Information processing method, program, and information processing device

Abstract

To provide an information processing method etc. that enables grasping the surrounding environment of a property without visiting the site. [Solution] A computer accepts a selection of a vacant property located in a metaverse space that recreates a streetscape that exists in the real world. The computer then executes an interior space display process that displays the interior space of the selected vacant property in the metaverse space, and / or a surrounding environment display process that displays the surrounding environment in the metaverse space based on mobile object information about mobile objects collected around the selected vacant property in the real world.

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, information on real estate properties has been made public via networks such as the Internet, and a process of searching for properties that meet the desired conditions of a prospective contract holder has been carried out via the network. Patent Document 1 discloses a property search technology in which either a required condition, a desired condition, or an unnecessary condition is set for each item of property search conditions, properties that meet the required condition items are searched for, and the searched properties are displayed in order of the number of desired condition items that they meet. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7168296 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Conventional technologies, including the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, allow searches based on conditions related to the property, but many of them do not allow searches based on conditions related to the property's surrounding environment, making it difficult to understand the property's surrounding environment without visiting the site.

[0005] The present disclosure aims to provide an information processing method and the like that makes it possible to understand the surrounding environment of a property without visiting the site. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The information processing method disclosed herein involves a computer accepting a selection of a vacant property placed within a metaverse space that recreates a streetscape that exists in the real world, and performing an internal space display process that displays the internal space of the selected vacant property within the metaverse space, and / or a surrounding environment display process that displays the surrounding environment within the metaverse space based on mobile object information about mobile objects collected around the selected vacant property in the real world. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to understand the surrounding environment of a property without visiting the site. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an information processing system. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a server and a user terminal. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the record layout of a vacant property DB and a property surroundings DB. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the record layout of a property internal DB and a contract DB. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure for providing vacant property information in the metaverse space. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure for providing vacant property information in the metaverse space. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure for providing vacant property information in the metaverse space. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a screen of a user terminal. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a screen of a user terminal. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a screen of a user terminal. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure for providing vacant house information in the metaverse space according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a screen of a user terminal. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The information processing method, program, and information processing device of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to drawings illustrating embodiments thereof. In the following embodiments, an example will be described in which the present disclosure is applied to an information processing system that recreates a streetscape existing in the real world within a metaverse space and provides information on vacant properties within the metaverse space. In this disclosure, a vacant property may be a building that is currently vacant or a building that will become vacant in the future. It may also be an entire building that is vacant, or a building with some rooms that are vacant. It may also be a building (detached house) attached to a main house, or a newly constructed building. The technology of the present disclosure can also be applied to an information processing system that provides information on real estate properties for rent or sale within the metaverse space, in addition to vacant properties. Furthermore, the technology of the present disclosure can also be applied to an information processing system that provides information on land (vacant lots) without buildings within the metaverse space.

[0010] (Embodiment 1) An information processing system that provides information on vacant properties within a metaverse space will be described. In this embodiment, vacant properties include properties under lease contracts and properties under sales contracts. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing system. The information processing system of this embodiment includes a server 10 and a user terminal 20, and each device is communicatively connected via a network N. The network N may be the Internet or a public telephone network, or a local area network (LAN) established within a facility where the information processing system is installed. The server 10 is an information processing device capable of various information processing and sending and receiving information, such as a server computer or a personal computer. The user terminal 20 is a terminal device used by a user who uses the metaverse space provided by the server 10. The user terminal 20 is an information processing device capable of various information processing and sending and receiving information, such as a smartphone, tablet terminal, or personal computer. The user terminal 20 may also be a goggle-type or eyeglass-type head-mounted display.

[0011] In the information processing system of this embodiment, server 10 transmits data relating to a metaverse space in which a streetscape existing in real space is reproduced to user terminal 20, and provides the metaverse space to the user. User terminal 20 accesses server 10 via network N, acquires data relating to the metaverse space from server 10, and displays the data on display unit 25 (see FIG. 2) to provide the data to the user.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the server 10 and the user terminal 20. The server 10 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, a communication unit 13, an input unit 14, a display unit 15, a reading unit 16, etc., which are interconnected via a bus. The control unit 11 includes one or more processors (arithmetic processing devices), such as a central processing unit (CPU), a micro-processing unit (MPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a tensor processing unit (TPU), or an AI chip (semiconductor for AI). The control unit 11 executes the processes performed by the server 10 by appropriately executing a program 12P stored in the storage unit 12. Note that when the control unit 11 includes multiple processors, each process may be executed by the same processor, or each process may be executed by a different processor.

[0013] The storage unit 12 includes RAM (Random Access Memory), flash memory, a hard disk, an SSD (Solid State Drive), etc. The storage unit 12 pre-stores a program 12P (computer program, program product) executed by the control unit 11 and various data required for executing the program 12P. The storage unit 12 also temporarily stores data generated when the control unit 11 executes the program 12P. The storage unit 12 also stores metaverse space data 12D for providing the metaverse space, a vacant property DB 12a, a property surroundings DB 12b, a property interior DB 12c, a contract DB 12d, etc. The metaverse space data 12D is created using metaverse creation software such as Blender provided by the Blender Foundation, or Maya and 3DS Max provided by Autodesk. The metaverse space data 12D is data for providing a metaverse space in which a streetscape in real space is reproduced based on, for example, images (still images and videos) taken in real space and images of various places made public via the network N, such as Google Street View, and is created in advance and stored in the storage unit 12. The storage unit 12 may be composed of multiple storage devices, and part of the storage unit 12 may be other storage devices connected to the server 10, or other storage devices with which the server 10 can communicate.

[0014] The communication unit 13 is a communication module for connecting to the network N by wired or wireless communication, and transmits and receives information to other devices via the network N. The input unit 14 accepts operation input by a user and sends a control signal corresponding to the operation content to the control unit 11. The display unit 15 is a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, or the like, and displays various information in accordance with instructions from the control unit 11. The input unit 14 and the display unit 15 may be a touch panel configured as an integrated unit. Note that the input unit 14 and the display unit 15 are not essential, and the server 10 may be configured to accept operations via a connected terminal device and output information to be displayed to an external display device.

