Information processing device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To provide an information processing device that improves the interest in voting on predictions regarding the rankings of competitors in a target competition.SOLUTION: In an information processing system in which a server for central management and multiple user terminals of voters are connected to each other so as to be capable of communicating with each other through a communication network, a server 10, which is an information processing device, has a reception unit 34 for receiving votes on predictions of the rankings of competitors participating in a target competition, an acquisition unit 37 for acquiring activity values of each competitor in the target competition, and a hit determination unit 38 for determining whether the predicted content of the accepted vote is correct on the basis of the ranking of each competitor in the target competition, which is determined according to each competitor's activity value in the target competition and the correction conditions for each competitor's activity value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, betting and lotteries (hereinafter collectively referred to as "voting") on the outcome of sporting events and the like can be conducted online via the Internet, etc. (For example, see Patent Documents 1 to 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-281307 A [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 4493728 [Patent Document 3] JP 2018-173981 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Conventional voting for sporting events and the like has generally involved predicting events that are decided on a team-by-team basis, such as the outcome of a match or the scores that each team will achieve.

[0005] On the other hand, for example, it is possible to determine the ranking of each of the multiple athletes participating in a competition based on the activity values ​​of each of them, and use the ranking as a prediction target. However, in that case, a system is required that allows voting to be conducted while ensuring fairness among athletes, taking into consideration the differences in physique, team affiliation, years of experience, and position during the match between athletes.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program that can increase the interest of voting for predictions regarding the rankings of each athlete in a target event. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in having a reception unit that receives votes regarding predictions regarding the rankings of athletes in a target sport in which multiple athletes participate, an acquisition unit that acquires the activity values ​​of each athlete in the target sport, and a hit determination unit that determines whether the predictions of the received votes are correct or not based on the rankings of each athlete in the target sport, which are determined according to the activity values ​​of each athlete in the target sport and the adjustment conditions for the activity values ​​for each athlete. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, fairness between athletes can be ensured by setting correction conditions for each athlete, taking into consideration individual differences between athletes, etc. As a result, the interest in voting for predictions regarding the rankings of each athlete in a target event can be increased, and the voting can be promoted. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a screen for specifying a player who is expected to achieve a set ranking, among other voting input screens. [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a screen for inputting a voting value, among the voting input screens. [Diagram 3] 1 is a conceptual diagram of an information processing system including an information processing device according to the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram relating to functions of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram regarding information on players participating in the match that is the subject of voting. [Figure 7]FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram regarding the addition conditions set for each player. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram regarding information on votes cast for a voting target match. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of performance values ​​of each player in a match. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a flow of vote acceptance among information processing flows using the information processing device of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a flow of determining the predicted contents of votes, among information processing flows using the information processing device of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An information processing device, an information processing method, and a program according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0011] The embodiment described below is merely an example given to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention may be modified or improved from the embodiment described below without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The present invention also includes equivalents thereof.

[0012] The screen examples shown in the drawings referenced in the following description are merely examples, and the screen configuration examples, the content of the information displayed, and the GUI (Graphical User Interface), etc. can be freely designed according to the system design specifications and user preferences, and can be changed as appropriate.

[0013] [About Voting Services] A service business (hereinafter, referred to as a voting service) using the present invention will be described. The present invention is not limited to use for the purpose of the following service business, but may be used for games including games in which voting can be performed, online games, video games, etc.

[0014] The betting service is a business that handles betting on the outcome of a target race, i.e., betting and lotteries. The operating methods and mechanisms of this business are similar to those of conventional publicly managed sports events such as horse racing, bicycle racing, and boat racing.

[0015] The target sport is, for example, a sports competition that is the subject of voting, and in the case described below, it is a team sport match in which two or more teams compete to see who can score the most points, in particular a basketball league match. However, it is not limited to this, and the target sport may be other team sport matches (e.g., soccer, futsal, baseball, softball, handball, volleyball, American football, rugby, ice hockey, lacrosse, etc.), or may be an individual sport match in which two or more individuals compete against each other (e.g., tennis, badminton, table tennis, golf, bowling, etc.). In addition, the target competition may be a competition other than a sports competition, as long as it is a competition in which multiple people participate and compete, including, for example, board games, video games, computer games, online games and other games, or games in which points are competed for, etc. In the following, for convenience, the basketball league games that are eligible for voting will be referred to as the "target games."

[0016] In the following explanation, the term "athletes" refers to players belonging to each of two or more teams (corresponding to organizations) participating in the target match, and more specifically, players participating in the target match. More precisely, athletes are players who have been entered and registered as participating players (corresponding to registered athletes), as described below. For the sake of convenience, players registered as participating players in the target match will be referred to simply as "players."

[0017] Voting is done by predicting the ranking based on the activity value of each player in the target game, and specifically, voting is done by specifying the player who will be ranked in a set position (for example, first place). The activity value is a value related to the activity of the player in the target game, and more specifically, the activity value related to the game result, and more specifically, the performance value in the game. The performance value is the performance recorded by the player during the game, that is, a numerical value related to the performance during the game, and hereinafter, the performance value is the value of the points scored during the game. However, it is not limited to this, and in the case of basketball, the number of shots, the number of passes, the number of rebounds, the number of steals, the number of fouls, etc. may be used, and in the case of other sports, items similar to the above items may be used as the performance value.

[0018] A service user who casts a vote (hereinafter, referred to as a "voter") can cast a vote online by operating his / her own terminal through a communication line such as the Internet. Specifically, the voter acquires a service account in advance, and then operates his / her own terminal to access a voting site or launch a voting application program. As a result, the screen of the voter's terminal displays the players who will play in the target match to be held in the near future in a state where they can be specified, as shown in FIG. 1. The voter can cast a vote under his / her own account by specifying a player who will be ranked in the set position from among the displayed players. The set position is a position that is set as a position for a prediction target, and is usually set to 1st place, which is the highest position, or 1st place and the positions consecutive to it (for example, 2nd place to 3rd place).

