Information processing system and program

Abstract

To provide an information processing system allowing a receptionist to easily determine whether or not reception is appropriate, compared with a case where only questions and answers to a user are displayed to the receptionist who receives the user using a device in which a failure has occurred.SOLUTION: A reception system 10 includes a CPU 24A. The CPU 24A provides satisfaction degree of information related to solution of a failure to a receptionist PR who responds to a user UR based on the information provided from the user UR who uses a printer 12 in which the failure has occurred.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an inquiry response support system in which, when a server receives a product inquiry from a user, it extracts keywords related to the inquiry or problem from the content of the inquiry, compares them with a keyword database, searches for inquiries or problems similar to those received in the past, and sends the inquiry from the user together with the results to a terminal of a person in charge of responding, which is used as a reference for the level of response to the inquiry received from the user. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-242577 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure aims to provide an information processing system that makes it easier for a responder to determine whether or not to respond to a user using a device that has experienced a failure, compared to when only questions and answers to the user are displayed to the responder. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The information processing system of the first aspect includes a processor, and the processor provides a responder who responds to a user using a device in which a failure has occurred with information indicating the sufficiency of information regarding resolving the failure based on information provided by the user.

[0006] In a second aspect of the information processing system, in the information processing system according to the first aspect, the processor provides the person in charge with candidate questions to ask the user that contribute to improving the degree of satisfaction with the information.

[0007] In the information processing system of the third aspect, when the processor predicts a plurality of the failures, it provides the sufficiency of the information for each of the failures.

[0008] In a fourth aspect of the information processing system, in the information processing system described in the second aspect, the processor further provides the respondent with a degree of information satisfaction that increases when information is provided by the user regarding the candidate questions.

[0009] An information processing system of a fifth aspect is the information processing system according to the second or fourth aspect, wherein the processor provides the responder with a plurality of candidate questions.

[0010] An information processing system of a sixth aspect is the information processing system according to the fifth aspect, wherein the processor provides the plurality of candidate questions in descending order of the degree to which they increase the degree of information sufficiency.

[0011] An information processing system of a seventh aspect is an information processing system described in any one of the first to fifth aspects, in which the processor creates content regarding resolving the equipment failure to be provided by the responder to the next person in charge based on information provided by the user.

[0012] An information processing system of an eighth aspect cites any one of the information processing systems described in the second to seventh aspects, in which the processor provides the responder with content related to resolving the problem along with candidate questions.

[0013] An information processing system of a ninth aspect is the information processing system according to the sixth or eighth aspect, wherein the processor changes the content relating to the resolution of the failure in accordance with the degree of sufficiency of information.

[0014] An information processing system of a tenth aspect is an information processing system described in any one of the first to ninth aspects, in which the processor highlights information contained in the information provided by the user that has a high degree of increasing information satisfaction and presents it to the responder.

[0015] The program of the eleventh aspect causes a processor to provide a responder who responds to a user using a device in which a fault has occurred with information indicating the sufficiency of information regarding resolving the fault, based on information provided by the user. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the information processing system of the first aspect, it is easier for the responder to determine whether or not to respond to the user using the equipment that has experienced a failure, compared to when only the questions and answers to the user are displayed to the responder.

[0017] According to the information processing system of the second aspect, the person in charge of handling the user can know what questions to ask the user.

[0018] According to the information processing system of the third aspect, it is easier for the person in charge to judge whether the service is appropriate or not, compared to when the satisfaction level is not provided for each obstacle.

[0019] According to the information processing system of the fourth aspect, the attendant can consider whether the next question to ask is appropriate.

[0020] According to the information processing system of the fifth aspect, the person in charge can select the next question to ask.

[0021] According to the information processing system of the sixth aspect, it is easier for the respondent to determine which questions should be prioritized compared to when candidate questions are randomly provided to the respondent.

[0022] According to the information processing system of the seventh aspect, the person in charge can provide the content to be reported to the next person in charge.

[0023] According to the information processing system of the eighth aspect, the person in charge can select a question to ask the user after confirming the content to be provided to the next person in charge.

[0024] According to the information processing system of the ninth aspect, the next person in charge can more easily understand the content related to resolving the problem, compared to when the content provided to the respondent is the same regardless of the degree of information sufficiency.

[0025] According to the information processing system of the tenth aspect, it is possible to provide feedback to the person in charge of the service on the degree of sufficiency of information obtained based on information provided by the user.

[0026] According to the program of the eleventh aspect, it is easier for the responder to determine whether or not to respond to a user using equipment whose processor has failed, compared to when only the questions and answers to the user are displayed to the responder. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a processing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a computer used by a responder according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the content displayed on the display unit according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 4 is a diagram illustrating the content displayed on the display unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, following FIG. 3, and illustrating the content when information provided by the user has been entered into an input field. [Figure 5] 5 is a diagram illustrating the content displayed on the display unit according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, following FIG. 4, and illustrating the content in a state where information provided by the user has been added. FIG. [Figure 6]5 , and is a diagram illustrating the content displayed on the display unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and is a diagram illustrating the content display unit in a state where further information has been added by the user and the information sufficiency has exceeded the target value. [Figure 7] 7 is a diagram illustrating the content displayed on the display unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, following FIG. 6, and is a diagram illustrating the content of a state in which further information has been added by the user and it has been determined that the cause of the failure has been identified. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a procedure in which a computer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a responder with the degree of sufficiency of information. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a first example of a method for a computer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure to calculate information sufficiency, and is a diagram showing a correspondence table between terms and information sufficiency. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating how a computer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure calculates an information sufficiency level based on terms entered in an input field for fault details. [Figure 11] 10 , and is a diagram showing how a computer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure calculates information sufficiency based on terms entered in the input field for the fault content, and is a diagram showing an example in which the information sufficiency increases as further words are added to the input field for the fault content. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a second example of a method for a computer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure to calculate information sufficiency, and is a diagram showing a correspondence table between terms and information sufficiency. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing how a computer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure calculates information sufficiency based on terms entered in an input field for fault details, and how the computer infers the causes of multiple faults. [Figure 14] 13 , this figure shows how a computer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure calculates information sufficiency based on terms entered in the input field for fault details, and explains how input fields for fault details are provided corresponding to each of multiple fault causes. [Figure 15]14 , and is a diagram showing how a computer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure calculates information sufficiency based on terms entered in the input field for fault details, and is a diagram showing an example in which further words are added to the input field for fault details corresponding to each of multiple fault causes, thereby increasing the information sufficiency. [Figure 16] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the content displayed on the display unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and illustrate how the degree of sufficiency of information is displayed for each of a plurality of causes of failure. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a third example of a method for calculating information sufficiency by a computer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] An example of an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent components and parts are designated by the same reference numerals. Furthermore, the dimensional proportions in the drawings are exaggerated for the sake of explanation and may differ from the actual proportions.

