Information processing system, information processing method and computer program

Abstract

To propose an itinerary combining a plurality of services in a transverse manner.SOLUTION: An information processing system includes: a condition reception unit 20 that receives a condition relating to travel input by a target user to be proposed; an acquisition unit 21 that acquires user management information corresponding to the target user from a user management information storage unit 30 that stores user management information relating to a user who uses at least one of a service group configured of a plurality of services; an itinerary generation unit 22 that uses the condition and the user management information to generate itinerary information relating to an itinerary including a plurality of proposal elements handled by one of the service group and suitable for the preference of the target user; an itinerary proposal unit 23 that causes a display device viewed by the target user to display the itinerary information; and a reservation reception unit 24 that receives a reservation request for at least one of the plurality of proposal elements included in the itinerary information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing system, an information processing method, and a computer program. [Background technology]

[0002] A system that provides a search and reservation service for travel package plans that include rail and accommodation packages has already been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This travel package plan providing system searches for transfer guidance routes based on specified search criteria, and, based on information about the departure and arrival stations included in the transfer guidance route, presents the user with travel package plans that include those departure and arrival stations as travel sections. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-115290 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the above system only allows reservations for package plans. Therefore, it is expected that some users will not be able to find the package plan they want to reserve. Therefore, there has been a demand for a system that allows users to make reservations for not only package plans but also facilities and means of transportation used in a trip all at once. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] An information processing system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is an information processing system comprising at least one storage device configured to store a computer program and at least one processor configured to execute processing based on the contents of the computer program, wherein the processor is configured to execute the following processes: a condition acceptance process that accepts travel-related conditions entered by a target user to whom a proposal is to be made; an acquisition process that acquires user management information corresponding to the target user from a storage unit that stores user management information related to a user who uses at least one of a service group consisting of multiple services; an itinerary generation process that uses the conditions and the user management information to generate itinerary information related to an itinerary that includes multiple proposed elements handled by one of the service group and that match the preferences of the target user; an itinerary proposal process that displays the itinerary information on a display device visible to the target user; and a reservation acceptance process that accepts a reservation request for at least one of the proposed elements included in the itinerary information.

[0006] An information processing method according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes causing one or more computers to execute the following processes: a condition acceptance process for accepting travel-related conditions input by a target user who is the subject of a proposal; an acquisition process for acquiring user management information corresponding to the target user from a memory unit that stores user management information related to a user who uses at least one of a service group consisting of a plurality of services; an itinerary generation process for generating itinerary information related to an itinerary that includes multiple proposed elements handled by one of the service group and that match the preferences of the target user, using the conditions and the user management information; an itinerary proposal process for displaying the itinerary information on a display device visible to the target user; and a reservation acceptance process for accepting a reservation request for at least one of the proposed elements included in the itinerary information.

[0007] A computer program according to one embodiment of the present disclosure causes one or more computers to execute the following: a condition acceptance process that accepts travel-related conditions input by a target user who is the subject of a proposal; an acquisition process that acquires user management information corresponding to the target user from a memory unit that stores user management information related to a user who uses at least one of a service group consisting of multiple services; an itinerary generation process that uses the conditions and the user management information to generate itinerary information related to an itinerary that includes multiple proposed elements handled by one of the service group and that match the preferences of the target user; an itinerary proposal process that displays the itinerary information on a display device visible to the target user; and a reservation acceptance process that accepts a reservation request for at least one of the proposed elements included in the itinerary information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to propose itineraries that combine multiple services across multiple platforms. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an information processing system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a server according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing functions of a proposal server according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functions of a service server according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of information stored in the proposal server of the embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure for proposing an itinerary according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a proposal screen in the embodiment. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing an example of a proposal screen in the embodiment. [Figure 9]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a proposal screen in the embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure for proposing an itinerary according to the second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a proposal screen in a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Examples of an information processing system, an information processing method, and a computer program according to the present disclosure will be described below. The present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0011] [Outline of information processing system] 1 shows an example of an information processing system 10. The information processing system 10 proposes an itinerary to a target user 16 to whom the itinerary is to be proposed. The information processing system 10 includes a proposal server 11. The proposal server 11 is connected to a plurality of service servers 12 and a plurality of user devices 13 via a network 100.

[0012] The network 100 may include the Internet or a local area network (LAN). The network 100 may also include a core network (backbone communication network) and multiple base stations. The network 100 may be a third-generation communication system such as W-CDMA or CDMA2000, a fourth-generation communication system such as LTE, a fifth-generation communication system, or the like.

[0013] The service server 12 is a server that provides various services to users 15. Target users 16 are included in a user group consisting of multiple users 15 who use the services of each service server 12. Some of the services provided by each service server 12 are travel-related services. Examples of these types of services include online reservations for accommodations, car sharing, online reservations for tourist destinations or tourist experiences at tourist destinations, online reservations for restaurants, and online reservations for train or bus tickets. Examples of tourist destinations include tourist spots, theme parks, museums, art galleries, and events, and examples of tourist experiences include bicycle rentals, souvenir making, snorkeling, and the like. The services provided by the service server 12 may also be services other than travel. Examples of these services may include financial product trading, online payment services for purchasing products, credit card payments, sales of insurance products, distribution of content such as videos, communication services such as mobile phones, and sales of products at online shopping malls.

[0014] A service group is a plurality of services that can use common information about user 15. The service group may be managed by a business operator that oversees each service. Furthermore, the service group may consist of services managed by the business operator and services linked to those services. The service group may also consist of a plurality of services that can use common points. Points are awarded by users when they use the services.

[0015] Each service server 12 has a user database. The user database has user information for each user who uses the service. The user information includes registration information and behavior history information of the user 15 for the service. The behavior history information includes search history information, browsing history information, purchase history information, etc.

[0016] The proposal server 11 is a server that proposes itineraries to the target user 16. The proposal server 11 generates itinerary information that matches the preferences of the target user 16 by collecting and analyzing user information stored in each service server 12. In addition, the proposal server 11 proposes the generated itinerary information to the target user 16.