[0015] The reading unit 16 reads information stored in a portable storage medium 10a such as a CD (Compact Disc), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, an SD (Secure Digital) card, or a CompactFlash (registered trademark). The program 12P and various data stored in the storage unit 12 may be read by the control unit 11 from the portable storage medium 10a via the reading unit 16 and stored in the storage unit 12. The program 12P and various data may be written to the storage unit 12 during the manufacturing stage of the server 10, or may be downloaded by the control unit 11 from another device via the communication unit 13 and stored in the storage unit 12.

[0016] In this embodiment, the server 10 is not limited to a single computer, but may be a multi-computer consisting of multiple computers, or may be a virtual machine virtually constructed by software within a single device. The server 10 may also be a local server installed within the facility where the server 10 (information processing system) is installed, or may be a cloud server connected to the server 10 via a network N. The program 12P may be deployed on a single computer or at one site, or may be deployed on multiple computers distributed across multiple sites and interconnected via the network N.

[0017] The user terminal 20 includes a control unit 21, a memory unit 22, a communication unit 23, an input unit 24, a display unit 25, a speaker 26, etc., and these units are interconnected via a bus. The control unit 21, the memory unit 22, the communication unit 23, the input unit 24, and the display unit 25 of the user terminal 20 have the same configurations as the control unit 11, the memory unit 12, the communication unit 13, the input unit 14, and the display unit 15 of the server 10, and therefore their description will be omitted. In addition to the program 22P, the memory unit 22 of the user terminal 20 also stores a browser 22B for browsing websites made public via the network N. The speaker 26 is a sound output unit that outputs sounds (voice, noise, etc.) in accordance with instructions from the control unit 21. When the user terminal 20 is configured as a head-mounted display, the input unit 24 of the user terminal 20 may be a microphone for voice input, an eye-gaze input device for detecting the user's line of sight, or the like.

[0018] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the record layout of the vacant property DB 12a and the property surrounding DB 12b. The vacant property DB 12a is a database that stores information about vacant properties registered in the server 10 and searchable within the metaverse space provided by the metaverse spatial data 12D. The vacant property DB 12a shown in FIG. 3A includes a property ID column, a coordinate value column, a vacant property flag column, a contract status column, a location column, a floor plan column, a property / building floor number column, a floor area column, a ceiling height column, a frontage column, a front road column, and the like, and stores property information about vacant properties in association with the property ID. The property ID column stores identification information (property ID) assigned to each vacant property whose information can be made public within the metaverse space provided based on the metaverse spatial data 12D. The coordinate value column stores the coordinate values ​​of the vacant property within the metaverse space. The vacant property flag column stores a flag (1 or 0) indicating whether the vacant property is available for viewing. In this embodiment, if a user enters into a provisional or final contract for a vacant property, other users are prohibited from viewing information about the vacant property. Therefore, the Vacant Property Flag column stores 1 if the vacant property's information is available for viewing, and 0 if the vacant property is prohibited from viewing by other users due to a user entering into a provisional or final contract. The Contract Status column stores the contract status of the vacant property, specifically, whether a provisional contract has been entered into and negotiations are ongoing, a final contract has been entered into and the contract has been concluded, or no contract has been signed. The Location column stores the location and building name of the vacant property in real space, the Floor Plan column stores floor plan and / or floor plan drawing data, and the Property Floor / Building Floor column stores the number of floors of the vacant property and the number of floors of the building. The Floor Area column, Ceiling Height column, and Frontage column store the floor area, ceiling height, and frontage of the vacant property, respectively. The Front Road column stores the type and width of the lane, shoulder, and sidewalk on the front side (in front of the entrance) of the vacant property or its building. The vacant property DB12a is not limited to the configuration shown in Figure 3A, and may store information regarding the location of the vacant property (information from the nearest station, school district, information about nearby parks and commercial facilities), price (rent, selling price, etc.), etc.

[0019] The property surroundings DB 12b is a database that stores information about the appearance and surrounding environment of vacant properties. The property surroundings DB 12b shown in FIG. 3B includes a property ID column, a day of the week column, a time period column, an image file column, a traffic volume column, a noise level column, a garbage dump column, a parking lot column, a bicycle parking lot column, and so on. The property surroundings DB 12b stores property information about the surrounding environment for each day of the week and each time period in association with the property ID. The day of the week column and the time period column store each day of the week and each time period. In this embodiment, the days of the week are divided into weekdays (e.g., Monday to Friday) and holidays (e.g., Saturday to Sunday), and the time periods are divided into 6:00 AM to noon, 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM, 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM, and 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM, but are not limited to these divisions. The image file column stores image files or their file names collected in the vicinity (neighborhood) of the vacant property in real space. The image files include still image data and video data captured by a camera, and the video data includes audio data collected by a microphone. The traffic volume column, traffic volume column, and noise level column store the traffic volume (volume of pedestrians), traffic volume (volume of vehicle traffic), and noise level, respectively, determined by analyzing the image file. Traffic volume indicates, for example, the number of people and bicycles passing by the entrance of a vacant property per unit time (e.g., each time period), while traffic volume indicates the number of cars and motorcycles passing on the road in front of the vacant property (in front of the entrance) per unit time (e.g., each time period). Traffic volume includes the number of passersby by attributes, such as age and gender, or the number of pedestrians, joggers, people with pets, etc., and traffic volume includes the number of vehicles by type or size (e.g., load capacity), such as passenger cars and trucks. Traffic volume and traffic volume around a vacant property may be determined by communicating with communication devices carried by passersby passing around the vacant property, communication devices installed in vehicles, and communication devices carried by drivers of vehicles. For example, if each communication device has acquired its own travel route, the travel route of each communication device can be collected, and the traffic volume on the roads surrounding each vacant property can be identified from the travel route of each communication device.The garbage dump line, parking lot line, and bicycle parking lot line each store image files of the garbage dump (garbage dump), parking lot, or bicycle parking lot, the status of the garbage dump, parking lot, or bicycle parking lot obtained by analyzing the image files, or data for reproducing the status of the garbage dump, parking lot, or bicycle parking lot in the metaverse space. The property surroundings DB 12b is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 3B , and various information related to the surrounding environment of vacant properties may be stored. Information may be stored for each day of the week and time period, as well as for each weather type (e.g., sunny, cloudy, rainy, snowy, etc.). Furthermore, coordinate values ​​in the metaverse space corresponding to the locations (locations in real space) where traffic volume, traffic volume, and noise levels were collected, and coordinate values ​​in the metaverse space of the garbage dump, parking lot, and bicycle parking lot may be stored.