[0029] [Embodiment] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of use of a reception system 10, which is an example of an information processing system according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the reception system 10 is used by a representative PR who serves a user UR who uses a printer 12. The representative PR also provides information obtained based on information provided by the user UR to a repairer RR.

[0030] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, when a problem occurs with the printer 12 that a user UR is using and the printer 12 becomes unusable, the user UR calls a call center to inquire about the problem. A call center representative PR uses the reception system 10 to ask questions about the cause of the problem in the printer 12 and collects information about the cause of the problem from the user UR. The call center representative PR then provides a solution to the problem, obtained based on the information provided by the user UR, to a repair person RR, who is an example of the next person in charge. The repair person RR then visits the user UR and resolves the cause of the problem in the printer 12 based on the solution provided by the repair person PR. Alternatively, the repair person RR may contact the user UR by telephone or other means of communication and provide a solution based on their more detailed knowledge to resolve the problem.

[0031] Next, the reception system 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2 to Fig. 17. The reception system 10 functions when a representative PR executes a program 25 on a computer 20 shown in Fig. 2.

[0032] (Computer 20) As shown in Fig. 2, the computer 20 includes a control unit 24, a communication unit 28, an input unit 26, and a display unit 30. As shown in Fig. 2, the control unit 24 also includes a CPU 24A, a RAM 24B, a ROM 24C, and an input / output interface (I / O) 24E. These components are connected to one another via a control bus 24D.

[0033] The CPU 24A is a central processing unit, which is an example of a "processor," and executes various programs and controls each part. The RAM 24B temporarily stores programs or data as a working area. The ROM 24C stores various data including the "program" according to the present disclosure.

[0034] In the control unit 24, the CPU 24A reads various programs including the program 25 from the ROM 24C and executes the program 25 using the RAM 24B as a work area. The CPU 24A executes the processing program 25 to realize various functions that control each part of the computer 20. However, the processor that executes the program 25 is not limited to the CPU 24A, and an embodiment may be such that a control unit of a network-connected computer executes the program 25 and the CPU 24A of the control unit 24 acquires the execution results.

[0035] The input unit 26 is a device that receives instructions from the attendant PR and notifies the received instructions to the CPU 24A of the control unit 24. As the input unit 26, for example, an input device such as a touch panel, a pointing device, or a voice input device is used.

[0036] The display unit 30 is a device that displays to the attendant PR the results obtained by the CPU 24A of the control unit 24 executing the program 25. As the display unit 30, for example, a display device such as a touch panel or a display is used.

[0037] The communication unit 28 is a component for communicating with other devices via a network (not shown). Specifically, the communication unit 28 communicates with other devices using communication means such as wired, wireless, the Internet, an intranet, and public lines such as telephone lines.

[0038] As shown in Figure 3, the display unit 30 of the computer 20 displays an input field 50 for the problem content, an additional question display field 52, a field 60 for displaying other additional question keywords, a field 62 for displaying example sentences for additional questions, a field 66 for displaying generated sentence suggestions, and an information meter 40, which is an example of information sufficiency.

[0039] The problem content input field 50 is a field where the attendant PR inputs the problem content explained by the user UR in the procedure where the attendant PR accepts the problem content, which will be described later. Also, the additional question display field 52, other additional question keyword display field 60, and additional question example display field 62 display further questions to be asked of the user UR according to the content entered by the attendant PR in the problem content input field 50 in the procedure where the attendant PR accepts the problem content, which will be described later.

[0040] The generated text suggestion display field 66 is a field where information to be referenced by the repairer RR is displayed when the respondent PR inputs the details of the fault provided by the user UR. In other words, the generated text suggestion display field 66 is a field where the details of the fault that the respondent PR provides to the repairer RR are displayed. The generated text suggestion display field 66 displays the details of the fault that the respondent PR inputs in the input field 50 for the fault details in the procedure for the respondent PR to receive the details of the fault, which will be described later. In other words, the generated text suggestion display field 66 is an example of the details of the equipment fault that will be provided to the next person in this embodiment.

[0041] The information meter 40 is, for example, a so-called progress bar that displays the degree of sufficiency of the information provided by the user UR when the attendant PR inputs the details of the problem provided by the user UR. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the information meter 40 displays a target value 46. This target value 46 indicates the level of information that the attendant PR wants to understand before visiting the user UR, as shown in FIG. 1, in order to resolve the problem in the printer 12. In other words, displaying the information meter 40 is an example of providing the attendant PR, who attends to the user UR, with the degree of sufficiency of information regarding the resolution of the problem. The target value 46 is set appropriately depending on the details of the response that the repairer RR expects the call center attendant PR to provide to the user UR, the skills of the repairer RR, and the like.

