Going-out promotion system and going-out promotion method

Abstract

To appropriately exhibit the effect of promoting going-out by holding an event.SOLUTION: A processor acquires first information on a subject's current position, second information on a base of use of public transportation, third information on an operation status of public transportation, and fourth information on an event held in a location that the subject can visit using public transportation. The processor also identifies a base of use according to the subject's current position based on the first and second information, identifies a recommended event to recommend to the subject based on the fourth information, identifies time information when using public transportation at the base of use according to the subject's current position in order to visit the location of the recommended event according to the time when the recommended event is held, based on the third information, and notifies the subject of the recommended event and the time information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system and a method for encouraging a subject to go out. [Background technology]

[0002] It is already known that subjects are encouraged to go out for purposes such as maintaining their health. Furthermore, technologies for promoting going out, particularly technologies that use information and communication systems to encourage subjects to go out, have been developed. One example is the invention described in Patent Document 1. In the invention described in Patent Document 1, events are held at various stores with the aim of motivating subjects (electricity consumers in Patent Document 1) to go out, and the subjects are notified of the events. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-102637 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In cases where a target person is notified of an event, as in the invention described in Patent Document 1, it is conceivable that the target person will use public transportation such as a bus or train to go to the event location. In this case, if the public transportation cannot be used at the right time (for example, if the target person does not make it in time for the bus or train to depart), there is a risk that the target person's intention to go to the event location, i.e., their motivation to go out, will be impaired, and as a result, the effect of the event in encouraging people to go out may not be properly achieved.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide an outing promotion system and outing promotion method that can appropriately utilize the effect of promoting outings by holding events. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The above problem is solved by the outing promotion system of the present invention, which is an outing promotion system for encouraging a subject to go out, and which comprises a first acquisition unit that acquires first information regarding the subject's current location, a second acquisition unit that acquires second information regarding public transportation bases, a third acquisition unit that acquires third information regarding the operation status of public transportation, a fourth acquisition unit that acquires fourth information regarding events being held in locations that the subject can visit using public transportation, a first identification unit that identifies the base of use corresponding to the subject's current location based on the first information and the second information, a second identification unit that identifies a recommended event to recommend to the subject based on the fourth information, a third identification unit that identifies, based on the third information, time information when using public transportation at the base of use corresponding to the subject's current location to visit the location of the recommended event according to the holding time of the recommended event, and a notification unit that notifies the subject of the recommended event and the time information.

[0007] The system for encouraging people to go out as configured above can notify the target person of the time to use public transportation (more specifically, the time when the target person will use public transportation at the public transportation access point) according to the time of the event recommended for the target person. This allows the target person to use public transportation at an appropriate time when heading to the event location, thereby ensuring that the effect of encouraging people to go out by holding the event is properly realized.

[0008] The system for encouraging going out of the present invention may further include a fifth acquisition unit that acquires fifth information related to a preparation time required for the subject to prepare to go out at the subject's residence. When the subject's current location is the subject's home, the third identification unit may identify time information corresponding to the preparation time based on the third information and the fifth information, and the notification unit may notify the subject of the recommended event and the time information corresponding to the preparation time. With the above configuration, appropriate time information can be identified taking into consideration the preparation time required for the subject to get ready to go out at home. This allows the subject to use public transportation at a more appropriate time when heading to the event location. As a result, the effect of encouraging people to go out by holding an event can be more appropriately realized.

[0009] In the outing promotion system of the present invention, the second acquisition unit may acquire second information for each type of public transportation, and the third acquisition unit may acquire third information for each type of public transportation. In this case, the first identification unit may identify a use base corresponding to the current location of the subject for the type of public transportation selected based on the subject's answers regarding the use of public transportation. Then, the third identification unit may identify time information when the type of public transportation selected based on the answers is used at the use base corresponding to the subject's current location. According to the above configuration, for example, the type of public transportation preferred by the subject can be selected as the public transportation to be used when the subject travels to the event location, and the subject can be notified of the time information when the subject will use that public transportation to travel to the event location. In other words, the subject can be notified of the time when the subject will use that public transportation based on the user's public transportation preferences.

[0010] The system for promoting going out of the home may further include a sixth acquisition unit that acquires sixth information related to at least one of the preferences and habits of the target person. In this case, the second identification unit may identify a recommended event based on the fourth information and the sixth information. According to the above configuration, recommended events can be determined taking into consideration at least one of the preferences and habits of the target person, thereby more efficiently encouraging the target person to go out by holding recommended events.

[0011] Furthermore, in the system for encouraging going out of the present invention, when the current location of the subject is a predetermined facility, the second identification unit may identify a recommended event corresponding to the location of the predetermined facility based on the fourth information. Furthermore, the system for encouraging going out of the present invention may further include a fourth identification unit that identifies return home time information, based on the subject's stay time at the recommended event location, when the subject uses public transportation at a usage base corresponding to the recommended event location to return home from the recommended event location. In this case, it is preferable that the notification unit notify the subject of the recommended event and the return home time information. According to the above configuration, when a subject is in a predetermined facility, for example, an event held in the vicinity is identified as a recommended event. Then, when the subject returns home from the location of the recommended event using public transportation, information about the return time can be identified based on the amount of time the subject spent at the location of the recommended event, and the information about the return time can be notified to the subject. This makes it easier for the subject to head from the facility to the location of the recommended event when the subject is in the predetermined facility, further encouraging the subject to go out.

