Interview support device, interview support method, recording medium, and program

Abstract

To provide a system capable of effectively observing interviews conducted by a large number of sales representatives and others.SOLUTION: An interview support device comprises a control unit that performs display control by allocating a region on a screen for each ongoing interview and displaying at least a title of the interview and conversation text from the interview in each region.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an interview support device, an interview support method, a recording medium, and a program, and relates to techniques for observing and supporting interviews. [Background technology]

[0002] Interviews are conducted in various fields, including commerce, education, entertainment, recruitment, and more. For example, in commerce, interviews (business negotiations) are conducted between sales representatives and customers. Interviews are conducted face-to-face, but in recent years, online interviews via networks such as the Internet or telephone lines have also become common.

[0003] The following Patent Document 1 describes an interview support device that analyzes an analysis target in the voice of an interviewer who is interviewing an interviewee, and provides advice to the interviewer. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2023-054558 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, there are situations where a manager, such as a supervisor, wants to observe the content of an interview that is actually taking place. For example, in a commercial transaction, a supervisor can remotely observe a sales negotiation being conducted by a sales representative, and provide appropriate advice to the sales representative in real time. To achieve this, it is conceivable that the content of a sales negotiation conducted in a remote interview or face-to-face interview can be displayed on the manager's terminal device as text or images, making it possible to observe the content.

[0006] However, it is difficult for a manager with many subordinates to simultaneously observe the content of each of their sales negotiations. The more sales negotiations that are ongoing in parallel, the more difficult it becomes to know which ones to pay more attention to. This can also result in missing out on timely advice for important sales negotiations.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention provides a technique that enables a manager to appropriately observe a meeting between multiple people involved in a business negotiation or other such meeting. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The interview support device of the present disclosure includes a control unit that sets an area on the screen for each interview currently being conducted and performs display control to display at least the interview title and the conversation text from the interview in each area. A list of multiple ongoing interviews is displayed on the screen of a terminal device of, for example, a manager, etc. In this case, the display area for each interview displays both the title of the interview and the conversation text. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this technology, a list is displayed with the title of each interview displayed, allowing managers, such as supervisors, to easily recognize what type of interview each is, making it easier to observe the list screen. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram of an example of a system configuration including an interview support device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram of a face-to-face business negotiation. [Figure 3] 1 is a block diagram of an information processing device that serves as an interview support device according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a display example of an administrator screen according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a highlight display according to an embodiment. [Figure 6]FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a display when a negotiation voice is output according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a display when a message is input according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart of a process performed by the interview support device according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart of a process performed by the interview support device according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a table of identification information according to an embodiment. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating examples of messages displayed on a terminal of a person in charge according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The embodiments will be described below in the following order. <1. System configuration> <2. Configuration of information processing device as interview support device> <3. Processing example of interview support device> <4. Effects of the embodiment and variations>

[0012] In this disclosure, interviews include those conducted face-to-face, those conducted face-to-face via remote communication, and those conducted only verbally over the telephone. In the embodiment, an example of an "interview" is a "business negotiation" between a sales representative and a customer. A sales representative will be referred to as a "person in charge."

[0013] <1. System configuration> Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a system configuration including an interview support device 1 according to an embodiment and its peripheral devices. Personnel terminals 2A, 2B, and 2C, a manager terminal 3, a customer terminal 5, etc. are connected to the interview support device 1 so that data can be communicated with each other via a network 9. When referring to the personnel terminals 2A, 2B, and 2C collectively, they are referred to as "personnel terminal 2."

[0014] The interview support device 1, the staff member terminal 2, the administrator terminal 3, and the customer terminal 5 are configured as information processing devices equipped with a microcomputer having a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and ROM (Read Only Memory), and RAM (Random Access Memory). Specifically, the staff member terminal 2, the administrator terminal 3, and the customer terminal 5 are assumed to be personal computers, smartphones, tablet devices, etc. The interview support device 1 is assumed to be a computer device such as a personal computer or workstation, or a computer device such as a cloud server. However, it is also possible for an information processing device suitable for portability, such as a smartphone or tablet device, to function as the interview support device 1.

[0015] In this example, the interview support device 1, the staff member terminal 2, the manager terminal 3, and the customer terminal 5 are capable of mutual data communication via a network 9 such as the Internet. The communication transmission paths between the interview support device 1, the staff member terminal 2, the manager terminal 3, and the customer terminal 5 may be wired transmission paths, wireless transmission paths, or a combination of these.

[0016] The staff member terminal 2 is a terminal device used by, for example, a sales representative who negotiates business with a customer. In the figure, staff member terminals 2A, 2B, and 2C are distinguished from one another.

[0017] The person in charge terminal 2A is a general term for a plurality of terminal devices, such as a first terminal 2A1 and a second terminal 2A2, used by the person in charge. The first terminal 2A1 is, for example, a smartphone, and the second terminal 2A2 is, for example, a personal computer or a tablet device. The first terminal 2A1 and the second terminal 2A2 are capable of communicating with the interview support device 1 and the manager terminal 3 via the network 9, respectively.