[0017] The user device 13 is a device used by a target user 16 to whom an itinerary is proposed. The target user 16 inputs travel conditions into the user device 13. The user device 13 transmits the travel conditions and user identification information to the proposal server 11. The user device 13 also receives itinerary information proposed by the proposal server 11 from the proposal server 11. The user device 13 also transmits a reservation request for facilities and the like that make up the itinerary to the proposal server 11. The user device 13 may have a predetermined application installed to perform functions such as inputting travel conditions, outputting itinerary information, and inputting reservations. Alternatively, the user device 13 may use a web browser to perform functions such as inputting travel conditions, outputting itinerary information, and inputting reservations.

[0018] [Hardware configuration description] 2 shows a schematic diagram of the hardware configuration of an information processing device H10 that constitutes the service server 12, the proposal server 11, and the user device 13. The information processing device H10 includes a processor H11, a communication device H12, and a storage device H13, which are connected via a system bus H17, etc. Note that this hardware configuration is an example, and it may also be realized by other hardware.

[0019] The communication device H12 is an interface that establishes a communication path with other devices via the network 100 and transmits and receives data. For example, the communication device H12 is a network interface, a wireless interface, or the like.

[0020] The storage device H13 (computer-readable medium) stores data and various computer programs for executing various functions of the user device 13. The storage device H13 is composed of, for example, a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. Examples of the storage device H13 include ROM, RAM, and a hard disk. The storage device H13 includes any available recording medium that can be accessed by a general-purpose or dedicated computer.

[0021] The processor H11 uses computer programs and data stored in the storage device H13 to execute various processes in the user device 13. Examples of the processor H11 include a CPU and an MPU. The processor H11 loads the computer programs into RAM (memory) and executes various processes for each process.

[0022] The processor H11 is not limited to a processor that performs all of its processing using software. For example, the processor H11 may include a dedicated hardware circuit (e.g., an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) that performs hardware processing for at least part of the processing it performs. That is, the processor H11 may be configured as one of the following:

[0023] [1] One or more processors that operate according to a computer program (software). [2] One or more dedicated hardware circuits that perform at least some of the various processes [3] Circuits containing combinations of these The information processing device H10 may also include an input device H14 and a display device H15. The input device H14 is a device that accepts input of various information based on operations by a person in charge and a device that inputs voice. The input device H14 is, for example, a touch panel, a mouse, a keyboard, a microphone, etc.

[0024] The display device H15 is a display that displays various information. The information processing device H10 may also include other output devices such as a speaker that outputs audio. The display may be combined with the touch panel that is the input device H14 to form a touch panel display.

[0025] [Proposal server functions] The functions of the proposal server 11 will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Each function (block) corresponds to a module realized by executing computer code including one or more execution instructions. However, the following multiple functions may constitute one function, or one function may be divided into multiple functions. In addition, some functions may be possessed by the service server 12 or the user device 13.

[0026] 3, the proposal server 11 functions as a condition receiving unit 20, an acquisition unit 21, an itinerary generating unit 22, an itinerary proposal unit 23, and a reservation receiving unit 24 by the processor H11 executing a computer program recorded in the storage device H13. The proposal server 11 also includes a user management information storage unit 30, an analysis information storage unit 40, and an itinerary information storage unit 50.

[0027] 4, the user management information 31 stored in the user management information storage unit 30 will be described. The user management information 31 is information about a user 15 who uses at least one of a group of services provided by a plurality of service servers 12. The user management information 31 is a collection of user information stored by the service server 12.

[0028] The user management information 31 includes a user ID (user identifier), user attribute information, and behavioral history information. The user attribute information includes demographic information. The demographic information is at least one of gender, age, date of birth, birthplace, place of residence, name, family structure, annual income, and occupation. This information can also be called demographic attributes or demographic information.

[0029] The behavior history information is information such as user information acquired from each service server 12, or an integration of such information. The behavior history information includes at least one of search history information, browsing history information, reservation history information, and purchase history information. The search history information includes search queries entered by the user 15, or search results based on the search queries. The browsing history information includes the URL of the service provision screen displayed by the user device 13 in the service provided by the service server 12. The reservation history information indicates the history of reservations made by the user 15 in the service provided by the service server 12. The purchase history information includes identification information of products purchased by the user 15 in the service provided by the service server 12.

[0030] The behavior history information may be collected from an external server other than the service server 12. The proposal server 11 may acquire information stored in the external server from the external server using an API (Application Programming Interface).

[0031] In other words, the service server 12 is a server that can send and receive information such as user information to and from the proposal server 11. The proposal server 11 is capable of collecting a variety of information across a wide range of sources. This information cannot be acquired by other general servers unless cooperation via an API or the like is permitted in advance. The service group refers to a group of services provided by these servers. Furthermore, some of the service servers 12 are capable of accepting reservations for itineraries proposed by the proposal server 11. This reservation information is also read as behavior history information by the service server 12 that made the reservation and collected by the proposal server 11. In this way, various behavior history information is accumulated in the proposal server 11 and each service server 12 as the user 15 repeatedly performs their actions. As the behavior history information is accumulated, the accuracy of determining the characteristics, including the preferences, of the user 15 is also improved.

[0032] The analytical information 41 stored in the analytical information storage unit 40 will be described. The analytical information 41 is information indicating the characteristics of the user 15 obtained by analyzing or interpreting the user management information 31 collected from the service server 12. In the example of FIG. 4, the analytical information 41 includes a user ID, analysis items, and a score. The score is a value obtained by evaluating the characteristics of the user 15 for each analysis item. The analysis items are diverse and include travel-related items such as "frequently travels domestically" and "owns a car," as well as items not directly related to travel such as "keeps pets" and "has children." The number of analysis items is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, several hundred items.

