Information processor, information processing method and program

Abstract

To easily activate in a virtual space.SOLUTION: An information processor 2 includes: a determination part 232 for determining characteristics of an object presented to a user in a virtual space, on the basis of at least one of activity history and attribute of a user acting as an avatar in the virtual space; a space control part 234 for controlling the virtual space including the object of the characters determined by the determination part 232; and a presentation part 235 for presenting the virtual space controlled by the space control part 234 to the user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, a system for controlling an object presented to a user in a virtual space has been known. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for controlling the movement of an object of a non-player character (NPC) that moves automatically. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-068872 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in conventional technologies, only predetermined objects are presented to the user, which can make it difficult for the user to interact with the objects or make the virtual space containing the objects boring, making it difficult for the user to be active in the virtual space.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and aims to make it easier to move around in a virtual space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An information processing device according to a first aspect of the present invention has a determination unit that determines the characteristics of an object to be presented to a user in a virtual space based on at least one of the activity history and attributes of the user acting as an avatar in the virtual space, a space control unit that controls the virtual space including the object with the characteristics determined by the determination unit, and a presentation unit that presents the virtual space controlled by the space control unit to the user.

[0007] The user's activity history may include the content of communications made by the user, and the determination unit may determine the characteristics of the object based on the content of the communications included in the user's activity history.

[0008] The user's activity history may include at least one of event information indicating events in which the user participated and store information indicating stores that the user used, and the determination unit may determine the characteristics of the object based on attributes of the event indicated by the event information included in the user's activity history or attributes of the store indicated by the store information included in the user's activity history.

[0009] The user's activity history may include details of payments made by the user, and the determination unit may determine the characteristics of the object based on the details of payments included in the user's activity history.

[0010] The determination unit may further determine at least one of the number and positions of the objects to be placed in the virtual space.

[0011] The object may be an NPC object that acts without being operated by a user of the virtual space, and may include an NPC object to which a predetermined speech model is assigned, and the determination unit may determine the characteristics of the object by selecting the speech model from among a plurality of speech models each having a different speech pattern based on at least one of the user's activity history and attributes, and the space control unit may control the behavior of the NPC object to which the speech model selected by the determination unit is assigned.

[0012] The user's activity history may include the response content of the avatar to the NPC object, and the determination unit may select the speech model from the plurality of speech models based on the response content included in the user's activity history.

[0013] The object may be an advertisement object indicating an advertisement, and the determination unit may select the advertisement object to be presented to the user from a plurality of advertisement objects each having different content.

[0014] The object may be an event object indicating an event, and the determination unit may select the event object to be presented to the user from a plurality of event objects each having different content.

[0015] The object may be another avatar corresponding to a user different from the user, and the determination unit may further determine whether or not to allow the other avatar corresponding to the characteristics of the determined object to be active in the virtual space.

[0016] The determination unit may determine a characteristic of one of the objects based on at least one of activity histories and attributes of a plurality of users who act as avatars in the virtual space.

[0017] An information processing method according to a second aspect of the present invention includes the steps of: determining the characteristics of an object to be presented to a user in a virtual space based on at least one of the activity history and attributes of the user acting as an avatar in the virtual space; controlling the virtual space including the object with the determined characteristics; and presenting the controlled virtual space to the user, executed by a computer.

[0018] A program according to a third aspect of the present invention causes a computer to function as a determination unit that determines the characteristics of an object to be presented to a user in a virtual space based on at least one of the activity history and attributes of the user acting as an avatar in the virtual space, a space control unit that controls the virtual space including the object with the characteristics determined by the determination unit, and a presentation unit that presents the virtual space controlled by the space control unit to the user. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an effect of making it easier to move around in a virtual space. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of an information processing system. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a functional configuration of an information processing device. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a user management database. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing by the information processing device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] [Outline of Information Processing System S] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an overview of an information processing system S. The information processing system S is a system used to provide an information processing service. The information processing service is a service that provides a virtual space. The virtual space is a space in which one or more users each act as an avatar, a so-called metaverse. A user is a user of the information processing service who acts as an avatar in the virtual space. The information processing system S has a user terminal 1 and an information processing device 2.

[0022] The user terminal 1 is a terminal used by a user, and may be, for example, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a personal computer, or a head-mounted display. For example, a dedicated application program (hereinafter referred to as a "dedicated app") for providing an information processing service is installed in the user terminal 1. The user can use the information processing service by using the dedicated app. The information processing service may be provided on a website.