[0042] In the following explanation, "information sufficiency" refers to, for example, whether the cause of the problem occurring in the printer 12 has been narrowed down based on the information provided by the user UR. In other words, the more the cause of the problem occurring in the printer 12 has been narrowed down, the higher the current value 42 of information sufficiency will be, and if the cause of the problem occurring in the printer 12 has not been narrowed down, the current value 42 of information sufficiency will be low.

[0043] In this embodiment, when a user UR inquires about a problem with the printer 12, the attendant PR receives the details of the problem from the user UR by asking the user UR questions while checking the display content of the display unit 30. Next, the procedure by which the attendant PR receives the details of the problem will be described.

[0044] (Procedure for the PR to receive the details of the problem) When a problem occurs in the printer 12 used by the user UR, the user UR makes an inquiry to the attendant PR by telephone and explains the details of the problem to the attendant PR. Then, the attendant PR enters the details of the explanation of the user UR (i.e., the contents of the user UR's statement) in the input field 50 for the details of the problem, as shown in FIG.

[0045] In the reception system 10 of this embodiment, when the attendant PR inputs the explanation of the user UR in the input field 50 for the problem content, the CPU 24A changes the display content of the display unit 30.

[0046] More specifically, as shown in Fig. 4, the CPU 24A displays candidate questions for the attendant PR to ask the user UR in the additional question display field 52 based on the text entered in the fault content input field 50. For example, in Fig. 4, two proposed additional questions 54Q are displayed in the additional question display field 52 along with answer fields 54A, and the attendant PR can confirm the additional questions to ask the user UR from the two proposed additional questions 54Q displayed in the additional question display field 52. In other words, displaying the proposed additional questions 54Q is an example of providing the attendant PR with candidate questions to ask the user UR that contribute to improving information satisfaction in this embodiment.

[0047] 4, a ranking 54R is shown as a "recommendation level" for each of the two proposed additional questions 54Q displayed in the additional question display field 52. As will be described later, this ranking 54R is an indicator that encourages the respondent PR to ask the proposed additional question 54Q to the user UR, for which the degree of information satisfaction will increase significantly if an answer is obtained.

[0048] 4, the CPU 24A displays candidate words, etc., included in the content of the additional question that the respondent PR will ask the user UR in an additional question keyword display field 60 based on the wording entered in the fault content input field 50. For example, in FIG. 4, four words are displayed in the additional question keyword display field 60, and the respondent PR can consider the question to ask the user UR as an additional question from the words displayed in the additional question keyword display field 60. In other words, displaying candidate words, etc., in the additional question keyword display field 60 is another example of providing the respondent PR with candidate questions to ask the user UR that contribute to improving information satisfaction in this embodiment.

[0049] 4, the CPU 24A displays candidate examples of additional questions that the respondent PR may ask the user UR in the additional question example display field 62 based on the text entered in the problem content input field 50. For example, in FIG. 4, the additional question example display field 62 displays example sentences that include words displayed in the additional question keyword display field 60, and the respondent PR can check the example sentences displayed in the additional question example display field 62 and consider what additional questions to ask the user UR. In other words, displaying the additional question example in the additional question example display field 62 is another example of providing the respondent PR with candidate questions to ask the user UR that contribute to improving information satisfaction in this embodiment.

[0050] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4 , the CPU 24A displays, in the generated text suggestion display field 66, an example of the content that the responder PR will report to the repairer RR, based on the text entered in the fault content input field 50. For example, in FIG. 4 , the generated text suggestion display field 66 displays an example of a report to resolve the assumed cause of the fault based on the text entered in the fault content input field 50. Note that in FIG. 4 , the generated text suggestion display field 66 shows a state in which the text entered in the fault content input field 50 does not narrow down the cause of the fault occurring in the printer 12, multiple possible causes of the fault are present, and the information provided by the user UR is insufficient. The responder PR can then review the example text displayed in the additional question example display field 62, as shown in FIG. 4 , and consider additional questions to ask the user UR. Displaying the example text of the content that the responder PR will report to the repairer RR in the additional question example display field 62 is an example of the responder PR creating content regarding the resolution of the equipment fault to provide to the next person in charge. In addition, as shown in Figure 4, displaying example sentences of the content that the responder PR will report to the repairer RR, along with suggested additional questions 54Q, an additional question keyword display field 60, and an additional question example display field 62, is an example of providing the responder PR with content related to resolving the problem along with candidate questions.

[0051] Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 4, the CPU 24A changes the display of the information meter 40 based on the text entered in the fault content input field 50. For example, Fig. 4 shows the display of the information meter 40 when there are multiple possible causes of the fault that has occurred in the printer 12, which are predicted based on the text entered in the fault content input field 50. Here, the text entered in the fault content input field 50 suggests that there are multiple possible causes of the fault, and therefore the current value 42 of the information sufficiency level shown on the information meter 40 is lower than the future state, i.e., the current value 42 of the information sufficiency level is low (see also Figs. 5 to 7).

[0052] 4, the information meter 40 displays the information satisfaction level that will increase when an answer to "additional question 1" is obtained from the user UR as an expected increase 44 relative to the current value 42. In this embodiment, the expected increase 44 displayed on the information meter 40 is the information satisfaction level that will increase when an answer is obtained from the user UR to the top-ranking additional question 54Q of the additional question proposals 54Q. In other words, the additional questions 54Q are displayed in descending order of the degree to which they will increase the information satisfaction level. In other words, displaying the additional questions 54Q in descending order of the degree to which they will increase the information satisfaction level is an example of providing the additional questions 54Q in descending order of the degree to which they will increase the information satisfaction level in this embodiment.