[0033] Each function will be described with reference to Fig. 3. The condition receiving unit 20 receives travel conditions related to a trip input by the target user 16 to whom the proposal is made. The acquisition unit 21 acquires user management information 31 corresponding to the target user 16 from the user management information storage unit 30. The acquisition unit 21 also acquires user information from the service server 12 to generate the user management information 31. The timing for acquiring the user information is before the travel conditions are accepted or when the travel conditions are accepted.

[0034] The itinerary generation unit 22 uses the travel conditions and the user management information 31 to generate itinerary information relating to an itinerary that indicates a route from a departure point to one or more destinations and that matches the preferences of the target user 16. The itinerary information includes multiple proposed elements for which one of a group of services accepts reservations.

[0035] For example, a proposed element is one of the travel destinations for which reservations are handled by the service server 12. The proposed element may be accommodations, car sharing, transportation such as trains or buses, tourist spots, restaurants, or other points of interest (POIs). The proposed itinerary may also include destinations for which reservations through the service server 12 are not necessary or possible.

[0036] The itinerary generation unit 22 may generate an itinerary using availability information that matches the travel conditions and allows reservations for the proposed elements. In addition, the itinerary generation unit 22 may use the user management information 31 to extract similar users 17 (see Figure 4) who are similar to the target user 16, and may generate an itinerary using behavioral history information regarding the proposed elements used by the similar users 17.

[0037] The itinerary suggestion unit 23 displays the itinerary information on the display device H15 that the target user 16 can view. The itinerary information is displayed as a proposal screen. The proposal screen may display multiple proposal elements that make up the itinerary in chronological order. Displaying multiple proposal elements in chronological order means arranging each proposal element in the order in which the target user 16 will stop by. The proposal screen may accept a bulk reservation operation to reserve multiple proposal elements together. Alternatively, the proposal screen may accept individual reservation operations to reserve each of the proposal elements individually.

[0038] The itinerary suggestion unit 23 may also calculate points that will be awarded to the target user 16 if all the suggested elements that are available in the service group are used, and include the points on the suggestion screen.

[0039] The reservation receiving unit 24 receives a reservation request for at least one of a plurality of proposed elements included in the itinerary information. The reservation receiving unit 24 transmits a reservation execution request to the service servers 12 associated with each of the proposed elements for which a reservation operation has been performed, based on a collective reservation operation or an individual reservation operation.

[0040] The itinerary information storage unit 50 also stores itinerary information that has been proposed to the user 15 in the past. The itinerary information may be stored in association with the identification information of the user 15 who made the proposal, the score for each analysis item, etc. The itinerary information storage unit 50 may also store itinerary information that is a template prepared in advance by the service provider of the itinerary proposal service.

[0041] When itinerary information associated with a score similar to the score of the target user 16 is stored in the itinerary information storage unit 50, the itinerary generation unit 22 may extract itinerary information that satisfies the travel conditions specified by the target user 16 from the itinerary information. Then, the itinerary generation unit 22 may use the extracted information as information to be proposed to the target user 16. Furthermore, the itinerary generation unit 22 may generate new itinerary information using the analysis information 41 as described above.

[0042] An example of how the itinerary generation unit 22 generates itinerary information will be described with reference to Fig. 4. The itinerary generation unit 22 uses a trained analysis model to score the characteristics of the user 15 for each analysis item. The trained analysis model can be trained by machine learning using a gradient boosting decision tree. The scored characteristics of the user 15 are used as analysis information 41.

[0043] Furthermore, the itinerary generation unit 22 determines the similarity between the target user 16 and other users 15 using the analysis information 41. Then, the itinerary generation unit 22 extracts similar users 17 that are similar to the target user 16. For example, the itinerary generation unit 22 maps each score and calculates the distance between the mapped points or vectors using Euclidean distance, cosine distance, or the like. Then, the users 15 that are close in distance are designated as similar users 17. Alternatively, the itinerary generation unit 22 may extract similar users 17 by clustering. For clustering, a k-means method, a hierarchical clustering method, or the like can be used. Alternatively, the itinerary generation unit 22 may use a KNN method to select K users 15 that are closest in distance as similar users 17. The similar user 17 may be one, but preferably there are multiple.

[0044] When the itinerary generation unit 22 extracts the similar users 17, it generates itinerary information using the user management information 31 of the similar users 17. One or more methods can be used as a method for generating itinerary information using the information of the similar users 17.

[0045] For example, the itinerary generation unit 22 acquires user management information 31 of multiple similar users 17. If the acquired user management information 31 includes information indicating past itineraries, it is determined whether the past itineraries satisfy travel conditions other than date and time. The itinerary generation unit 22 acquires itineraries that satisfy the itinerary conditions other than date and time as itinerary candidate information. In addition, the itinerary generation unit 22 extracts proposed elements included in the itinerary candidate information.

[0046] The itinerary candidate information may include multiple destinations or may include only one destination. When an itinerary includes multiple destinations, the itinerary generation unit 22 extracts suggested elements corresponding to each destination. On the other hand, when the itinerary candidate information includes only accommodations used by similar users 17, the itinerary generation unit 22 may extract accommodations that match the travel conditions as suggested elements.

[0047] If the user management information 31 of the similar user 17 does not include information indicating past itineraries, the itinerary generation unit 22 may extract another user with the next highest similarity score and set it as a new similar user 17. If the itinerary generation unit 22 determines that information indicating the itinerary of the similar user 17 has not been detected, it may acquire itinerary information that is a template stored in the itinerary information storage unit 50.

[0048] As another example, the itinerary generation unit 22 may generate itinerary information using behavioral history information of the target user 16 without using a trained model. For example, if the behavioral history information of the target user 16 includes browsing history information of an accommodation that satisfies the travel conditions, but the usage history information does not include a usage history of that accommodation, the itinerary generation unit 22 may determine that the target user 16 is interested in that accommodation. In this case, the itinerary generation unit 22 may search the itinerary information storage unit 50 or the user management information storage unit 30 for an itinerary that includes a proposed element that is deemed to be of interest to the target user 16. When information indicating a corresponding itinerary is extracted, the itinerary generation unit 22 extracts the proposed element included in the information.