[0012] Furthermore, the above-mentioned problem is solved by the outing promotion method of the present invention, which is a method for encouraging a subject to go out, in which a processor executes the following processes: a process of acquiring first information regarding the subject's current location; a process of acquiring second information regarding public transportation access points; a process of acquiring third information regarding the operation status of public transportation; a process of acquiring fourth information regarding events being held in locations that the subject can visit using public transportation; a process of identifying an access point corresponding to the subject's current location based on the first information and the second information; a process of identifying a recommended event to be recommended to the subject based on the fourth information; a process of identifying time information for using public transportation at an access point corresponding to the subject's current location based on the third information to visit the location of the recommended event according to the holding time of the recommended event; and a process of notifying the subject of the recommended event and the time information. According to the above method, the subject can use public transportation at the appropriate time when heading to the event location, so that the effect of holding the event in encouraging the subject to go out can be properly realized. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, the subject can use public transportation at the appropriate time when heading to the event location, and the effect of holding the event in encouraging the subject to go out can be appropriately achieved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing how a target person uses a service provided by a system for promoting going out according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a configuration diagram of a system for promoting going out according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating functions of a system for promoting going out according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a data processing flow for encouraging people to go out according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen when recommended information is displayed on a target user's terminal (part 1). [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen when recommended information is displayed on the target person's terminal (part 2). [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen that asks a subject about the priority of transportation use. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen when recommended information is displayed according to a modified example of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] <<About one embodiment of the present invention>> One embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiment) will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. This embodiment relates to an information communication system and an information communication method used for the purpose of encouraging a target person to go out. The "target person" is a person who is encouraged to go out by the technology of the present invention. The target person may be an individual, or may be multiple people such as a family or a group of friends.

[0016] In this specification, the concept of "device" includes a single device that performs a specific function, as well as a combination of multiple devices that are distributed and exist independently but work together (in cooperation) to perform a specific function.

[0017] Furthermore, the basic data processing technologies (communication / transmission technologies, data acquisition technologies, data recording technologies, data processing / analysis technologies, image processing technologies, visualization technologies, etc.) required to realize the contents of this embodiment are well-known technologies, and therefore explanations thereof will be omitted.

[0018] (Services available to the target person in this embodiment) In describing the outing promotion system according to this embodiment, a recommendation service provided by the system will be described with reference to FIG.

[0019] Recommendation services are provided with the purpose of encouraging users to go out, and specifically, they are services that send users information about upcoming events and transportation options to use to get to the event locations. An "event" is an occurrence that users can use / participate in by visiting the event location, such as a festival, a concert, or a sports game, a festival, a project, or anything that is conducted according to a set rule or schedule. Events may also include regular or regularly held events, such as special sales or time sales held at a store on a set date and time, sales of specialty products (specifically, the provision of freshly baked bread), and the provision of special menus at restaurants. Furthermore, "events" introduced by recommendation services may also include situations where there are few people (not crowded) and the facility can be used quietly.

[0020] In this embodiment, "transportation" refers to public transportation that can be used (ridden) at a base such as a station, bus stop, or taxi stand, and specifically includes buses, trains, taxis, etc. In the following, in order to provide more specific details, the explanation will be given assuming that the transportation is a bus.

[0021] When using the recommendation service, the subject installs an application program (hereinafter simply referred to as an app) for using the recommendation service on the subject's terminal 16. The subject may download the app from a predetermined website and install it on the terminal 16, or the app may be pre-installed on the terminal 16 when the subject purchases the terminal 16. The procedure for using the recommendation service is not limited to the above, and for example, the subject may access the download site for the app by reading a two-dimensional barcode, or may use a social networking service (SNS) to invite users to the recommendation service or induce them to register as users.

[0022] When a predetermined time arrives while the target person has the app running on terminal 16, information about an event recommended to the target person (hereinafter referred to as a recommended event) from among the events that can be introduced at that time, and information about the bus schedule to be used to visit the location of the recommended event, are displayed on the screen of terminal 16. The information about the recommended event includes the content, location, and duration of the recommended event. The information about the recommended event may also include information that the recommended event will soon end. Information about the event can be obtained, for example, from the event organizer (company). In this embodiment, the event organizer pays the recommendation service operating company a fee for having information about the event provided to the target person. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the presence or absence of payment, the source and destination of payment, etc. may be appropriately determined based on the operating form of the recommendation service, etc.

[0023] The time information regarding the bus to be used is time information when the subject uses a bus at a predetermined bus stop (corresponding to a base of use) to visit the location of the recommended event according to the time of the recommended event, and more specifically, is information about the time when a bus heading to the location of the recommended event stops at a predetermined bus stop, information about the time when the bus departs from a predetermined bus stop, and the bus stop closest to the location of the recommended event (i.e., the bus drop-off point), etc. Here, the predetermined bus stop is a bus stop that the subject uses to visit the location of the recommended event, which is in accordance with the subject's current location, more specifically, the bus stop that is closest to the subject's current location.

[0024] As can be seen from FIG. 1, the subject checks information about the recommended event and time information about the bus to be used (hereinafter, this information will be collectively referred to as "recommended information") on the screen of terminal 16. Then, the subject who is interested in visiting the location of the recommended event heads to a specific bus stop, as shown in FIG. 1, and heads to the location of the recommended event by taking the bus at the bus stop at the time indicated by the recommended information. This allows the subject to take the bus to the location of the recommended event at an appropriate time, which effectively encourages the subject to go out.