[0018] In this case, it is assumed that a person in charge and a customer are negotiating face-to-face, as shown in Figure 2. The person in charge places a smartphone on the desk as the first terminal 2A1 and uses it to record the audio of the business negotiation. The first terminal 2A1 transmits the recorded audio data to the interview support device 1. A personal computer as the second terminal 2A2 is used to display the business negotiation materials, check and input the contract contents, etc. Messages and materials may be sent to the second terminal 2A2 from the administrator terminal 3 or the interview support device 1.

[0019] The person in charge terminal 2B is, for example, a personal computer or tablet device, and shows a case where the functions of the first terminal 2A1 and the second terminal 2A2 are executed by a single information processing device. For example, in a face-to-face business negotiation, the person in charge terminal 2B, a personal computer, records audio with a built-in microphone and transmits it to the interview support device 1. Messages and materials may also be sent to the person in charge terminal 2B from the manager terminal 3 or the interview support device 1.

[0020] The staff member terminal 2C represents a terminal device used when conducting online remote business negotiations with the customer terminal 5. In this case, the voice data of the interview sent and received online is also input to the interview support device 1. Messages and materials may also be sent to the staff member terminal 2C from the manager terminal 3 or the interview support device 1.

[0021] The distinction between the above-mentioned staff terminals 2A, 2B, and 2C is merely made to indicate different usage patterns of staff, and all of them may be information processing devices. Information about the business negotiation is sent from the person in charge terminal 2 (2A, 2B, 2C) to the interview support device 1. Specifically, this information includes image data of the business negotiation screen of the remote business negotiation and audio data of the business negotiation. The image data includes video and still images. It is assumed that the image data includes video of the faces of the customer and the person in charge. The audio data of the business negotiation is audio data of the conversation between the person in charge and the customer. In the case of face-to-face business negotiations, the voice of the business negotiations is recorded by a microphone built into the first terminal 2A1 or the person in charge terminal 2B. In addition, in the case of face-to-face business negotiations, images can be captured using a camera built into the first terminal 2A1 or the person in charge terminal 2B, or a separate camera, and image data of the business negotiations can be sent to the interview support device 1.

[0022] The manager terminal 3 is a terminal device used by a manager such as a supervisor of the person in charge. The screen (manager screen 40) of the manager terminal 3 displays an observation image 41 as shown in FIG. 4 etc. The observation image 41 displays a list of the business negotiations currently being conducted by each person in charge. As will be described in detail later, the manager can observe business negotiations between multiple people in real time using the observation image 41. Note that observable business negotiations are those for which at least voice data can be acquired in real time, and therefore include remote business negotiations for which voice data and image data can be acquired from the person in charge terminal 2, and face-to-face business negotiations for which voice data can be acquired from the first terminal 2A1 or the person in charge terminal 2B. Although not shown, telephone business negotiations can also be observed if the conversation voice is input into the interview support device 1.

[0023] The interview support device 1 performs processing to display an observation image 41, such as that shown in Fig. 4, on the manager terminal 3 based on the voice data about the ongoing business negotiation. It also performs processing to alert the manager terminal 3 about each business negotiation and to allow the manager to send a message to the person in charge. Details will be described later.

[0024] <2. Configuration of information processing device as interview support device> FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing device that can function as the interview support device 1.

[0025] 3, the information processing device includes a control unit 11, a ROM 12, and a RAM 13. The control unit 11 is configured, for example, by a CPU, and functions as an arithmetic processing unit that performs various processes, and executes the various processes according to a program stored in the ROM 12 or a program loaded from the storage unit 19 to the RAM 13. The RAM 13 also stores data necessary for the CPU to execute the various processes as appropriate. The control unit 11 may be configured by multiple CPUs, an AI (Artificial Intelligence) processor, or the like.

[0026] The control unit 11, ROM 12, and RAM 13 are interconnected via a bus 14. An input / output interface 15 is also connected to this bus 14.

[0027] An input unit 16 consisting of operators and operation devices is connected to the input / output interface 15. For example, the input unit 16 may be various operators and operation devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, keys, a touch panel, a touch pad, a dial, a remote controller, etc. An operation is detected by the input unit 16, and a signal corresponding to the detected operation is interpreted by the control unit 11.

[0028] Furthermore, the input / output interface 15 is connected integrally or separately to a display unit 17 made up of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) panel, etc., and an audio output unit 18 made up of a speaker, etc. The display unit 17 is used to display various types of information, and is configured, for example, by a display device provided in the housing of the information processing device, or a separate display device connected thereto.

[0029] The display unit 17 displays images for various image processing, moving images to be processed, etc. on the display screen based on instructions from the control unit 11. Furthermore, the display unit 17 displays various operation menus, icons, messages, etc., i.e., a GUI (Graphical User Interface), based on instructions from the control unit 11.

[0030] The input / output interface 15 may be connected to a storage unit 19 and a communication unit 20 . The storage unit 19 is configured with a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD), and stores various types of information. A database may be constructed in the storage unit 19. For example, a database required for processing as the interview support device 1 is constructed in the storage unit 19.

[0031] The communication unit 20 performs communication processing via a transmission path such as the Internet, and communication with various devices via wired / wireless communication, bus communication, and the like.

[0032] A drive 22 is also connected to the input / output interface 15 as required, and a removable recording medium 21 such as a memory card or optical disk is appropriately attached thereto.