[0049] As another example, the itinerary generation unit 22 may search for proposed elements located near proposed elements deemed to be of interest to the target user 16 on the map data. The proposed elements searched for at this time belong to a category other than the proposed elements deemed to be of interest to the target user 16. For example, if the proposed element deemed to be of interest to the target user 16 is an accommodation facility, the itinerary generation unit 22 searches for proposed elements belonging to a category other than accommodation facilities, such as tourist destinations in the vicinity and means of transportation to reach the tourist destination. The itinerary generation unit 22 may link the proposed elements determined for each predetermined category in order of proximity (or furthest) to the departure point or the residence of the user 15, and calculate the time or distance using the map data. Then, if the calculated time or distance is within a reasonable range, the itinerary generation unit 22 may set an itinerary including these proposed elements as itinerary candidate information.

[0050] The itinerary generation unit 22 may acquire multiple patterns in which each proposed element is combined. When the itinerary generation unit 22 acquires travel candidate information consisting of a combination of proposed elements, it identifies the service server 12 that handles those proposed elements. The itinerary generation unit 22 then requests availability information for the date and time specified in the travel conditions from the identified service server 12. The service server 12 transmits the availability information to the proposal server 11. The availability information is information on proposed elements that are available on the dates specified by the target user 16. For example, if the target user 16 specifies "March 1st," the service server 12 that reserves accommodations requests information on accommodations that have availability on "March 1st" and that meet the travel conditions. The availability information includes the usage fee and points awarded for use. Points are points calculated under certain conditions. Points can be used across a group of services.

[0051] The service server 12 receives availability information from each service server 12. Among the candidate itinerary information, information for which availability information is not detected is not adopted as a proposed itinerary, and information for which availability information is detected is adopted as a proposed itinerary.

[0052] The timing for acquiring availability information does not have to be after acquiring the itinerary candidate information. For example, after the condition accepting unit 20 accepts the travel conditions, the acquiring unit 21 or the itinerary generating unit 22 may collect availability information that satisfies the travel conditions, including date and time, before the itinerary generating unit 22 acquires the itinerary candidate information of similar users 17. For example, the itinerary generating unit 22 acquires availability information that matches the region, date and time, budget, and purpose that correspond to the travel conditions from the service server 12. The itinerary generating unit 22 searches the itinerary information storage unit 50 or the user management information storage unit 30 for itinerary candidate information that includes the facilities for which availability information was detected. Then, the itinerary generating unit 22 determines whether the score of the user 15 associated with the detected itinerary candidate information is similar to the score of the target user 16. If the itinerary generating unit 22 determines that the scores are similar, the itinerary candidate information is set as itinerary information.

[0053] The itinerary generation unit 22 transmits the generated itinerary information to the user device 13 and stores it in the itinerary information storage unit 50 in association with the score of the target user 16 or the score of similar users 17, etc.

[0054] [Service server functions] The function of the service server 12 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. The proposal server 11 functions as a service providing unit 26 when the processor H11 executes a computer program recorded in the storage device H13. The service server 12 also includes a user information storage unit 54 and a service information storage unit 55.

[0055] The service providing unit 26 executes the service provided by the service server 12 using the information stored in the service information storage unit 55. When the service server 12 provides a service for making online reservations for accommodations, it extracts accommodations according to search conditions, transmits the extracted information to the user device 13, and executes the reservation. When the service server 12 executes online reservations, the service providing unit 26 includes a reservation execution unit 27. The reservation execution unit 27 executes the reservation when it receives a reservation execution request from the proposal server 11. The reservation execution unit 27 may also execute payment processing for accommodation fees, etc., as necessary.

[0056] The user information storage unit 54 stores user information 56 for each user who uses the service. The user information 56 includes a user ID, user attribute information, and behavior history information. The user attribute information and behavior history information of the user information 56 are used to generate the user attribute information and behavior history information of the user management information 31.

[0057] The user information 56 and the user management information 31 are associated with each other. For example, the user ID of the user information 56 may be commonly used in a group of services. The user ID of the user information 56 may be the same as or share a common part with the user ID of the user management information 31. Alternatively, the user ID of the user information 56 may be associated with the user ID of the user management information 31.

[0058] The service information storage unit 55 stores information about the services provided by the service server 12. For example, if the service server 12 provides online reservation services for multiple accommodation facilities, the service information storage unit 55 stores a database of each accommodation facility, etc.

[0059] [Information processing method] 6 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the information processing method according to the present disclosure. The execution order of each step in the flowchart can be changed as appropriate to the extent that no contradiction occurs. Two or more steps can be executed at the same time or in a different order, such as in the reverse order.

[0060] The user device 13 accesses the proposal server 11 based on an operation of the target user 16. For example, the user device 13 logs in to the proposal server 11. The user device 13 displays a search screen (described later) on the display device H15 using the data transmitted from the proposal server 11. The target user 16 inputs travel conditions into the search screen. The user device 13 transmits the travel conditions and proposal request together with the user ID of the target user 16 to the proposal server 11.

[0061] The condition receiving unit 20 of the proposal server 11 receives travel conditions (step S1). The acquisition unit 21 acquires the user management information 31 including the received user ID from the user management information storage unit 30 (step S2).

[0062] The itinerary generation unit 22 generates itinerary information (step S3). At this time, if there is itinerary information stored in the itinerary information storage unit 50 that matches the preferences and travel conditions of the target user 16, the itinerary generation unit 22 may reuse past itinerary information. For example, the itinerary generation unit 22 determines whether itinerary information associated with a score similar to the score of the target user 16 is stored in the itinerary information storage unit 50. If the corresponding itinerary information is stored, the itinerary generation unit 22 further determines whether the travel conditions other than the date and time are met. If the travel conditions other than the date and time are met, the itinerary generation unit 22 queries the service server 12 as to whether there is availability for that candidate itinerary information. Then, it sets the candidate itinerary information with availability as the itinerary information.