[0020] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the record layout of the property interior DB 12c and the contract DB 12d. The property interior DB 12c is a database that stores information about the interior of vacant properties. The property interior DB 12c shown in FIG. 4A includes a property ID column, a floor plan column, a hallway column, a kitchen column, a bathroom column, a toilet column, one Western-style room column, one Japanese-style room column, and a balcony column, and stores information about the interior of vacant properties in association with the property ID. The hallway column, kitchen column, bathroom column, toilet column, one Western-style room column, one Japanese-style room column, and balcony column each store image files or file names taken inside the vacant property in real space, or image data or file names for reproducing each room generated from each image file in the metaverse space. The property interior DB 12c is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 4A and may store various information about the interior space of vacant properties. The coordinate values ​​of each room in the metaverse space may also be stored.

[0021] The contract DB 12d is a database that stores the contract status of vacant properties. The contract DB 12d shown in FIG. 4B includes a property ID column, a contract status column, a contractor information column, etc., and stores the contract status (under negotiation, concluded, not yet concluded) and information on the user (contractor) who has entered into a provisional contract or a formal contract, in association with the property ID. The contractor information includes, for example, name, contact information, a user ID and password registered to use the metaverse space, and the purpose of use of the vacant property. The contract DB 12d is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 4B, and various information on vacant properties and contractors is stored.

[0022] In the information processing system of this embodiment, information about a vacant property for which information is to be provided in the metaverse space is registered in the server 10 by being transmitted to the server 10 from a terminal of a user (e.g., a real estate company representative) who wishes to register information about the vacant property. When the server 10 acquires information about the vacant property (such as location, floor plan, number of floors of the property and building, floor area, ceiling height, frontage, and front road information), the server 10 stores the information in the vacant property DB 12a, thereby registering the new vacant property information. When the server 10 acquires images of the exterior and surrounding environment of the vacant property photographed in real space, the server 10 stores the images in the property surrounding DB 12b. When the server 10 acquires images of each room inside the vacant property photographed in real space, the server 10 stores the images in the property interior DB 12c. The images of the exterior and surrounding environment of the vacant property are transmitted to the server 10 in association with the day of the week and time of day when they were photographed, and the server 10 stores each image in the property surrounding DB 12b in association with the day of the week and time of day when they were received.

[0023] The control unit 11 of the server 10 stores captured images of the exterior and surrounding environment of a vacant property in the property surrounding DB 12b. The control unit 11 then identifies the surrounding environment of the vacant property based on the captured images at a predetermined timing and stores the identified images in the property surrounding DB 12b. The surrounding environment includes the traffic volume, traffic volume, and noise level around the vacant property (e.g., the road facing the vacant property), as well as the management status of garbage dumps, parking lots, and bicycle parking lots. For example, the control unit 11 counts the number of people, bicycles, cars, and motorcycles passing by the road in front of the entrance to the vacant property or the road facing the vacant property per unit time based on video captured around the vacant property, and identifies the traffic volume. The control unit 11 also identifies the noise level, for example, in front of the entrance to the vacant property based on video captured around the vacant property. Instead of the noise level, the control unit 11 may extract audio data from the captured images (video) and store it as a noise level in the property surrounding DB 12b. The control unit 11 also identifies the management status (e.g., the level of tidiness) of the garbage dump, parking lot, and bicycle parking lot of the vacant property based on images of the garbage dump, parking lot, and bicycle parking lot, and stores the information in the property surroundings DB 12b. By using the metaverse space data 12D and the property surroundings DB 12b and property interior DB 12c, which store information about the vacant property as described above, the server 10 can provide a metaverse space that reproduces details of the surrounding environment, such as foot traffic volume, around the vacant property, and a metaverse space that reproduces the interior space of the vacant property. In this embodiment, users can enter into provisional or final contracts for vacant properties. For vacant properties for which a provisional or final contract has been entered into, only users who have entered into a provisional or final contract can view the metaverse space that reproduces details of the surrounding environment and the interior space of the vacant property. When a provisional or final contract has been entered into, general users other than the user who entered into the contract are prohibited from viewing the floor plan and the metaverse space that reproduces details of the surrounding environment and the interior space. For vacant properties for which no provisional contract or formal contract has been signed, all users will only be permitted to view the floor plans. If the provisional contract or formal contract is terminated, the property will revert to an uncontracted vacant property for which no provisional contract or formal contract has been signed, and all users will be able to view the floor plans.

[0024] The following describes the process by which server 10 provides information about vacant properties within the metaverse space. Figures 5 to 7 are flowcharts showing an example of the processing procedure for providing vacant property information within the metaverse space, and Figures 8 to 10 are explanatory diagrams showing example screens of user terminal 20. In Figures 5 to 7, the left side shows the processing performed by control unit 21 of user terminal 20, and the right side shows the processing performed by control unit 11 of server 10.

[0025] In the information processing system of this embodiment, a user who wants to view information about vacant properties accesses server 10 using user terminal 20 and views information about the vacant property of their choice via a streetscape reproduced in the metaverse space provided by server 10. The user accesses server 10 by starting browser 22B on user terminal 20, but if an application program for accessing server 10 is installed on user terminal 20, the user may also access server 10 by starting this application program on user terminal 20.