[0033] The drive 22 allows data files such as programs used in various processes to be read from the removable recording medium 21. The read data files are stored in the storage unit 19, and images and sounds contained in the data files are output on the display unit 17 and the audio output unit 18. Furthermore, the computer programs and the like read from the removable recording medium 21 are installed in the storage unit 19 as needed.

[0034] In an information processing device having the above hardware configuration, for example, software for processing as the interview support device 1 of this embodiment can be installed via network communication by the communication unit 20 or via the removable recording medium 21. Alternatively, the software may be stored in advance in the ROM 12, the memory unit 19, etc. The control unit 11 performs processing operations based on various programs, thereby executing the information processing and communication processing required by the interview support device 1.

[0035] Although the above describes an example of an information processing device that functions as the interview support device 1, the person in charge terminal 2, the manager terminal 3, and the customer terminal 5 can also be realized by an information processing device with a substantially similar configuration.

[0036] Furthermore, the interview support device 1 is not limited to being configured with a single information processing device as shown in Fig. 3, but may be configured as a system of multiple information processing devices. The multiple information processing devices may be systemized using a LAN (Local Area Network) or the like, or may be located in a remote location using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) using the Internet or the like. The multiple information processing devices may include information processing devices as a server group (cloud) available through a cloud computing service.

[0037] When an information processing device is assumed to be the interview support device 1, the control unit 11 has the functions of an observation image processing unit 11a, a target interview processing unit 11b, and a support processing unit 11c, as shown in the figure. For example, these functions are realized in the control unit 11 by a program installed in the information processing device.

[0038] The observation image processing unit 11a has a function of converting each voice data of a business negotiation currently being conducted into text and performing processing to display a list of the data as an observation image 41 as shown in Fig. 4 on the manager terminal 3. To achieve this, the observation image processing unit 11a performs processes such as acquiring information about the business negotiation, such as the name of the person in charge and the title of the business negotiation, setting the display area for each business negotiation in the observation image 41, and converting the voice data of each business negotiation into text data.

[0039] The attention interview processing unit 11b is a processing function that determines which of the listed negotiations the manager should pay attention to, changes the display mode, and executes audio output. Specifically, the attention interview processing unit 11b monitors the utterance of specific keywords that have been input and set in advance by the manager, etc., and when a corresponding utterance is heard, it performs processing such as highlighting the corresponding negotiation frame 10 in the observation image 41, outputting the negotiation audio according to the manager's operation, and setting the output volume.

[0040] The support processing unit 11c is a function that performs processing for supporting business negotiations via the observation image 41. For example, the support processing unit 11c performs processing that enables the manager to input a message on the observation image 41 and processing that transmits an advice message from the manager to the person in charge terminal 2.

[0041] The interview support device 1 may have all the functions of the observed image processing unit 11a, the noted interview processing unit 11b, and the support processing unit 11c, or may have only some of the functions.

[0042] <3. Processing example of interview support device> The interview support device 1 performs processing to display an observation image 41 as shown in Fig. 4 on the administrator terminal 3. The observation image 41 in Fig. 4 shows an example in which eight business negotiations are currently underway, and the eight business negotiations are displayed in a list on the screen. The content of one business negotiation is displayed by a business negotiation frame 10, which indicates one area.

[0043] In each business negotiation frame 10, the name of the person in charge 39 and the business negotiation title 35 are displayed. The business negotiation title 35 may be a title that is set in advance by the person in charge for the business negotiation scheduled on the schedule, a title that is set at the start of the business negotiation, or a title that is automatically set by the interview support device 1 from the business negotiation information.

[0044] It is advisable to display the business negotiation title 35 so that it at least includes information indicating the customer. For example, "Meeting with Company X," "Business negotiation with Company X," "Business negotiation with Mr. / Ms. XX," "Business negotiation with Mr. / Ms. XX of Company X," etc. Additionally, the business negotiation title 35 should include information indicating more specific products and business details, such as "Business negotiation with X company for corporate insurance" or "Business negotiation with X company for X project."

[0045] The negotiation title 35 may also indicate the stage of the negotiation, such as "First negotiation with company X" or "Final negotiation with company X." Alternatively, the negotiation title 35 may indicate what are called negotiation phases as the negotiation progresses. The negotiation phases refer to the stages from the start of a business transaction to the conclusion (or failure) of a deal. For example, there are stages such as "approach," "issue identification," "proposal," "negotiation and decision-making," "informal acceptance and contract procedures," and "order won or lost." These negotiation phases vary depending on the product and industry, and may even differ between companies within the same industry. The negotiation title 35 may also include the start time and expected end time of the negotiation.

[0046] In the business negotiation frame 10, the conversation as the business negotiation content is displayed in text form, following the person in charge name 39 and business negotiation title 35. For example, within the frame, a customer's spoken sentence 36 is displayed on the left side, and a person in charge's spoken sentence 37 is displayed on the right side. In the figure, the "..." next to the spoken sentences 36 and 37 indicates that the spoken sentences during the business negotiation are displayed in text form.

[0047] A message button 44 is also provided in the negotiation frame 10 and can be operated by the manager. This message button 44 is used when the manager wants to send a message to the person in charge.