[0063] If reusable itinerary information is not stored in the itinerary information storage unit 50, the itinerary generation unit 22 generates itinerary information using the history of similar users 17 as described above. The itinerary proposal unit 23 makes a proposal by transmitting the itinerary information generated by the itinerary generation unit 22 and data for displaying the itinerary information to the user device 13 of the target user 16 (step S4). The user device 13 displays a proposal screen, which will be described later, on the display.

[0064] When the target user 16 performs a reservation operation on the proposal screen, the proposal server 11 receives the proposed elements of the reservation target and a reservation request from the user device 13. The proposal server 11 accepts a reservation based on a reservation request from the user device 13 (step S5). At this time, the proposal server 11 transmits a reservation execution request to the service server 12 corresponding to the proposed element to be reserved. The service server 12 makes a reservation based on the reservation execution request.

[0065] [Proposal screen] 7 is an example of the search screen 60. The search screen 60 has input fields 61A to 61F. The input fields 61A to 61F are forms for inputting the travel destination, departure date, number of travel days, number of people going on the trip, total budget for the trip, and purpose of the trip, respectively.

[0066] An execute button 63 and a cancel button 62, which are GUI (Graphical User Interface) elements, are displayed on the search screen 60. When the execute button 63 is selected, the user device 13 transmits the conditions entered in the input fields 61A to 61F as travel conditions to the proposal server 11 together with a proposal request.

[0067] 8(a) and 8(b) show examples of a proposal screen 70. The proposal screen 70 displays a plurality of proposal elements 71 in chronological order. That is, the proposal elements 71 are displayed in the order in which the target user 16 will stop by (the order in which they will be used). The example of FIG. 8 shows an itinerary that includes picking up a car from a car sharing (or rental car) service with "Station A" as the nearest station, stopping at "Tourist Spot B" as one of the destinations, eating at "Restaurant C" as another destination, and staying at "Hotel D" as another destination. The proposal elements 71 are arranged in order from top to bottom: proposal element 71A belonging to the category of transportation means, proposal element 71B belonging to the category of tourist spots, proposal element 71C belonging to the category of restaurants, and proposal element 71D belonging to the category of accommodations.

[0068] The proposal screen 70 also displays a detailed display 72. The detailed display 72 includes the total amount when reserving all of the proposed elements 71. The detailed display 72 also displays the total points (e.g., "400 points") that can be earned when reserving all of the proposed elements 71 in the point service handled by the service server 12.

[0069] A change button 73 (or an edit button) is displayed on each proposal element 71. When the change button 73 of a proposal element 71D is selected on the proposal screen 70 illustrated in Fig. 8(a), the user device 13 transmits a change request to the proposal server 11 together with identification information of the proposal element 71D.

[0070] When the itinerary generation unit 22 receives a change request together with the identification information of the proposed element 71, it extracts an alternative proposed element 71 that belongs to the same category as the proposed element 71. The extraction conditions for the alternative proposed element 71 include satisfying the travel conditions. The extraction conditions include being the shortest distance from the proposed element 71 to be changed on the map, being within a predetermined distance range from the proposed element 71 to be changed on the map and having similar characteristics to the proposed element 71 to be changed, being within a predetermined distance range from the proposed element 71 to be changed on the map and having been used by a similar user 17, etc.

[0071] Meeting the travel conditions also includes availability on the date and time specified by the target user 16. The characteristics of the proposal element 71 may be identified by a tag associated with the proposal element 71. When the itinerary generation unit 22 acquires information on the new proposed elements 71, the itinerary proposal unit 23 transmits the information on the new proposed elements 71 to the user device 13 as part of the itinerary information.

[0072] 8(b), when the user device 13 receives information about the new proposed element 71, the user device 13 displays on the display device H15 a proposal screen 70 including an itinerary in which only the proposed element 71 to be changed has been changed. For example, the proposed element 71D presenting "Hotel D" belonging to the accommodation category is changed to a proposed element 71E presenting "Hotel Z" belonging to the same category.

[0073] The proposal screen 70 also includes a plan change button 74. When the user device 13 accepts a selection operation of the plan change button 74, it transmits a plan change request to the proposal server 11. The proposal server 11 repeats at least a part of the above-described procedure to search for information related to a new itinerary. The itinerary proposal unit 23 transmits the new itinerary information to the user device 13. The user device 13 displays the new itinerary information on the display device H15.

[0074] In the example of FIG. 9 , the proposal screen 70 includes a GUI element 76 for specifying the proposed element 71 to be reserved. The type of the GUI element 76 is not particularly limited, but in FIG. 9 , it is a radio button. For example, the target user 16 operates the GUI element 76 or the like to select the proposed elements 71B and 71D and operate the reservation execution button 75. At this time, the user device 13 transmits identification information of the selected proposed elements 71B and 71D and a reservation acceptance request to the proposal server 11. Upon receiving the identification information of the proposed elements 71B and 71D and the reservation acceptance request, the proposal server 11 identifies a service server 12 that can accept reservations for the proposed elements 71B and 71D. Then, the proposal server 11 transmits the reservation execution request to each service server 12 together with usage information required for the reservation, including the date and time, user ID, name, etc.

[0075] When the user device 13 accepts an operation of the reservation execution button 75 with all the proposed elements 71 in a selected state, the user device 13 transmits identification information of all the proposed elements 71 and a reservation acceptance request to the proposal server 11. The proposal server 11 transmits the reservation execution request together with usage information to the service server 12 that can accept reservations for the proposed elements 71.

[0076] [Effects of the present disclosure] By using this itinerary proposal service that collectively proposes services handled by multiple service servers 12 in this way, the target user 16 does not need to search for facilities, etc. in the services provided by each service server 12. Furthermore, the target user 16 can make reservations for multiple proposal elements 71 on the proposal screen 70. This allows the target user 16 to make travel reservations in a short amount of time.