[0026] When the control unit 21 of the user terminal 20 receives an instruction to access the server 10 via the input unit 24, the control unit 21 launches the browser 22B and accesses the server 10. When the control unit 11 of the server 10 receives access from the user terminal 20, the control unit 11 generates a map screen as shown in FIG. 8A as an initial screen and transmits it to the user terminal 20. The control unit 21 of the user terminal 20 receives the map screen transmitted from the server 10 and displays it on the display unit 25. In the map screen generation process, the control unit 11 of the server 10 specifies the range of the map to be displayed and acquires map data of the specified range. The range of the map to be displayed may be a range of a predetermined size centered on the current location of the user terminal 20 received from the user terminal 20, may be a range registered for each user, or may be a range initially set in the server 10. The map data of the specified range may be acquired from map data (map information) previously stored in the storage unit 12, or may be acquired from map data made public via the network N. Next, the control unit 11 extracts vacant properties included in the map of the specified range based on the location of each vacant property stored in the vacant property DB 12a, plots a mark indicating that each vacant property is a vacant property at the location of each vacant property on the map, and generates a map screen. At this time, the control unit 11 plots a mark ("Under Negotiation," "Sold," or "Vacant") indicating whether each vacant property is under provisional contract (under negotiation), under contract (concluded), or not under contract, based on the contract status of each vacant property stored in the contract DB 12d. In the example of FIG. 8A, marks with different hatching are plotted depending on the status, but marks with different background colors or shapes may also be plotted. As a result, a map screen like the one shown in FIG. 8A is displayed on the user terminal 20, allowing the user to search for vacant properties on the map.

[0027] The control unit 21 is configured to enlarge or reduce the displayed map when it receives, for example, a pinch-out operation or a pinch-in operation on the screen of FIG. 8A. The control unit 21 is also configured to change the range of the displayed map when it receives, for example, a left-right or up-down swipe or flick operation on the screen of FIG. 8A. Each time the display range of the map is changed, the control unit 21 plots a mark at the position of each vacant property on the changed map and displays a new map screen. The user performs the above-described operation to display a map of the desired area and selects a vacant property they wish to view from among the vacant properties on the map. The user selects the desired vacant property by, for example, tapping on a mark plotted on the map.

[0028] The control unit 21 accepts the selection of a vacant property via the map screen (S11) and transmits information about the selected vacant property to the server 10 (S12). For example, each mark on the map is associated with a property ID of the vacant property, and the control unit 21 transmits the property ID of the selected vacant property to the server 10. Note that the user may select (tap) any location on the map, and in this case, the control unit 11 may transmit location information (for example, the address) of the selected location to the server 10.

[0029] Based on the property ID or location information of the selected location acquired from the user terminal 20, the control unit 11 of the server 10 extracts metaverse space data 12D stored in the storage unit 12, which reproduces the vacant property of the property ID or a streetscape centered on the selected location (S13). The control unit 11 also identifies the vacant properties included in the extracted metaverse space based on the coordinate values ​​of each vacant property stored in the vacant property DB 12a, and adds a vacant property mark indicating that the property is vacant (S14). Here, the control unit 11 also adds a vacant property mark (status information) indicating whether the property is under negotiation, has been sold, or has not yet been sold, based on the contract status of each vacant property stored in the contract DB 12d. Note that for vacant properties for which other users are under negotiation or have already sold, the control unit 11 covers the vacant property and adds a mark indicating that the property is under negotiation or has been sold, and prohibits viewing of detailed information about the vacant property (floor plan and details of the surrounding environment). When the provisional contract or the full contract is cancelled, the control unit 11 updates the contract status stored in the vacant property DB 12a in association with the property ID of the vacant property whose contract has been cancelled to "not contracted" and updates the vacant property flag to 1, and updates the contract status stored in the contract DB 12d in association with the property ID to "not contracted." As a result, the vacant property becomes an uncontracted vacant property, and all users can view the floor plan.

[0030] Next, the control unit 11 sets an avatar (virtual viewpoint) corresponding to the user in the metaverse space (S15). The avatar is set at a position based on predetermined conditions for the selected vacant property or any location. For example, the avatar may be set at a position where the front entrance of the vacant property can be seen, or at any selected location. Then, based on the metaverse space data with the vacant house mark added, the control unit 11 generates metaverse space data showing the metaverse space as seen from the viewpoint (virtual viewpoint) of the set avatar (S16), and transmits the generated metaverse space data to the user terminal 20 (S17).

[0031] The control unit 21 of the user terminal 20 receives the metaverse space data sent by the server 10 and displays the metaverse space as shown in FIG. 8B on the display unit 25 based on the received metaverse space data (S18). The screen of FIG. 8B displays a streetscape recreated within the metaverse space, with a mark indicating that vacant properties are under negotiation or have been sold being displayed over the vacant property, and a vacant property mark indicating that the vacant property is available for viewing is displayed for uncontracted vacant properties. This allows the user to visually recognize the desired streetscape and easily identify vacant properties available for viewing among the displayed properties.

[0032] A user can instruct, via the input unit 24, to move (change the position of) an avatar set in the metaverse space, and the control unit 21 of the user terminal 20 accepts the instruction to move the avatar in accordance with the user's operation via the input unit 24. For example, the user instructs the avatar to move forward, backward, left, or right by operating the up, down, left, and right arrow keys. Note that the instruction to move the avatar may be given, for example, by operating a joystick or by voice input. Furthermore, the control unit 21 may be configured to accept an instruction to change the line of sight of the avatar in addition to moving the avatar. For simplicity of explanation, only the movement of the avatar will be explained here.

[0033] The control unit 21 determines whether an instruction to move the avatar has been received (S19), and if it determines that the instruction has been received (S19: YES), it transmits movement information including the instructed direction and amount of movement to the server 10 (S20). When the control unit 11 of the server 10 acquires movement information from the user terminal 20, it changes the position of the avatar in the metaverse space based on the direction and amount of movement included in the movement information (S21). Thereafter, the control unit 11 returns to step S16, and generates metaverse space data of the state as seen from the avatar's viewpoint based on the changed avatar position (S16), and transmits this to the user terminal 20 (S17). This allows the user to move the avatar's viewpoint in the metaverse space by instructing to change the avatar's position, and thus allows the user to freely move within the metaverse space to search for vacant properties.