[0048] To avoid cluttering the diagrams, in Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, the symbols "35," "36," "37," "39," and "44" are only assigned to one negotiation frame 10 in the upper left corner, but the name of the person in charge 39, the negotiation title 35, the spoken sentences 36 and 37, and the message button 44 are similarly displayed in the other negotiation frames 10.

[0049] By displaying such an observation image 41 on the manager's terminal 3, the manager can observe the details of the business negotiations being conducted by each person in charge. However, when multiple business negotiations are being conducted simultaneously, it is difficult to know which business negotiation the manager should pay attention to. Therefore, the interview support device 1 highlights the business negotiations that the manager should pay attention to in the observation image 41, as shown in Figure 5. Figure 5 shows a highlighted frame 10H, which is a bold frame around the business negotiation frame 10. In practice, the highlighted frame 10H can be realized by using a different color from the other business negotiation frames 10, flashing, displaying with high brightness, or changing the frame display mode.

[0050] The interview support device 1 determines which negotiation frame 10 should be the highlight frame 10H based on the keyword input by the administrator. For example, the administrator inputs a keyword in advance on a predetermined setting screen provided to the administrator terminal 3 by the interview support device 1, and the interview support device 1 stores the keyword and uses it for highlight determination.

[0051] For example, if the manager wants to monitor a business negotiation that has received some kind of complaint from a customer, the manager inputs the keyword "I'm sorry" from the manager terminal 3. This causes the interview support device 1 to monitor each business negotiation to see whether the keyword "I'm sorry" itself or an utterance with the same meaning has occurred. Such an utterance, for example, a business negotiation in which the person in charge utters "I'm sorry," is displayed in a highlight box 10H as shown in Figure 5.

[0052] In addition, since utterances equivalent to keywords are monitored for each business negotiation, multiple business negotiation frames 10 may become highlight frames 10H. In addition, since keywords are set by the administrator, the administrator can simply select the words that appear in the negotiations they want to monitor. For example, if you want to monitor the moment a deal is about to be concluded, you can use words or phrases such as "We will confirm the contract details" as keywords, or if you want to monitor price negotiations, you can use words or phrases such as "discount."

[0053] By displaying a specific business negotiation in a highlight box 10H as shown in Figure 5, the manager can recognize that he or she needs to pay close attention to the content of the conversation in that business negotiation. In the example of Figure 5, the utterances corresponding to the keywords are also displayed as highlighted 37H, which makes it easier for the administrator to check the conversations before and after the utterances corresponding to the keywords.

[0054] In addition, the interview support device 1 outputs the audio of the business negotiation on the manager's terminal 3 in response to the manager performing a predetermined operation, such as placing the cursor 42 on the highlight frame 10H and performing a click operation. That is, the interview support device 1 transmits the voice data of the business negotiation that was clicked to the manager terminal 3, and outputs the business negotiation voice from a device such as a speaker or headphones on the manager terminal 3. This allows the manager to recognize the atmosphere of the business negotiation that he or she should pay attention to in real time from the actual voice.

[0055] When outputting the negotiation voice in this manner, the interview support device 1 displays a volume adjustment section 45 within the observation image 41 as shown in Fig. 6. For example, the volume adjustment section 45 is displayed within the highlight frame 10H, allowing the administrator to adjust the volume. For example, in the volume adjustment section 45 in the form of a slide bar, the manager can increase or decrease the volume of the negotiation voice being output by dragging the slider.

[0056] Since multiple business negotiations are taking place at different volumes, the volume levels of the business negotiation voices vary, and this is done so that the administrator can adjust the volume levels as desired. The interview support device 1 stores the volume level adjusted for a certain business negotiation in association with that business negotiation. The next time the audio for that business negotiation is output, the stored volume is set as the initial volume. This means that if the manager adjusts the volume for a certain business negotiation, the audio will be output at the adjusted volume even when the audio playback for that business negotiation is stopped and then resumed.

[0057] For example, suppose that when listening to the audio of the second business negotiation from the left in the top row as shown in Figure 6, the administrator increases the volume (e.g., from level 0 to level 100) from the initial value (e.g., level 50) to level 65. The level 65 is stored for this business negotiation. After that, assume that another negotiation frame 10 becomes the highlighted frame 10H, and the manager switches to outputting the negotiation voice for the highlighted frame 10H. In this case, the volume level is set to the initial value of level 50. Furthermore, suppose that the administrator subsequently performs an operation to return the audio output to the level of the first business meeting. At this time, the audio output is initially set to level 65, i.e., the volume that was previously adjusted. In other words, even if the manager listens to each negotiation voice while switching between them, the volume level of each negotiation voice will be maintained at the volume adjusted by the manager. Therefore, even if the volume level varies from negotiation to negotiation, the manager only needs to make minimal volume adjustments for each negotiation. This is extremely suitable for when the manager listens to multiple negotiation voices while switching between them.

[0058] Managers can understand the status of negotiations through the 10H highlight frame and negotiation audio, enabling them to provide appropriate advice to the person in charge. For example, when the manager operates the message button 44 in the negotiation frame 10, a message window 46 is displayed as shown in Figure 7, in which a message to the person in charge of the negotiation in that negotiation frame 10 is entered. The manager can enter any text into the message window 46. Specifically, the manager enters an advice message for the person in charge.