[0077] [Effects of this disclosure] According to the present disclosure, the following effects can be achieved. (1-1) The information processing system 10 can propose an itinerary that includes multiple proposal elements 71 and matches the preferences of the target user 16. This allows the target user 16 to complete the process from searching for multiple facilities to be included in the itinerary to making reservations in a short amount of time.

[0078] (1-2) The information processing system 10 can propose an itinerary that matches the preferences of the target user 16 by using the behavior history information of similar users 17 who are presumed to have similar tastes to the target user 16.

[0079] (1-3) The information processing system 10 displays a plurality of proposed elements 71 in chronological order on the proposal screen 70, and can accept a batch reservation operation for all of the proposed elements 71 displayed on the proposal screen 70. This allows the target user 16 to complete the consideration of the proposed elements 71 and the reservation of the proposed elements 71 in a short period of time.

[0080] (1-4) The information processing system 10 displays a plurality of proposed elements 71 in chronological order on the proposal screen 70, and can accept individual reservation operations for the proposed elements 71 that the target user 16 wishes to reserve. This allows the target user 16 to complete the consideration of the itinerary and the reservation of the proposed elements 71 in a short period of time.

[0081] (1-5) The information processing system 10 can display the proposal screen 70 including points that will be awarded to the target user 16 when all of the proposed elements 71 are used. The target user 16 can consider reserving the proposed elements 71 while taking the points into account. (1-6) The information processing system 10 generates an itinerary using the availability information for which reservations are possible for the proposed elements 71, so that reservations can be completed in a short time.

[0082] (Second embodiment) A second embodiment of an information processing system and an information processing method will be described. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the points earned by a reservation change depending on the number of reservations for the proposed elements 71 included in the itinerary. Explanations of the configuration and processing similar to those of the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0083] The itinerary proposal unit 23 calculates the points obtained when all the proposal elements 71 are used on the proposal screen 70 so that the points obtained when each of the proposal elements 71 is used are greater than the total points obtained when each of the proposal elements 71 is used.

[0084] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure after itinerary information is generated. The itinerary proposal unit 23 acquires planned point information indicating points (e.g., "100 points") that can be obtained by using the proposed elements 71 included in the itinerary information generated by the itinerary generation unit 22 (step S11). The itinerary proposal unit 23 also acquires the number of proposed elements that make up the itinerary (step S12).

[0085] Furthermore, the itinerary proposal unit 23 calculates the total points based on the planned point information and the number of proposed elements (step S13). The itinerary proposal unit 23 increases the total points beyond the value obtained by simply adding up the points to be awarded to the target user 16 for using the proposed elements 71. Furthermore, the more proposed elements are booked, the larger the total points are increased so that the difference between the value obtained by simply adding up the points of each proposed element 71 and the total points calculated in step S13 increases.

[0086] For example, the itinerary proposal unit 23 may calculate the total points by multiplying each of the points to be awarded for the use of the proposed elements 71 by the number of proposed elements. For example, if the total number of points to be awarded for the use of four proposed elements 71 is "400 points," the total may be multiplied by "4," which is the number of proposed elements 71, to arrive at "1600 points."

[0087] The itinerary proposal unit 23 transmits the total points calculated in step S13 to the user device 13. The user device 13 displays the total points on the proposal screen 70. Furthermore, the reservation receiving unit 24 may transmit to the service server 12 a request for granting points according to the number of proposed elements 71 for which reservations have been accepted. The reservation receiving unit 24 may transmit a reservation execution request to the service server 12, including the points to be granted in the usage information. The points to be granted are set to a large value according to the number of proposed elements 71 for which reservations have been accepted. For example, if the points for reserving "Accommodation D" alone are "100 points" and the number of proposed elements 71 for which reservations have been accepted is "3", "300 points" may be included in the usage information.

[0088] The service server 12 receives the usage information including the points. At a predetermined timing, such as when payment is completed or when use of a facility or the like is completed, the service server 12 associates the points included in the usage information with the user ID of the target user 16 and stores them in the user management information storage unit 30.

[0089] In the second embodiment, in addition to the effects (1-1) to (1-6) of the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. (2-1) The information processing system 10 can display the points obtained when all of the proposed elements 71 are used as being larger than the total value of points obtained when each of the proposed elements 71 is used.

[0090] (2-2) The information processing system 10 can increase points according to the number of suggested elements 71 used by the target user 16.

[0091] [Example of change] This embodiment can be modified as follows: This embodiment and the following modifications can be combined and implemented within the scope of technical compatibility. <Product proposals> [Modification 1] The proposal server 11 may propose products related to the itinerary when a reservation for the proposal element 71 is completed or when an itinerary is proposed. In this embodiment, the proposal server 11 performs a product proposal process that includes extracting products related to the itinerary that are available for purchase in the service group and displaying information about the extracted products on the display device H15. As shown in FIG. 11, the proposal server 11 functions as a product proposal unit 25.

[0092] The product proposal unit 25 acquires the characteristics of the proposed elements 71 included in the itinerary from the itinerary generation unit 22. The itinerary generation unit 22 may set tags (attributes) indicating the characteristics for the proposed elements 71 in advance. The tags may indicate the characteristics of the users 15 who will use the proposed elements 71. The tags may be set by the service provider who provides the service. Alternatively, the itinerary generation unit 22 may extract the characteristics of the proposed elements 71. The product proposal unit 25 searches the itinerary information storage unit 50 or the user management information 31 to extract, for the current proposed element 71, characteristics common to the users 15 who have used the proposed element 71 in the past. For example, the product proposal unit 25 extracts characteristics such as "often go to the beach" or "often go to the mountains." Then, for example, the product proposal unit 25 sets the characteristic that users 15 who "often go to the mountains" make many reservations as the characteristic of the proposed element 71.