[0025] Furthermore, when a subject is in a facility such as a hospital or school (corresponding to a specified facility), the subject can use a recommendation service to view recommended events according to the location of the facility, specifically, recommended information about recommended events held near the facility. In this case, the recommendation information includes information about the time to take a bus to go home (hereinafter referred to as home time information). The home time information is information about the time when the subject takes a bus from the bus stop corresponding to the location of the recommended event to go home from the location of the recommended event, specifically, the bus stop nearest to the location of the recommended event. In this case, the bus used by the subject is a bus running toward the subject's home.

[0026] In this embodiment, the return home time information is set according to the target person's stay time (more specifically, the expected stay time) at the recommended event venue. In other words, the time when the target person takes the bus home is set taking into account the time the target person will spend at the event.

[0027] By viewing the recommended information, subjects in facilities such as hospitals and schools can learn about recommended events held near the facility and understand the expected return time, taking into account the time spent at the recommended event location. This can stimulate the subjects' motivation to participate in recommended events and more effectively encourage them to go out.

[0028] (Configuration of the system for promoting going out) Next, a system for encouraging people to go out according to this embodiment (hereinafter referred to as a system for encouraging people to go out 10) will be described with reference to FIG. The outing promotion system 10 is an information and communication system constructed to provide the above-mentioned recommendation service to subjects, and as shown in Fig. 2, is composed of a server 12, a database 14, and a subject's terminal 16. Note that there may be multiple subjects who use the recommendation service, but the following description will focus on one subject for ease of understanding. Therefore, although Fig. 2 shows one terminal 16, in reality there are a number of terminals 16 corresponding to the number of subjects.

[0029] Server 12 is an example of a computer and may be configured with a single computer or multiple computers distributed in parallel. Server 12 may also be a server for cloud services, specifically, a server for ASP (Application Service Provider), SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), or IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). In this case, when necessary information is input on the client device side, server 12 performs various processes and calculations based on the input information, and the calculation results are output on the client device side. This allows the functions of server 12 to be used on the client device side.

[0030] The terminal 16 is a device operated by the subject to use the recommendation service, and has the above-mentioned application installed. The terminal 16 may be a smartphone, tablet terminal, or laptop computer carried by the subject, or may be a home communication device (e.g., a home appliance or desktop computer capable of connecting to the Internet) installed in the subject's home. The terminal 16 is communicably connected to the server 12 via a network N such as the Internet or a mobile communication network. The terminal 16 transmits information required for the subject to use the recommendation service to the server 12. The terminal 16 receives information sent from the server 12, displays the information on the screen of the terminal 16, or outputs the information as sound from a speaker.

[0031] To explain the configuration of the server 12 in detail, the server 12 includes a processor 21, a memory 22, a storage 23, and a communication interface 24, as shown in FIG.

[0032] The processor 21 is composed of, for example, 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), or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The memory 22 is configured by semiconductor memories such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory).

[0033] The storage 23 is configured by, for example, a flash memory, an HDD (Hard Disc Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), an FD (Flexible Disc), an MO disk (Magneto-Optical disc), a CD (Compact Disc), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), an SD card (Secure Digital card), or a USB memory (Universal Serial Bus memory), etc. The storage 23 may be built into the main body of the server 12, or may be connected to the main body of the server 12 in an external form.

[0034] The communication interface 24 may be configured by, for example, a network interface card, a communication interface board, etc. The server 12 can communicate with the terminal 16 and other devices connected to the network N via the communication interface 24.

[0035] Furthermore, a program for an operating system (OS) and an application program for providing a recommendation service are installed as software in the server 12. These programs are read and executed by the processor 21, whereby the server 12 performs its functions and executes a series of processes for notifying target users of recommendation information as a recommendation service.

[0036] The database 14 stores information necessary for providing a recommendation service, and the server 12 can access the database 14 and read out the information stored in the database 14. The database 14 is configured with one or more storage devices, and the storage device may be the storage 23 of the server 12 or may be a device different from the server 12 (for example, an external database server). Unless otherwise specified, there are no limitations on the method of acquiring the first to sixth pieces of information (described below) stored in database 14 and the route (source) of acquisition of this information. For example, any method can be used without limitations as long as it selects an appropriate source based on the content and nature of each piece of information to be acquired and can suitably acquire each piece of information from the selected source.

[0037] The information stored in the database 14 includes basic information and first to sixth pieces of information. Each piece of information will be explained below. [basic information] The basic information is information about the subject, and is entered, for example, through a basic information input form that is displayed when the subject launches the app on terminal 16, and can be obtained by receiving the entered information via network N. The basic information includes the subject's name, gender, age, family composition, home address, and place of work. The basic information may also include information about the subject's behavioral patterns, such as habitual places to go (specifically, the hospital they visit) and the details of their activities on weekdays and weekends. The basic information may also include information indicating the bus stop used by the subject (for example, the bus stop closest to the subject's home). The basic information is acquired for each subject and stored in the database 14 in association with the subject's identification information (ID).

[0038] [First information] The first information is information relating to the current location of the subject, and more specifically, is location information indicating the current location of the subject. For example, if the subject carries terminal 16, the first information can be acquired by identifying the first information using a GPS (Global Positioning System) function installed in terminal 16 and receiving the information from terminal 16 via network N. Furthermore, if the subject is always at home, the subject's current location can be considered to be the subject's home address, and in that case, the first information relating to the subject's current location may be acquired by acquiring the above-mentioned basic information including the subject's home address. The first information is acquired for each subject, and is stored in association with the subject's identification information (ID) in the database 14. The first information is acquired periodically at an arbitrarily set acquisition interval, and if the most recently acquired first information differs from the information acquired previously, the first information stored in the database 14 is updated (overwritten) with the most recently acquired information.