[0023] The information processing device 2 is a device that manages an information processing service, and is, for example, a server. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the information processing service presents a space V to a user. The space V is a virtual space in which an object A, which is an avatar, and an object N, which is an NPC object, exist. The NPC object is an object other than the avatar, and is, for example, a non-player character object that acts without being operated by a user.

[0024] For example, if a predetermined NPC object is presented to a user, some users may find it difficult to interact with the NPC object, so it is desirable to present an NPC object that is appropriate for the user. Therefore, the information processing system S presents an NPC object that is appropriate for the user to the user. The following describes the process in which the information processing system S presents an NPC object according to the user.

[0025] First, when the user performs an operation to start up a dedicated application on the user terminal 1, the user terminal 1 transmits a request to present the space V to the information processing device 2 ((1) in FIG. 1).

[0026] The information processing device 2 determines the content to be presented to the user in space V based on the user's activity history ((2) in FIG. 1). The user's activity history is a history of the activities of an avatar corresponding to the user in space V, and includes, for example, the content of conversations that the avatar (user) had in space V, the content of actions that the avatar took in space V, etc. Note that the user's activity history is not limited to the history of the avatar's activities in space V, but may also be a history of the user's activities in real space (for example, a payment history of payments made by the user, a movement history of the user, etc.). When the user's activity history is a history of the user's activities in real space, the information processing device 2 acquires the user's activity history linked to the user identifier, for example, from the user terminal 1 or an external server that stores user activity history information.

[0027] Specifically, based on the user's activity history, the information processing device 2 determines, as the presentation content, the characteristics of the NPC object to be presented to the user in the space V. The characteristics of the NPC object are, for example, characteristics such as the conversation, behavior, and appearance of the NPC object.

[0028] The information processing device 2 controls a space V, which is a virtual space including an NPC object with the determined characteristics ((3) in FIG. 1). The information processing device 2 generates, for example, an object N having the determined characteristics. Then, the information processing device 2 presents the space V, which is the controlled virtual space, to the user ((4) in FIG. 1).

[0029] In this way, the information processing system S can present NPC objects with characteristics suited to the user in the virtual space. This makes it easier for the user to interact with the NPC objects. As a result, the information processing system S can make it easier for the user to be active in the virtual space. The configuration of the information processing device 2 will be described below.

[0030] [Configuration of information processing device 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the functional configuration of an information processing device 2. The information processing device 2 includes a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a control unit 23. In FIG. 2, arrows indicate main data flows, and there may be data flows not shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, each functional block indicates a configuration in functional units, rather than a configuration in hardware (device) units. Therefore, the functional blocks shown in FIG. 2 may be implemented in a single device, or may be implemented separately in multiple devices. Data may be exchanged between functional blocks via any means, such as a data bus, a network, or a portable storage medium.

[0031] The communication unit 21 is a communication interface for connecting to a network, and includes a communication controller for receiving data from an external terminal and an external server.

[0032] The storage unit 22 is a large-capacity storage device such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores a BIOS (Basic Input Output System) and the like of a computer that implements the information processing device 2, a RAM (Random Access Memory) that serves as a work area for the information processing device 2, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive) that stores an OS (Operating System), application programs, and various information referenced when the application programs are executed. The storage unit 22 stores, for example, user management database information that manages information about users.

[0033] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a user management database. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the user management database stores a user ID, user attributes (e.g., gender, age, occupation, address, hometown, etc., as well as attributes inferred from the user's activity history), and the user's activity history in association with each other. The user's activity history stored in the user management database is, for example, a history of activities performed by an avatar corresponding to the user in a virtual space. The information processing device 2 may acquire the user's attributes (e.g., address, hometown, etc.) and the user's activity history, register them in the user management database, and use them to generate and arrange objects, only when the user requests or consents.

[0034] Returning to Figure 2, the control unit 23 is a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) of the information processing device 2, and functions as an acquisition unit 231, a determination unit 232, a generation unit 233, a spatial control unit 234, and a presentation unit 235 by executing a program stored in the memory unit 22.

[0035] The acquisition unit 231 acquires a presentation request requesting presentation of a virtual space from the user terminal 1. The presentation request includes, for example, a user ID. In addition to the presentation request, the acquisition unit 231 may further acquire information stored in the user terminal 1 (for example, payment history, movement history, etc.) as the user's activity history. Note that the acquisition unit 231 may acquire, from an external server, the activity history of the user identified by the user ID included in the presentation request.

[0036] The determination unit 232 determines presentation content to be presented to the user in the virtual space based on the activity history of the user acting as an avatar in the virtual space. The determination unit 232 determines the presentation content based on, for example, the activity history of the user stored in the user management database in association with the user ID included in the presentation request. The determination unit 232 may determine the presentation content based on the activity history of the user acquired by the acquisition unit 231.