[0053] 4, the CPU 24A highlights and displays terms that have a high degree of information sufficiency among the words entered in the problem content input field 50. For example, in FIG. 4, "copy" and "line" are each highlighted in the problem content input field 50, allowing the agent PR to consider terms related to the terms that have a high degree of information sufficiency. That is, highlighting "copy" and "line" in the problem content input field 50 is an example of highlighting information that has a high degree of information sufficiency and presenting it to the agent PR in this embodiment.

[0054] 5 shows an example in which the attendant PR asks the user UR a question about the content of the proposed additional question 54Q displayed in the additional question display field 52 in the state shown in FIG. 4, and selects the answer field 54A based on the answer obtained from the user UR. In the reception system 10 of this embodiment, when the attendant PR selects the answer field 54A based on the answer obtained from the user UR, the CPU 24A changes the display content of the display unit 30 as shown in FIG.

[0055] More specifically, the CPU 24A changes the display of the additional question display field 52, the other additional question keyword display field 60, and the additional question example sentence display field 62 based on the content of the answer in the answer field 54A selected by the agent PR, as shown in Fig. 5. Furthermore, the CPU 24A changes the display of the generated sentence proposal display field 66, the information meter 40, and the expected increase amount 44 based on the content of the answer in the answer field 54A selected by the agent PR, as shown in Fig. 5. That is, the CPU 24A changes the display of the display unit 30, similar to Fig. 4, based on the content of the answer in the answer field 54A selected by the agent PR, which is the newly provided information in Fig. 5.

[0056] 5, since the amount of information provided by the user UR has increased compared to the state in Fig. 4, the text displayed in the generated text suggestion display field 66 is more specific about the work to be performed by the repairer RR than in the state shown in Fig. 4. In other words, making the text displayed in the generated text suggestion display field 66 more specific is an example of changing the content related to solving the problem in accordance with the degree of sufficiency of information in this embodiment.

[0057] Also, as shown in Fig. 5, the information provided by user UR has increased compared to the state in Fig. 4, and therefore the current value 42 displayed on the information meter 40 has increased. Here, as shown in Fig. 5, the display of the information meter indicates that the information satisfaction level has increased from the state in Fig. 4. Note that in Fig. 5, the expected increase 44 of the displayed information meter 40 is the increase in the information satisfaction level that will increase if an answer to "additional question 2" is obtained from user UR.

[0058] Then, when the attendant PR selects the answer field 54A based on the answer obtained from the user UR in the same manner as the above-mentioned operation, the display content of the display unit 30 is changed as shown in FIG.

[0059] Incidentally, the more information about the failure occurring in the printer 12 provided by the user UR, the less likely it is that an unexpected incident will occur for the repairer RR. In other words, the failure information provided by the user UR to the repairer RR may be provided with a sufficiency level that exceeds the target value 46.

[0060] 7 shows an example in which the attendant PR, in the state shown in FIG. 6, asks the user UR a further question about the proposed additional question 54Q displayed in the additional question display field 52, and selects the answer field 54A based on the answer obtained from the user UR. That is, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in the reception system 10 of this embodiment, the attendant PR can ask the user UR a further question even when the current value 42 of the information satisfaction level obtained from the answer obtained from the user UR exceeds the target value 46. FIG. 7 also shows that the cause of the failure has been further narrowed down based on the information provided by the user UR.

[0061] 5 to 7, the responder PR obtains information from the user UR by asking the user UR a question about the additional question 54Q and selecting the answer field 54A that corresponds to the obtained answer. However, the responder PR is not limited to this, and may input the information obtained from the user UR by adding the user UR's answer to the input field 50 for the problem content.

[0062] For example, the respondent PR may consider additional questions to ask the user UR from the words displayed in the other additional question keyword display field 60 or the example sentences displayed in the additional question example display field 62, and ask the user UR a question. In this case, the respondent PR calculates the degree of information sufficiency by inputting the additional answer content obtained from the user UR into the answer field 54A.

[0063] Next, a procedure executed by the CPU 24A of the reception system 10 according to this embodiment for providing the satisfaction level of information to the agent PR will be described.

[0064] (Procedure for providing information sufficiency to the respondent PR) The program 25 of the reception system 10 executed by the CPU 24A includes the procedure shown in Fig. 8. Although not specifically shown in Fig. 8, at the time when the procedure for receiving the details of the failure from the user UR is started, the CPU 24A considers the initial value of the information sufficiency to be "0".

[0065] First, in step S102, the CPU 24A receives an input from the attendant PR. More specifically, in step S102, the CPU 24A waits until the attendant PR inputs either the problem content in the input field 50 or the response field 54A, or inputs a command to terminate the reception system 10 (not shown). Then, when the attendant PR inputs either the problem content in the input field 50 or the response field 54A, or inputs a command to terminate the reception system 10 (not shown), the CPU 24A proceeds to step S104.

[0066] Next, in step S104, the CPU 24A determines whether or not termination of the reception system 10 has been selected. If the determination in step S104 is negative, in other words, if new information has been provided by the user UR, the CPU 24A proceeds to step S106. On the other hand, if the determination in step S104 is positive, in other words, if the user UR has selected termination of the reception system 10, the CPU 24A terminates the reception system 10.

[0067] Next, in step S106, the CPU 24A analyzes the information input by the agent PR and calculates the degree of information sufficiency. More specifically, the CPU 24A calculates the degree of information sufficiency based on the text added by the agent PR to the input field 50 for the problem content or the input into the response field 54A. The specific method by which the CPU 24A calculates the degree of information sufficiency will be described later. Then, the CPU 24A proceeds to step S108.