[0039] [Second information] The second information is information about bus stops (corresponding to public transportation hubs), and more specifically, information indicating the location of each stop, the type of bus (including bus company, etc.) that passes through that stop, the route, etc. The second information is provided, for example, by bus companies or local governments, and can be obtained by downloading it from their websites, etc. The second information is acquired for each bus stop and stored in the database 14 for each bus stop.

[0040] [Third information] The third information is real-time information on the bus operation status, specifically, information indicating the bus's current route and current location. The third information is provided by each bus company, for example, and can be obtained by downloading it from the website of each bus company. Alternatively, the third information may be obtained by accessing a publicly known bus location system and from that system. The third information is acquired for each bus currently traveling and stored for each bus in the database 14. The third information is also acquired periodically at an arbitrarily set acquisition interval, and if the most recently acquired third information differs from the information acquired the previous time, the third information stored in the database 14 is updated (overwritten) with the most recently acquired information.

[0041] [Fourth information] The fourth information is information about an event being held at a location that the target person can reach by bus, and more specifically, is information indicating the date and time of the event, the location (if the location is a store, the address of the store), the content of the event, etc. The fourth information is provided, for example, by the event organizer (company) or the local government that has jurisdiction over the event location, and can be obtained by downloading it from their homepage, etc. Alternatively, the event organizer may send the fourth information using a communication means such as email, and the fourth information may be obtained by receiving it via network N. The fourth information is acquired for each event and stored for each event in the database 14. Furthermore, when a new event is planned, the fourth information for that event is generated and stored in the database 14. Furthermore, for an event that has finished or been canceled, the fourth information for that event may be deleted from the database 14.

[0042] [5th ​​information] The fifth information is information regarding the preparation time of the subject. The preparation time is the time required for the subject to prepare to go out at home (residence). Specifically, in the case of using a recommendation service, it is the time from when the subject receives the recommendation information to when the subject leaves home to go out. The fifth information can be acquired, for example, by inputting it through an input form for answering the preparation time that is displayed when the subject launches the app on terminal 16, and receiving the input information via network N. However, without being limited to this, for example, the fifth information may be acquired by analyzing information or data acquired by a camera installed in the subject's home or a GPS or the like of a device carried by the subject, and estimating the preparation time from the route the subject moves within the home. Alternatively, the fifth information may be acquired by determining the time from when the subject received the recommendation information to when the subject went out when participating in an event in the past. The fifth information is acquired for each subject and stored in the database 14 in association with the subject's identification information (ID).

[0043] [6th information] The sixth information is information about at least one of the subject's preferences and habits, and in this embodiment, it is information about both the subject's preferences and habits. However, without being limited thereto, the sixth information may be information about either the subject's preferences or habits. The subject's preferences are the subject's psychographic characteristics, specifically the subject's preferences, interests, and concerns regarding products, services, means of transportation, events, and other genres. The subject's habits are actions that the subject performs frequently or regularly, specifically the subject's behavioral habits (behavioral habits). The sixth information can be obtained, for example, by conducting a survey of the subjects and obtaining their responses. The survey may be conducted by having the subjects launch an app on terminal 16 and answer the survey through the app, or by having the subjects access a predetermined website and answer the survey on that website. Alternatively, the sixth information may be obtained by distributing questionnaires to the subjects, having them fill out responses to the survey questions on the questionnaire, and then collecting the completed questionnaires and digitizing the responses written on the questionnaires. Alternatively, the sixth information may be obtained by collecting information on the behavioral history of the subjects (e.g., product purchase history, internet search history, etc.) and analyzing the collected information using a known trend analysis method. Alternatively, part of the basic information described above, particularly information on the subjects' behavior, may be used as the sixth information. The sixth information is acquired for each subject and stored in the database 14 in association with the subject's identification information (ID).

[0044] (Functions of the outing promotion system according to this embodiment) Next, the configuration of the outing promotion system 10 according to this embodiment will be described again from a functional perspective. As shown in Fig. 3, the server 12, which constitutes the main part of the outing promotion system 10, has a first acquisition unit 31, a second acquisition unit 32, a third acquisition unit 33, a fourth acquisition unit 34, a fifth acquisition unit 35, a sixth acquisition unit 36, a basic information acquisition unit 37, a first identification unit 38, a second identification unit 39, a third identification unit 40, a fourth identification unit 41, and a notification unit 42. These functional units are realized by cooperation between the aforementioned hardware devices included in the server 12 and a program (i.e., software) installed in the server 12. Each functional unit will be described below.

[0045] [1st to 6th Acquisition Units and Basic Information Acquisition Unit] The first acquisition unit 31 acquires the first information for each target person, and the second acquisition unit 32 acquires the second information for each bus stop. The third acquisition unit 33 acquires the third information for each running bus, and the fourth acquisition unit 34 acquires the fourth information for each event. The fifth acquisition unit 35 acquires the fifth information for the target person. The sixth acquisition unit 36 ​​acquires the sixth information for each target person, and the basic information acquisition unit 37 acquires the basic information for each target person. The information acquired by each acquisition unit is stored and accumulated in the database 14.

[0046] [First specific part] The first identification unit 38 reads out the first information and the second information stored in the database 14, and based on the read out information, identifies a bus stop according to the current location of the subject, specifically, the nearest bus stop from the current location of the subject. Multiple nearest bus stops may be set based on the current location of the subject, and in this case, the nearest bus stop may be set taking into account the recommended event identified by the second identification unit 39.