[0059] For example, a send button 47 is provided in the message window 46, and the administrator can input a message and press the send button 47. The interview support device 1 sends the input message to the person in charge terminal 2 in response to the operation of the send button 47.

[0060] An example of processing performed by the interview support device 1 for displaying the above-described observation image 41 will be explained with reference to Figures 8 and 9. These processes are examples of processing performed by the control unit 11 of the information processing device serving as the interview support device 1 using the functions of the observation image processing unit 11a, the interest interview processing unit 11b, and the support processing unit 11c shown in Figure 3. Note that in each figure, consecutive parts of the flowchart are indicated by "c1" and "c2".

[0061] 8 and 9 show the processing of the control unit 11 from the start to the end of one business negotiation. The control unit 11 executes the processing of FIGS. 8 and 9 in parallel for each business negotiation to generate an observation image 41 and provide it to the manager terminal 3.

[0062] For example, suppose that a person in charge uses the person in charge terminal 2A (first terminal 2A1 and second terminal 2A2) during a business negotiation. The person in charge will register the business negotiation schedule using a calendar function (a schedule management function realized by a calendar application) on the first terminal 2A1, such as a smartphone. Specifically, the person in charge will register the business negotiation title including customer information, the customer name (company name), start time, scheduled end time, etc., on the date and time of the business negotiation on the calendar function.

[0063] For example, this calendar function may be linked to a voice recording function for interview support. For example, when a salesperson starts a business meeting, they click on the scheduled business meeting that has been registered on the calendar function. This triggers the display of a recording start button on the first terminal 2A1. When the person in charge presses the recording start button, the first terminal 2A1 notifies the interview support device 1 that the business negotiation has started, and recording of the business negotiation voice and transmission of the voice data to the interview support device 1 are initiated.

[0064] The above is just one example, but upon receiving some kind of notification from the person in charge terminal 2, the interview support device 1 recognizes the start of the business negotiation and starts the process of FIG. 8 for that business negotiation. In step S101, the control unit 11 acquires information about the negotiation to be started. For example, the information acquired by the control unit 11 at this point includes the name and identification information (person in charge ID) of the person in charge of the negotiation, identification information of the negotiation (negotiation ID), information about the negotiation title, information about the product related to the negotiation, customer information, and information about the negotiation phase at the start of the current negotiation.

[0065] As described above, since the business negotiation title and the like are registered in the calendar function of the first terminal 2A1, the interview support device 1 can acquire this information through communication with the first terminal 2A1. Alternatively, this information may be input by the person in charge who starts the business negotiation from the person in charge terminal 2 (for example, the second terminal 2A2) and transmitted to the interview support device 1. Alternatively, the control unit 11 can automatically acquire the data from a company database based on the identification information of the business negotiation that is to be started. For example, the control unit 11 may acquire accumulated data from a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) server on the network as needed.

[0066] In this embodiment, the control unit 11 sets the information of the person in charge 39 and the negotiation title 35 to be displayed in the negotiation frame 10 based on the acquired information. The negotiation title 35 may be acquired from, for example, the first terminal 2A1, or may be generated by the control unit 11 based on the above-mentioned various acquired information.

[0067] After acquiring the necessary information and setting the person in charge name 39 and the negotiation title 35, the control unit 11 sets the negotiation frame 10 in step S102. That is, an area for the negotiation to start is set within the observation image 41. For example, the area of the new negotiation frame 10 is set in an empty area on the image, avoiding the number and arrangement of other negotiation frames 10 currently being displayed. Alternatively, for a newly started business negotiation, the business negotiation frame 10 may appear in a specific area, such as the upper left area in the observation image 41, and other business negotiation frames 10 that are already displayed may be shifted accordingly.

[0068] After setting the negotiation frame 10 for the negotiation to be started in step S102 as described above, the control unit 11 starts inputting voice data for the negotiation in step S103. For example, it starts receiving voice data in real time from the first terminal 2A1, etc. In the case of online negotiations, image and voice input from the person in charge terminal 2C and the customer terminal 5 will begin. Even in the case of face-to-face business negotiations, if possible in terms of the system, the interview support device 1 may also start inputting image data of the business negotiations in addition to voice data.

[0069] In step S104, the control unit 11 starts displaying the negotiation title 35 and the person in charge name 39 in the negotiation frame 10, converting the input voice data into text data, and displaying the corresponding spoken sentences 36 and 37 in text within the negotiation frame 10. After that, the conversation about the business negotiation that has started will be displayed as text on the observation image 41.

[0070] In step S105, the control unit 11 starts keyword determination for the business negotiation that has started. The control unit 11 analyzes the voice data or the text data converted from the voice data, and determines whether or not a keyword registered in advance by the administrator has been uttered. The control unit 11 also determines whether or not there is an utterance that is not the keyword itself but has the same meaning as the keyword. For example, the control unit 11 detects an utterance that has content equivalent to the keyword by vector search.

[0071] Vector search is a search technology that converts data such as text and images into numerical vectors and calculates the distance and similarity between these vectors. For example, it determines the affinity between text data of a customer's utterance and text data indicating keywords, and if the affinity is high, it determines that there was an utterance corresponding to the keyword. For example, for the keyword "I'm sorry," "Excuse me" and "Gomennasai" are detected as utterances with the same meaning.