[0068] Next, in step S108, the CPU 24A updates the display of the information meter 40 based on the information sufficiency calculated in step S106. More specifically, in step S108, the CPU 24A updates the display of the current value 42 on the information meter 40 so as to correspond to the information sufficiency calculated in step S106. Also, in step S108, the CPU 24A displays an expected increase amount 44 corresponding to the information sufficiency expected in the additional question proposal 54Q displayed in step S110, which will be described later. Then, the CPU 24A proceeds to step S110.

[0069] Next, in step S110, the CPU 24A updates the display of the additional question display field 52, the additional question keyword display field 60, and the additional question example display field 62 based on the information sufficiency calculated in step S106. More specifically, in step S110, the CPU 24A updates the display of the additional question display field 52, the additional question keyword display field 60, and the additional question example display field 62 so as to further increase the information sufficiency calculated in step S106. Then, the CPU 24A proceeds to step S112.

[0070] Next, in step S112, the CPU 24A updates the display in the generated sentence plan display field 66 based on the degree of sufficiency of the information calculated in step S106. More specifically, in step S112, the CPU 24A calculates a sentence plan to be provided to the repairer RR based on the details of the fault provided by the user UR up to step S106, and updates the display in the generated sentence plan display field 66. Then, the CPU 24A proceeds to step S102.

[0071] (Method of calculating information sufficiency) Next, an example of a method for calculating the degree of information sufficiency in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0072] (First example of how to calculate information sufficiency) Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a first example of a method for calculating information sufficiency, and is a diagram showing a correspondence table between terms and information sufficiency 72. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing a first example of a method for calculating information sufficiency, and is a diagram showing how information sufficiency is calculated based on terms entered in the fault content input field 50.

[0073] In this example, the CPU 24A calculates the current value 42 of the information sufficiency level based on the wording entered in the fault content input field 50 and the term / information sufficiency level correspondence table 72 stored in the ROM 24C. More specifically, if the wording entered in the fault content input field 50 includes a wording written in the term / information sufficiency level correspondence table 72, the CPU 24A adds the information sufficiency level to the score corresponding to the wording.

[0074] For example, in the example shown in Fig. 10, the terms "copy" and "line" are each written in the term and information sufficiency correspondence table 72. Therefore, in the example of Fig. 10, the current value 42 of information sufficiency is 0.075 + 0.146 = 0.221, as shown in the term and information sufficiency correspondence table 72 of Fig. 9.

[0075] 11, if a further response is received from user UR and "when printing in color" is entered in the problem content input field 50, the term "color" is listed in the term and information sufficiency correspondence table 72. Therefore, in the example of FIG. 11, the current value 42 of information sufficiency is 0.075 + 0.146 + 0.071 = 0.292, as shown in the term and information sufficiency correspondence table 72 of FIG. 9.

[0076] In this example, the current information sufficiency level 42 is calculated based on the wording entered in the problem content input field 50 and the term and information sufficiency correspondence table 72. Note that, in this example, the calculation method may calculate the current information sufficiency level 42 based on the term and information sufficiency correspondence table 72 not only for the wording entered in the problem content input field 50 described above, but also for the wording included in the proposed follow-up question 54Q.

[0077] (Second example of how to calculate the degree of information sufficiency) Fig. 12 is a diagram showing a second example of a method for calculating information sufficiency, and is a diagram showing a term and information sufficiency correspondence table 172. Fig. 12 is a diagram showing a second example of a method for calculating information sufficiency, and is a diagram showing how information sufficiency is calculated based on terms entered in the fault content input field 50.

[0078] In this example, the CPU 24A calculates the current value 42 of the information sufficiency level based on the wording entered in the fault content input field 50 and the term / information sufficiency level correspondence table 172 stored in the ROM 24C. In this example, if multiple faults are predicted, the CPU 24A calculates the information sufficiency level for each of the faults.

[0079] As shown in the example of Fig. 13, for the terms "line" and "sound" included in the text entered in the fault content input field 50, the CPU 24A may determine that each term is caused by a different fault. In other words, the CPU 24A may determine that multiple faults can be assumed from the text entered in the fault content input field 50. For example, in the example shown in Fig. 13, the CPU 24A determines that the term related to "line" is caused by a fault related to the "image quality" in Fig. 12, and determines that the term related to "sound" is caused by a fault related to the "sound" in Fig. 12.

[0080] In such a case, the CPU 24A divides the fault content input field 50 into an input field 150A for a first fault content and an input field 150B for a second fault content, as shown in Fig. 14. More specifically, the input field 150A for the first fault content is an input field for prompting input of the cause of the fault related to the "image quality" in Fig. 12, and the input field 150B for the second fault content is an input field for prompting input of the cause of the fault related to the "sound" in Fig. 12. As shown in Figs. 12 and 14, the information sufficiency level for the fault related to the "image quality" is 0.40, which is the value for the term "line," as the current information sufficiency level, 42. As shown in Figs. 12 and 14, the information sufficiency level for the fault related to the "sound" is 0.40, which is the value for the term "sound."

[0081] Furthermore, based on the contents of the input field 150A for the first problem content, the CPU 24A displays the additional question display field 52, the other additional question keyword display field 60, and the additional question example display field 62 with priority given to those that identify problems related to "image quality." The CPU 24A also prompts the attendant PR to enter the answer provided by the user UR for the question that identifies a problem related to "image quality" into the input field 150A for the first problem content, as shown in FIG. 15. Then, as shown in FIG. 15, the information sufficiency level related to the problem related to "image quality" is increased by the value corresponding to the term "color," so that the current value of the information sufficiency level becomes 0.40 + 0.21 = 0.61.

