Information processing device, information processing method, and information processing program

Abstract

Describes groups of accounts that may interest users and suggests following them. [Solution] The information processing device of the present application is characterized by comprising a group creation unit that creates an account group in advance by collecting multiple accounts, a creation unit that generates a description of the account group, a proposal unit that presents the description of the account group to a user and proposes following the account group, and a reception unit that accepts following of the account group from users who agree to the proposal to follow the account group.

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] A technology has been disclosed in the past that adds information indicating what has been mentioned in other communities to content presented to a user (see Patent Document 1). With this technology, a community is formed by a user following other users. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2024-047647 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, while the above-mentioned conventional technology can provide users with information about content mentioned in other communities, there is room for improvement in introducing other communities to users and encouraging them to participate. Therefore, we propose a means for explaining account groups that may be of interest to users and suggesting them to follow them.

[0005] The present application has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to provide an explanation of account groups that may be of interest to users and suggestions for following them. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The information processing device of the present application is characterized by comprising a group creation unit that creates an account group in advance by collecting multiple accounts, a creation unit that generates a description of the account group, a proposal unit that presents the description of the account group to a user and proposes following the account group, and a reception unit that accepts following of the account group from the user who agrees to the proposal to follow the account group. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the embodiment, a description of a group of accounts that may be of interest to the user and suggestions for following can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of an information processing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a terminal device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a server device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an information processing device, an information processing method, and an information processing program according to the present application (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments") will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the information processing device, the information processing method, and the information processing program according to the present application are not limited to these embodiments. Furthermore, the same components in the following embodiments will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

[0010] [1. Overview of the information processing system] First, an overview of an information processing system according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of an information processing system according to an embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, an information processing system 1 according to an embodiment includes a terminal device 10 and a server device 100. The terminal device 10 and the server device 100 are connected to each other via a network N in a wired or wireless manner so as to be able to communicate with each other. This enables the terminal device 10 to cooperate with the server device 100. The network N is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), the Internet, etc.

[0011] Terminal device 10 is an information processing device used by a user U. For example, terminal device 10 may be a smart device such as a smartphone or tablet terminal, a desktop or notebook (laptop) type PC (Personal Computer), a mobile phone such as a feature phone (Gala-ke or Gala-ho), a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a game console or AV device with communication functions, an information appliance or digital appliance, a car navigation system, a wearable device such as a smart watch, a head-mounted display, or smart glasses. Terminal device 10 may also be a house or building, a car, a home appliance, an electronic device, or the like that is compatible with the Internet of Things (IOT).

[0012] In this embodiment, the terminal device 10 is a smart device such as a smartphone or tablet used by a user U, and is a portable terminal device capable of communicating with any server device via a wireless communication network such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G (4th Generation), or 5G (5th Generation: fifth generation mobile communication system), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or wireless LAN. The terminal device 10 has a screen such as a liquid crystal display with a touch panel function, and accepts various operations on displayed data such as content, such as tapping, sliding, and scrolling, performed by the user U with a finger or a stylus. An operation performed on an area of ​​the screen where content is displayed may be considered an operation on the content. The terminal device 10 may be not only a smart device, but also an information processing device such as a desktop PC or a laptop PC.

[0013] The server device 100 is, for example, a computer such as a PC or a blade server, or a mainframe or a workstation, etc. The server device 100 may be realized by cloud computing.

[0014] In this embodiment, the server device 100 is an information processing device that works in conjunction with the terminal device 10 of each user U and provides API (Application Programming Interface) services for various applications (hereinafter referred to as apps) and various data to the terminal device 10 of each user U, and is realized by a computer, a cloud system, etc.

[0015] The server device 100 may also be an information processing device that provides some kind of online service to the terminal device 10 of each user U. For example, the server device 100 may provide the following online services: internet connection, search service, chat service, interactive service using voice, images, videos, etc., social networking service (SNS), electronic commerce (EC), electronic payment, online games, online banking, online trading, hotel and ticket reservations, video and music distribution, news, maps, route search, route guidance, line information, operation information, weather forecast, etc. In practice, the server device 100 may cooperate with various servers that provide the above-mentioned online services and act as an intermediary for the online services or may be responsible for processing the online services.

[0016] The server device 100 can acquire user information about the user U. For example, the server device 100 acquires, as the user information, information (attribute information) about the attributes of the user U, such as the gender, age, and residential area of ​​the user U. The server device 100 can also acquire information about the attributes of the user U, such as demographic attributes, psychographic attributes, geographic attributes, and behavioral attributes. The server device 100 may also acquire, as the user information, a segment to which the user U belongs in the marketing field or a persona (personality). The server device 100 then stores and manages the information (attribute information) about the attributes of the user U together with identification information (such as a user ID) that identifies the user U.

[0017] The server device 100 also acquires various types of history information (log data) indicating the behavior of the user U from the terminal device 10 of the user U or from various servers based on the user ID, etc. For example, the server device 100 acquires a location history, which is a history of the user U's location and date and time, from the terminal device 10. The server device 100 also acquires a search history, which is a history of search queries entered by the user U, from a search server (search engine). The server device 100 also acquires a browsing history, which is a history of content viewed by the user U, from a content server. The server device 100 also acquires a purchase history (payment history), which is a history of the user U's product purchases and payment processes, from an e-commerce server or a payment processing server. The server device 100 may also acquire a listing history and a sales history, which are a history of the user U's listings on the marketplace, from the e-commerce server or the payment processing server. The server device 100 also acquires a posting history, which is a history of the user U's posts, from a posting server or SNS server that provides a word-of-mouth posting service. The various servers and the like described above may be the server device 100 itself. That is, the server device 100 may function as the various servers and the like described above.

[0018] Furthermore, the number of devices included in the information processing system 1 shown in Fig. 1 is not limited to that shown in the figure. For example, in Fig. 1, for the sake of simplicity, only one terminal device 10 is shown, but this is merely an example and is not limiting, and two or more devices may be included.