[0047] [Second Specific Part] The second identification unit 39 reads the fourth information and sixth information stored in the database 14 and identifies recommended events to be recommended to the subject based on the read information. The procedure for identifying recommended events is not particularly limited, but for example, based on the fourth information, one or more events that are held in an area within a predetermined distance from the subject's current location and that will be held within a predetermined time from the current time are identified. If one event is identified, that event becomes the recommended event. If two or more events are identified, the subject's preferences and habits are identified based on the sixth information, and an event that matches at least one of the subject's preferences and habits is selected from the two or more events. Matching the subject's preferences / habits with events may be performed using a known matching method that is used when proposing recommended products / services based on customer preferences in e-commerce, etc.

[0048] Furthermore, if the subject's current location is a predetermined facility such as a hospital or a school, the second identification unit 39 reads out the fourth information and sixth information stored in the database 14, and identifies recommended events to be held near the location of the facility based on the read out information. In this case, the second identification unit 39 identifies recommended events in the same manner as described above.

[0049] [Third Specific Part] The third identification unit 40 reads the third information stored in the database 14 and, based on the read information, identifies time information regarding the bus to be used, i.e., time information when the subject will use a bus at a predetermined bus stop to visit the location of the recommended event according to the recommended event's holding time. In identifying the time information regarding the bus to be used, the third identification unit 40 identifies, among the bus stops identified by the first identification unit 38, a bus stop heading to the location of the recommended event as the predetermined bus stop. Thereafter, the third identification unit 40 identifies a bus that passes through the predetermined bus stop, i.e., the subject's bus, based on the third information, and further identifies the operating status of the bus to be used, specifically the current location and traveling speed of the bus to be used.

[0050] Then, the third identification unit 40 identifies, from the operation status of the identified bus, the time when the bus arrives at a specified bus stop and the time when the bus departs from the specified bus stop, i.e., the arrival and departure times of the bus at the specified bus stop, as time information related to the bus.

[0051] Furthermore, when the current location of the subject is the subject's home (residence), the third identification unit 40, when identifying time information related to the bus to be used, reads out the fifth information stored in the database 14 and identifies the subject's preparation time based on the read out information. The third identification unit 40 then identifies time information taking the identified preparation time into consideration. That is, the third identification unit 40 identifies, based on the third information and the fifth information, time information related to the bus to be used that corresponds to the subject's preparation time. The time information corresponding to the subject's preparation time is calculated backward from the subject's preparation time to determine the optimal time for the subject to head to a specified bus stop, and is the arrival and departure times of buses available at the specified bus stop after that time, more specifically, buses heading to the location of the recommended event.

[0052] [4th specific part] When the current location of the subject is a predetermined facility such as a hospital or a school, and the second identification unit 39 has identified a recommended event to be held near the location of the facility, the fourth identification unit 41 identifies the above-mentioned home-coming time information. In identifying the home-coming time information, the fourth identification unit 41 reads out the second information stored in the database 14, and based on the read out information, identifies a bus stop corresponding to the location of the recommended event, more specifically, a bus stop near the location of the recommended event.

[0053] Furthermore, the fourth identification unit 41 identifies the length of time the subject stayed at the location of the recommended event. As a method for identifying the length of time the subject stayed, for example, the sixth information stored in the database 14 may be read, the subject's preferences and behavioral habits may be identified based on the read information, and the length of time the subject stayed may be identified (strictly speaking, estimated) from the identified information. Alternatively, when the subject has launched an app on the terminal 16, the fourth identification unit 41 may inquire about the length of time the subject stayed through the app and obtain a response from the subject, thereby identifying the length of time the subject stayed.

[0054] The fourth identification unit 41 then identifies time information when the subject will use a bus at a bus stop near the location of the recommended event to return home from the event location, i.e., home time information, according to the subject's stay time at the event location. The home time information according to the subject's stay time is calculated by back-calculating from the subject's stay time to the time that is best for the subject to head to a bus stop near the location of the recommended event, and is the departure and arrival times of buses that are available at the bus stop after that time, more specifically, buses heading towards the subject's home.

[0055] [Notification Department] The notification unit 42 notifies the target person of recommendation information including information on the recommended event identified by the second identification unit 39 and time information on the bus to be used identified by the third identification unit 40. Specifically, the notification unit 42 generates output data of the recommendation information and transmits it to the target person's terminal 16. Upon receiving the output data via the network N, the target person's terminal 16 expands the data and outputs the recommendation information, specifically, by displaying the recommendation information on a screen or emitting a sound representing the recommendation information. The destination of the output data of the recommendation information is identified based on the target person's basic information.

[0056] When notifying the target person of the recommended information, information about the recommended event and time information about the bus to be used may be notified together (simultaneously). However, this is not limited to this, and the target person may be notified of information about the recommended event first, and then the target person's intention as to whether or not to go to the recommended event may be confirmed, and if the target person goes to the recommended event, time information about the bus to be used may be notified to the target person.

[0057] In addition, in this embodiment, in order to encourage the subject to go out, the notification unit 42 notifies the subject of the recommended information by a push method. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the notification of the recommended information may be by a pull method, that is, the recommended information may be notified to the subject when the subject starts an app on the terminal 16 and requests the recommended information through the app.