[0072] Once the keyword determination is started as described above, the monitoring process from step S110 to step S117 in FIG. 9 is repeated until the negotiation is completed.

[0073] In step S110, the control unit 11 determines whether or not an utterance corresponding to a keyword has been detected by keyword determination. If an utterance equivalent to a keyword, that is, an utterance of the keyword itself or an utterance with the same meaning, is detected, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S120 and performs control to display this negotiation frame 10 as a highlight frame 10H.

[0074] In step S111, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the administrator has performed a click operation on the highlighted frame 10H. If an operation is detected, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S121 and starts processing for outputting the interview voice at the manager terminal 3. In this case, the control unit 11 transmits the interview voice data to the manager terminal 3, and controls the volume setting to the initial value, or, if the manager has previously operated the volume, to the value stored in step S122 in accordance with the volume operation.

[0075] It is conceivable that audio output will only be provided for negotiations in the highlighted frame 10H, but it is also possible to output negotiation audio for negotiation frames 10 that are not highlighted in response to an administrator's operation.

[0076] In step S112, the control unit 11 determines whether the manager has operated the volume while the volume adjustment unit 45 is displayed within the highlight frame 10H in response to the output of the negotiation voice. If a volume operation is detected, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S122, where it controls the output volume of the negotiation voice in response to the operation and stores the adjusted volume level. This is to use it as the initial value when starting to output the negotiation voice for the next negotiation.

[0077] In step S113, the control unit 11 determines whether or not to start outputting a voice for another business negotiation while outputting the business negotiation voice, for example, whether or not it has been detected that the manager has clicked on another highlight frame 10H. In this case, the control unit 11 starts outputting the negotiation voice for the other negotiation in step S121 of the process in Fig. 8, and ends output of the currently output negotiation voice in step S123. In other words, the control unit 11 switches the voice data to be sent to the manager terminal 3 to the other negotiation voice.

[0078] 9, the control unit 11 determines whether a message input operation, i.e., an operation of the message button 44, has been performed in the negotiation frame 10 or the highlight frame 10H. If a message input operation has been performed, the control unit 11 performs control in step S124 to display the message window 46 and to display a message in response to the character input.

[0079] In step S115, the control unit 11 determines whether a message sending operation has been performed, i.e., whether the send button 47 has been operated. If a message sending operation has been performed, the control unit 11 acquires destination information for the person in charge of this negotiation in step S125. For example, the interview support device 1 stores the identification information of the first terminal 2A1, the identification information of the second terminal 2A2, and the negotiation ID in association with the person in charge ID using table data such as that shown in FIG. The control unit 11 has acquired the person in charge ID and the negotiation ID for the negotiation being processed in step S101, and can therefore determine the first terminal 2A1 and the second terminal 2A2 for the person in charge from this table data. For example, the control unit 11 selects the second terminal 2A2 as the destination of the message, rather than the first terminal 2A1 that is recording the negotiation voice.

[0080] Then, in step S126, the control unit 11 transmits the message written in the message window 46 to the second terminal 2A2. It is preferable that the message content is not directly displayed when the message is sent. For example, a screen 25 of the second terminal 2A2 is shown in FIG.

[0081] During the negotiation, for example, as shown in the upper part of FIG. 11, a negotiation material 26 is displayed on the screen 25 of the second terminal 2A2. When a message is sent, only the incoming call notification 23 is displayed, as shown in the middle of Fig. 11. Then, in response to an operation by the person in charge, such as clicking on the incoming call notification 23, the message content 24 is displayed, as shown in the bottom of Fig. 11. In this way, even if the customer and the person in charge are looking at screen 25 together, the person in charge can timely click on incoming call notification 23 to prevent the customer from seeing the message content.

[0082] Such gradual display of messages may be performed by the incoming call settings on the second terminal 2A2 side. Alternatively, gradual display can also be achieved by having the interview support device 1 first notify the second terminal 2A2 only of the existence of a message, causing the second terminal 2A2 to display incoming call notification 23, and then sending message content 24 to the second terminal 2A2 in response to an operation.

[0083] In step S116 of FIG. 9, the control unit 11 determines whether to end the highlight frame 10H. For example, if a manager checks the business negotiation in the highlight frame 10H or listens to the business negotiation audio and determines that gazing at the highlight frame 10H is no longer necessary, the control unit 11 can perform a predetermined end operation. For example, the end operation may be a predetermined operation such as double-clicking the highlight frame 10H. Alternatively, an end button may be displayed within the highlight frame 10H, and this operation may be the end operation. When such an operation is detected, the control unit 11 ends the highlighting and returns the frame to the normal display mode of the negotiation frame 10. The control unit 11 can also analyze the interview voice and images and determine whether the negotiation situation has settled down, thereby automatically determining the end of the highlight frame 10H and ending the highlight frame 10H.

[0084] In step S117, the control unit 11 determines whether the negotiation to be processed has ended. For example, the control unit 11 determines whether the negotiation has ended based on the end of voice recording by the first terminal 2A1 or an end notification from the second terminal 2A2 based on an operation by the person in charge. If the negotiation has not ended, the process returns to step S110 for this negotiation and continues the processing of FIGS. If it is determined that the negotiation has ended, the control unit 11 ends the display of the negotiation frame 10 for this negotiation in step S128. That is, the display process for this negotiation in the observation image 41 ends.