[0019] The voting format is not particularly limited. In the case described below, we will use "Type A voting" to specify the player who will be ranked first, "Type B voting" to specify one player who will be ranked first, second, third, and third, "Type C voting" to specify three players who will be ranked first, second, third, and third, in random order, respectively. Figure 1 shows an example of a screen when three players are selected using "Type D voting". In Figure 1, the numbers The player marked with [1] (AAA) is predicted to come in first place, the player marked with [2] (PPP) is predicted to come in second place, and the player marked with [3] (EEE) is predicted to come in third place.

[0020] Here, "Style C Voting" and "Style D Voting" correspond to voting in which players who are expected to achieve one of the ranks in the target match from a set ranking group are designated by a number of people according to the set ranking group. A set ranking group refers to a combination of multiple set rankings, and in "Style C Voting" and "Style D Voting", it is a combination of three ranks (1st, 2nd, and 3rd). The number of people according to a set ranking group is, for example, equal to the number of ranks included in the set ranking group, and in "Style C Voting" and "Style D Voting", it is three people.

[0021] The voting format may include formats other than the above four formats. The set rankings to be predicted may be only 1st and 2nd place, or may be rankings other than 1st to 3rd place, or may be non-consecutive rankings (for example, 1st and 4th place). The number of players designated as prediction targets may be two, or may be four or more. Also, the voting may be performed by grouping two teams competing in a match into one group and designating players from that group who will be ranked in the set position on a match-by-match basis, or by designating players from each team who will be ranked in the set position on a team-by-team basis.

[0022] A voter pays a voting value when casting a vote. The voting value may be money used for electronic processing, such as electronic money, or dedicated points that can be used in voting services. The amount of the voting value (e.g., a monetary amount or number of points) that a voter pays when casting a vote can be determined arbitrarily, and is input via an input screen displayed on the voter's terminal, as shown in Figure 2. In the following, we will assume a case where a monetary amount is input as the amount of the voting value.

[0023] According to the procedure explained above, the voter casts his / her vote at least before the start of the target match. At this time, the voter may cast his / her vote only once per match, or may cast his / her vote multiple times. When casting multiple votes, the vote format or prediction content (player predicted to come in first, etc.) may be changed for each vote.

[0024] After the match ends, the ranking of each player who participated in the target match is determined. In the present invention, the ranking of each player is determined according to the points each player scored during the match and the addition conditions for the points. The addition conditions are an example of correction conditions for the points scored during the match, and specifically, an addition value that is added to the points scored during the match. The reason for setting the addition value in this way is to ensure fairness between players, for example, to close the gap between players with a low point acquisition rate (= probability of scoring in one match) and players with a high point acquisition rate. In other words, the addition value is a handicap point given to a player with a lower point acquisition rate.

[0025] The ranking of each player in the target match is determined based on the total score that each player made during the match plus the corresponding bonus value, and the higher the total value, the higher the ranking. In the case described below, the ranking is determined as the ranking after the target match ends. However, this is not limited to this, and for example, the ranking may be determined at a time when a certain time has passed since the start of the match.

[0026] The addition condition is not limited to an addition value, but may be a coefficient multiplied by the points scored during the match. The correction condition is not limited to an addition condition, but may be a subtraction condition (specifically, a subtraction value or a coefficient for subtraction) instead of an addition condition, for example, for a player with a relatively high point acquisition rate.

[0027] Once the rankings of each player in the target match have been determined, the operating company of the voting service will determine whether the predicted contents of the vote for the target match were correct or not. In other words, it will determine whether the players predicted to be ranked in the target match as set rankings were correct or not.

[0028] Voters who correctly predicted the results will be awarded a prize, which is the amount of the voting value paid. A dividend according to the bet amount (hereinafter referred to as the bet amount) is paid out. The dividend is determined by multiplying the bet amount by the dividend rate (odds). Known methods can be used to determine the dividend rate (odds) and to pay out the dividend. For example, the dividend rate may be determined according to the pari-mutuel system, and the dividend may be paid out in the same manner as the method used to pay out winning predictions in internet betting in general publicly managed lotteries.

[0029] The voting and the series of processes after the voting are performed in the manner described above. In the case described below, voting is performed for each game, and the aforementioned addition value (addition condition) is updated for each game.

[0030] Specifically, in basketball league games, games are played in each of a number of periods set during one season, and each game is subject to voting. The added value varies for each game, in other words, it is reviewed for each period and updated each time. Here, one season corresponds to a predetermined period, and is usually a period of one year or half a year. A period corresponds to a unit period, and is set to define the order of each of a number of games played in one season, and is usually a period of two to three days.

[0031] Note that the addition value is not limited to being updated every season (every match), and may be a constant value that does not change throughout a season.

[0032] [Information Processing System] Next, an information processing system including the information processing device of the present invention will be described. The above information processing system was constructed to implement a voting service online, and will be referred to below as the "voting system S."

[0033] As shown in Fig. 3, the voting system S includes a central management server (hereinafter referred to as server 10) and voters' user terminals 12, and these devices are communicatively connected to each other via a communication network 14. Note that the number of user terminals 12 should essentially correspond to the number of voters, but for convenience of illustration in Fig. 3, the number of user terminals 12 is shown as three. However, the number of user terminals 12 may be any number.

[0034] The server 10 corresponds to an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is, for example, a computer used by a voting service management company when providing the voting service. The server 10 acquires and stores various information required for the voting service, and executes various information processing related to the voting service using the acquired information.