[0019] [2. Account Group Proposal] News on news sites / apps, etc. includes not only news distributed by newspapers and news agencies, but also videos, articles written by magazines, and individual writers. It is expected that users will follow accounts on news sites / apps, etc. in the future. Therefore, in this embodiment, to encourage users to follow accounts on news sites, apps, etc., when following an account, an explanation of a "recommended account group" related to the account followed by the user is provided, guiding the user to the recommended account group. The server device 100 provides an explanation of the "recommended account group" to the user, explaining what kind of account group the "recommended account group" is and what benefits it offers. That is, the server device 100 displays the "recommended account group" with an explanation added. The server device 100 may also similarly add explanations to the "individual accounts" that make up the "recommended account group" and display them.

[0020] For example, a user who watches or reads news follows the account that posted the news. The server device 100 estimates or selects an account group that is highly relevant to the followed account and presents it to the user. At this time, the server device 100 calculates and determines the relevance based on the content posted by the followed account and the following tendency of other users as hubs. For example, the server device 100 displays the characteristics, genre, posting frequency, unpleasantness level, etc. of the account group in text based on the content posted by the related account group, genre (which may be a newsgroup, category, etc.), posting frequency, and events with high affinity. The server device 100 may also display the characteristics, genre, posting frequency, unpleasantness level, etc. of each individual account that constitutes the account group in text. Regarding the explanation of each individual account, the server device 100 may display the explanation when the individual account is selected by the user.

[0021] The server device 100 may implement the mechanism according to this embodiment using AI (Artificial Intelligence) such as GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer). GPT is a text generation AI and a language model capable of generating sentences using natural language processing.

[0022] [2-1. Proposal for creating a new account group] The server device 100 creates a new account group based on the accounts followed by the user. At this time, the server device 100 presents the created new account group as a "recommended account group" to the user, and explains what kind of account group it is and what benefits it offers. The server device 100 provides an explanation of the new account group and suggests following it to make it easier for the user to follow the new account group.

[0023] The server device 100 may create multiple account groups as new account groups. In this case, the server device 100 presents to the user what kind of account group each account group has and what kind of benefits each account group offers. The server device 100 then allows the user to select any account group from the multiple account groups.

[0024] 1, the server device 100 accepts a request from a user to follow an account and analyzes the characteristics of the account followed by the user (step S1). At this time, the server device 100 analyzes the detailed profile, posted content, genre, and posting frequency of the account as the characteristics of the account followed by the user.

[0025] Next, the server device 100 automatically selects other accounts that have similar characteristics to the account followed by the user (step S2). At this time, the server device 100 calculates the similarity between the characteristics of the account followed by the user and the characteristics of the other accounts, and selects the other accounts if the similarity is equal to or greater than a threshold.

[0026] For example, the server device 100 may vectorize the posted content of the account followed by the user and the posted content of other accounts, calculate the cosine similarity of each vector, and select other similar accounts. Note that, although the above description has been given of a case where cosine similarity is used, in practice, similarity or distance of vectorized data may simply be used without using cosine similarity. In other words, the method for calculating similarity is not limited, and any method, including known methods, may be used.

[0027] Furthermore, the server device 100 may calculate a difference between the characteristics of the account followed by the user and the characteristics of another account, and select the other account if the difference is within an acceptable range. For example, the server device 100 may calculate a difference between the posting frequency of the account followed by the user and the posting frequency of the other account, and select the other account if the difference is within an acceptable range.

[0028] Furthermore, the server device 100 may also select other accounts followed by other users who follow the account in the same way as the user and have the same attributes as the user or belong to the same segment. That is, the server device 100 may also select other accounts followed by other users whose characteristics are similar to those of the user.

[0029] Next, the server device 100 groups the selected accounts to create a new account group (step S3). At this time, the server device 100 may also create a new account group that includes accounts followed by the user.

[0030] Next, the server device 100 explains the new account group to the user and suggests following the new account group (step S4). For example, the server device 100 generates an explanation of the new account group and a sentence recommending following the new account group, and displays them on the screen of the user's terminal device 10 via the network N. At this time, the server device 100 may use AI such as GPT to generate the sentence explaining the new account group. The server device 100 may also provide an explanation of each individual account within the group.

[0031] For example, the server device 100 generates a description of the new account group such as, "We have created a new recommended account group related to the [account name] you followed. This group brings together accounts with similar characteristics to the [account name] you followed." and displays this description on the screen of the user's terminal device 10.

[0032] Additionally, the new account group will typically cover similar genres and topics as the accounts the user follows.

[0033] In addition, the new account group will post the latest news, detailed analytical articles, expert opinions, etc., just like the accounts that users follow.

[0034] Additionally, the new account group will be focused on genres such as news, analysis, and expert opinions.

[0035] Furthermore, the new account group posts at least a predetermined number of times within a certain period of time, for example, it is estimated that the new account group posts several times every day.

[0036] The new account group also provides deeper insight into topics covered by accounts a user follows as a close event.

[0037] Then, the server device 100 generates an explanatory statement such as "By following this account group, you can obtain information that matches your interests in XX," and displays it on the screen of the user's terminal device 10, suggesting that the user follow the account group.

[0038] The server device 100 may also calculate the user's discomfort level for the new account group and display it together with the description. The method for calculating the discomfort level is arbitrary. For example, the server device 100 may calculate the discomfort level based on the extent to which words, themes, etc. that the user finds unpleasant are included in the content posted by each account belonging to the new account group. Alternatively, the server device 100 may determine to explain the new account group to the user and suggest following the new account group only if the discomfort level is below a threshold, and not to explain the new account group to the user or suggest following the new account group if the discomfort level is equal to or greater than the threshold. In other words, if the discomfort level is equal to or greater than the threshold, the server device 100 may exclude the new account group from candidates for new account groups to which the user will be given an explanation and suggestions to follow the new account group.