[0082] Similarly, for a "sound-related" disorder, the CPU 24A prompts the user UR to enter the answer provided by the user UR to the question identifying the "sound-related" disorder in the second disorder content input field 150B, as shown in Fig. 15. Then, as shown in Fig. 15, the information sufficiency level for the "sound-related" disorder is increased by adding the values ​​corresponding to the terms "ADF" and "wrinkles," so that the current value of the information sufficiency level becomes 0.40 + 0.20 + 0.30 = 0.90.

[0083] In this example, it is preferable to highlight terms that have a high degree of increasing the degree of information sufficiency in the input field 150A for the first problem content or the input field 150B for the second problem content, as shown in Figures 14 and 15. It is also preferable to highlight these terms in a different manner between the input field 150A for the first problem content and the input field 150B for the second problem content, as shown in Figures 14 and 15. Examples of ways to differentiate the manner of highlighting include changing the type of underline drawn around the terms or changing the color of the text.

[0084] Furthermore, as shown in this example, when calculating the information sufficiency level for each cause of a fault, it is preferable to display multiple separate information meters 40. In the above example, in order to allow the attendant PR to recognize the information sufficiency level for each cause, it is preferable to display two separate information meters 40, one displaying the information sufficiency level for "image quality" faults and the other displaying the information sufficiency level for "sound" faults, as shown in Fig. 16.

[0085] 13 to 16, an example has been described in which the answer obtained from the user UR is entered into the input field 150A for the first problem content or the input field 150B for the second problem content, but the same applies to the questions displayed in the additional question display field 52. That is, the questions displayed in the additional question display field 52 may also be displayed separately for each cause of the problem.

[0086] In the above description, the method by which the CPU 24A determines that a term included in the text entered in the text entry field 50 for the fault content is caused by multiple causes is not particularly limited. For example, there is a method in which the CPU 24A determines that there are multiple causes of the fault when it determines that the time when a malfunction estimated from the text entered in the text entry field 50 occurred is different from the time stated in the text. Another example is a method in which the CPU 24A determines that there are multiple causes of the fault for the pattern in which the text is entered by referring to a trained model created based on past performance or the like.

[0087] Furthermore, although the CPU 24A has divided the input field 50 for the fault content into an input field 150A for the first fault content and an input field 150B for the second fault content as shown in FIG. 14, the CPU 24A may suggest to the respondent PR whether or not to divide the input field before dividing it.

[0088] (Third example of the method for calculating the degree of information sufficiency) FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a third example of a method for calculating information sufficiency, and is a diagram showing a manual for removing the cause of a fault, which is provided to a repair person RR who repairs the printer 12.

[0089] As shown in Fig. 17, the manual asks a number of questions, and determines the next question depending on the answers obtained. Also, as shown in Fig. 17, the manual repeatedly asks questions to ultimately guide the repairer RR to the task he or she will perform (in Fig. 17, the task of replacing a part).

[0090] In this example, the calculation method for the current information sufficiency level 42 is determined based on the number of questions remaining in the manual up to the final task that is to be performed. In the example of Figure 17, if an answer is obtained in step Q101, the information sufficiency level is set to 0.2, and if an answer is obtained in step Q111 or step Q112, the information sufficiency level is set to 0.4. Similarly, in the example of Figure 17, if an answer is obtained in step Q121 or step Q122, the information sufficiency level is set to 0.6, and when the final task that repairer RR will perform is determined, the information sufficiency level is set to 0.8.

[0091] In this way, in the third example of the calculation method, the information sufficiency level is calculated based on the manual. Therefore, in this example, even for an existing device such as the printer 12, the information sufficiency level can be calculated based on the manual of the device.

[0092] Furthermore, the first to third examples described above may be used in combination. For example, as in the third example, the repairer RR may narrow down the tasks to be performed based on the manual, and further calculate the current information sufficiency value 42 for terms included in the response obtained from the user UR based on the term and information sufficiency correspondence table 72. This allows the responder PR to increase the information sufficiency more than the steps shown in the third example.

[0093] The numerical values ​​in the first to third examples described above are merely for convenience, and the actual values ​​are not limited to these. That is, the maximum value of the information sufficiency may be set in any way, or may not be set at all. Similarly, the target value 46 of the information sufficiency may be set in any way.

[0094] In the handling system according to this embodiment, the handler PR may end the handling with the user UR at any time.

[0095] For example, the representative PR may end the response to the user UR at will even when the current value 42 of the degree of satisfaction of the information obtained from the user UR is insufficient, as shown in Fig. 3. Specifically, the representative PR may end the response to the user UR in situations such as when the representative PR determines that the question obtained from the representative PR is not directed to the call center where the representative PR works, or when the user UR refuses to respond to the representative PR.

[0096] 4 to 6, the attendant PR may end the conversation with the user UR at will, even while accumulating information through a conversation with the user UR. In other words, the attendant PR using the reception system 10 according to this embodiment is authorized to determine whether to continue the conversation with the user UR while checking the information meter 40 displayed on the display unit 30.

[0097] The reception system 10 and the program 25 according to this embodiment provide the following actions and effects.

[0098] (Action and effect) The reception system 10 according to this embodiment displays a current value 42 of the degree of sufficiency of information leading to a solution to the failure, which is included in the information provided by the user UR who uses the equipment where the failure has occurred, using the information meter 40. Therefore, according to the reception system 10 according to this aspect, it is easier for the attendant PR who serves the user UR who uses the equipment where the failure has occurred to determine whether or not to serve the user UR, compared to when only questions and answers to the user UR are displayed to the attendant PR who serves the user UR.

[0099] Furthermore, the reception system 10 according to this embodiment displays to the attendant PR candidates for questions to be asked next to the user UR in order to lead to a solution of the problem. Therefore, according to the reception system 10 according to this embodiment, the attendant PR who attends to the user UR can know the questions to be asked to the user UR.