[0034] If it is determined that an instruction to move the avatar has not been received (S19: NO), the control unit 21 determines whether any vacant property in the displayed metaverse space has been selected (S22). If a vacant property in the metaverse space is under negotiation or has already been sold, general users other than the user who is under negotiation or has already sold are prohibited from viewing floor plans, etc. Therefore, general users can only select vacant properties marked with an uncontracted vacant property symbol. The selection of a vacant property may be performed, for example, by tapping on the vacant property symbol, or by a movement instruction to enter the property from the entrance of a selectable vacant property.

[0035] If the control unit 21 determines that a vacant property has not been selected (S22: NO), the control unit 21 returns to step S19. If the control unit 21 determines that a vacant property has been selected (S22: YES), the control unit 21 displays a contract screen as shown in FIG. 8C (S23). The screen in FIG. 8C shows a state in which the vacant property on the left side has been selected, and includes a "View Floor Plan" button for instructing the display of a floor plan for the selected vacant property, a "Make Provisional Contract" button for applying for a provisional contract, and a "Close" button for instructing the end of the contract screen display. The control unit 21 determines whether the "View Floor Plan" button on the contract screen has been operated (S24). If it determines that the button has been operated (S24: YES), the control unit 21 displays the floor plan of the selected vacant property as shown in FIG. 9A (S25). Note that the drawing data of the floor plan may be included in the metaverse space data received from the server 10 or may be acquired from the server 10. When it is determined that the "View floor plan" button has not been operated (S24: NO), the control unit 21 skips step S25.

[0036] The control unit 21 determines whether the "Make a provisional contract" button on the contract screen has been operated (S26). If it determines that it has not been operated (S26: NO), that is, if the close button on the contract screen has been operated, the process returns to step S18 and returns to the display of the metaverse space in FIG. 8B. If the control unit 21 determines that the "Make a provisional contract" button has been operated (S26: YES), the control unit 21 transmits provisional contract information to the server 10 to request a provisional contract for the selected vacant property (S27). For example, the control unit 21 transmits the property ID of the vacant property and user information (e.g., user ID) to the server 10. When the control unit 11 of the server 10 receives the provisional contract information from the user terminal 20, it stores information about the requested provisional contract (S28). Specifically, the control unit 11 updates the contract status stored in the vacant property DB 12a in association with the received property ID from "Not yet contracted" to "In negotiation," and updates the vacant property flag to 0. The control unit 11 also updates the contract status stored in the contract DB 12d in association with the property ID from "Uncontracted" to "Under negotiation." This changes the vacant property for which a provisional contract has been requested to "Under negotiation," thereby restricting other users from viewing the floor plan, etc.

[0037] In this embodiment, a user who has signed a provisional or final contract for a vacant property can view details of the surrounding environment and the interior space of the vacant property. Therefore, after storing information about the provisional contract, the control unit 11 generates metaverse space data that reproduces details of the surrounding environment of the vacant property based on information about the surrounding environment stored in the property surroundings DB 12b for the provisionally contracted vacant property (S29). Here, if the metaverse space displayed on the user terminal 20 includes a road in front of the vacant property, the control unit 11 reads the traffic volume, traffic volume, and noise level of the road in front of the vacant property from the property surroundings DB 12b and generates metaverse space data that reproduces the read traffic volume, traffic volume, and noise level. For example, the control unit 11 generates metaverse space data that reproduces the number of pedestrians and cyclists indicated by the traffic volume, as well as the number of cars and motorcycles indicated by the traffic volume, on the road in front of the vacant property in the metaverse space, and further reproduces sounds (ambient sounds) corresponding to the noise level. The sound corresponding to the noise level may be reproduced based on, for example, sound data (sound information) for each noise level stored in the memory unit 12, or may be reproduced based on sound data for each noise level generated from sound data for a predetermined noise level stored in the memory unit 12. The sound data (sound information) may be sound data actually collected in the real space, or may be sound data artificially generated according to each noise level. Therefore, the control unit 11 can reproduce the surrounding environment of a vacant property in the metaverse space based on mobile object information (traffic volume, traffic volume, noise level) regarding mobile objects (pedestrians, passing vehicles, etc.) collected around the vacant property in the real space and stored in the property surroundings DB 12b.

[0038] Furthermore, if the displayed metaverse space includes a garbage dump, parking lot, or bicycle parking lot of a vacant property, the control unit 11 reads the status of the garbage dump, parking lot, or bicycle parking lot of the vacant property from the property surroundings DB 12b and generates metaverse space data that reproduces the status of each read location (the surroundings of the vacant property). For example, the control unit 11 generates metaverse space data that reproduces the status read from the property surroundings DB 12b for the garbage dump, parking lot, or bicycle parking lot of a vacant property in the metaverse space. Note that data for reproducing pedestrians, cyclists, automobiles, and motorcycles is stored in advance in the storage unit 12, and the control unit 11 can read the necessary data from the storage unit 12 and reproduce it in the metaverse space. Furthermore, multiple types of data for reproducing pedestrians, cyclists, automobiles, and motorcycles may be prepared in advance, and when the control unit 11 uses each data, it may reproduce each person in the metaverse space by appropriately changing, for example, their clothing, hats, glasses, sunglasses, etc. In this case, consecutive reproduction of people wearing the same clothes or the same colored clothes or hats is suppressed, and a natural metaverse space can be provided. Information about the surrounding environment as described above is stored in the property surroundings DB 12b for each day of the week (for each weekday or holiday in this embodiment) and for each time period, and the control unit 11 generates metaverse space data that reproduces the surrounding environment corresponding to the day of the week and time period accessed from the user terminal 20, for example.