[0039] The timing at which the server device 100 explains the new account group to the user and suggests following the account is arbitrary. For example, when the user follows an account, the server device 100 may create a new account group including other accounts that have similar characteristics to the account and explain the new account group. Alternatively, when the new account group is created, the server device 100 may explain the new account group by a push notification or the like. Alternatively, the server device 100 may explain the new account group when a predetermined application (app) is launched.

[0040] Furthermore, the means by which the server device 100 displays the explanation of the new account group on the screen of the user's terminal device 10 may be a modal, a pop-up, a dialog, or the like.

[0041] The server device 100 may also generate account group candidates consisting of multiple users based on information about each user. The server device 100 may also generate an explanation of the account group candidates based on information about each user included in the generated candidates. The server device 100 then provides each user with an explanation of the generated account group candidates. At this time, the server device 100 may generate an explanation based on attributes that are highly related to the user.

[0042] Finally, if the user agrees to the proposal to follow the new account group, the server device 100 accepts the request to follow the new account group from the user (step S5).

[0043] [2-2. Proposal for explanation of existing account groups] The server device 100 selects a "recommended account group" suitable for the user from among existing account groups. At this time, the server device 100 presents to the user what kind of account group the "recommended account group" is and what benefits it offers.

[0044] The server device 100 may select multiple account groups from existing account groups as recommended account groups. In this case, the server device 100 presents to the user what kind of account group has what kind of benefits each account group offers. Then, the server device 100 allows the user to select any account group from the multiple account groups.

[0045] In addition, the server device 100 may create a new account group in advance that brings together accounts with similar characteristics, and then use the previously created new account group as an existing account group and select a "recommended account group" suitable for the user from the account group.

[0046] For example, as shown in Fig. 1, the server device 100 analyzes the characteristics of each account, creates account groups in advance that collect accounts with similar characteristics, and classifies and manages them by characteristic (step S11). At this time, the server device 100 analyzes the detailed profile, posted content, genre, and posting frequency of each account as the characteristics of each account. The server device 100 then calculates the similarity of the characteristics of each account, selects accounts whose similarity is equal to or greater than a threshold, and creates an account group.

[0047] For example, the server device 100 may vectorize the posted content of each account, calculate the cosine similarity of each vector, select similar accounts, and create an account group. Note that, although the above description has been made in connection with the case where cosine similarity is used, in practice, the similarity or distance of the vectorized data may simply be used without using cosine similarity. In other words, the method for calculating similarity is not limited, and any method, including known methods, may be used.

[0048] Alternatively, the server device 100 may calculate a difference in the characteristics of each account, and if the difference is within an acceptable range, select the other account to create an account group. For example, the server device 100 may calculate a difference in the posting frequency of each account, and if the difference is within an acceptable range, select the other account to create an account group.

[0049] Next, the server device 100 estimates the following history and interests of the user (step S12). At this time, the server device 100 may estimate the user's interests and concerns, the user's daily actions and situations, the user's intentions and environment, and other contexts from the user's attribute information, history information, and the like.

[0050] Next, the server device 100 selects an account group that matches the user's following history and interests from among the account groups it manages (step S13). At this time, the server device 100 may select the account group based on the user's interests and concerns, the user's daily actions and situations, the user's intentions and environment, and other contexts.

[0051] Furthermore, the server device 100 may select an account group that has characteristics similar to the accounts that the user has followed in the past from among the account groups that are categorized and managed by characteristics. Alternatively, the server device 100 may select an account group that includes other accounts that have characteristics similar to the accounts that the user has followed in the past. For example, the server device 100 calculates the similarity between the characteristics of the accounts that the user has followed and the characteristics of the account group (or the characteristics of each account that constitutes the account group), and selects the account group if the similarity between the characteristics of the account that the user has followed and the characteristics of any of the account groups (or any of the accounts) is equal to or greater than a threshold. Note that the accounts that constitute the account group have similar characteristics.

[0052] Next, the server device 100 explains the selected account group to the user and suggests following the selected account group (step S14). For example, the server device 100 generates an explanation of the selected account group and a sentence recommending following the selected account group, and displays them on the screen of the user's terminal device 10 via the network N. At this time, the server device 100 may use AI such as GPT to generate the sentence explaining the selected account group. The server device 100 may also provide an explanation of each individual account within the group.

[0053] For example, the server device 100 generates a sentence such as "We will suggest a recommended account group for you based on your recent actions," and displays it on the screen of the terminal device 10 of the user.

[0054] Additionally, the selected account group is characterized by covering a wide range of genres and providing highly reliable information.

[0055] In addition, the selected account group will post information on international news, business, entertainment, etc.

[0056] The selected account groups also cover genres such as international news, business, and entertainment.

[0057] The selected account group is also analyzed for posting frequency, i.e., whether it posts a predetermined number of times or more within a certain period of time. For example, it is estimated that the selected account group posts several to several dozen times per day.

[0058] Additionally, select account groups will provide relevant topics on global events and business trends.

[0059] Furthermore, the server device 100 may calculate an annoyance level of the account group for the user and display it together with an explanation. Alternatively, the server device 100 may determine to explain the account group to the user and suggest following the user only when the annoyance level is below a threshold, and not to explain the account group to the user or suggest following the user when the annoyance level is equal to or greater than the threshold. In other words, when the annoyance level is equal to or greater than the threshold, the server device 100 may exclude the account group from candidates for account groups for which an explanation and a suggestion to follow the user are to be given.

[0060] Then, the server device 100 generates an explanatory statement such as "By following this account group, you can obtain information from a wider perspective," displays it on the screen of the user's terminal device 10, and makes a follow suggestion to the user.

[0061] The timing at which the server device 100 explains the account group to the user and suggests following is arbitrary. For example, the server device 100 may explain the selected account group when the user's following history or interests are estimated. Alternatively, the server device 100 may explain the account group by push notification or the like when the account group is selected. Alternatively, the server device 100 may explain the account group when a predetermined application (app) is launched.