[0100] Furthermore, the reception system 10 according to this embodiment further displays to the agent PR the degree of sufficiency of information that will be added when information on the matter to be asked is provided by the user UR as an expected increase amount 44. Therefore, the reception system 10 according to this embodiment allows the agent PR to consider whether the next question to ask is appropriate.

[0101] Furthermore, the reception system 10 according to this embodiment displays to the agent PR a plurality of words in the additional question display field 52 and the additional question keyword display field 60. Therefore, the reception system 10 according to this embodiment allows the agent PR to select the next question to ask.

[0102] Furthermore, the reception system 10 according to this embodiment displays the additional question display field 52 in descending order of the degree of increase in the degree of information sufficiency. Therefore, according to the reception system 10 according to this embodiment, it is easier for the respondent PR to determine which questions should be prioritized compared to when the candidates for the additional question display field 52 provided to the respondent PR are random.

[0103] Furthermore, the reception system 10 according to this embodiment displays the content of the report that the representative PR will make to the next person in charge, based on the information provided by the user UR, in the generated text proposal display field 66. Therefore, according to the reception system 10 according to this embodiment, even a representative PR who is unfamiliar with dealing with failures can provide the content of the report to the next person in charge.

[0104] Furthermore, the reception system 10 according to this embodiment displays the content of the problem resolution that the representative PR will display to the next person in charge, together with candidate questions for the user UR, to the representative PR. Therefore, according to the reception system 10 according to this embodiment, the representative PR can check the content that will be displayed to the next person in charge and then select the question to ask the user UR.

[0105] Furthermore, the reception system 10 according to this embodiment changes the content related to the solution of the problem in the generated sentence proposal display field 66 in accordance with the current value 42 of the information sufficiency level and displays it to the respondent PR. Therefore, according to the reception system 10 according to this embodiment, the next person in charge can more easily understand the content related to the solution of the problem, compared to when the content related to the solution of the problem provided to the respondent PR is the same regardless of the information sufficiency level.

[0106] Furthermore, the reception system 10 according to this embodiment displays to the attendant PR information that is included in the information provided by the user UR and that increases the degree of information sufficiency, by highlighting it with highlighting 58. Therefore, according to the reception system 10 according to this embodiment, the degree of information sufficiency obtained based on the information provided by the user UR can be fed back to the attendant PR.

[0107] Furthermore, the program 25 according to this embodiment causes the processor to execute the following: displaying the degree of sufficiency of information leading to a solution to the failure, which is included in the information provided by the user UR who uses the failed device, on the information meter 40. Therefore, according to the program 25 according to this embodiment, it is easier for the respondent PR who responds to the user UR who uses the failed device to determine whether or not to respond, compared to when the processor displays only questions and answers to the user UR.

[0108] (Variation) In the above description, the reception system 10 provides the attendant PR with the information satisfaction level by displaying the information meter 40. However, the reception system 10 according to this embodiment is not limited to this as long as it is capable of providing the attendant PR with the current value 42 of the information satisfaction level. For example, instead of displaying the information meter 40 as a progress bar, the information satisfaction level may be displayed numerically, or the information satisfaction level may be indicated by the size, shape, position, color, etc. of an icon displayed on the display unit 30. Furthermore, instead of displaying the information on the display unit 30, the information satisfaction level may be provided to the attendant PR as auditory information, such as sound production.

[0109] Furthermore, in the above description, the CPU 24A displayed the suggested additional question 54Q, other additional question keywords, and example sentences of additional questions on the attendant PR along with the information meter 40, but the operation of the reception system 10 according to this embodiment is not limited to this. That is, in order for the attendant PR to determine whether or not it is appropriate to attend to the user UR, the CPU 24A may display only the information meter 40 on the attendant PR who is attending to the user UR, without displaying the suggested additional question 54Q, other additional question keywords, and example sentences of additional questions.

[0110] In the above description, the CPU 24A displays the expected increase amount 44 on the information meter 40, but the operation of the reception system 10 according to this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the CPU 24A may not display the expected increase amount 44, and the attendant PR may determine how to attend to the user UR while checking the current value 42 of the degree of satisfaction of the displayed information based on the information obtained from the user UR.

[0111] In the above description, the CPU 24A displays multiple suggested follow-up questions 54Q to the agent PR, but the operation of the reception system 10 according to this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the CPU 24A may display only one suggested follow-up question 54Q on the display unit 30.

[0112] In the above description, the CPU 24A displays the proposed additional questions 54Q in descending order of the expected increase amount 44, but the operation of the reception system 10 according to this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the CPU 24A may display the proposed additional questions 54Q on the display unit 30 in a random order, or may display the proposed additional questions 54Q in ascending order of the expected increase amount 44.

[0113] In the above description, the CPU 24A creates a sentence to be provided to the repairer RR and displays it in the generated sentence plan display field 66 of the display unit 30. However, the operation of the reception system 10 according to this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the CPU 24A may not display a document in the generated sentence plan display field 66, and may display a document to be provided to the repairer RR to the repairer PR after the attendant PR has finished responding to the user UR. Furthermore, the CPU 24A may not display a document in the generated sentence plan display field 66, and may provide the repairer RR with answers obtained from the user UR, such as the contents of the fault content input field 50 and the answers in the additional question display field 52, after the attendant PR has finished responding to the user UR.

[0114] In the above description, the CPU 24A highlights the information provided by the user UR that increases the degree of information satisfaction and displays it to the attendant PR using highlighting 58. However, the operation of the reception system 10 according to this embodiment is not limited to this. That is, in order for the attendant PR to determine whether or not to attend to the user UR, the CPU 24A may not highlight 58 and may instead display only the information meter 40 on the attendant PR who is attending to the user UR.

[0115] In these modified examples, the same functions and effects as those described above can be obtained.