[0035] The main information processing by the server 10 includes a process of accepting votes from each voter, a process of obtaining the performance values ​​of each player in the target match, a process of determining whether the voting predictions were correct or not, and a process of providing rewards to voters whose predictions were correct (specifically, a process of paying out dividends).

[0036] The server 10 may be configured by a single computer, or may be configured by a plurality of computers that are distributed in parallel.

[0037] The user terminal 12 is a device operated by a voter when casting a vote, and is composed of a personal computer, a smartphone, a mobile phone, a tablet terminal, a television receiver capable of inputting information, a wearable terminal, etc. The voter obtains an account for voting, and logs into the server 10 with his / her account when casting a vote. At this time, the voter may be asked to input authentication information (e.g., account name and password, etc.).

[0038] The user terminal 12 communicates with the server 10 to receive and expand voting data, thereby displaying information indicated by the data (for example, the input screens shown in FIGS. 1 and 2). The voter operates the user terminal 12 while viewing the displayed information to cast their vote. This allows the user terminal 12 to input information required for voting (voting information, described below), such as the player(s) expected to place in the set ranking and the amount of the bet. The input voting information is sent from the user terminal 12 to the server 10.

[0039] After the game ends, the voters can check whether their predictions were correct through the user terminal 12, and if their predictions were correct, they can check the amount of the payout (refund amount). If their predictions were correct, the voters can receive a refund by performing a predetermined refund operation on the user terminal 12 or by operating a payout dispenser (not shown) installed in a predetermined location.

[0040] Note that voting is not limited to being performed through the user terminal 12 owned by the voter, but may be performed through a voting terminal (not shown) installed at the game venue or game viewing venue (for example, a public viewing venue), etc. In this case, the voter goes to the location where the voting terminal is installed and operates the terminal to cast their vote.

[0041] [Example of configuration of the information processing device of the present invention] Next, a configuration example of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, that is, a server 10 will be described. As shown in Fig. 4, the server 10 has hardware devices such as a processor 21, a memory 22, a communication interface 23, a storage 24, an input device 25, and an output device 26, and these devices are electrically connected via a bus 27.

[0042] In addition, a program for an operating system (OS) and an application program for the voting service are installed as software in the server 10. These programs correspond to the "programs" of the present invention. When the processor 21 operates according to the above programs, the server 10 functions as an information processing device of the present invention and executes a series of information processing related to the voting service.

[0043] The processor 21 may be composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), an MCU (Micro Controller Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), a TPU (Tensor Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or the like. The memory 22 may be configured with semiconductor memory such as a Read Only Memory (ROM) and a Random Access Memory (RAM). The communication interface 23 may be, for example, a network interface card, a communication interface board, etc. The standard of data communication by the communication interface 23 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include communication by wireless LAN based on Wi-fi (registered trademark), communication by a 3G, 4G or 5G mobile communication system, and communication based on LTE (Long Term Evolution). Storage24 offers a wide range of storage media including flash memory, HDD (Hard Disc Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), FD (Flexible Disc), MO disk (Magneto-Optical disc), CD The storage 24 may be configured by a Compact Disc (CD), a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD), a Secure Digital card (SD card), a Universal Serial Bus memory (USB memory), or the like. The storage 24 may be built in the housing of the server 10, or may be connected to the server main body in an external form. Alternatively, the storage 24 may be configured by an external computer, specifically a database server, etc., connected to the main body of the server 10 so as to be able to communicate with it. The input device 25 may be, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, etc. The output device 26 may be, for example, a display, a speaker, etc.

[0044] 5, the server 10 has a player information storage unit 31, a condition storage unit 32, an update unit 33, a reception unit 34, a vote storage unit 35, a warning unit 36, an acquisition unit 37, a hit determination unit 38, and a reward granting unit 39. Each of these functional units is realized by cooperation between the hardware devices of the server 10, including the processor 21, and an OS (Operating System) and an application program for the vote service installed in the server 10. Each functional unit will be described below.

[0045] The player information storage unit 31 stores information on players (corresponding to registered athletes) who are registered to play in the target match. The player information (hereinafter referred to as player information) stored in the player information storage unit 31 is explained as follows: as shown in Fig. 6, the name, player number, position in the match, average game playing time (minutes), average score, foreign player flag, etc. of each player are stored as player information for the two teams competing in the target match. Other information (for example, age, height, total score this season, etc.) may be included as player information.

[0046] The average game playing time and average points correspond to the actual activity value of each player in past games (corresponding to played competitions), and are the average playing time in the most recent N games (N is a natural number of 2 or more. The same applies below.) and the average points scored in the most recent N games. These values ​​are referenced when setting the additional value for each player.

[0047] The foreign player flag is information indicating whether or not a player is a foreign player, and is represented by, for example, a binary value (a value of 0 or 1), with "1" meaning that the player is a foreign player. The reason for storing the foreign player flag as player information is that in basketball league matches, foreign players are restricted athletes, with the number of players (participation slots) that can participate simultaneously on each team in a single match being limited to a predetermined number or less. To explain in more detail, for example, the number of foreign players that can be registered for entry in each match is set to i (i is a natural number equal to or greater than i), and the number of registered foreign players that can participate simultaneously in a match is set to j (j is a natural number equal to or less than i).

[0048] In this specification, a "foreigner" refers to a national of a different nationality from the country hosting the target match, and hereinafter refers to a national of a nationality other than Japanese. Furthermore, athletes whose number of participants in a match is limited (restricted athletes) are not limited to foreign athletes, and may include naturalized athletes. Furthermore, exceptions may be made to the number of foreign athletes who can participate simultaneously on one team, and for example, a special quota may be set for foreign athletes of a specified country (a quota set aside from the quota for foreign athletes of nationalities other than the specified country).