[0085] The control unit 11 performs the processes shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 for each ongoing business negotiation, so that the observation image 41 displays a list of ongoing business negotiations.

[0086] <4. Effects of the embodiment and variations> The above embodiment provides the following effects.

[0087] The interview support device 1 of the embodiment is equipped with a control unit 11 that sets an area on the screen for each ongoing business negotiation and performs display control so that at least the business negotiation title 35 and the conversation text for the business negotiation are displayed in each area. For example, the control unit 11 is equipped with the function of an observation image processing unit 11a. By displaying the business negotiation title 35 in the business negotiation frame 10 for each business negotiation, a manager or a superior can easily recognize in the observation image 41 what kind of business negotiation each business negotiation frame 10 is for.

[0088] In the embodiment, the control unit 11 performs control to highlight the interview in response to the detection of an utterance that corresponds to a preset keyword for the ongoing business negotiation. In other words, this is an example in which the control unit 11 has the function of the featured interview processing unit 11b. For example, when a person in charge utters an utterance such as "I'm sorry," the relevant negotiation frame 10 is highlighted as a highlighted frame 10H, thereby enabling the manager to easily recognize the negotiation that requires attention among the many negotiation frames 10. The utterances whose content corresponds to the keyword are the keyword itself or utterances that have the same meaning as the keyword.

[0089] In the embodiment, an example has been given in which the control unit 11 controls the output of negotiation voice in response to a predetermined operation for a negotiation highlighted on the screen using the function of the noted interview processing unit 11b. For example, when the manager performs an operation such as clicking on the highlight frame 10H, the audio of the business negotiation is played back on the manager terminal 3. In other words, the audio of the business negotiation can be monitored in real time. This allows the manager to accurately grasp the situation and atmosphere of the business negotiation, for example, when a person in charge is apologizing.

[0090] If it is possible to simultaneously output a video of the business negotiation on the manager's terminal 3, the video can also be output, allowing the manager to more accurately recognize the situation, including the expressions of the customer and the person in charge. In addition, in the embodiment, the volume of the negotiations in the highlighted frame 10H is played by a click operation or the like, but the negotiation audio may also be output by a specified operation for negotiation frames 10 that are not highlighted in the highlighted frame 10H.

[0091] In the embodiment, an example is given in which the control unit 11, using the function of the featured interview processing unit 11b, performs a process of adjusting the output volume of the negotiation voice in accordance with the operation, and also performs a process of storing the adjusted output volume setting as the initial volume setting for the next negotiation voice output in the interview. When outputting business negotiation audio, the volume output varies for each negotiation depending on the environment of the negotiation location, the voice volume of the person in charge and the customer, the audio recording environment, the type of equipment, etc. For this reason, the volume can be adjusted when the administrator listens to the business negotiation audio. Furthermore, by storing the volume setting for each negotiation, the next time the business negotiation audio for the same negotiation is listened to, the appropriate volume can be heard. For example, if an administrator listens to business meeting A, adjusts the volume, then listens to business meeting B, and then listens to business meeting A again, the audio for business meeting A will be heard at the volume that was previously adjusted. Although it is expected that the volume of each negotiation voice will vary, once the volume has been adjusted, there will be no need to adjust the volume again to start listening to the negotiation, and an observation screen that is easy to use for the administrator can be provided.

[0092] In the embodiment, the control unit 11 uses the function of the support processing unit 11c to perform control to enable message input for the business negotiation displayed on the screen in response to a specified operation, and an example is given in which, in response to a message sending operation, a message notification process is performed to a terminal device (e.g., the second terminal 2A2) different from the terminal device used to record the business negotiation audio (e.g., the first terminal 2A1). This allows the administrator to notify a person in charge who is having trouble with a customer complaint, for example. Furthermore, since there is a possibility that the customer may be able to see the message if the notification is sent to the first terminal 2A1, which is used to record the negotiation voice, the notification is sent to the second terminal 2A2. This allows the person in charge to see the message notification without the customer knowing. Therefore, this is suitable for face-to-face negotiations.

[0093] In the notification process, the second terminal 2A2 displays a message indicating that a notification has been received, and the message is displayed when the person in charge performs a predetermined operation. By not displaying the message on the screen of the second terminal 2A2 suddenly, the possibility that the customer will not see the message is reduced. 6, the message button 44 may be provided in both the highlight frame 10H and the normal negotiation frame 10, allowing a message to be sent to the person in charge of either negotiation, regardless of whether it is highlighted or not. However, the message button 44 may be displayed only for the negotiation in the highlight frame 10H, allowing a message to be sent to the person in charge of the highlight frame 10H.

[0094] In the embodiment, an example has been given in which the control unit 11 performs the message notification process based on information associating the identification information of a terminal device different from the terminal device used for recording the negotiation voice with the identification information of the person in charge. Table data such as that shown in Fig. 10 is prepared in advance for each person in charge as information that links the second terminal 2A2 that is convenient for sending messages during face-to-face business negotiations. This allows the interview support device 1 to send message notifications to the second terminal 2A2 that is different from the first terminal 2A1 used for voice recording.