[0037] The determination unit 232 determines, as the presentation content, the characteristics of the NPC object to be presented to the user in the virtual space based on the user's activity history. For example, the determination unit 232 determines the conversation characteristics of the NPC object based on the user's activity history.

[0038] For example, a predetermined conversation model is assigned to an NPC object. The predetermined conversation model is, for example, a large language model (LLM) constructed to converse in conversation patterns according to various characteristics such as personality, gender, age, region, preferences, etc. The predetermined conversation model may also be voice data that utters predetermined content. In this case, the determination unit 232 determines the characteristics of the NPC object by selecting a conversation model from a plurality of conversation models each having a different conversation pattern based on the user's activity history.

[0039] For example, the storage unit 22 stores, for each conversation model having a different conversation pattern, information indicating characteristics in association with the conversation model. The information indicating characteristics stored in association with the conversation model in the storage unit 22 is, for example, the characteristics of the person to whom the NPC object of the conversation model is presented. Note that the information indicating characteristics stored in association with the conversation model in the storage unit 22 may be the characteristics of the conversation pattern of the conversation model.

[0040] In this case, first, the determination unit 232 identifies a characteristic of the user based on the user's activity history. The determination unit 232 may identify one characteristic or multiple characteristics. Then, the determination unit 232 selects a conversation model stored in the storage unit 22 in association with the identified characteristic from among multiple conversation models. In this way, the information processing device 2 can determine the conversation characteristic of the NPC object according to the user.

[0041] The determination unit 232 determines the characteristics of the NPC object based on, for example, the content of communication the user has had. The content of the user's communication is, for example, the content of communication, such as chat, the user has had with the NPC object in the past. The user's activity history includes the content of the communication the user has had.

[0042] In this case, the determination unit 232 determines the characteristics of the NPC object based on the content of the communication included in the user's activity history. The determination unit 232 determines the characteristics of the NPC object based on the content of the communication with the user, for example, by performing the following two steps.

[0043] As a first step, the determination unit 232 identifies the characteristics of the user based on the content of the communication the user has had, which is included in the user's activity history. The determination unit 232 identifies the characteristics of the user based on, for example, the frequency of communication indicated by the content of the communication the user has had. For example, the information processing device 2 is preset with characteristics expected for people who communicate frequently (e.g., high extroversion, assertiveness, talkativeness, etc.) and characteristics expected for people who communicate infrequently (e.g., low extroversion, modest self-assertion, taciturnity, etc.).

[0044] In this case, first, the determination unit 232 calculates a statistical count, which is a statistical value (e.g., average, maximum, median, etc.) of the number of conversations per predetermined unit period (e.g., 1 minute, 10 minutes, 60 minutes, etc.) indicated by the content of the communication made by the user. If the specified statistical count exceeds a predetermined threshold, the determination unit 232 determines that the frequency of communication is high, and if the specified statistical count does not exceed the predetermined threshold, the determination unit 232 determines that the frequency of communication is low.

[0045] If the determination unit 232 determines that the frequency of communication is high, it identifies the characteristics expected of a person who communicates frequently as the user's characteristics. If the determination unit 232 determines that the frequency of communication is low, it identifies the characteristics expected of a person who communicates infrequently as the user's characteristics.

[0046] In a second step, the determination unit 232 determines the characteristics of the NPC object based on the characteristics of the identified user. For example, the determination unit 232 selects, from among a plurality of conversation models, a conversation model that is stored in the storage unit 22 in association with the characteristics of the identified user.

[0047] When a characteristic expected of a person who frequently communicates (for example, a characteristic of being highly extroverted) is identified as a characteristic of the user, the determination unit 232 selects, from among a plurality of conversation models, a conversation model that is associated with the characteristic indicating high extroversion and stored in the storage unit 22. For example, a conversation model associated with the characteristic of being highly extroverted is learned based on the speech content and speech patterns of a person who has a relatively large amount of conversation over a certain period of time, has relatively short intervals between conversations over a certain period of time, has a relatively large number of conversation partners over a certain period of time, or initiates many suggestions and assertions in conversations, and the information processing device 2 can present an NPC object that is easy for the user to talk to by assigning the conversation model to the NPC object.