[0049] The player information storage unit 31 stores, for each target match held in a specified section, player information on players participating in that match. A match held in a specified section is a match with a remaining number of days until that match that is a specified number of days or less (for example, about one week), and a specific example of this is a match held in the next section. Furthermore, the matches held in a specified section change with the passage of time. Accordingly, the player information stored in the player information storage unit 31 is updated from time to time, and specifically, player information for matches that have already been played is deleted, and new player information for matches scheduled to be played in the next section is registered.

[0050] The condition storage unit 32 stores the above-mentioned addition condition, more specifically, the addition value. The addition value is set for each of the multiple players participating in the target match. For this reason, the condition storage unit 32 stores the addition value for each player for each target match, as shown in FIG.

[0051] The added value is set for each player according to the average game playing time or average score (actual activity value) in the past, and is set, for example, by the operating company of the voting service before the start of the game. The procedure for setting the added value is not particularly limited. For example, the player with the highest average score in the most recent N games in the same team may be set as the reference player, and the added value for each player on the same team as the reference player may be set according to the difference between the average score of each player and the average score of the reference player. For newly registered players who do not have past performance activity values, such as rookie players, the additional value may be set to a predetermined value, specifically a value specific to the newly registered player, without following the above setting procedure.

[0052] The additional value is obtained before being stored in the condition storage unit 32. The method of obtaining the additional value is not particularly limited, and the additional value may be input via the input device 25 of the server 10, or may be received from an external terminal that manages the additional value by the server 10 communicating with the external terminal.

[0053] The update unit 33 updates the addition conditions (addition values) stored in the condition storage unit 32 for each section. In other words, the addition values ​​applied to the same player are updated for each section by the update unit 33 and reviewed for each match. The update unit 33 may update the conditions automatically at or immediately before the change of sections, or may update the conditions when the operator of the server 10 inputs a new addition condition through the input device 25.

[0054] The reception unit 34 receives votes cast by voters for the target match, and more specifically, receives votes through communication with the user terminal 12 via the communication network 14. The votes received by the reception unit 34 are information indicating the contents of the voter's prediction. The contents of the prediction indicate the player (specified result) designated by the voter as a player who is expected to achieve a set ranking in the target match, among the players (registered athletes) participating in the target match.

[0055] Furthermore, in order to accept a vote from a voter, the acceptance unit 34 first notifies the voter of the players who will be participating in the target match in a state in which the voter can specify the players. "Notifying the voter of the players in a state in which the players can be specified" means, for example, displaying player information of the players who will be participating in the target match in list form on the voter's user terminal 12. Specifically, the acceptance unit 34 transmits display data of the voting input screen shown in FIG. 1 to the user terminal 12. Specific voting acceptance procedures, including the voting input screen, will be described in detail later.

[0056] The vote memory unit 35 stores information on the votes received by the reception unit 34, including the predicted contents. (hereinafter referred to as voting information) is stored for each accepted vote. For example, as shown in Fig. 8, the voting reception number, the voter's user ID (account name), the stage and opposing team of the target match, the voting format, the predicted content (the player predicted to be ranked in the set rank), the voting amount, etc. may be stored as the voting information. Information other than these (for example, the voter's personal information, information on the method of paying out the dividend, etc.) may also be included as the voting information.

[0057] The warning unit 36 ​​executes a warning process as necessary when a vote is made in the C-type or D-type vote format (i.e., when a vote is made by specifying two or more players). The warning process is executed for the voter who cast the vote when the reception unit 34 receives a vote specifying two or more players who have a predetermined relationship. Two or more players who have a predetermined relationship are two or more players who meet the following condition (1) or condition (2). Condition (1): Two or more players belong to the same team and play the same position in the match. Condition (2): Two or more players belong to the same team, all of whom are foreign players, and the number of foreign players exceeds the number of players who can participate in a single match (i.e., the specified number j).

[0058] If two or more players who meet condition (1) are specified, their positions will overlap, so one of the players will not play in the game, or the playing time of that player will be short even if he plays as a substitute. In such a situation, the probability of the prediction being wrong increases, so a warning process is executed to inform the voter of this fact. If two or more players who satisfy condition (2) are specified, the number of foreign players who can play on the same team at the same time in one match is limited to a certain number j, so foreign players who exceed the certain number j will not be able to play in the match, or their playing time will be short even if they play as a substitute. In such a situation, the probability of the prediction being wrong increases, so a warning process is executed to inform the voter of this fact.

[0059] The warning process may be any process that can warn the voter and draw the voter's attention. For example, the warning process may send warning control data to the user terminal 12 to display a warning message on the user terminal 12 side or generate a warning sound. After the warning process is executed, the voter who received the warning may be asked to re-vote. In that case, it is more preferable to discard the votes that were accepted before the warning and accept the re-voted votes instead.

[0060] When the target match is played, the acquisition unit 37 acquires the performance values ​​of each player who participated in the match, specifically, the score values ​​of each player during the match. The method by which the acquisition unit 37 acquires the performance values ​​is not particularly limited. For example, the performance values ​​may be input through the input device 25 of the server 10. Alternatively, the performance values ​​may be obtained by communicating with another server that distributes news of the match results after the match ends and receiving the performance values ​​from the other server. Alternatively, the target match may be filmed by a video camera or the like, and the performance values ​​of each player may be calculated by analyzing the video file.

[0061] The accuracy determination unit 38 determines whether the predicted contents of the votes received by the reception unit 34 have come true, i.e., whether the players predicted to achieve the set ranking in the target match have come true. When the target match ends, the accuracy determination unit 38 reads the voting information for the match received by the reception unit 34 from the vote memory unit 35, and identifies the predicted contents from the read voting information.