[0093] The product proposal unit 25 transmits a request for product information along with the characteristics of the proposed element 71 to one of the service servers 12. The service provision unit 26 of the service server 12 extracts products related to the received characteristics using the product information stored in the service information storage unit 55. The service provision unit 26 also transmits the extracted product information to the proposal server 11 or the user device 13. As shown in FIG. 11 , the product proposal unit 25 displays the acquired product information 81 on a reservation completion screen 80 or the like. For example, when the product proposal unit 25 proposes or completes a reservation for a proposed element 71 that is frequently reserved by a user 15 having the characteristic of "frequently going to the mountains," the product information 81 for "mountain climbing goods" is included in the reservation completion screen 80.

[0094] Alternatively, the product proposal unit 25 may send an advertisement distribution request to an advertisement server (not shown) together with the features of the proposal element 71. The advertisement server extracts advertisement information related to the received features and transmits the advertisement information etc. to the proposal server 11 or the user device 13.

[0095] According to this aspect, the information processing system 10 can suggest to the target user 16 products suitable for travel. <Timing of proposal> [Modification 2] The itinerary generation unit 22 may generate itinerary information at a timing other than when a proposal request is received from the user device 13. For example, the target user 16 may use the user device 13 to transmit one or more itineraries that the target user 16 can travel based on his or her own schedule to the proposal server 11 and register them in the proposal server 11. Alternatively, the target user 16 may register in the proposal server 11 a period for receiving itinerary proposals, such as daily, weekly, or monthly. Alternatively, an administrator managing the itinerary proposal service may set the timing for itinerary proposals. Furthermore, the target user 16 may register travel conditions, such as facilities that the target user 16 wishes to reserve, in the proposal server 11. Then, the target user 16 may register in the proposal server 11 travel conditions, such as facilities that the target user 16 wishes to reserve. The target user 16 may then register in the proposal server 11 to receive proposals when vacancies become available at facilities that the target user 16 wishes to reserve.

[0096] The condition accepting unit 20 associates travel conditions with timing information and stores them. The condition accepting unit 20 determines whether it is time to propose an itinerary by appropriately searching for timing information for creating an itinerary. When the condition accepting unit 20 determines that it is time to propose an itinerary, the itinerary generating unit 22 generates itinerary information based on the travel conditions associated with the timing information, as in the above embodiment. In this case, when the itinerary generating unit 22 generates an itinerary using availability information, it can propose an itinerary including information on facilities and the like with availability at the timing registered by the target user 16. If no availability is detected for the specified travel conditions, the itinerary proposal unit 23 may notify the target user 16 that there is no itinerary to propose. When an itinerary with availability is proposed, the target user 16 can quickly reserve the facilities and the like he or she desires, including the suggested elements 71 such as transportation means.

[0097] <Proposal screen> [Modification 3] The proposal screen 70 may display multiple proposal elements 71 in an order other than chronological order. For example, the proposal screen 70 displays the proposal elements 71 for each category. The categories include "accommodations," "transportation," "tourist attractions," and "restaurants." For example, if "tourist attractions" and "restaurants" are close to each other on the map and the order in which to visit them is not limited, the target user 16 can create their own itinerary based on the proposed facilities. Alternatively, the proposal screen 70 may display the locations of multiple proposal elements 71 on the map. When the target user 16 selects one of the proposal elements 71 on the map, the user device 13 may display detailed information about the selected element.

[0098] [Modification 4] In the above embodiments, the total number of points is displayed in the detailed display 72 of the proposal screen 70, but the points obtained by using each of the proposal elements 71 may be displayed individually.

[0099] [Modification 5] When the target user 16 specifies a departure time, the arrival time at each proposed element 71 constituting the itinerary may be displayed on the proposal screen 70. In addition, the travel time between each proposed element 71 may be displayed.

[0100] <Generating itinerary information> [Modification 6] In the above embodiments, itinerary information is generated using availability information of the proposed element 71, but itinerary information may also be generated without using availability information. When the target user 16 selects a proposed element 71 displayed on the proposal screen 70, the reservation screen transitioning from the proposal screen 70 may indicate whether or not there is availability. If the target user 16 confirms that there is no availability, he or she can select the change button 73 to extract another proposed element 71 in the same category.

[0101] [Modification 7] In each of the above embodiments, itinerary information is generated using availability information of the proposed elements 71. At this time, if availability is not detected for some of the proposed elements 71 that make up the itinerary, the proposed elements 71 may be displayed on the proposal screen 70 in a state indicating that reservations are not accepted, such as by being grayed out. Furthermore, when the user device 13 receives an operation on the proposed element 71, the user device 13 may transition to a service screen of the service server 12 that can handle the proposed element 71.

[0102] <Information Processing System> [Modification 8] In each of the above embodiments, the proposal server 11 functions as the condition receiving unit 20, the acquisition unit 21, the itinerary generation unit 22, the itinerary proposal unit 23, and the reservation receiving unit 24, but this is not limited to this. One or more information processing devices H10 constituting the information processing system 10 may have these functions. For example, one or more of the service servers 12 may be configured to perform these functions. Or, the service server 12 may be configured to perform some of these functions, such as the acquisition unit 21. Or, the user device 13 may be configured to perform some of these functions, such as the reservation receiving unit 24. Or, the proposal server 11 may be configured to be composed of multiple servers each performing some of these functions.