[0039] The control unit 11 transmits the generated metaverse space data to the user terminal 20 (S30). The control unit 21 of the user terminal 20 receives the metaverse space data from the server 10 and displays the metaverse space as shown in FIG. 9B on the display unit 25 (S31). The metaverse space here reproduces the surrounding environment and sounds (noises) of a vacant property, and the control unit 21 displays the metaverse space based on the metaverse space data on the display unit 25 and outputs sounds based on the sound data from the speaker 26. On the screen of FIG. 9B, the surrounding environment of the selected vacant property is displayed (reproduced) on the streetscape reproduced in the metaverse space, allowing the user to virtually experience the surrounding environment of the vacant property. In addition, by outputting sounds around the vacant property from the speaker 26, the user can also virtually experience the noise around the vacant property.

[0040] The screen of FIG. 9B is configured to allow the user to change the day of the week and time period in the surrounding environment to be reproduced. It includes input fields for the day of the week and time period and a change button for instructing a change to the day of the week and / or time period. An instruction to change the day of the week and time period is accepted via the input fields. The control unit 21 determines whether an instruction to change the day of the week and / or time period has been accepted (S32). If it determines that an instruction to change the day of the week and / or time period has been accepted (S32: YES), the control unit 11 of the server 10 transmits information about the requested day of the week and time period to the server 10 (S33). The control unit 11 of the server 10 reads information about the surrounding environment corresponding to the day of the week and time period acquired from the user terminal 20 from the property surroundings DB 12b, and generates metaverse spatial data that reproduces the surrounding environment for the changed day of the week and time period based on the read information about the surrounding environment (S34). Step S34 is similar to step S29, although the information about the surrounding environment used to generate the metaverse spatial data is different. Thereafter, the control unit 11 returns to step S30, and transmits the generated metaverse space data to the user terminal 20, and causes the user terminal 20 to display it. If the control unit 21 determines that an instruction to change the day of the week and / or the time period has not been received (S32: NO), it skips step S33.

[0041] The screen in FIG. 9B is provided with a "View" button for requesting a preview of a vacant property for which the user is currently negotiating. Therefore, the control unit 21 determines whether the "View" button has been operated (S35), and if it determines that the button has not been operated (S35: NO), the process returns to step S19. In this case, the displayed metaverse space changes according to the movement instructions given to the avatar, allowing the user to explore the metaverse space. The user can simply operate the "View" button when they wish to preview a vacant property for which a provisional contract is currently in place.

[0042] When the control unit 21 determines that the "View" button has been operated (S35: YES), it sends a viewing request for the vacant property to the server 10 (S36). When the control unit 11 of the server 10 receives a viewing request from the user terminal 20, it reads image data for recreating the interior rooms of the vacant property requested for viewing in the metaverse space from the property interior DB 12c, and generates metaverse space data recreating the interior space of the vacant property based on the read image data (S37). For example, the control unit 11 generates metaverse space data recreating the entrance. The control unit 11 sends the generated metaverse space data to the user terminal 20 (S38). The control unit 21 of the user terminal 20 receives the metaverse space data from the server 10 and displays the metaverse space as shown in FIG. 9C on the display unit 25 (S39). The screen of FIG. 9C displays a metaverse space recreating a kitchen, allowing the user to virtually experience the interior space of the vacant property.

[0043] Even in the metaverse space where the interior of a vacant property is reproduced, the user can instruct the avatar to move (change its position) via the input unit 24. Therefore, the control unit 21 of the user terminal 20 determines whether or not an instruction to move the avatar has been accepted (S40), and if it determines that the instruction has been accepted (S40: YES), it transmits movement information including the instructed direction and amount of movement to the server 10 (S41). When the control unit 11 of the server 10 acquires the movement information from the user terminal 20, it changes the position of the avatar in the metaverse space based on the direction and amount of movement included in the movement information (S42). Here, the control unit 11 changes the position of the avatar inside the vacant property reproduced in the metaverse space.

[0044] Thereafter, the control unit 11 returns to step S37, and generates metaverse space data of the inside of the vacant property as seen from the viewpoint of the avatar based on the changed position of the avatar (S37), and transmits this to the user terminal 20 (S38). This allows the user to freely move around the inside of the vacant property in the metaverse space by instructing to change the position of the avatar, and to look around each room in the vacant property.

[0045] The screen in FIG. 9C includes a "Make a Contract" button for signing a contract for the vacant property currently being viewed, and a "Renovate" button for instructing the renovation of the currently viewed room and the arrangement of furniture and fixtures. If the control unit 21 determines that an instruction to move the avatar has not been received (S40: NO), it determines whether the "Renovate" button has been operated (S43). If the control unit 21 determines that the "Renovate" button has been operated (S43: YES), it displays a renovation screen as shown in FIG. 10A (S44). In the example in FIG. 10A, a wall is selected as indicated by the outlined arrow, and sample wallpapers that can be changed for the selected wall are displayed. By selecting the desired wallpaper, the user can visually confirm the interior space of the vacant property renovated with the desired wallpaper. In addition to the wallpaper, the color, pattern, or material of the floor or ceiling, and the color or material of the curtains, blinds, or roller blinds installed on the windows, can also be changed as renovation targets. In addition, the user can place any furniture and equipment in the room they are viewing. For example, by performing a specified operation, a menu screen will be displayed and the user can select any furniture and equipment via the menu screen.

[0046] The control unit 21 determines whether the renovation details have been accepted via the renovation screen (S45), and if it determines that the renovation details have been accepted (S45: YES), it changes the interior space of the vacant property (the room being viewed) in accordance with the accepted renovation details (S46). FIG. 10B shows an example display of a metaverse space in which the interior space of the vacant property after renovation is simulated. If the control unit 21 determines that the "Renovate" button has not been operated (S43: NO) or if it determines that the renovation details have not been accepted (S45: NO), it proceeds to step S47 and determines whether the "Enter into a formal contract" button has been operated (S47). If the control unit 11 determines that the "Enter into a formal contract" button has not been operated (S47: NO), it returns to step S40.