[0062] The ranking of each player in the target match is determined according to the sum of the performance value of each player acquired by the acquisition unit 37 for the match and the additional value for the player who participated in the match. At this time, from the viewpoint of fairness, the players to whom the additional value is added may be limited to specific players (corresponding to specific athletes) whose performance values ​​in the target match satisfy a predetermined condition, for example, limited to players who have scored one or more points during the target match. In this case, the ranking of each player in the target match is determined according to the performance value (points) of the specific player in the match and the additional value corresponding to the specific athletes.

[0063] The hit determination unit 38 determines whether the predicted contents of the vote for the target match have been correct based on the ranking of each player in the target match. At this time, when the players to which the additional value is added are limited to the above-mentioned specific players, the hit determination unit 38 determines whether the predicted contents of the vote for the target match have been correct based on the ranking of each specific player in the target match.

[0064] However, without being limited to the above case, it is also possible to determine the rankings of all players who participated in the target match, regardless of whether they are specific players or not, and to judge whether the voting prediction for the target match was correct or not based on the rankings of each player. In this case, for players who participated in the target match but did not score, it is preferable to correct the performance value by multiplying the performance value to which the additional value has been added (i.e., the same value as the additional value) by 0, and to determine the ranking from the corrected performance value. In this way, players who did not score in the match will be ranked, but will not be ranked higher. This allows the judgment to be made in substantially the same manner as when judging whether the prediction was correct or not based on the rankings of specific players.

[0065] The reward granting unit 39 grants a reward to the voter who predicted the correct result when the predicted result is correct, and more specifically, executes a process for paying back the dividend. The reward granting unit 39 determines the dividend according to the amount of the bet paid by the voter when placing the vote, and may set the dividend to, for example, an amount obtained by multiplying the amount of the bet by odds according to the predicted result.

[0066] [Information processing flow] Next, the information processing flow regarding voting will be described. This information processing flow is executed by the voting system S. The information processing flow described below employs the information processing method of the present invention. In other words, each step in the information processing flow described below corresponds to a component of the information processing method of the present invention.

[0067] In the following, a specific example will be explained in which a voter X votes for a basketball game Gk held in the kth section (k is a natural number). In the game Gk, team Ta and team Tb play against each other, and the performance values ​​of each player in the game Gk are as shown in FIG.

[0068] The information processing flow regarding the vote is divided into a vote reception flow for receiving votes and a judgment flow for judging whether the predicted contents of the vote are correct or not. Each processing flow will be explained below.

[0069] (Voting flow) The vote reception flow is carried out by the computer constituting the server 10 and the user terminal 12, and proceeds according to the flow shown in Fig. 10. Specifically, first, a voter X performs a voting operation on his / her user terminal 12 (S001). At this time, the voter X selects the match Gk as the target match, and the selection result is sent from the voter X's user terminal 12 to the server 10 via the communication network 14.

[0070] The server 10, which has received the selection result from the user terminal 12, judges whether or not the selected match GK is currently available for voting (S002). If the match GK is currently available for voting, the server 10 proceeds to the next step S003. On the other hand, if voting for the match GK is not available due to reasons such as the current time not yet being open for voting for the match GK, the process ends at that point.

[0071] In step S003, the server 10 generates display data for an input screen for player designation as data for notifying the player who will play in the GK position in the match in a state where the player can be designated, and transmits the display data to the user terminal 12 of the voter X. The user terminal 12 of the voter X receives and expands the display data sent from the server 10, thereby displaying the voting input screen shown in Fig. 1 (S004).

[0072] The voting input screen displays player information of the players who will play in the match among the players belonging to teams Ta and Tb who will compete in the match Gk. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the player's name, number, position, whether or not the player is a foreign player, and the average score in the most recent N matches are displayed. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the voting input screen displays the addition conditions, more specifically, the addition value, set for each player who will play in the match Gk.

[0073] At the bottom of the voting input screen, voting type selection buttons B1 to B4 are arranged. Voter X selects one of "Type A Voting" to "Type D Voting" and touches or clicks the button corresponding to the selected voting type (S005). When "Type A Voting" or "Type B Voting" is selected, voter X predicts and designates one player who will be first or one of first to third place from among the players displayed on the screen (S006, S007). On the other hand, when "Type C Voting" or "Type D Voting" is selected, voter X predicts and designates three players who will be first to third place from among the players displayed on the screen (S006, S008).

[0074] The method of designating a player is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, by touching or clicking on the column of the player to be designated on the voting input screen shown in Fig. 1. Also, although it is a different form from Fig. 1, if the players are displayed in the form of a pull-down list, the player to be designated may be picked from the pull-down list. Also, if an input field for inputting the result of the player designation is provided, the name, etc. of the player to be designated may be entered in the input field.

[0075] Thereafter, when the voter X touches or clicks the voting button B5 arranged at the bottom of the voting input screen, data indicating the predicted contents of the vote, i.e., data indicating the results of the player designation by the voter X, is generated by the user terminal 12 of the voter X. The generated data is transmitted to the server 10 via the communication network 14 (S009).

[0076] The server 10 accepts votes by receiving data indicating the predicted contents of the vote (S010). After that, the server 10 judges whether two or more players are specified in the predicted contents of the accepted vote, in other words, whether the voting format is C-type voting or D-type voting. If two or more players are specified, the server 10 determines whether or not the specified players are two or more players that meet the above-mentioned condition (1) or (2) (S012).

[0077] If only one player is designated, or if the designated players are not two or more players who meet the condition (1) or (2), the server 10 proceeds to step S014.