[0048] Furthermore, for example, when a characteristic expected of a person who communicates infrequently (e.g., low extroversion) is identified as a user characteristic, the determination unit 232 selects, from among the multiple conversation models, a conversation model that is stored in the storage unit 22 in association with the characteristic indicating low extroversion. For example, a conversation model associated with the characteristic of low extroversion is learned based on the speech content and speech patterns of a person who has a relatively small amount of conversation over a certain period of time, has relatively long intervals between conversations over a certain period of time, has relatively few conversation partners over a certain period of time, or initiates few proposals or assertions in conversations but makes many replies or responses, and the information processing device 2 can reduce the occurrence of a situation in which the user feels annoyed by an NPC object actively talking to them by assigning this conversation model to an NPC object.

[0049] The determination unit 232 may determine the characteristics of an NPC object based on the details of past interactions of the avatar with NPC objects. The details of past interactions of the avatar with NPC objects are, for example, the details of interactions of the avatar with NPC objects that exist within a range of a predetermined distance (e.g., 5 meters) from the position of the avatar or within the range of the virtual space presented to the user (the range of the virtual space displayed on the user terminal 1). The details of interactions include, for example, the details of conversations between the avatar and the NPC object, the details of actions taken by the avatar with respect to the NPC object (e.g., whether or not the avatar communicated with the NPC object, whether or not the avatar looked at the NPC object, etc.). The user's activity history includes the details of interactions of the avatar with NPC objects.

[0050] In this case, the determination unit 232 selects a speech model from among a plurality of speech models based on the corresponding content included in the user's activity history. For example, the determination unit 232 first identifies, for each NPC object (a speech model assigned to the NPC object) based on the corresponding content included in the user's activity history, a corresponding period during which the avatar has corresponded to the NPC object. The corresponding period may be, for example, a period during which the avatar communicated with the NPC object, a period during which the avatar viewed the NPC object, or a period during which the NPC object existed within a predetermined distance from the position of the avatar. Then, the determination unit 232 selects, from among the plurality of speech models, a speech model assigned to an NPC object with a relatively long corresponding period among the corresponding periods of each identified NPC object.

[0051] Furthermore, for example, first, the determination unit 232 estimates, for each NPC object, the user's emotions (e.g., joy, anger, sadness, happiness, etc.) when the user communicates with the NPC object based on the correspondence content included in the user's activity history. The determination unit 232 estimates the user's emotions based on, for example, the meaning of the communication between the user and the NPC object and the volume of the user's voice when the communication is a conversation. The determination unit 232 can estimate the user's emotions when the user communicates with the NPC object using, for example, known technology.

[0052] Then, the determination unit 232 selects, from the plurality of speech models, a speech model assigned to an NPC object that is estimated to have a good user emotion when the user converses with the NPC object (e.g., joy, anger, sadness, joy within enjoyment, enjoyment, etc.). The determination unit 232 may select, from the plurality of speech models, a speech model other than the speech model assigned to an NPC object that is estimated to have a bad user emotion when the user communicates with the NPC object (e.g., joy, anger, sadness, anger within enjoyment, sadness, etc.). In this way, the information processing device 2 can determine the characteristics of the NPC object according to the correspondence between the avatar and the NPC object in the past.

[0053] The determination unit 232 may determine the characteristics of an NPC object based on the content of the avatar's response after the NPC object speaks. The content of the avatar's response may be, for example, the content of the avatar's response to the NPC object's utterance (e.g., positive response, negative response, ignoring, etc.), the tendency and frequency of the avatar's response, the content of the avatar's behavior in response to the NPC object's utterance (e.g., positive behavior, negative behavior, etc.), the tendency and frequency of the behavior, etc.

[0054] For example, first, the determination unit 232 identifies, for each NPC object, the content of the avatar's response after the NPC object speaks, based on the user's activity history. Then, the determination unit 232 selects, from among the multiple speech models, a speech model assigned to an NPC object identified as having good avatar response after the NPC object speaks (for example, not ignoring the user, positive response, positive behavior, etc.). The determination unit 232 may also select, from among the multiple speech models, a speech model other than the speech model assigned to an NPC object identified as having bad avatar response after the NPC object speaks (for example, ignoring the user, negative response, negative behavior, etc.).

[0055] The determination unit 232 may determine the characteristics of the NCP object based on the attributes of events in which the user has participated in the past (e.g., sports such as baseball or soccer, concerts, outdoor activities, etc.). The event attributes are information indicating the target demographic of the event, such as for women in their twenties or for middle-aged and elderly people. For example, the user's activity history includes event information indicating events in which the user has participated. The event information included in the user's activity history is, for example, information indicating events in which an avatar has participated in a virtual space, or information indicating events in which the user has participated in a real space identified by the movement history.