[0047] When the control unit 21 determines that the "Make a formal contract" button has been operated (S47: YES), it transmits to the server 10 formal contract information requesting a formal contract for the vacant property being previewed (S48). Here, the control unit 21 also transmits the property ID of the vacant property and user information (e.g., user ID) to the server 10. When the control unit 11 of the server 10 receives the formal contract information from the user terminal 20, it stores information regarding the requested formal contract (S49). Specifically, the control unit 11 updates the contract status stored in the vacant property DB 12a associated with the received property ID from provisional contract to concluded, and updates the contract status stored in the contract DB 12d associated with the property ID from provisional contract to concluded. As a result, the vacant property for which a formal contract has been requested becomes a concluded property. As with properties under provisional contract, the viewing of floor plans and the like by other users is restricted for concluded properties as well. The control unit 11 sends a screen to the user terminal 20 to accept the user information necessary for this contract, and the user terminal 20 accepts the user information via the screen and sends the accepted information to the server 10 to make this contract.

[0048] After processing step S48 or after exchanging information necessary for the contract with the server 10, the control unit 21 of the user terminal 20 displays an inquiry screen as shown in FIG. 10C (S50). The screen of FIG. 10C includes a link for accepting consultations regarding renovations and a link for accepting consultations regarding funds (loans). When either link is operated, the control unit 21 of the user terminal 20 accesses the site associated with the operated link. The site accepting consultations regarding renovations is, for example, a site operated by a renovation contractor, a furniture or equipment seller, or the like, and applications for renovations, furniture or equipment purchases, etc. can be made via this site. The site accepting consultations regarding funds is, for example, a site operated by a bank, and proposals for financial products such as loans can be received via this site, enabling applications for loans, etc. Furthermore, the site accepting consultations regarding funds may be configured to virtually set up a bank branch in the metaverse space, and applications for loans, etc. can be made by interacting with a staff member (digital human) at this branch.

[0049] The above-described process allows the user to view the neighborhood of a desired vacant property within the metaverse, allowing the user to check the property's exterior and surroundings without traveling to the property's real-world location. This allows users to search for vacant properties even if they don't have time to travel to the property, the property is far away, or they are physically handicapped. Furthermore, when a user enters into a provisional or formal contract, detailed information about the interior and surrounding environment of the vacant property is provided to the user, allowing the user to experience a realistic view of the surrounding area, including foot traffic, traffic volume, and noise levels. Furthermore, detailed information about the surrounding environment can be switched for different days of the week and different time periods, allowing the user to experience different views depending on the day of the week and the time of day. In addition to being able to view the interior of a vacant property, users can virtually renovate or arrange furniture within the metaverse, making it easier to visualize the renovated property and make a decision to enter into a contract.

[0050] The information processing system of this embodiment can provide a platform that enables users to efficiently search for vacant properties within the metaverse space without visiting the site. This increases the chances of matching vacant properties with users who wish to use them, which is expected to promote the use of vacant properties and eliminate various problems caused by abandoned vacant properties. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the screen of FIG. 10C or a linked screen set on the screen of FIG. 10C can display advertisements related to renovations, furniture, or equipment, which can generate advertising revenue.

[0051] (Embodiment 2) In this embodiment, an information processing system is described that, when a user selects a vacant property, recommends other vacant properties that have similar property conditions (property information) to the selected vacant property. The information processing system of this embodiment can be realized using a device similar to the information processing system of embodiment 1 shown in Figure 2, so a detailed description of the configuration will be omitted.

[0052] Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing procedure for providing vacant property information in the metaverse space in embodiment 2, and Fig. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an example screen of the user terminal 20. The processing shown in Fig. 11 is the processing shown in Figs. 5 to 7 with steps S61 to S66 added between steps S23 and S24. Explanations of the same steps as in Figs. 5 to 7 will be omitted. Also, Fig. 11 omits illustration of steps S11 to S22 and steps S26 to S50 in Figs. 5 to 7.

[0053] In the information processing system of this embodiment, after processing step S23, the control unit 21 of the user terminal 20 transmits information about the vacant property selected here (selection information, for example, a property ID) to the server 10 (S61). When the control unit 11 of the server 10 acquires the selection information from the user terminal 20, it calculates the similarity between the vacant property with the property ID indicated in the selection information and other vacant properties stored in the vacant property DB 12a that have a vacant flag set to 1 (S62). The similarity is calculated using the similarity in one or more of the following information: the location, floor plan, number of property floors and building floors, floor area, ceiling height, openings, front road, etc. of each property stored in the vacant property DB 12a; the traffic volume (traffic volume for each attribute), traffic volume, noise level, status of garbage dump sites, status of parking lots, status of bicycle parking lots, etc. of each property stored in the property surroundings DB 12b; and the floor plan stored in the property interior DB 12c. Furthermore, if the vacant property DB 12a stores information about the location of each vacant property (such as distance from the nearest station, whether the property is in a residential or business district), price (such as rent or sale price), etc., the similarity of these may also be included. Furthermore, the similarity may also include similarities in the appearance (exterior, exterior) of passersby, such as clothing, passing along the road in front of each vacant property (e.g., the road in front of the entrance), the purpose (use) of the properties on either side of and across from each vacant property, and the past purpose and period of use of each vacant property. The control unit 11 may also calculate similarities for other vacant properties in the vicinity of the selected vacant property (e.g., within a predetermined distance). The similarity may be calculated, for example, by adding scores based on whether each piece of information matches, or by using correlation coefficients, cosine similarities, etc. Furthermore, the similarity may be estimated using a learning model constructed by machine learning. For example, a learning model composed of a convolution neural network (CNN) trained to output similarities when property information for two vacant properties is input may be used.In addition, the similarity in the appearance of passersby may be determined using a similarity in fashion scores determined using a learning model trained to output a score regarding the fashion sense of a passerby when a photographed image of the passerby is input on the road in front of each vacant property, or may be determined using a learning model trained to output a similarity when a photographed image of the passerby is input on the road in front of two vacant properties.