[0116] The above describes an embodiment of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is clear that a person with ordinary knowledge in the field of technology to which the present disclosure pertains can conceive of various modifications or applications within the scope of the technical ideas set forth in the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0117] Further preferred aspects of the present disclosure will be described below.

[0118] (((1))) a processor; the processor provides a responder who responds to a user with a degree of sufficiency of information regarding a solution to the fault, based on information provided by the user who uses the faulty equipment; Information processing system.

[0119] (((2))) the processor provides the responder with candidate questions to ask the user that contribute to improving the degree of sufficiency of the information; The information processing system according to (((1))).

[0120] When the processor predicts a plurality of the failures, the processor provides a sufficiency of the information for each of the failures. An information processing system according to (((1))) or (((2))).

[0121] (((4))) The processor further provides the respondent with a degree of information completeness that increases when information is provided by the user regarding the candidate questions. An information processing system according to (((2))) or (((3))).

[0122] (((5))) the processor provides the respondent with a plurality of candidate questions; An information processing system according to any one of (((2))) to (((4))).

[0123] (((6))) the processor provides the plurality of candidate questions in order of increasing degree of information sufficiency; The information processing system according to (((5))).

[0124] (((7))) the processor creates content relating to the solution to the equipment fault to be provided by the responder to the next person in charge based on the information provided by the user; An information processing system according to any one of (((1))) to (((5))).

[0125] (((8))) the processor provides the responder with content related to solving the problem together with the candidate questions; An information processing system according to ((7))) which cites any one of (((2))) to (((5))).

[0126] (((9))) the processor changes the content related to the resolution of the fault in accordance with the degree of sufficiency of the information; An information processing system according to (((7))) or (((8))).

[0127] (((10))) The processor highlights information that is included in the information provided by the user and that has a high degree of increasing information sufficiency, and presents the information to the respondent. An information processing system according to any one of (((1))) to (((9))).

[0128] (((11))) causing the processor to provide a responder who responds to a user with a degree of sufficiency of information regarding a solution to the fault, based on information provided by the user who uses the faulty equipment; program.

[0129] According to the information processing system of (((1))), it is easier for the responder to determine whether or not to respond to the user using the device where the failure occurred, compared to when only the questions and answers to the user are displayed to the responder. According to the information processing system of (((2))), the person in charge of handling the user can know what questions to ask the user. In the information processing system according to (((3))), when the processor predicts a plurality of the failures, it provides the sufficiency of the information for each of the failures. According to the information processing system of (((4))), the person in charge can consider whether the next question to ask is appropriate. According to the information processing system of (((5))), the person in charge can select the next question to ask. According to the information processing system of (((6))), it is easier for the respondent to determine which questions should be prioritized compared to when candidate questions are randomly provided to the respondent. According to the information processing system of (((7))), the person in charge can provide the content to be reported to the next person in charge. According to the information processing system of (((8))), the person in charge can select the question to ask the user after confirming the content to be provided to the next person in charge. According to the information processing system of (((9))), the next person in charge can more easily understand the content related to resolving the problem, compared to when the content provided to the respondent is the same regardless of the degree of information sufficiency. According to the information processing system of (((10))), it is possible to provide feedback to the person in charge of the service on the degree of sufficiency of information obtained based on information provided by the user. According to the program (((11))), it is easier for the responder to determine whether or not to respond to a user who uses a device whose processor has failed, compared to when only the questions and answers to the user are displayed to the responder. [Explanation of symbols]

[0130] 10 Reception system (an example of an information processing system) 12 Printer (an example of a device that has experienced a problem) 20 Computer 24 Control Unit 24A CPU (an example of a processor) 24B RAM 24C ROM 24D Bus 24E I / O 25 Programs 26 Input section 28 Communications Department 30 Display section 40 Information Meter 42 Current Value 44 Expected increase (example of improved information availability) 46 target value 50. Input field for the details of the problem (example of information provided by the user) 52 Additional question display field 54A Answer column (example of information provided by the user) 54Q Additional Questions (Examples of Questions) 54R Ranking 58 Highlight 60 Additional question keyword display field 62 Additional question example display field 66 Display of generated text suggestions (example of content related to resolving the problem) 72 Terminology and Information Sufficiency Correspondence Table PR Representative RR Repairer (an example of the next person in charge) UR User

Claims

1. a processor; the processor provides a responder who responds to a user with a degree of sufficiency of information regarding a solution to the fault, based on information provided by the user who uses the faulty equipment; Information processing system.

2. the processor provides the responder with candidate questions to ask the user that contribute to improving the degree of sufficiency of the information; The information processing system according to claim 1 .

3. When the processor predicts a plurality of the failures, the processor provides a sufficiency of the information for each of the failures. The information processing system according to claim 1 .

4. The processor further provides the respondent with a degree of information completeness that increases when information is provided by the user regarding the candidate questions. The information processing system according to claim 2 .

5. the processor provides the respondent with a plurality of candidate questions; The information processing system according to claim 2 .

6. the processor provides the plurality of candidate questions in order of increasing degree of information sufficiency; The information processing system according to claim 5 .

7. the processor creates content relating to the solution to the equipment fault to be provided by the responder to the next person in charge based on the information provided by the user; The information processing system according to claim 2 .

8. the processor provides the responder with content related to solving the problem together with the candidate questions; The information processing system according to claim 7 .

9. the processor changes the content related to the resolution of the fault in accordance with the degree of sufficiency of the information; The information processing system according to claim 7 .

10. The processor highlights information that is included in the information provided by the user and that has a high degree of increasing information sufficiency, and presents the information to the respondent. The information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. causing the processor to provide a responder who responds to a user with a degree of sufficiency of information regarding a solution to the fault, based on information provided by the user who uses the faulty equipment; program.

Images