[0062] Furthermore, the means by which the server device 100 displays the explanation of the account group on the screen of the user's terminal device 10 may be a modal, a pop-up, a dialog, or the like.

[0063] Furthermore, the server device 100 may generate explanatory content for the account group based on the attributes of the created new account group or the selected existing account group and the attributes of the user. In this case, the server device 100 may generate an explanation based on attributes that are highly related to the user.

[0064] Finally, if the user agrees to the proposal to follow the account group, the server device 100 accepts the request to follow the account group from the user (step S15).

[0065] [3. Example of terminal device configuration] Next, the configuration of the terminal device 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the terminal device 10 according to the embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, the terminal device 10 includes a communication unit 11, a display unit 12, an input unit 13, a positioning unit 14, a sensor unit 20, a control unit 30 (controller), and a storage unit 40.

[0066] (Communications Department 11) The communication unit 11 is connected to the network N by wire or wirelessly, and transmits and receives information to and from the server device 100 via the network N. For example, the communication unit 11 is realized by a NIC (Network Interface Card), an antenna, etc.

[0067] (Display section 12) Display unit 12 is a display device that displays various information such as position information. For example, display unit 12 is a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic electro-luminescent display (OLED). Display unit 12 is also a touch panel display, but is not limited to this.

[0068] (Input section 13) The input unit 13 is an input device that accepts various operations from the user U. For example, the input unit 13 has buttons for inputting characters, numbers, etc. The input unit 13 may be an input / output port (I / O port), a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port, etc. If the display unit 12 is a touch panel display, a part of the display unit 12 functions as the input unit 13. The input unit 13 may be a microphone that accepts voice input from the user U. The microphone may be wireless.

[0069] (Positioning unit 14) The positioning unit 14 receives signals (radio waves) transmitted from satellites of a GPS (Global Positioning System), and acquires position information (e.g., latitude and longitude) indicating the current position of the terminal device 10, which is the device itself, based on the received signals. That is, the positioning unit 14 positions the position of the terminal device 10. Note that GPS is merely an example of a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System).

[0070] The positioning unit 14 can also measure the position using various methods other than GPS. For example, the positioning unit 14 may measure the position by using various communication functions of the terminal device 10 as an auxiliary positioning means for position correction, etc., as described below.

[0071] (Wi-Fi positioning) For example, the positioning unit 14 uses a Wi-Fi (registered trademark) communication function of the terminal device 10 or a communication network provided by each communication company to measure the position of the terminal device 10. Specifically, the positioning unit 14 performs Wi-Fi communication or the like and measures the distance to a nearby base station or access point, thereby measuring the position of the terminal device 10.

[0072] (Beacon positioning) The positioning unit 14 may also measure the position by using a Bluetooth (registered trademark) function of the terminal device 10. For example, the positioning unit 14 measures the position of the terminal device 10 by connecting to a beacon transmitter connected by the Bluetooth (registered trademark) function.

[0073] (geomagnetic positioning) The positioning unit 14 also measures the position of the terminal device 10 based on a geomagnetic pattern of a structure that has been measured in advance and a geomagnetic sensor that the terminal device 10 has.

[0074] (RFID positioning) Furthermore, for example, if the terminal device 10 has a function of an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag equivalent to a contactless IC card used at station ticket gates, in stores, etc., or has a function of reading an RFID tag, the location where the terminal device 10 was used is recorded together with information on the payment or the like made by the terminal device 10. The positioning unit 14 may obtain such information to determine the location of the terminal device 10. Alternatively, the location may be determined by an optical sensor, an infrared sensor, or the like provided in the terminal device 10.

[0075] The positioning unit 14 may measure the position of the terminal device 10 using one or a combination of the above-mentioned positioning means, as needed.

[0076] (Sensor unit 20) The sensor unit 20 includes various sensors mounted on or connected to the terminal device 10. The connection may be wired or wireless. For example, the sensors may be detection devices other than the terminal device 10, such as wearable devices or wireless devices. In the example shown in FIG. 2 , the sensor unit 20 includes an acceleration sensor 21, a gyro sensor 22, a barometric pressure sensor 23, a temperature sensor 24, a sound sensor 25, a light sensor 26, a magnetic sensor 27, and an image sensor (camera) 28.

[0077] The above-described sensors 21 to 28 are merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. That is, the sensor unit 20 may be configured to include some of the sensors 21 to 28, or may include other sensors such as a humidity sensor in addition to or instead of the sensors 21 to 28.

[0078] The acceleration sensor 21 is, for example, a three-axis acceleration sensor, and detects physical movements of the terminal device 10, such as the direction of movement, speed, and acceleration of the terminal device 10. The gyro sensor 22 detects physical movements of the terminal device 10, such as tilt in three axial directions, based on the angular velocity of the terminal device 10. The air pressure sensor 23 detects, for example, the air pressure around the terminal device 10.

[0079] Since the terminal device 10 includes the acceleration sensor 21, the gyro sensor 22, the atmospheric pressure sensor 23, etc., it is possible to measure the position of the terminal device 10 using a technique such as Pedestrian Dead-Reckoning (PDR) that uses these sensors 21 to 23. This makes it possible to obtain indoor position information that is difficult to obtain using a positioning system such as GPS.

[0080] For example, the number of steps, walking speed, and distance walked can be calculated using a pedometer that uses the acceleration sensor 21. In addition, the direction of travel, line of sight, and body tilt of the user U can be determined using the gyro sensor 22. In addition, the altitude and floor on which the terminal device 10 of the user U is located can be determined from the air pressure detected by the air pressure sensor 23.

[0081] The temperature sensor 24 detects, for example, the temperature around the terminal device 10. The sound sensor 25 detects, for example, the sound around the terminal device 10. The light sensor 26 detects the illuminance around the terminal device 10. The magnetic sensor 27 detects, for example, the geomagnetism around the terminal device 10. The image sensor 28 captures an image around the terminal device 10.