[0058] Regarding the information on the recommended event, the fourth information of the recommended event is read from the database 14, and information that is important to the subject (for example, the location, date and time of the event, and content, etc.) is extracted from the read information, and the extracted information is included in the recommendation information as information on the recommended event. In this case, the subject may be able to specify the items and types of information to be included in the recommendation information by operating the terminal 16, and in such a configuration, the information specified by the subject is notified as the recommendation information.

[0059] Furthermore, if the current location of the subject is a predetermined facility such as a hospital or a school, and the second identification unit 39 identifies a recommended event to be held near the location of the facility, the notification unit 42 notifies the subject of recommendation information including information on the recommended event and information on the time of return home identified by the fourth identification unit 41. The method of notifying the recommendation information in this case is the same as the notification method described above.

[0060] (Regarding the outing promotion flow according to this embodiment) Next, a going out promotion flow, which is a data processing flow using the above-described going out promotion system 10, will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0061] The outing promotion flow employs the outing promotion method of the present invention and proceeds along the flow shown in Figure 4. In other words, each step in the flow shown in Figure 4 corresponds to each element constituting the outing promotion method of the present invention. The flow shown in FIG. 4 is merely an example, and unnecessary steps may be deleted, new steps may be added, or the order in which steps are performed may be changed, without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 4, the outing promotion flow is divided into two parts: an information acquisition flow and a recommendation flow. The information acquisition flow is a series of data processing steps performed before the recommendation flow is executed. In the information acquisition flow, the processor 21 of the server 12 executes a process (S001) of acquiring basic information and first information for each target person, and a process (S002) of acquiring second information for each bus stop. The frequency of these processes is not particularly limited, and may be executed periodically, for example, once every year or every few years.

[0063] In the information acquisition flow, the processor 21 also executes a process of acquiring the third information for each traveling bus (S003). This process is executed almost in real time, for example, at intervals of one minute or several minutes. Furthermore, in the information processing flow, processor 21 executes a process of acquiring the fourth information for each event (S004). The frequency of this process is not particularly limited, but may be executed periodically, for example, once every hour or every few hours. Furthermore, in the information processing flow, processor 21 executes a process of acquiring fifth information and a process of acquiring sixth information for each subject (S005, S006). The frequency of these processes is not particularly limited, but may be executed periodically, for example, once every year or every few years. The various information acquired in each step is stored and accumulated in the database 14.

[0064] The recommendation flow is a series of data processes for notifying the target person of recommended information, and is triggered when the target person launches the app on terminal 16 (including when the app is running in the background). Note that, when the recommendation flow is implemented, the app is installed on the target person's terminal 16, and basic information, etc. has already been entered through the app. Furthermore, while the recommendation flow is being carried out, the application is running on the terminal 16, and the current location of the target person is constantly being measured by the GPS function of the terminal 16 or the like. Below, the target person will be referred to as "Mr. A," and the recommendation flow will be specifically explained using a specific example of a case in which recommended information is notified to Mr. A at home.

[0065] In the recommendation flow, the processor 21 of the server 12 reads out the first information and the second information stored in the database 14, and identifies the bus stop closest to the home of person A based on the read information (S007). The processor 21 also reads out the fourth information and the sixth information stored in the database 14, and identifies a recommended event to be recommended to person A based on the read information (S008). Here, the recommended event is an event held at a place that person A can visit by bus, specifically, at store F, a bakery in a neighboring town, for example, an event where freshly baked bread is sold at store F.

[0066] In step S008, the processor 21 identifies the time when the recommended event will be held, specifically, the start time of the recommended event, from the fourth information related to the recommended event. In the following, a case will be described in which the start time of the recommended event is assumed to be 14:40.

[0067] Processor 21 reads out the third information stored in database 14 and identifies time information related to the bus to be used based on the read out information (S009). In step S009, first, of the bus stops identified in step S007, a bus stop heading to the neighborhood of store F is identified as a predetermined bus stop (hereinafter, bus stop K). Processor 21 then identifies the bus that passes through bus stop K, i.e., the bus that person A will use to visit store F, based on the third information, and further identifies the operating status of the bus to be used, specifically the current location and traveling speed of the bus to be used, etc.

[0068] Then, processor 21 determines, from the operating status of the identified bus to be used, the time when the bus to be used will arrive at bus stop K and the time when the bus will depart from bus stop K. When determining the time information related to the bus to be used, processor 21 also reads out the fifth information stored in database 14, and determines the preparation time required for person A to get ready to go out based on the read out information. Then, third determination unit 40 determines the time information related to the bus to be used, taking into account the determined preparation time.

[0069] To provide a more detailed explanation of the bus time information, we will use an example in which the time it takes for person A to get ready to go out is 15 minutes, the time it takes for person A to get from his home to bus stop K is 3 minutes, and the time it takes for person A to get from the bus stop closest to store F to store F is 5 minutes. For example, if buses depart from bus stop K for the area surrounding store F between 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM at 2:05 PM, 2:15 PM, 2:37 PM, and 2:50 PM, and Mr. A wants to make it to the start time of the recommended event (2:40 PM) and arrive at store F as close to that start time as possible, then 2:15 PM is identified as the time information for the bus to be used, calculated backwards from the preparation time and the travel time to bus stop K or store F.

[0070] Thereafter, processor 21 notifies person A of recommendation information including information on the recommended event identified in step S008 and time information on the bus to be used identified in step S009 (S010). Specifically, processor 21 generates output data of the recommendation information and transmits it to terminal 16 of person A.