[0078] On the other hand, if two or more players are designated and the two or more players satisfy condition (1) or (2), the server 10 executes a warning process for the voter X (S013). As a result, a warning message is displayed or a warning sound is generated on the user terminal 12 side of the voter X. Furthermore, when the warning process is executed, the user terminal 12 of the voter X who received the warning returns to step S008, and the players expected to take first to third places are newly designated (re-designated). However, this is not limited thereto, and for example, after the warning process is executed, the process may proceed directly to step S014 without returning to step S008.

[0079] In step S014, the server 10 generates display data for a voting amount input screen as data for determining the amount of voting value (money) to be cast, and transmits the display data to the user terminal 12 of the voter X. The user terminal 12 of the voter X receives and expands the display data sent from the server 10, thereby displaying the voting amount input screen shown in FIG. (S015).

[0080] The voter X sets the voting amount, inputs the amount on the input screen, and then touches or clicks the decision button B6 provided at the bottom of the input screen. This triggers the user terminal 12 to generate data indicating the input voting amount and transmits the generated data to the server 10 via the communication network 14 (S016). When the server 10 receives the data indicating the voting amount (S017), the vote acceptance flow ends at that point.

[0081] The voting information received by the server 10, specifically, the predicted voting content indicated by the data received in step S010 and the voting amount indicated by the data received in step S017, are compiled into one record of voting information and stored in the memory 22 or the storage 24.

[0082] (Decision flow) The judgment flow is mainly executed by the computer constituting the server 10, and proceeds according to the flow shown in FIG. 11. More specifically, after the game GK is over (Yes in S021), the server 10 acquires the performance value of each player in the game GK, more specifically, the value of the points scored during the game, for each player (S022). There is no particular limitation on the method of acquiring the points of each player in step S022. For example, as described above, news on the results of the game GK, including the points scored by each player, may be obtained from an external server, and the points scored by each player in the game GK may be calculated based on the news.

[0083] The score values ​​of each player in the match GK are as shown in Fig. 9. Of the 14 players registered as players participating in the match GK, nine players, excluding "BBB", "CCC", "GGG", "TTT" and "VVV", scored goals during the match, and the server 10 recognizes these nine players as specific players.

[0084] The server 10 adds up the points of each player acquired in step S022 and the additional value corresponding to each player, and determines the ranking of each player in the match Gk (S023). At this time, the server 10 reads out the additional values ​​of the players participating in the match Gk of the kth round from the vote memory unit 35, calculates the additional value for each specific player who scored a goal, and determines the ranking of each specific player. In the case shown in FIG. 9, the player "EEE" is ranked first, the player "RRR" is ranked second, and the player "AAA" is ranked third.

[0085] Next, the server 10 specifies the predicted contents of the votes cast for the match GK (S024). Specifically, the server 10 reads out the voting information related to the votes cast for the match GK from the voting storage unit 35, and specifies the predicted contents from the read out voting information. Note that if multiple people have voted for the match GK, the server 10 repeats the steps (S024 to S026) from step S024 onwards the number of times equal to the number of votes.

[0086] Then, the server 10 compares the rankings of each player (specifically, each specific player) in the match GK determined in step S023 with the predicted contents of the votes specified in step S024, and determines whether the predicted contents of the votes are correct or not. That is, the server 10 determines whether the players predicted to be in the set rankings are correct or not (S025). After that, the server 10 determines the amount of dividends as a reward for the votes whose predictions are correct, according to the amount of the vote paid at the time of the vote (S026). Furthermore, the server 10 executes a process of paying back the dividends to the voters whose predictions are correct (S027).

[0087] When the above series of processes are completed, the flow for determining whether the match goalkeeper has been selected ends.

[0088] [summary] The information processing device of the present invention has a reception unit 34 that receives votes, an acquisition unit 37 that acquires the activity values ​​of athletes, and a hit determination unit 38 that determines whether the predicted content of the received vote is correct or not. The reception unit 34 accepts votes regarding predictions regarding the ranking of each athlete in a target sport in which multiple athletes (players) participate. The acquisition unit 37 acquires the activity value of each athlete in the target sport. The hit determination unit 38 determines whether the predicted content of the received vote is correct or not from the ranking of each athlete in the target sport, which is determined according to the activity value of each athlete in the target sport and the correction conditions for the activity value for each athlete. According to the information processing device of the present invention having the above configuration, adjustment conditions are set for the ranking of each athlete in a target sport, taking into account individual differences between athletes (specifically differences in physique, age, ability, experience, etc.). Then, the ranking of each athlete is determined based on the activity value adjusted by the adjustment conditions. With this mechanism, when voting on predictions regarding the ranking of each athlete in a target sport, each athlete can be treated more fairly, which increases the interest of voting. This can promote voting and related businesses.

[0089] The information processing device of the present invention may also have a reward granting unit. In this case, it is preferable that, when the predicted contents of the vote are correct, the reward granting unit 39 determines a reward according to the voting value paid by the voter when casting the vote, and grants the reward to the voter. By granting a reward to voters whose predicted contents of the vote are correct, it is possible to stimulate their motivation to vote, further increase the interest of voting, and further promote voting.

[0090] In addition, when an athlete whose activity value in the target sport satisfies a predetermined condition is determined as a specific athlete, the hit determination unit 38 may determine whether the predicted contents of the vote are correct or not based on the ranking of each specific athlete in the target sport determined according to the activity value of each specific athlete in the target sport and the correction condition corresponding to the specific athlete. By applying the correction condition to the activity value of the specific athlete who satisfies the predetermined condition, the ranking of each athlete in the target sport can be appropriately determined. To explain it in an easy-to-understand manner using the above embodiment as an example, it is possible to avoid a situation where a player who has not scored any points is ranked higher due to the addition condition (addition value).