[0082] The above-mentioned air pressure sensor 23, temperature sensor 24, sound sensor 25, light sensor 26, and image sensor 28 can detect the air pressure, temperature, sound, and illuminance, respectively, and capture images of the surroundings, thereby detecting the environment and situation around the terminal device 10. Furthermore, the accuracy of the location information of the terminal device 10 can be improved based on the environment and situation around the terminal device 10.

[0083] (control unit 30) The control unit 30 includes, for example, a microcomputer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or MPU (Micro Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), input / output ports, etc., and various other circuits. The control unit 30 may also be configured with hardware such as an integrated circuit, for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The control unit 30 includes a transmitting unit 31, a receiving unit 32, and a processing unit 33.

[0084] (Transmitter 31) The transmission unit 31 can transmit, for example, various information input by the user U using the input unit 13, various information detected by each sensor 21 to 28 mounted on or connected to the terminal device 10, and location information of the terminal device 10 measured by the positioning unit 14 to the server device 100 via the communication unit 11.

[0085] (Receiving unit 32) The receiving unit 32 can receive various types of information provided by the server device 100 and requests for various types of information from the server device 100 via the communication unit 11.

[0086] (Processing unit 33) The processing unit 33 controls the entire terminal device 10, including the display unit 12. For example, the processing unit 33 can output various information transmitted by the transmitting unit 31 and various information received from the server device 100 by the receiving unit 32 to the display unit 12 for display.

[0087] (Storage unit 40) The storage unit 40 is realized by, for example, a semiconductor memory element such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a flash memory, or a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), an optical disk, etc. The storage unit 40 stores various programs, various data, etc.

[0088] [4. Server device configuration example] Next, the configuration of the server device 100 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the server device 100 according to the embodiment. As shown in Fig. 3, the server device 100 includes a communication unit 110, a storage unit 120, and a control unit 130.

[0089] (Communication unit 110) The communication unit 110 is realized by, for example, a network interface card (NIC), etc. The communication unit 110 is connected to a network N by wire or wirelessly.

[0090] (Storage unit 120) The storage unit 120 is realized by, for example, a semiconductor memory element such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a flash memory, or a storage device such as an HDD, an SSD, an optical disk, etc. The storage unit 120 may store attribute information and history information (log data) of the user U together with identification information (such as a user ID) indicating the user U.

[0091] (control unit 130) The control unit 130 is a controller, and is realized by, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a micro processing unit (MPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or the like, by executing various programs (corresponding to an example of an information processing program) stored in a storage device inside the server device 100 using a storage area such as a RAM as a working area. In the example shown in FIG. 3 , the control unit 130 includes an acquisition unit 131, a reception unit 132, an estimation unit 133, a selection unit 134, a group creation unit 135, a generation unit 136, and a proposal unit 137.

[0092] (Acquisition part 131) The acquisition unit 131 acquires a search query input by a user U. For example, when the user U inputs a search query into a search engine or the like to perform a keyword search, the acquisition unit 131 acquires the search query via the communication unit 110. That is, the acquisition unit 131 acquires, via the communication unit 110, the keywords input by the user U into the search box of a search engine, website, or app.

[0093] Furthermore, the acquisition unit 131 acquires user information about the user U via the communication unit 110. For example, the acquisition unit 131 acquires identification information (such as a user ID) indicating the user U, location information of the user U, attribute information of the user U, etc. from the terminal device 10 of the user U. Furthermore, the acquisition unit 131 may acquire the identification information indicating the user U, attribute information of the user U, etc. when the user U is registered. Then, the acquisition unit 131 stores the user information in the storage unit 120.

[0094] Furthermore, the acquisition unit 131 acquires various types of history information (log data) indicating the behavior of the user U via the communication unit 110. For example, the acquisition unit 131 acquires various types of history information indicating the behavior of the user U from the terminal device 10 of the user U or from various servers based on the user ID or the like. Then, the acquisition unit 131 stores the various types of history information in the storage unit 120.

[0095] (Reception Department 132) The reception unit 132 receives a request to follow an account by the user U. For example, the reception unit 132 receives a request to follow an account by the user U from the terminal device 10 of the user U via the communication unit 110. Note that the reception unit 132 may be part of the function of the acquisition unit 131 described above.

[0096] Furthermore, the receiving unit 132 receives a request to follow an account group from a user U who agrees to a proposal to follow an account group. For example, when the user U agrees to a proposal to follow an account group, the receiving unit 132 receives a request from the user U to follow the account group from the terminal device 10 of the user U. At this time, the receiving unit 132 may receive a request from the user U to follow any of the multiple account groups.

[0097] (Estimation part 133) The estimation unit 133 estimates the following history or interests of the user U. For example, the estimation unit 133 estimates the following history or interests of the user U by referring to accounts that the user U has viewed or followed up to now. Furthermore, the estimation unit 133 estimates the following history or interests of the user U by referring to the attribute information, history information, etc. of the user U.

[0098] (Selection Department 134) The selection unit 134 selects other accounts related to the account based on the accounts followed by the user U. For example, the selection unit 134 analyzes the characteristics of the accounts followed by the user U and selects other accounts that have characteristics similar to the accounts followed by the user U. In this case, the selection unit 134 calculates the similarity between the characteristics of the accounts followed by the user U and the characteristics of the other accounts, and selects the other accounts if the similarity is equal to or greater than a threshold. In addition, the selection unit 134 analyzes the profile, posted content, genre, and posting frequency of the accounts as the characteristics of the accounts followed by the user U.

[0099] Alternatively, the selection unit 134 selects an account group that matches the following history or interests of the user U estimated by the estimation unit 133 from among the account groups created in advance by the group creation unit 135. For example, the selection unit 134 selects an account group that has characteristics similar to the accounts that the user U has followed so far from the account groups that have been created in advance by the group creation unit 135 and are managed by classifying them by characteristics. In this case, the selection unit 134 calculates the similarity between the characteristics of the accounts that the user U has followed and the characteristics of the account group, and selects the account group if the similarity is equal to or greater than a threshold.