[0071] More specifically, processor 21 first notifies person A of information related to the recommended event. As a result, the recommended event and its start time are displayed on person A's terminal 16, as shown in Fig. 5. The timing for notifying information related to the recommended event should be set appropriately taking into consideration the start time of the recommended event, person A's home address, the time required for person A to get from his home to bus stop K, the preparation time required for person A to get ready to go out, the bus ride time, and the travel time from the bus stop closest to store F to store F, etc. When notifying information about a recommended event, fourth information about the event will be provided by store F, and the timing of this information provision should be set to an appropriate time so that information about the recommended event is notified at an appropriate time.

[0072] Then, after checking the information about the recommended event, if person A wishes to go to the recommended event, he / she presses a button indicating that he / she will go to the recommended event on the screen shown in FIG. 5 (the button marked "Yes" in the figure). In this case, processor 21 notifies person A of time information about the bus to be used. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, the time when the bus departs from bus stop K toward the neighborhood of store F is displayed on person A's terminal 16. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, it is preferable that the name of the bus stop corresponding to the bus disembarking location, specifically the bus stop closest to store F, is displayed, and the expected arrival time at the bus stop as the disembarking location may also be displayed. Furthermore, the screen of terminal 16 may notify information about the bus that person A will use to go home from store F, specifically the location of the bus stop closest to store F, and the departure time of the bus from that stop to the bus stop near person A's home.

[0073] When the above series of steps are completed, the recommendation flow for notifying information about one recommended event ends. Explaining the flow thereafter, after Mr. A gets on his bus to go to the recommended event (i.e., after purchasing freshly baked bread at store F), he returns home, starts the app on terminal 16, and inputs his evaluation and thoughts about the recommended event in an input form (not shown). The input information is transmitted to server 12 via network N, and server 12 stores the received input information in database 14. Server 12 also transmits the input information to store F, the organizer of the recommended event.

[0074] (Effectiveness of this embodiment) According to this embodiment, the target person can be notified of the time to use a public transportation bus, specifically, the time to use the bus at a specific bus stop to visit the location of the recommended event, depending on the time of the event recommended to the target person (recommended event). This allows the target person to use the bus at the appropriate time when heading to the location of the recommended event, making it easier to guide the target person to go to the recommended event. As a result, the effect of encouraging people to go out by holding the event can be appropriately achieved.

[0075] Furthermore, in this embodiment, recommended events are determined taking into consideration the preferences and habits of the target person, thereby more efficiently encouraging the target person to go out by holding recommended events.

[0076] The effects of this embodiment described above contribute to maintaining the health of the subject, and are particularly effective when the subject is elderly. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, public transportation (specifically, buses) are used as a means of getting to the recommended event, which can increase the utilization rate of public transportation. This can prevent the closure of bus routes due to declining utilization rates and avoid the disadvantages that bus users would suffer from the closure of bus routes.

[0077] <<Modifications of the present invention>> In the embodiment of the present invention described above, only one type of transportation (bus) is used when heading to the location of a recommended event, but multiple types of transportation may be available, such as buses, trains, taxis, and community vehicles. Below, as a modified example of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as a modified example), an embodiment in which multiple types of transportation are available when heading to the location of a recommended event will be described. In the following, the modified example will be mainly described with respect to the differences from the above embodiment, and the description of the contents common to the above embodiment will be omitted as appropriate.

[0078] In the modified example, similar to the above embodiment, the means of transportation is public transportation, but second information on transportation bases and third information on the operation status of the means of transportation are accumulated for each type of transportation in the database 14. In other words, in the modified example, the second acquisition unit 32 acquires the second information for each type of transportation, and the third acquisition unit 33 acquires the third information for each type of transportation.

[0079] In a modified example, the first identification unit 38 identifies a type of transportation selected from among a plurality of types of transportation based on the subject's response regarding the use of transportation (hereinafter referred to as the selected transportation). Specifically, the first identification unit 38 inquires of the subject about the priority of use (or more simply, their preference for transportation) for each of the plurality of types of transportation, obtains the response, and identifies, for example, the type of transportation with the highest priority as the selected transportation.

[0080] Inquiring the subject about the priority of transportation means may be done by displaying the inquiry form shown in Fig. 7 on the screen of terminal 16 while the subject is running the app on terminal 16. In this case, the subject may respond with the priority of each transportation means through the inquiry form. Furthermore, the method of selecting the selected means of transportation is not limited to the above method. For example, the first identification unit 38 may identify preferences regarding the use of means of transportation based on the sixth information, and select a means of transportation that matches the identified preferences as the selected means of transportation.

[0081] In the modified example, the first identifying unit 38 identifies a base of use for the selected transportation means according to the current location of the subject (specifically, a station if the selected transportation means is a train, or a bus stop if the selected transportation means is a bus). The third identifying unit 40 identifies time information when the subject uses the selected transportation means at the base of use to visit the location of the recommended event according to the time of the recommended event.

[0082] Thereafter, the notification unit 42 notifies the subject of the time information identified by the third identification unit 40 as recommendation information together with information about the recommended event. The time information notified at this time is the time information when using the selected means of transportation, that is, the means of transportation selected according to the priority answered by the subject (bus in FIG. 8), as shown in FIG.

[0083] As described above, in this modification, a transportation mode (selected transportation mode) that matches the preferences of the subject is selected, and the time information for using that transportation mode is notified to the subject. As a result, the subject's motivation to use that transportation mode to visit the event location can be effectively stimulated, and the effect of encouraging the subject to go out by holding an event can be more effectively demonstrated.