[0056] In this case, the determination unit 232 determines the characteristics of the NPC object based on the attributes of the event indicated by the event information included in the user's activity history. The determination unit 232 may, for example, determine a hobby that is common to the attributes of the event (e.g., liking soccer if the event is soccer) as a specific hobby, and select a speech model associated with the determined characteristics from among multiple speech models. For example, if the event is soccer, the speech model associated with the characteristic of liking soccer is a model trained based on the speech content of people knowledgeable about soccer, people involved or experts in the soccer industry, people who frequently talk about soccer, or people appearing in various media dealing with information about soccer, and information from various media outlets related to soccer.

[0057] Furthermore, for example, when the attribute of an event indicated by the event information included in the user's activity history indicates that the event is for women in their twenties, the determination unit 232 may select, from among a plurality of speech models, a speech model associated as a characteristic with women in their twenties. For example, the speech model associated with women in their twenties is a model trained based on the speech content of a person who is a woman in her twenties. Furthermore, the determination unit 232 may determine, as the characteristic of the NPC object, a combination of a hobby that is common to the attribute of the event and women in their twenties.

[0058] Furthermore, the determination unit 232 may determine the characteristics of the NCP object based on the attributes of stores used by the user (avatar). For example, the user's activity history includes store information indicating stores used by the user. The store information included in the user's activity history is, for example, information indicating stores used by the avatar in the virtual space, or information indicating stores used by the user in the real space identified by the movement history.

[0059] In this case, the determination unit 232 determines the characteristics of the NPC object based on the attributes of the store indicated by the store information included in the user's activity history. The store attributes are, for example, information indicating the target demographic of the store. For example, if the attributes of an event indicated by the event information included in the user's activity history indicate that the event is aimed at middle-aged and elderly people, the determination unit 232 selects a speech model associated with middle-aged and elderly people as a characteristic from among multiple speech models. For example, the speech model associated with middle-aged and elderly people is a model trained based on the content of speech of middle-aged and elderly people.

[0060] Furthermore, the determination unit 232 may determine a hobby that is common to the attributes of a store (for example, if the store is an apparel store, a love of fashion, or if the store is a store of a specific brand, a love of the brand, etc.) as a specific trait, and select a speech model associated with the determined trait from among multiple speech models. For example, if the store is an apparel store, the speech model associated with the trait of a love of fashion is a model trained based on the speech content of people knowledgeable about fashion, people involved or experts in the fashion industry, people who frequently talk about fashion, or people who appear in various media dealing with information about fashion, or information from various media outlets related to fashion. In this way, the information processing device 2 can determine the traits of an NPC object that correspond to the traits of people who use the store.

[0061] The determination unit 232 may determine the characteristics of an NCP object based on the attributes of products that the user has paid for and purchased in the past or the attributes of services that the user has used in the past. For example, the user's activity history includes the details of payments made by the user. The details of payments included in the user's activity history are, for example, the details of payments made by an avatar in a virtual space or the details of payments made by the user in a real space identified by the payment history.

[0062] In this case, the determination unit 232 determines the characteristics of the object based on the payment details included in the user's activity history. For example, the determination unit 232 first selects a product or service for a specific target demographic from among the products purchased or services used by the user through payment details included in the user's activity history. Then, the determination unit 232 selects, from among multiple speech models, a speech model associated with the target demographic of the product or service selected as the characteristic.

[0063] The determination unit 232 may also determine a hobby shared with a product attribute or a service attribute (e.g., if the product is a product of a specific brand, liking the brand, etc.) as a specific trait, and select a speech model associated with the determined trait from among multiple speech models. For example, if the product is a product of a specific brand, the speech model associated with the trait of liking the brand may be a model trained based on the speech content of people familiar with the brand, people associated with or experts on the brand, purchasers of products from the brand, people who frequently talk about the brand, or people appearing in various media dealing with information about the brand, or the speech content of information in various media media related to the brand. In this way, the information processing device 2 can determine the traits of an NPC object that correspond to the traits of people who purchase products or use services.

[0064] The determination unit 232 may determine the behavior characteristics of the NPC object to be assigned to the user based on the user's activity history. For example, a predetermined behavior model is assigned to the NPC object. The predetermined behavior model is a behavior recognition model constructed so that the object behaves in a behavior pattern according to various characteristics, such as personality, gender, age, region, preference, etc. For example, a behavior recognition model constructed so that the object behaves in a behavior pattern according to the characteristics of a woman in her twenties is a model learned based on the behavior of a woman in her twenties (for example, gestures, speaking style, etc.). The predetermined behavior model may be behavior data that behaves in a predetermined behavior pattern.