[0100] Alternatively, the selection unit 134 selects an account group that includes other accounts with similar characteristics to the accounts that the user U has followed, from among the account groups created in advance by the group creation unit 135. At this time, the selection unit 134 calculates the similarity between the characteristics of the accounts that the user U has followed and the characteristics of each account that makes up the account group created in advance by the group creation unit 135, and selects the account group if the similarity between the characteristics of the accounts that the user U has followed and the characteristics of any of the accounts is equal to or greater than a threshold.

[0101] (Group Creation Section 135) The group creation unit 135 creates a new account group by collecting the selected other accounts. At this time, the group creation unit 135 may create multiple new account groups.

[0102] Alternatively, the group creation unit 135 creates an account group in advance, collecting multiple accounts. For example, the group creation unit 135 analyzes the characteristics of each of the multiple accounts and creates an account group that collects accounts with similar characteristics. At this time, the group creation unit 135 calculates the similarity between the characteristics of each of the multiple accounts and selects accounts whose similarity is equal to or greater than a threshold to create an account group. The group creation unit 135 also analyzes the profile, posted content, genre, and posting frequency of each account as the characteristics of each of the multiple accounts. The group creation unit 135 also classifies and manages the created account groups that collect accounts with similar characteristics by characteristic.

[0103] (Generation unit 136) The generation unit 136 generates an explanatory text of the account group for the user U. That is, the generation unit 136 generates an explanatory text of the account group for each user. At this time, the generation unit 136 may generate an explanatory text for each of the multiple account groups for the user U. Furthermore, the generation unit 136 may individually generate an explanatory text for each of the accounts that make up the account group.

[0104] (Proposal Department 137) The suggestion unit 137 presents the user U with an explanation of the account group and suggests following the account group. At this time, the suggestion unit 137 may present the user U with an explanation of each of a plurality of account groups and suggest following each of the plurality of account groups. Furthermore, the suggestion unit 137 may present the user U with an explanation of each of the accounts that make up the account group individually and suggest following the account group.

[0105] [5. Processing Procedure] Next, a processing procedure by the server device 100 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure according to the embodiment. Note that the processing procedure shown below is repeatedly executed by the control unit 130 of the server device 100.

[0106] 4, the group creation unit 135 of the server device 100 checks whether it is set to create an account group in advance (step S101). If it is set to create an account group in advance (step S101; Yes), the group creation unit 135 analyzes the characteristics of each of the multiple accounts and creates an account group in advance that includes accounts with similar characteristics (step S102).

[0107] Next, the estimation unit 133 of the server device 100 estimates the following history or interests of the user U by referring to the accounts that the user U has viewed or followed, or by referring to the user U's attribute information, history information, etc. (step S103).

[0108] Next, the selection unit 134 of the server device 100 selects an account group that matches the following history or interests of the user U estimated by the estimation unit 133 from among the account groups created in advance by the group creation unit 135 (step S104).

[0109] On the other hand, if the setting is not set to create an account group in advance (step S101; No), the group creation unit 135 of the server device 100 does nothing for the time being, and the reception unit 132 of the server device 100 receives a request from user U to follow the account (step S105).

[0110] Next, the selection unit 134 of the server device 100 analyzes the characteristics of the accounts followed by the user U, and selects other accounts that have similar characteristics to the accounts followed by the user U (step S106).

[0111] Next, the group creating unit 135 of the server device 100 creates a new account group by collecting the selected other accounts (step S107).

[0112] Next, the generation unit 136 of the server device 100 generates an explanation of the account group for the user U (step S108).

[0113] Next, the suggestion unit 137 of the server device 100 presents an explanation of the account group to the user U and suggests following the account group (step S109).

[0114] Next, the receiving unit 132 of the server device 100 receives a request to follow the account group from the user U who agrees to the proposal to follow the account group (step S110).

[0115] [6. Modifications] The terminal device 10 and the server device 100 described above may be implemented in various different forms other than the above embodiment. Therefore, modifications of the embodiment will be described below.

[0116] In the above embodiment, some or all of the processing executed by the server device 100 may actually be executed by the terminal device 10 (or an application running on the terminal device 10). For example, the processing may be completed in a stand-alone manner (by the terminal device 10 alone). In this case, the terminal device 10 is assumed to have the functions of the server device 100 in the above embodiment. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the terminal device 10 cooperates with the server device 100, and therefore, from the perspective of the user U, it appears that the processing of the server device 100 is also being executed by the terminal device 10. In other words, from another perspective, the terminal device 10 can also be said to be equipped with the server device 100.

[0117] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, news from news sites / apps etc. is used as an example, but in reality, the article may be a post from a social networking site, a Q&A site, a life advice site, a specialized field site, a distribution site for videos, music etc., a posting site for novels, illustrations etc., or any other posting site / app etc.

[0118] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, when selecting accounts with similar characteristics, the server device 100 may have a model (AI) learn each account and its characteristics as learning data, and use this model to select accounts with similar characteristics.

[0119] In addition, in the above embodiment, when selecting accounts with similar characteristics, the server device 100 may select accounts with similar characteristics in terms of the content and trends of comments posted on news from each account, comment posters, etc.

[0120] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, when calculating the degree of discomfort of an account group for a user, the server device 100 may calculate the degree of discomfort based on the content and tendency of comments posted on news from each account constituting the account group, the degree of discomfort the user feels with respect to the comment poster, etc. In this case, the server device 100 may investigate and analyze the content and tendency of comments posted on news from accounts that the user has followed, the degree of discomfort the user feels with respect to the comment poster, etc.

[0121] [7. Effects] As described above, the information processing device (terminal device 10 and server device 100) according to the present application is characterized by comprising a group creation unit 135 that creates an account group in advance by collecting multiple accounts, a generation unit 136 that generates an explanation for the account group, a proposal unit 137 that presents the explanation for the account group to a user and proposes following the account group, and a reception unit 132 that accepts following of the account group from a user who agrees to the proposal to follow the account group.

