communication unit, 101: Item acquisition unit, 102: Item presentation unit, 103: Borrowing acceptance unit, 104: Borrowing presentation unit, 105: Cost presentation unit, 106: Payment acquisition unit, 107: Sales management unit, 108: Payment presentation unit, 109: Withdrawal acceptance unit, 110: Withdrawal decision unit, 111: Purchase acceptance unit 111, 112: Purchase presentation unit, 113: Return acceptance unit, 114: Ratio Comparison extraction unit, 115: Borrowing approval reception unit, 116: Return approval reception unit, 117: Related acquisition unit, 118: Reference amount presentation unit, 201: Transaction management unit, 202: Transaction control unit, 211: Personal information management unit, 401: User information, 402: Listing information, 403: History information, 404: Owner information, 405: Ledger information, B: Blockchain, SA: Payment service provider, M: This service provider, N: Network, UL, UL1, ULn: Lender user, UB, UB1, UBn: Borrower user

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for assisting in the transaction of a predetermined item between a first user who wishes to lend the predetermined item and a second user who wishes to borrow the predetermined item, management means for recording and managing, as lending information, information including characteristics of the predetermined item, the owner of the predetermined item, the transaction history of the predetermined item, and personal information and credit information of the first user and the second user in a blockchain or a distributed ledger; transaction control means for, when receiving a borrowing application for the predetermined item from the second user, querying the lending information distributedly recorded in the blockchain or the distributed ledger, rejecting the borrowing application if an inconsistency is detected in the personal information or transaction history of the second user, and permitting the continuation of the transaction if consistency is confirmed; An information processing apparatus comprising the above.

2. The transaction control means executes a query of the credit information of the second user in parallel for a plurality of nodes of the blockchain or the distributed ledger, and determines the creditworthiness of the second user by a majority vote based on responses from the plurality of nodes, The information processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

3. The management means records the ownership transfer history of the predetermined item in the form of a hash chain in the blockchain or the distributed ledger, and the transaction control means confirms the true owner of the predetermined item at the time of the borrowing application by tracing back the hash chain, The information processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

4. An information processing method executed by an information processing apparatus for assisting in the transaction of a predetermined item between a first user who wishes to lend the predetermined item and a second user who wishes to borrow the predetermined item, a management step of recording and managing lending information including characteristics of the predetermined item, the owner of the predetermined item, the transaction history of the predetermined item, and personal information and credit information of the first user and the second user in a blockchain or a distributed ledger; a transaction control step of, when receiving a borrowing application for the predetermined item from the second user, querying the lending information distributedly recorded in the blockchain or the distributed ledger, rejecting the borrowing application if an inconsistency is detected in the personal information or transaction history of the second user, and permitting the continuation of the transaction if consistency is confirmed; An information processing method including the above.

5. A computer that supports a transaction of a predetermined item between a first user who wishes to lend the predetermined item and a second user who wishes to borrow the predetermined item, a management step of recording and managing lending information including characteristics of the predetermined item, the owner of the predetermined item, the transaction history of the predetermined item, and personal information and credit information of the first user and the second user in a blockchain or a distributed ledger; a transaction control step of querying the lending information distributed and recorded in the blockchain or the distributed ledger when a borrowing application for the predetermined item is received from the second user, rejecting the borrowing application if an inconsistency is detected in the personal information or transaction history of the second user, and permitting the continuation of the transaction if consistency is confirmed; A program for executing a control process including the above.

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