[0054] The control unit 11 identifies other vacant properties with high similarities based on the similarities calculated for each of the other vacant properties (S63). For example, the control unit 11 identifies a predetermined number (e.g., three) of vacant properties in descending order of similarity. Then, as shown in FIG. 12A, the control unit 11 generates a recommendation screen recommending the identified vacant properties (S64) and transmits the generated recommendation screen to the user terminal 20 (S65). The control unit 21 of the user terminal 20 acquires the recommendation screen from the server 10 and displays it on the display unit 25 (S66). On the left side of the screen in FIG. 12A, a metaverse space in which a streetscape including the selected vacant property is reproduced is displayed, and on the right side, the recommendation screen is displayed. The control unit 21 then proceeds to step S24.

[0055] Through the above-described process, when a user searching for a vacant property selects a vacant property, other vacant properties with similar property conditions (property information) to the selected vacant property can be recommended. Therefore, by viewing the property information of the recommended vacant properties in addition to the selected vacant property, the user can increase the number of vacant properties for which information is available. The recommendation screen described above can also be displayed when a provisional or formal contract has been signed and a metaverse space reproducing the surrounding environment or interior space of the vacant property is displayed. In the example of Figure 12B, the metaverse space reproducing the surrounding environment of the selected vacant property in detail is displayed on the left, and the recommendation screen is displayed on the right. This allows the user to check the surrounding environment and interior space of the selected vacant property in the metaverse space, and if the user is interested in other recommended vacant properties, they can select the other vacant property to view the floor plan of the other vacant property. Furthermore, by signing a provisional contract, they can view the details of the surrounding environment and interior space of the other vacant property.

[0056] In the above-described process, for example, if the past purpose (use) of another vacant property is the same as that of the selected vacant property and the period of use is shorter than a predetermined period, the other vacant property may be deemed unsuitable for this purpose and excluded from the recommended properties. Also, for each purpose of use of a vacant property, property information (appropriate property information) of vacant properties for which contracts have been concluded in the past and which have been used for the purpose for a predetermined period or more may be accumulated, and property information according to the purpose of use may be identified for a user looking for a vacant property, and vacant properties that are highly similar to the identified property information may be recommended.

[0057] In the information processing system of this embodiment, it is possible to execute the same processes as in embodiment 1, except for the process of recommending other vacant properties similar to the vacant property selected by the user, and to obtain the same effects as in embodiment 1. Furthermore, in this embodiment, it is possible to recommend vacant properties that the user has not viewed but that are likely to be desired. For example, since it is possible to recommend vacant properties with similar purpose of use and property conditions, it is possible to increase the number of vacant properties viewed, which is expected to promote the utilization of vacant properties. In this embodiment, the modified examples described as appropriate in embodiment 1 above can also be applied.

[0058] The technology described in each of the above embodiments can be applied to a system that provides information on real estate properties for rent or sale in the metaverse space, as well as information on vacant properties, and a system that provides information on land with no buildings on it in the metaverse space. When applied to a system that provides information on land with no buildings on it, it becomes possible to view details of the land's surrounding environment.

[0059] The matters described in each embodiment can be combined with each other. Furthermore, the independent claims and dependent claims described in the claims can be combined with each other in any and all combinations, regardless of the reference format. Furthermore, the claims use a format in which a claim references two or more other claims (multiple claim format), but this is not limited to this. A multiple claim (multi-multi claim) that references at least one other multiple claim may also be used.

[0060] The embodiments disclosed herein are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the above meaning, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0061] The following additional notes are provided regarding the above-described embodiments.

[0062] (Appendix 9) The computer Accepting selections for land located within the metaverse space, which recreates the streetscapes that exist in the real world, A surrounding environment display process is executed to display, in the metaverse space, a surrounding environment based on mobile object information relating to mobile objects collected around the selected land in the real space. Information processing methods. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 10 Servers 11 Control section 12 Storage section 13 Communications Department 20 User terminal 21 Control section 22 Memory section 23 Communications Department 24 Input section 25 Display section 26 Speaker

Claims

1. The computer The system accepts selections for vacant properties located in a metaverse space that recreates streetscapes that exist in the real world, An internal space display process is executed to display the internal space of the selected vacant property in the metaverse space, and / or a surrounding environment display process is executed to display the surrounding environment based on mobile object information about mobile objects collected around the selected vacant property in the real space in the metaverse space. Information processing methods.

2. The computer Execute the internal space display process and the surrounding environment display process for a user who is currently negotiating or has already concluded a contract for the vacant property. The information processing method according to claim 1 .

3. The mobile object information is collected by day of the week and time period, Accepts the selection of the day and time, The surrounding environment based on the mobile information according to the selected day of the week and time period is displayed in the metaverse space.

3. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the processing is executed by the computer.

4. Adding status information indicating whether a property is under negotiation, has been sold, or is otherwise in a state to each vacant property located within the metaverse space.

3. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the processing is executed by the computer.

5. Outputting ambient sounds based on sound information collected around the vacant property in real space 3. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the processing is executed by the computer.

6. Search for other vacant properties that have similar surrounding environments to the selected vacant property; Output information on searched vacant properties 3. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the processing is executed by the computer.

7. The system accepts selections for vacant properties located in a metaverse space that recreates streetscapes that exist in the real world, An internal space display process is executed to display the internal space of the selected vacant property in the metaverse space, and / or a surrounding environment display process is executed to display the surrounding environment based on mobile object information about mobile objects collected around the selected vacant property in the real space in the metaverse space. A program that causes a computer to perform a process.

8. In an information processing device having a control unit, The control unit The system accepts selections for vacant properties located in a metaverse space that recreates streetscapes that exist in the real world, An internal space display process is executed to display the internal space of the selected vacant property in the metaverse space, and / or a surrounding environment display process is executed to display the surrounding environment based on mobile object information about mobile objects collected around the selected vacant property in the real space in the metaverse space. Information processing device.

Images