[0095] In the embodiment, an example has been given in which the control unit 11 detects utterances having content corresponding to keywords by vector search using the function of the noteworthy interview processing unit 11b. For example, for the keyword "Sorry," vector search determines that "Excuse me" and "Gomennasai" are equivalent utterances. By treating equivalent utterances as equivalent to keywords in this way, it is possible to detect all business negotiations that should be highlighted in frame 10H.

[0096] In this embodiment, the negotiation title 35 includes the name of the other party in the negotiation. The negotiation title 35 displayed in the negotiation frame 10 of the observation image 41 includes the name of the customer, the company name, etc. This makes it easier for the administrator to recognize the negotiation content of each negotiation frame 10.

[0097] In the embodiment, an example has been given in which the control unit 11 acquires the negotiation title from the terminal device of the person in charge. For example, the person in charge may register the negotiation title along with the negotiation date and time in a calendar application on the first terminal 2A1. The interview support device 1 can display the negotiation title 35 in the negotiation frame 10 by acquiring information from such an application.

[0098] The program of the embodiment is a program that causes an information processing device to execute display control that sets an area on the screen for each ongoing business negotiation and displays at least the title of the business negotiation and the conversation text for the business negotiation in each area. The program further causes the information processing device to execute control to highlight the relevant business negotiation on the screen when an utterance corresponding to a predetermined keyword is detected during the ongoing business negotiation. The program also causes the information processing device to execute control to output a negotiation voice in response to a predetermined operation for the negotiation highlighted on the screen. The program also controls the information processing device to enable message input in response to a specified operation, and, in response to a message sending operation, executes a process to notify a terminal device other than the terminal device used to record the negotiation audio.

[0099] Such a program can realize an information processing device that executes all or part of the functions of the interview support device 1 described in the embodiment. For example, by downloading the program to a personal computer, portable information processing device, etc., the personal computer, etc. can be made to function as the interview support device 1.

[0100] Such a program can be recorded on a recording medium. The recording medium can be a hard disk drive (HDD) built into a computer or other device, a ROM in a microcomputer, a nonvolatile memory, or the like, and can be pre-recorded thereon. Alternatively, the program can be provided by temporarily or permanently recording it on a removable recording medium such as a memory card or optical disk. Furthermore, such a program can be downloaded from a download site via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet.

[0101] The interview support device 1 of the embodiment performs processing for observing business negotiations between a representative and a customer, but it can also be used to observe communication in fields other than so-called business negotiations, such as medicine, education, distribution, etc. For example, the technology of the embodiment can be applied to fields such as face-to-face or remote lectures, medical interviews, medical examinations, and interviews for various inquiries.

[0102] In addition, in FIG. 1, the interview support device 1 and the manager terminal 3 are described as separate information processing devices, but the function of the interview support device 1 may be provided within the manager terminal 3, for example. [Explanation of symbols]

[0103] 1 Interview support device 2. Personnel terminal 3. Administrator terminal 10 Business Negotiation Slots 10H highlight frame 11 Control section 11a Observation image processing unit 11b Featured Interview Processing Section 11c Support Processing Unit 35 Negotiation Title 36,37 Sentences 37H Highlight display 39 Name of person in charge 44 Message button 45 Volume control section 46 Message Window 47 Send button

Claims

1. A control unit is provided that sets an area on the screen for each ongoing interview and performs display control so that at least the title of the interview and conversation text from the interview are displayed in each area. Interview support device.

2. The control unit When an utterance corresponding to a preset keyword is detected during an interview, the corresponding interview is highlighted on the screen. The interview support device according to claim 1 .

3. The control unit For the interview highlighted on the screen, control is performed to output interview audio in response to a predetermined operation. The interview support device according to claim 2.

4. The control unit Regarding the output of interview voice, a process of adjusting the output volume according to the operation is performed, and a process of storing the adjusted output volume setting as the initial volume setting for the next interview voice output in the interview is performed. The interview support device according to claim 3.

5. The control unit For the interview displayed on the screen, control is performed to enable message input in accordance with a predetermined operation, In response to a message sending operation, a message notification process is performed on a terminal device other than the terminal device for recording the interview voice. The interview support device according to claim 1 .

6. The control unit A message notification process is performed based on information that associates the identification information of a terminal device different from the terminal device used for recording interview audio with the identification information of the interviewer. The interview support device according to claim 5.

7. The control unit Detect utterances that correspond to the keywords by vector search The interview support device according to claim 2.

8. The title includes the name of the person being interviewed. The interview support device according to claim 1 .

9. The control unit The title is acquired from the terminal device of the interviewer. The interview support device according to claim 1 or 8.

10. The information processing device An area is set on the screen for each ongoing interview, and display control is performed so that at least the title of the interview and the conversation text during the interview are displayed in each area. Interview support method.

11. A display control that sets an area on the screen for each ongoing interview, and displays at least the title of the interview and the conversation in each area, A recording medium on which a program to be executed by an information processing device is temporarily or permanently recorded.

12. A display control that sets an area on the screen for each ongoing interview, and displays at least the title of the interview and the conversation in each area, A program to be executed by an information processing device.

Images