[0065] In this case, the determination unit 232 determines the characteristics of the NPC object by selecting a behavior model from among a plurality of behavior models each having a different behavior pattern based on the user's activity history. For example, the storage unit 22 stores, for each behavior model having a different behavior pattern, information indicating the characteristics in association with the behavior model, and the determination unit 232 selects, from among the plurality of behavior models, a behavior model stored in the storage unit 22 based on the user's activity history.

[0066] The determination unit 232 may determine the appearance characteristics of the NPC object to be assigned to the user based on the user's activity history. For example, the NPC object is provided with generation information for generating pattern shapes according to various characteristics such as personality, gender, age, region, etc.

[0067] In this case, the determination unit 232 determines the characteristics of the NPC object by selecting generation information from a plurality of pieces of generation information each having a different shape pattern based on the user's activity history. For example, the storage unit 22 stores, for each piece of generation information having a different shape pattern, the generation information and information indicating the characteristics in association with each other, and the determination unit 232 selects, from the plurality of pieces of generation information, generation information stored in the storage unit 22 based on the user's activity history. For example, in generation information associated with the characteristic of liking soccer, an NPC object wearing clothing with a soccer-related design or a soccer uniform is generated.

[0068] The determination unit 232 may further determine at least one of the number and positions of NPC objects to be placed in the virtual space. For example, when it is determined that the user has communicated frequently, the determination unit 232 determines a larger number of NPC objects to be placed in the virtual space than when it is determined that the user has communicated frequently. Furthermore, when it is determined that the user has communicated frequently, the determination unit 232 determines positions in the virtual space for placing NPC objects closer to the avatar than when it is determined that the user has communicated frequently. Furthermore, when it is determined that the user has communicated frequently, the determination unit 232 may increase the density of NPC objects to be placed around the avatar than when it is determined that the user has communicated frequently. In this way, the information processing device 2 can control the virtual space in accordance with the user.

[0069] The determination unit 232 may determine the characteristics of an NPC object to be presented to the user in the virtual space based on information other than the user's activity history. For example, the determination unit 232 determines the characteristics of an NPC object to be presented to the user in the virtual space based on the user's attributes.

[0070] For example, the determination unit 232 selects, from among a plurality of NPC object characteristics (for example, at least one of a speech model, a behavior model, and generation information), a characteristic of an NPC object associated with a user attribute (for example, age, etc.) stored in the user management database in association with the user ID included in the presentation request acquired by the acquisition unit 231. Note that the determination unit 232 may determine the characteristic of an NPC object to be presented to the user in the virtual space based on the user attribute in addition to the user activity history.

[0071] The determination unit 232 may determine the characteristics of one NPC object based on at least one of the activity histories and attributes of multiple users who act as avatars in the virtual space. For example, the determination unit 232 first identifies one or more characteristics of each user based on the activity history and attributes of the user. Then, the determination unit 232 selects, from the multiple speech models, a speech model that is associated with a common characteristic among the identified characteristics of the multiple users.

[0072] For example, if the characteristics of each of the multiple users are different, the determination unit 232 may select, from among the multiple speech models, a speech model associated with the characteristics of each of the identified multiple users. In this way, the information processing device 2 can present NPC objects having common characteristics corresponding to each of the multiple users in the virtual space.

[0073] The space control unit 234 controls the virtual space including the NPC object with the characteristics determined by the determination unit 232. Specifically, the information processing device 2 controls the virtual space by executing the following two steps.

[0074] As a first step, the generation unit 233 generates an NPC object. Specifically, the generation unit 233 generates an NPC object having the characteristics determined by the determination unit 232. For example, based on the generation information selected by the determination unit 232, the generation unit 233 generates an NPC object having a shape pattern indicated by the generation information.

[0075] The generation unit 233 may generate an NPC object using a generation AI. For example, the generation unit 233 inputs the generation information selected by the determination unit 232 to the generation AI, thereby causing the generation AI to generate an NPC object.

[0076] When the generation unit 233 generates an NPC object, it assigns at least one of the conversation model and the behavior model selected by the determination unit 232 to the generated NPC model.

[0077] As a second step, the space control unit 234 controls the behavior of the NPC object in the virtual space generated by the generation unit 233. For example, when the distance between the NPC object generated by the generation unit 233 in the virtual space and the avatar is within a predetermined threshold, the space control unit 234 causes the NPC object to perform a predetermined behavior such as talking or moving.