[0122] This makes it possible to select recommended account groups that are likely to interest the user from among the account groups created in advance, and to provide a description of the account groups and a follow suggestion. Furthermore, by providing a description of each account group and a follow suggestion, it is also possible to provide a description of recommended account groups that are likely to interest the user included therein. For example, even if a recommended account group that is likely to interest the user is not known, providing a description of all account groups and a follow suggestion may lead to the user becoming interested in one of the account groups. In this case, the description of the account groups and the follow suggestion may be provided for all account groups at once, may be provided for each account group in order, or may be provided for an account group randomly selected from all account groups.

[0123] The group creation unit 135 analyzes the characteristics of each of a plurality of accounts and creates an account group that brings together accounts with similar characteristics.

[0124] This allows you to create account groups that are likely to interest users by collecting accounts with similar characteristics based on the characteristics of each account.

[0125] The group creation unit 135 calculates the similarity of the features of each of a plurality of accounts, selects accounts whose similarity is equal to or greater than a threshold, and creates an account group.

[0126] This makes it possible to create account groups that are likely to interest users by collecting accounts that are highly similar based on the similarity of the characteristics of each account.

[0127] The group creation unit 135 analyzes the profile, posted content, genre, and posting frequency of each of the multiple accounts as characteristics of each of the accounts.

[0128] This allows you to create account groups that are likely to interest users by collecting accounts that are highly similar in terms of account profile, post content, genre, and posting frequency.

[0129] The information processing device according to the present application further includes an estimation unit 133 that estimates a user's following history or interests, and a selection unit 134 that selects an account group that matches the user's following history or interests from among account groups created in advance. A generation unit 136 generates an explanation for the selected account group for the user. A suggestion unit 137 presents an explanation for the selected account group to the user and suggests following the selected account group.

[0130] This makes it possible to predict the user's following history or interests, select an account group from pre-created account groups that matches the user's following history or interests, and provide an explanation of account groups that the user is likely to be interested in and suggestions for following.

[0131] The information processing device according to the present application further includes a selection unit 134 that selects an account group having characteristics similar to accounts that the user has followed from among account groups that have been created in advance and are categorized and managed by characteristics. A generation unit 136 generates an explanation for the selected account group for the user. A suggestion unit 137 presents the explanation for the selected account group to the user and suggests following the selected account group.

[0132] This allows a user to select an account group from pre-created account groups that have similar characteristics to the accounts they follow.

[0133] The selection unit 134 calculates the similarity between the characteristics of the account followed by the user and the characteristics of an account group that has been created in advance and managed by categorizing each characteristic, and selects the account group if the similarity between the characteristics of the account followed by the user and the characteristics of the account group is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

[0134] This allows a user to select an account group that is highly similar to the account in which the user is interested.

[0135] The information processing device according to the present application further includes a selection unit 134 that selects, from among previously created account groups, an account group that includes other accounts having characteristics similar to accounts that the user has followed. A generation unit 136 generates an explanation of the selected account group for the user. A suggestion unit 137 presents the explanation of the selected account group to the user and suggests following the selected account group.

[0136] This allows a user to select an account group from pre-created account groups that includes other accounts with similar characteristics to the account they follow.

[0137] The selection unit 134 calculates the similarity between the characteristics of the accounts followed by the user and the characteristics of each account that makes up a pre-created account group, and selects the account group if the similarity between the characteristics of the accounts followed by the user and the characteristics of any of the accounts is equal to or greater than a threshold.

[0138] This allows a user to select an account group that includes other accounts that are highly similar to the account in which the user is interested.

[0139] By performing any one or a combination of the above-described processes, the information processing device according to the present application can provide an explanation of an account group that is likely to interest the user and suggest following the account group.

[0140] [8. Hardware Configuration] The terminal device 10 and the server device 100 according to the above-described embodiments are realized by a computer 1000 having a configuration as shown in Fig. 5, for example. The following description will be given taking the server device 100 as an example. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration. The computer 1000 is connected to an output device 1010 and an input device 1020, and has a configuration in which a calculation device 1030, a primary storage device 1040, a secondary storage device 1050, an output I / F (Interface) 1060, an input I / F 1070, and a network I / F 1080 are connected via a bus 1090.

[0141] The arithmetic device 1030 operates based on programs stored in the primary storage device 1040 and the secondary storage device 1050, programs read from the input device 1020, and the like, and executes various processes. The arithmetic device 1030 is realized by, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or the like.

[0142] The primary storage device 1040 is a memory device such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily stores data used by the arithmetic device 1030 for various calculations. The secondary storage device 1050 is a storage device in which data used by the arithmetic device 1030 for various calculations and various databases are registered, and is realized by a ROM (Read Only Memory), an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), a flash memory, or the like. The secondary storage device 1050 may be an internal storage device or an external storage device. The secondary storage device 1050 may also be a removable storage medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or an SD (Secure Digital) memory card. The secondary storage device 1050 may also be cloud storage (online storage), a NAS (Network Attached Storage), a file server, or the like.

[0143] The output I / F 1060 is an interface for transmitting information to be output to an output device 1010 that outputs various types of information, such as a display, a projector, a printer, etc., and is realized by a connector conforming to a standard such as USB (Universal Serial Bus), DVI (Digital Visual Interface), or HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface), etc. The input I / F 1070 is an interface for receiving information from various input devices 1020, such as a mouse, a keyboard, a keypad, a button, a scanner, etc., and is realized by a USB, etc.

[0144] Furthermore, the output I / F 1060 and the input I / F 1070 may be wirelessly connected to the output device 1010 and the input device 1020, respectively. That is, the output device 1010 and the input device 1020 may be wireless devices.