[0084] In a modified example, the number of types of transportation for which time information is notified to the subject is not limited to one, but may be multiple. In other words, time information specific to each type of transportation may be notified to the subject for each type of transportation. In this case, time information for transportation types with higher usage priority may be notified with higher priority than for transportation types with lower usage priority. For example, time information for transportation types with higher usage priority may be displayed on the screen of terminal 16 before time information for transportation types with lower usage priority (see FIG. 8).

[0085] <<Other embodiments>> While one embodiment of the system and method for encouraging people to go out of the home has been described above, the above embodiment is merely an example for facilitating understanding of the present invention and does not limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention naturally includes equivalents thereof.

[0086] In the above embodiment, recommended events are identified based on the fourth information and the sixth information, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be identified based only on the fourth information without using the sixth information. However, if the sixth information is used, recommended events can be more appropriately identified based on the subject's preferences and habits, and the effect of encouraging the subject to go out by holding an event can be more effectively exerted. In this respect, the above embodiment is more preferable.

[0087] In addition, in the above embodiment, the time information for the bus to be used is determined based on the third information and the fifth information, but this is not limited to this, and the time information may be determined based only on the third information without using the fifth information. However, if the fifth information is used, the time information for the bus to be used can be more appropriately determined taking into account the preparation time of the subject, so the effect of encouraging the subject to go out by holding an event can be more effectively exerted. In this respect, the above embodiment is more preferable.

[0088] In addition, some of the functions provided by the server 12 in the above embodiment (specifically, the first acquisition unit 31, the second acquisition unit 32, the third acquisition unit 33, the fourth acquisition unit 34, the fifth acquisition unit 35, the sixth acquisition unit 36, the basic information acquisition unit 37, the first identification unit 38, the second identification unit 39, the third identification unit 40, the fourth identification unit 41, and the notification unit 42) may be realized by a personal computer (PC) or workstation.

[0089] It should be noted that, with regard to the above-described multiple embodiments (including modified examples of each embodiment), elements and features of each embodiment may be combined as appropriate. In other words, the configuration of any of the above-described multiple embodiments may be applicable to the other embodiments, and the effects brought about by the configuration may be similarly achieved. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 10. System for promoting outings 12 Servers 14 Database 16 devices 21 processors 22 Memory 23 Storage 24 Communication Interface 31 First acquisition part 32 Second acquisition part 33 Third acquisition part 34 4th acquisition part 35 5th acquisition part 36 6th acquisition part 37 Basic information acquisition department 38 First Specific Part 39 Second Specific Part 40 Third Specific Part 41 4th Specific Part 42 Information Department N Network

Claims

1. A system for promoting going out to encourage a target person to go out, a first acquisition unit that acquires first information regarding a current location of the target person; a second acquisition unit that acquires second information related to public transportation access points; a third acquisition unit that acquires third information related to the operation status of the public transportation; a fourth acquisition unit that acquires fourth information regarding an event being held in a place that the target person can visit using the public transportation; a first identification unit that identifies the use base according to a current location of the target person based on the first information and the second information; a second identification unit that identifies a recommended event to be recommended to the subject based on the fourth information; a third identification unit that identifies, based on the third information, time information when the target person uses the public transportation at the utilization base corresponding to the target person's current location in order to visit a location where the recommended event is held according to a holding time of the recommended event; a notification unit that notifies the target person of the recommended event and the time information; A system for encouraging people to go out.

2. a fifth acquisition unit that acquires fifth information regarding a preparation time required for the subject to prepare to go out at the subject's residence; When the current location of the target person is the residence, the third identification unit identifies the time information corresponding to the preparation time based on the third information and the fifth information; The system for encouraging going out according to claim 1 , wherein the notification unit notifies the target person of the recommended event and the time information corresponding to the preparation time.

3. the second acquisition unit acquires the second information for each type of public transportation; the third acquisition unit acquires the third information for each type of public transportation; the first identification unit identifies the use base according to a current location of the subject for the type of public transportation selected based on the subject's answer result regarding use of the public transportation; The system for promoting outings described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the third identification unit identifies the time information when the public transportation type selected based on the response result is used at the usage base corresponding to the current location of the subject.

4. Further, a sixth acquisition unit is provided to acquire sixth information relating to at least one of preferences and habits of the subject, The outing promotion system according to claim 1 , wherein the second specifying unit specifies the recommended event based on the fourth information and the sixth information.

5. When the current location of the subject person is a predetermined facility, the second identification unit identifies the recommended event according to a location of the predetermined facility based on the fourth information; a fourth specifying unit that specifies return home time information when the target person uses public transportation at the utilization base corresponding to the location of the recommended event to return home from the location of the recommended event, based on a stay time of the target person at the location of the recommended event; The system for encouraging people to go out according to claim 1 , wherein the notification unit notifies the target person of the recommended event and the return home time information.

6. An outing promotion method for encouraging a subject to go out, The processor: obtaining first information about a current location of the target person; A process of acquiring second information related to public transportation access points; A process of acquiring third information regarding the operation status of the public transportation facility; acquiring fourth information regarding an event being held in a place that the target person can visit using the public transportation; a process of identifying the use base according to a current location of the target person based on the first information and the second information; a process of identifying a recommended event to be recommended to the subject based on the fourth information; a process of identifying, based on the third information, time information when the target person uses the public transportation at the utilization base corresponding to the target person's current location in order to visit a location where the recommended event is held according to the holding time of the recommended event; a process of notifying the target person of the recommended event and the time information; A method to encourage people to go out.

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