[0078] The space control unit 234 may bring an NPC object placed in advance in the virtual space closer to the avatar. For example, a plurality of NPC objects are placed in the virtual space. In this case, the space control unit 234 first identifies an NPC object having the characteristics determined by the determination unit 232 from among the plurality of NPC objects placed in the virtual space. For example, the space control unit 234 identifies, as the NPC object having the characteristics determined by the determination unit 232, an NPC object that is generated based on the generation information selected by the determination unit 232 and to which the conversation model and behavior model selected by the determination unit 232 are assigned.

[0079] Then, the space control unit 234 controls the behavior of the identified NPC object. For example, the space control unit 234 brings the identified NPC object closer to the avatar. In this way, the information processing device 2 can present the user with an NPC object that suits the user.

[0080] The presentation unit 235 presents to the user the virtual space controlled by the space control unit 234. Specifically, the presentation unit 235 presents to the user a virtual space including NPC objects whose actions are controlled by the space control unit 234. The presentation unit 235, for example, renders a spatial image displaying the virtual space based on information indicating the virtual space controlled by the space control unit 234, and transmits the rendered spatial image to the user terminal 1, thereby causing the user terminal 1 to display the virtual space.

[0081] [Processing of information processing device 2] Next, a description will be given of the processing flow of the information processing device 2. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the information processing device 2. This processing starts when the acquisition unit 231 acquires a request to present a virtual space from the user terminal 1 (S1).

[0082] The determination unit 232 determines the characteristics of an NPC object to be presented to the user in the virtual space based on the user's activity history (S2). The generation unit 233 generates an NPC object having the characteristics determined by the determination unit 232 (S3).

[0083] The space control unit 234 controls the behavior of the NPC object generated by the generation unit 233 in the virtual space (S4). Then, the presentation unit 235 presents to the user the virtual space including the NPC object whose behavior is controlled by the space control unit 234 (S5).

[0084] <Variation 1> Although the above description has been given of an example in which the object presented to the user is an NPC object, the object is not limited to this. For example, the object presented to the user may be an advertisement object that displays an advertisement.

[0085] In this case, the determination unit 232 selects an advertisement object to be presented to the user from among a plurality of advertisement objects each having different content, based on at least one of the user's activity history and the user's attributes. For example, the information processing device 2 associates each advertisement object with information indicating its characteristics in advance for each advertisement object. In this case, first, the determination unit 232 selects an advertisement object from among the plurality of advertisement objects based on the user's activity history.

[0086] Then, the presentation unit 235 presents the advertisement object selected by the determination unit 232 to the user. The presentation unit 235, for example, fixes and displays the advertisement object on the display screen of the information processing service. Note that the space control unit 234 may place the advertisement object at a predetermined position in the virtual space. In this way, the information processing device 2 can present an advertisement appropriate for the user to the user.

[0087] <Variation 2> In the above, an example has been described in which the object presented to the user is an NPC object, but this is not limiting. The object presented to the user may also be an event object that indicates an event. For example, if the event is a live music concert, the event object may be the venue of the live music concert, effects (e.g., light, smoke, etc.), etc.

[0088] In this case, the determination unit 232 selects an event object to be presented to the user from a plurality of event objects each having different content, based on at least one of the user's activity history and the user's attributes. For example, the information processing device 2 associates each event object with information indicating its characteristics in advance for each event object. In this case, the determination unit 232 first selects an event object from a plurality of event objects based on the user's activity history.

[0089] Then, the presentation unit 235 presents to the user the event object selected by the determination unit 232. The space control unit 234 places the event object at a predetermined position in the virtual space.

[0090] <Variation 3> In the above, an example has been described in which the object presented to the user is an NPC object, but this is not limiting. The object presented to the user may also be another avatar corresponding to another user different from the user.

[0091] In a virtual space, the greater the number of avatars existing in the same space or the greater the number of simultaneously connected users, the greater the load on the information processing device 2. Therefore, in the information processing service, an upper limit is set in advance for the number of avatars and users permitted to exist in the virtual space. Therefore, when the number of avatars and users existing in a virtual space reaches the upper limit, the information processing service makes users who will be active in the virtual space wait until the number of avatars and users falls below the upper limit.

[0092] In this case, the determination unit 232 further determines whether or not to allow other avatars corresponding to the characteristics of the determined object to be active in the virtual space. For example, first, when the number of users existing in the virtual space falls below an upper limit (for example, when an avatar has exited the virtual space), the determination unit 232 identifies the characteristics of one or more other users who are waiting based on the activity history of the other users. The determination unit 232 determines whether or not there is another user, from the one or more other users who are waiting, who has characteristics that match at least a part of the characteristics determined based on the activity history of the user.