[0091] In addition, the activity value of the athlete acquired by the acquisition unit 37 may be the performance value of the athlete in the target sport, and the correction condition may be an addition condition for the performance value. In this case, if the addition condition for the performance value of each athlete is set taking into account the individual differences between the athletes, the ranking of the athletes can be appropriately determined taking into account the individual differences between the athletes. As a result, each athlete can be treated more fairly, and the interest of voting for predictions regarding the ranking of each athlete is further increased.

[0092] The reception unit 34 may also notify a plurality of pre-registered athletes in a designable state, and accept votes indicating the designation result of the registered athletes who are expected to achieve the set ranking in the target event. In this case, voting can be made by designating the athletes who are expected to achieve the set ranking from among the plurality of registered athletes, making voting easier.

[0093] The information processing device of the present invention may also have a condition storage unit 32 that stores the modification conditions. It is preferable that the condition storage unit 32 stores the modification conditions set for each athlete according to the actual activity value of each athlete in the past competitions. In this case, the modification conditions applied to each athlete are determined according to the actual activity value of each athlete in the past competitions, and therefore the conditions appropriately take into account the individual differences between athletes. As a result, each athlete can be treated more fairly, and the interest of voting for predictions regarding the rankings of each athlete is further increased.

[0094] Furthermore, the information processing device of the present invention may further include an update unit 33 that updates the modification conditions stored in the condition storage unit 32. When a target sport is held in each of a plurality of unit periods (specifically, each stage) set within a predetermined period, the update unit 33 may update the modification conditions for each athlete for each unit period. In this way, the modification conditions are updated for each unit period (in other words, for each match), and are reflected in the rankings of each athlete that are determined according to the modification conditions. As a result, the interest of voting can be further increased.

[0095] The information processing device of the present invention may further include a warning unit 36 ​​that executes a warning process. In a case where voting is performed by designating athletes who are expected to achieve one of the ranks in the set ranking group in the target event, the number of people corresponding to the set ranking group, when the reception unit 34 receives a vote designating two or more athletes who have a predetermined relationship, it is preferable that the warning unit 36 ​​executes a warning process against the voter who made the vote. This makes it possible to warn the person (voter) who made the vote by designating two or more athletes who have a predetermined relationship, to call attention to the matter.

[0096] In the above configuration, the target sport may be a team sport in which two or more teams compete to see who can score the most points. In this case, the warning unit 36 ​​may execute a warning process to the voter when the acceptance unit 34 accepts a vote that specifies two or more athletes who meet the following condition (1): Condition (1): Two or more athletes belong to the same organization and have the same position in the match. In the above configuration, it is possible to inform the voter that a vote is disadvantageous to the voter. To be more specific, when a vote is made by designating multiple athletes of the same position from the same organization, one of the athletes may not be able to play in the match, or may play for a shorter time because he or she is substituted. Therefore, the possibility that the above-mentioned athlete will be ranked highly is low, and the accuracy rate of votes predicting that the athlete will be ranked highly decreases. In such a case, a warning process is performed to call attention to the voter's attention, thereby preventing the voter from suffering a disadvantage.

[0097] Furthermore, in the above configuration, it is preferable that the warning unit 36 ​​executes a warning process to the voter when the acceptance unit 34 accepts a vote specifying two or more contestants whose relationship satisfies the following condition (2). Condition (2): Two or more athletes belong to the same organization and are restricted athletes, which means that the number of athletes from each organization that can participate in a single match is limited, and the number of athletes who are restricted athletes exceeds a specified number. In the above configuration, as in the above configuration, it is possible to inform the voter that a vote is disadvantageous to the voter. To be more specific, if a vote is made by specifying more than a specified number of athletes who belong to the same organization and who are restricted athletes (for example, foreign athletes) whose number of participants in each organization in one game is limited to a specified number or less, the restricted athletes who exceed the number of participants cannot play in the game, or their playing time is shortened because they are substituted. Therefore, the restricted athletes who exceed the specified number are unlikely to be ranked high, and the accuracy rate of votes that predict the restricted athletes to be ranked high decreases. In such cases, a warning process is performed to call attention to the situation where the voter suffers a disadvantage can be avoided.

[0098] The information processing method of the present invention is characterized in that a computer accepts votes for predictions regarding the rankings of athletes in a target sport in which multiple athletes participate, the computer acquires the activity values ​​of each athlete in the target sport, and the computer determines whether the predictions of the accepted votes are correct or not based on the rankings of each athlete in the target sport, which are determined according to the activity values ​​of each athlete in the target sport and the correction conditions for the activity values ​​for each athlete. According to this information processing method, individual differences between athletes are taken into consideration when determining the rankings of each athlete in the target sport. As a result, when voting for predictions regarding the rankings of each athlete in the target sport, each athlete can be treated more fairly, which increases the interest of voting and promotes voting.

[0099] The information processing method of the present invention is realized by an information processing device alone, or by a combination of an information processing device and a user-side terminal (i.e., an information processing system). Here, the information processing device is composed of a computer, and may be, for example, a server computer for ASP (Application Service Provider), SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), or IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). In this case, the above-mentioned series of information processing (excluding input and display of information) is executed by the server computer, so that the user-side terminal only needs to input information to be handed over to the server computer and display information distributed from the server computer.

[0100] The program of the present invention is a program executed by a computer, and is characterized in that it causes the computer to accept votes on predictions regarding the rankings of athletes in a target sport in which multiple athletes participate, acquire the activity values ​​of each athlete in the target sport, and determine whether the predictions of the accepted votes are correct or not based on the rankings of each athlete in the target sport that are determined according to the activity values ​​of each athlete in the target sport and the correction conditions for the activity values ​​for each athlete. By executing such a program on a computer, it becomes possible to treat each athlete more fairly when voting on predictions regarding the rankings of each athlete in the target sport. As a result, the interest of voting is increased, and voting can be promoted.