[0103] The following are some aspects that can be understood based on the above-described embodiment and modifications. [1] An information processing system comprising at least one storage device configured to store a computer program and at least one processor configured to execute processing based on the contents of the computer program, wherein the processor is configured to execute the following processes: a condition acceptance process that accepts conditions related to a trip entered by a target user to whom a proposal is to be made; an acquisition process that acquires user management information corresponding to the target user from a storage unit that stores user management information related to a user who uses at least one of a service group consisting of multiple services; an itinerary generation process that uses the conditions and the user management information to generate itinerary information related to an itinerary that includes multiple proposed elements handled by one of the service group and that match the preferences of the target user; an itinerary proposal process that displays the itinerary information on a display device visible to the target user; and a reservation acceptance process that accepts a reservation request for at least one of the proposed elements included in the itinerary information. [2] The information processing system described in [1], wherein the itinerary generation process includes extracting similar users from among the users who are similar to the target user using the user management information, and generating the itinerary using historical information regarding the proposed elements used by the similar users. [3] The information processing system described in [1] or [2], wherein the itinerary proposal process includes displaying a proposal screen that shows the multiple proposed elements that make up the itinerary in chronological order and accepts a bulk reservation operation to make a bulk reservation for the multiple proposed elements, and the reservation acceptance process includes sending a reservation execution request to a service server associated with each of the proposed elements based on the bulk reservation operation. [4] An information processing system described in any one of [1] to [3], wherein the itinerary proposal process includes displaying a proposal screen that shows the multiple proposed elements that make up the itinerary in chronological order and accepts individual reservation operations to reserve each of the proposed elements individually, and the reservation acceptance process includes sending a reservation execution request to a service server associated with the proposed element that accepted the individual reservation operation. [5] The information processing system described in any one of [1] to [4], wherein the itinerary proposal process includes calculating points that are available in the service group and that will be awarded to the target user when all of the proposed elements are used, and displaying a proposal screen including the itinerary and the points on the display device. [6] The information processing system described in [5], wherein the itinerary proposal process calculates the points obtained when all of the proposed elements are used so that the points are greater than the total value of the points obtained when each of the proposed elements is used, depending on the number of the proposed elements. [7] An information processing system described in any one of [1] to [6], wherein the itinerary generation process includes generating the itinerary information using availability information of the proposed elements that are available for reservations that meet the conditions. [8] An information processing system described in any one of [1] to [7], wherein the processor further executes a product suggestion process that includes extracting products related to the itinerary that are available for purchase in the service group, and displaying information about the extracted products on the display device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0104] 10...information processing system, 11...proposal server, 12...service server, 13...user device, 16...target user, 17...similar user, 20...condition acceptance processing unit, 21...acquisition unit, 22...itinerary generation unit, 23...itinerary proposal unit, 24...reservation acceptance unit, 25...product proposal unit, 30...user management information storage unit, 31...user management information, 70...proposal screen, 71...proposal element, H11...processor, H13...storage device.

Claims

1. at least one storage device configured to store a computer program; and at least one processor configured to execute processing based on the content of the computer program, the processor: A condition receiving process for receiving conditions related to the trip input by a target user who is a target of the proposal; an acquisition process of acquiring user management information corresponding to the target user from a storage unit that stores user management information related to a user who uses at least one of a service group consisting of a plurality of services; an itinerary generation process that generates itinerary information related to an itinerary including a plurality of proposed elements handled by one of the service groups and that match the preferences of the target user, using the conditions and the user management information; an itinerary suggestion process for displaying the itinerary information on a display device visually recognized by the target user; a reservation acceptance process for accepting a reservation request for at least one of the proposed elements included in the itinerary information; Information processing system.

2. The itinerary generation process includes: extracting similar users who are similar to the target user from among the users using the user management information; The information processing system according to claim 1 , further comprising generating the itinerary using history information relating to the suggested elements used by the similar users.

3. the itinerary proposal process includes displaying a proposal screen that shows the plurality of proposal elements that make up the itinerary in chronological order and accepts a collective reservation operation for making a collective reservation for each of the proposal elements; The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the reservation acceptance process includes transmitting a reservation execution request to a service server associated with each of the proposed elements based on the collective reservation operation.

4. the itinerary proposal process includes displaying a proposal screen that shows the plurality of proposal elements that make up the itinerary in chronological order and accepts individual reservation operations for individually reserving each of the proposal elements; the reservation acceptance process includes transmitting a reservation execution request to a service server associated with the proposed element that accepted the individual reservation operation; The information processing system according to claim 1 .

5. the itinerary proposal process calculates points that are available in the service group and that will be awarded to the target user when all of the proposal elements are used; The information processing system according to claim 1 , further comprising displaying a proposal screen including the itinerary and the points on the display device.

6. The information processing system of claim 5, wherein the itinerary proposal process calculates the points obtained when all of the proposed elements are used so that the points obtained when each of the proposed elements is used is greater than the total value of the points obtained when each of the proposed elements is used, depending on the number of the proposed elements.

7. The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the itinerary generation process includes generating the itinerary information using availability information of the proposed elements that are available for reservation and meet the conditions.

8. the processor: Extracting products related to the itinerary and available for purchase in the group of services; and The information processing system according to claim 1 , further comprising: a product suggestion process that displays the extracted product information on the display device.

9. On one or more computers, A condition receiving process for receiving conditions related to the trip input by a target user who is a target of the proposal; an acquisition process of acquiring user management information corresponding to the target user from a storage unit that stores user management information related to a user who uses at least one of a service group consisting of a plurality of services; an itinerary generation process that generates itinerary information related to an itinerary including a plurality of proposed elements handled by one of the service groups and that match the preferences of the target user, using the conditions and the user management information; an itinerary suggestion process for displaying the itinerary information on a display device visually recognized by the target user; a reservation acceptance process for accepting a reservation request for at least one of the proposed elements included in the itinerary information, Information processing methods.

10. On one or more computers, A condition receiving process for receiving conditions related to the trip input by a target user who is a target of the proposal; an acquisition process of acquiring user management information corresponding to the target user from a storage unit that stores user management information related to a user who uses at least one of a service group consisting of a plurality of services; an itinerary generation process that generates itinerary information related to an itinerary including a plurality of proposed elements handled by one of the service groups and that match the preferences of the target user, using the conditions and the user management information; an itinerary suggestion process for displaying the itinerary information on a display device visually recognized by the target user; a reservation acceptance process for accepting a reservation request for at least one of the proposed elements included in the itinerary information; Computer program.

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