[0145] The output device 1010 and the input device 1020 may be integrated into one device, such as a touch panel. In this case, the output I / F 1060 and the input I / F 1070 may also be integrated into one device as an input / output I / F.

[0146] The input device 1020 may be a device that reads information from, for example, an optical recording medium such as a CD (Compact Disc), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), or a PD (Phase Change Rewritable Disk), a magneto-optical recording medium such as an MO (Magneto-Optical disk), a tape medium, a magnetic recording medium, or a semiconductor memory.

[0147] The network I / F 1080 receives data from other devices via the network N and sends it to the arithmetic device 1030, and also transmits data generated by the arithmetic device 1030 to other devices via the network N.

[0148] The arithmetic unit 1030 controls the output device 1010 and the input device 1020 via the output I / F 1060 and the input I / F 1070. For example, the arithmetic unit 1030 loads a program from the input device 1020 or the secondary storage device 1050 onto the primary storage device 1040 and executes the loaded program.

[0149] For example, when the computer 1000 functions as the server device 100, the arithmetic unit 1030 of the computer 1000 executes a program loaded onto the primary storage device 1040 to realize the functions of the control unit 130. The arithmetic unit 1030 of the computer 1000 may also load a program acquired from another device via the network I / F 1080 onto the primary storage device 1040 and execute the loaded program. The arithmetic unit 1030 of the computer 1000 may also cooperate with the other device via the network I / F 1080 to call and use the functions and data of a program from another program of the other device.

[0150] [9. Other] Although the embodiments of the present application have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the contents of these embodiments. Furthermore, the above-described components include those that can be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those that are within the scope of so-called equivalents. Furthermore, the above-described components can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the components can be made without departing from the spirit of the above-described embodiments.

[0151] Furthermore, among the processes described in the above embodiments, all or part of the processes described as being performed automatically can be performed manually, or all or part of the processes described as being performed manually can be performed automatically using a known method. In addition, the information including the processing procedures, specific names, various data, and parameters shown in the above documents and drawings can be changed as desired unless otherwise specified. For example, the various information shown in each drawing is not limited to the information shown in the drawings.

[0152] Furthermore, the components of each device shown in the figure are conceptual functional components and do not necessarily have to be physically configured as shown in the figure. In other words, the specific form of distribution and integration of each device is not limited to that shown in the figure, and all or part of them can be functionally or physically distributed and integrated in any unit depending on various loads, usage conditions, etc.

[0153] For example, the above-mentioned server device 100 may be realized by multiple server computers, and depending on the function, the configuration can be flexibly changed, such as by calling an external platform using an API (Application Programming Interface) or network computing.

[0154] Furthermore, the above-described embodiments and modifications can be combined as appropriate within the scope of not causing any contradiction in the processing content.

[0155] Furthermore, the above-mentioned "section, module, unit" can be read as "means" or "circuit," etc. For example, an acquisition unit can be read as an acquisition means or an acquisition circuit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0156] 1. Information Processing Systems 10 Terminal Equipment 100 Server device 110 Communications Department 120 Storage section 130 Control Unit 131 Acquisition Department 132 Reception Department 133 Estimation Department 134 Selection Department 135 Group Creation Department 136 Generation part 137 Proposal Department

Claims

1. a group creation unit that creates an account group in advance, the account group including multiple accounts; a generation unit that generates a description of the account group; a suggestion unit that presents an explanation of the account group to the user and suggests following the account group; a receiving unit that receives a follow request for the account group from the user who agrees to the proposal to follow the account group; An information processing device comprising:

2. The group creation unit analyzes the characteristics of each of the plurality of accounts and creates an account group that includes accounts with similar characteristics.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

3. The group creation unit calculates a similarity between the features of each of the plurality of accounts, selects accounts whose similarity is equal to or greater than a threshold, and creates an account group.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

4. The group creation unit analyzes the profile, posted content, genre, and posting frequency of each of the plurality of accounts as characteristics of each of the plurality of accounts.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

5. an estimation unit that estimates the following history or interests of the user; A selection unit that selects an account group that matches the user's follow history or interests from among pre-created account groups; Furthermore, the generating unit generates an explanation of the selected account group for the user; The suggestion unit presents an explanation of the selected account group to the user and suggests following the selected account group.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

6. The system further includes a selection unit that selects an account group having characteristics similar to the accounts that the user has followed from among account groups that have been created in advance and are classified and managed by characteristics, the generating unit generates an explanation of the selected account group for the user; The suggestion unit presents an explanation of the selected account group to the user and suggests following the selected account group.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

7. The selection unit calculates a similarity between characteristics of the accounts followed by the user and characteristics of account groups that have been created in advance and are categorized and managed by characteristics, and selects the account group when the similarity between the characteristics of the accounts followed by the user and the characteristics of the account group is equal to or greater than a threshold.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6,

8. A selection unit is further provided to select an account group from among pre-created account groups, the account group including other accounts having similar characteristics to the accounts that the user has followed to date; the generating unit generates an explanation of the selected account group for the user; The suggestion unit presents an explanation of the selected account group to the user and suggests following the selected account group.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

9. The selection unit calculates a similarity between the characteristics of the accounts followed by the user and the characteristics of each account constituting a pre-created account group, and selects the account group when the similarity between the characteristics of the accounts followed by the user and the characteristics of any of the accounts is equal to or greater than a threshold.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8,

10. An information processing method executed by an information processing device, A group creation process in which an account group containing multiple accounts is created in advance; a generating step of generating a description of the account group; a proposing step of presenting an explanation of the account group to a user and proposing to follow the account group; a receiving step of receiving a follow request for the account group from the user who has agreed to the proposal to follow the account group; An information processing method comprising:

11. A group creation procedure for creating an account group in advance that includes multiple accounts, a generation step of generating a description of the account group; a suggestion step of presenting a description of the account group to the user and suggesting following the account group; a receiving step of receiving a follow of the account group from the user who has agreed to the proposal to follow the account group; An information processing program characterized by causing a computer to execute the above.

Images