[0101] The above-mentioned program may be obtained by reading it from a computer-readable recording medium, or may be obtained by receiving (downloading) it via a network such as the Internet or an intranet.

[0102] [Other embodiments] Although the information processing device, the information processing method, and the program of the present invention have been described above using specific examples, the above-described embodiment is merely an example, and other embodiments are also possible.

[0103] In the above embodiment, the server 10 functions as the information processing device of the present invention, but some of the functions of the server 10 may be provided in the user terminal 12. For example, the warning unit 36 ​​may be provided in the user terminal 12. In that case, if a voter specifies two or more players who meet the above-mentioned condition (1) or (2) when placing a vote, a warning process is executed on the user terminal 12 side to the voter, and a warning message, warning sound, or the like is output.

[0104] In the above embodiment, it is assumed that voting for the target sport is performed before the start of the sport, specifically, by the start of the sport, but this is not limited to this. For example, voting for the ranking of each athlete in the sport may be performed during the time period from the start of the sport to the end of the sport (i.e., during the sport).

[0105] In the above embodiment, the addition conditions as the correction conditions are set based on the actual activity values ​​of each player in past games, specifically, the average playing time and average points per game, but are not limited to this. For example, the addition conditions of each player may be set based on the career, age, physique, and position during the game of each player. Alternatively, the addition conditions of each player may be set based on the number of times the player has ranked high based on points (i.e., the number of games in which the player has ranked high in the points ranking). [Explanation of symbols]

[0106] 10 Server (information processing device, computer) 12 User terminal 14 Communication Networks 21 Processors 22 Memory 23 Communication Interface 24 Storage 25 Input Devices 26 Output Devices 27 Bus 31 Player information storage section 32 Condition memory section 33 Update section 34 Reception Department 35 Voting memory 36 Warning section 37 Acquisition Department 38 Hit judgment section 39 Reward Department B1, B2, B3, B4 Voting format selection button B5 Voting Buttons B6 Confirm button S Voting System

Claims

1. A reception unit that receives votes regarding predictions regarding the rankings of athletes in a target event in which a plurality of athletes participate; An acquisition unit that acquires an activity value of each of the athletes in the target sport; a hit determination unit that determines whether or not the predicted content of the received vote is a hit based on the ranking of each of the athletes in the target event, which is determined according to the activity value of each of the athletes in the target event and a correction condition for the activity value for each of the athletes; 13. An information processing device comprising:

2. 2. The information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a reward granting unit that, if the predicted content of the vote turns out to be correct, determines a reward according to a voting value paid by the voter when the voter casts the vote, and grants the reward to the voter.

3. In the case where the athlete whose activity value in the target sport satisfies a predetermined condition is determined to be a specific athlete, 3. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the hit determination unit determines whether the predicted content of the vote is correct or not based on the ranking of each of the specific athletes in the target sport, which is determined according to the activity value of each of the specific athletes in the target sport and the modification condition corresponding to the specific athletes.

4. The activity value is a performance value of the athlete in the target sport, The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the modification condition is an addition condition for the score value.

5. The reception unit is Notify multiple registered athletes in a selectable state, The information processing device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a voting section configured to receive the votes indicating a designated result for the registered athlete whose ranking in the target event is predicted to be a set ranking.

6. a condition storage unit that stores the modification condition; The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the condition storage unit stores the modification conditions set for each of the athletes according to the actual activity values ​​of each of the athletes in past competitions.

7. an update unit that updates the modification conditions stored in the condition storage unit; The information processing device according to claim 6 , wherein, when the target event is held in each of a plurality of unit periods set within a predetermined period, the update unit updates the modification conditions for each of the athletes for each unit period.

8. When the voting is performed by designating the athletes who are expected to achieve a rank in the target event within a set ranking group, the number of the designated athletes corresponds to the set ranking group, 8. The information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a warning unit that, when the acceptance unit accepts a vote specifying two or more contestants who have a predetermined relationship, executes a warning process on the voter who placed the vote.

9. The target sport is a team sport in which two or more teams compete for the highest score, 9. The information processing device according to claim 8, wherein the warning unit executes the warning process against the voter when the acceptance unit accepts the vote specifying two or more athletes who have a relationship that satisfies the following condition (1): Condition (1): Two or more athletes belong to the same organization and have the same position in the match.

10. The target sport is a team sport in which two or more teams compete for the highest score, 10. The information processing device according to claim 8, wherein the warning unit executes the warning process against the voter when the reception unit receives the vote specifying two or more athletes who are in a relationship that satisfies the following condition (2): Condition (2): Each of the two or more athletes belongs to the same organization and is a restricted athlete for which the number of athletes that can participate in one match from each organization is limited, and the number of athletes that are restricted athletes exceeds a predetermined number.

11. The computer accepts votes regarding predictions regarding the rankings of athletes in a target event in which multiple athletes participate; A computer acquires an activity value of each of the athletes in the target sport; a computer determines whether or not the predicted content of the received vote has been correct based on the ranking of each of the athletes in the target event, which is determined according to the activity value of each of the athletes in the target event and a correction condition for each of the athletes with respect to the activity value; 23. An information processing method comprising:

12. A program executed by a computer, causing a computer to accept votes regarding predictions regarding the rankings of athletes in a target event in which a plurality of athletes participate; Acquiring an activity value of each of the athletes in the target sport by a computer; a computer is caused to determine whether or not the predicted contents of the received votes have been correct based on the rankings of the athletes in the target sports, which are determined according to the activity values ​​of the athletes in the target sports and the correction conditions for the activity values ​​for each of the athletes; A program characterized by:

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