[0093] Then, when the determination unit 232 determines that there are one or more other users who have characteristics that match at least a part of the characteristics determined based on the user's activity history, it causes the one or more other users to act as other avatars in the virtual space. On the other hand, when the determination unit 232 determines that there are no other users who have characteristics that match at least a part of the characteristics determined based on the user's activity history, it causes the other users to wait until the number of avatars falls below the upper limit. In this way, the information processing device 2 allows other users who may be compatible with the user to act in the virtual space.

[0094] If the number of objects, including avatars and NPC objects, existing in the virtual space reaches an upper limit, the information processing service may cause users who will be active in the virtual space to wait until the number of objects falls below the upper limit. In this case, if the space control unit 234 determines that there are one or more other users who have characteristics that match at least a part of the characteristics determined based on the user's activity history, the space control unit 234 may delete from the virtual space a number of NPC objects equal to the number of other avatars selected by the determination unit 232.

[0095] [Effects of this embodiment] As described above, the information processing device 2 controls a virtual space including objects with characteristics determined based on at least one of the user's activity history and attributes, and presents the controlled virtual space to the user. In this way, the information processing device 2 can present NPC objects with characteristics according to the user in the virtual space. This makes it easier for the user to interact with the NPC objects. As a result, the information processing device 2 can make it easier for the user to be active in the virtual space.

[0096] Furthermore, this invention will make it possible to contribute to Goal 9 of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is "Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and promote innovation and resilience."

[0097] The present invention has been described above using embodiments, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, all or part of the device can be configured by functionally or physically distributing or integrating any unit. Furthermore, new embodiments resulting from any combination of multiple embodiments are also included in the embodiments of the present invention. The effects of the new embodiments resulting from the combination also have the effects of the original embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0098] 1. User terminal 2. Information processing equipment 21 Communications Department 22 Memory section 23 Control Unit 231 Acquisition Department 232 Decision Section 233 Generation part 234 Spatial Control Unit 235 Presentation section S Information Processing System

Claims

1. a determination unit that determines characteristics of an object to be presented to a user acting as an avatar in a virtual space based on at least one of an activity history and attributes of the user; a space control unit that controls the virtual space including the object having the characteristics determined by the determination unit; a presentation unit that presents the virtual space controlled by the space control unit to the user; An information processing device having the above.

2. The user's activity history includes the content of communications made by the user; the determination unit determines the characteristics of the object based on the content of the communication included in the activity history of the user. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. The activity history of the user includes at least one of event information indicating an event in which the user participated and store information indicating a store used by the user; the determination unit determines the characteristics of the object based on attributes of the event indicated by the event information included in the activity history of the user or attributes of the store indicated by the store information included in the activity history of the user. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

4. The user's activity history includes payment details made by the user; the determination unit determines the characteristics of the object based on the payment details included in the activity history of the user. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

5. The determination unit further determines at least one of the number and positions of the objects to be placed in the virtual space. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

6. the object is an NPC (Non Player Character) object that acts without being operated by a user of the virtual space, and includes the NPC object to which a predetermined speech model is assigned; the determination unit determines the characteristics of the object by selecting the speech model from a plurality of speech models each having a different speech pattern based on at least one of an activity history and an attribute of the user; the spatial control unit controls the behavior of the NPC object to which the speech model selected by the determination unit is assigned. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

7. The user's activity history includes the content of the avatar's response to the NPC object; the determination unit selects the utterance model from the plurality of utterance models based on the response content included in the activity history of the user. The information processing device according to claim 6 .

8. the object is an advertisement object indicating an advertisement, the determination unit selects the advertisement object to be presented to the user from a plurality of advertisement objects each having different content. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

9. the object is an event object indicating an event, the determination unit selects the event object to be presented to the user from a plurality of event objects each having different content. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

10. the object is another avatar corresponding to another user different from the user, The determination unit further determines whether to allow the other avatar corresponding to the determined property of the object to be active in the virtual space. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

11. the determination unit determines a characteristic of one of the objects based on at least one of activity histories and attributes of a plurality of users who act as avatars in the virtual space. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

12. The computer executes determining characteristics of an object to be presented to a user acting as an avatar in a virtual space based on at least one of an activity history and attributes of the user; controlling the virtual space containing the object with the determined characteristics; presenting the controlled virtual space to the user; An information processing method comprising:

13. Computer, a determination unit that determines characteristics of an object to be presented to a user acting as an avatar in a virtual space based on at least one of an activity history and attributes of the user; a space control unit that controls the virtual space including the object having the characteristics determined by the determination unit; and a presentation unit that presents the virtual space controlled by the space control unit to the user; A program to function as a

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