Service proposal apparatus and method

Abstract

To provide a service suggestion device that can propose services suitable for the user. [Solution] The service proposal device 2, which proposes services to the user, extracts at least one service candidate corresponding to the user needs received by the user information reception unit E3 from the service management table (E2), calculates the user needs suitability that indicates the degree to which the extracted service candidate suits the user needs (E3), determines whether or not to acquire at least one user attribute in order to extract a service candidate with higher user needs suitability from the service management table (E4), and if it is determined that a user attribute should be acquired, calculates the priority order of the user attributes to be acquired (E6), presents the priority order to the user and prompts them to input the user attributes to be acquired (E7), and proposes a service candidate with high user needs suitability to the user (E8).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a service proposal apparatus and method.

Background Art

[0002] For example, among local governments, administrative agencies, and private businesses that provide various services, there may be consultation desks that respond to consultations from consultors. At these consultation desks, it is required that services can be proposed in response to the consultations of the consultors. On the other hand, when the information disclosed by the consultor is insufficient, it is difficult to judge the service suitable for the consultor, and it is necessary to elicit additional information from the consultor when judging the service to be proposed.

[0003] By the way, there is a known technique for eliciting the troubles of a user and supporting the solution of those troubles (Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, potential troubles are elicited from a user who cannot clearly recognize their troubles, and the solution of the troubles is supported.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Even for services that solve the same troubles such as being lonely without a conversation partner, the ease of using the service may vary depending on the attributes of the consultor that have no direct relation to the trouble, and the service suitable for the consultor may change. In such a situation, simply eliciting the troubles of the consultor is not enough, and it is required to consider the attributes of the consultor that have no direct relation to the trouble but are related to the suitability of the service.

[0006] For example, let's assume there is a client who is troubled by the fact that they "have no one to talk to." If a "reading seminar" is a service that can solve this problem, even if you suggest participation in a reading seminar to a client who does not enjoy reading, it is unlikely that the client will be able to use it. Generally speaking, participation in a reading seminar can address the problem of "having no one to talk to," but it may not be suitable for that particular client. In this case, the client's "hobbies" are not directly related to their problem, but they are related to the suitability of the service that addresses the client's problem, and by considering the client's hobbies as well, it may be possible to select a service that is more suitable for that client.

[0007] On the other hand, as service needs diversify, the criteria for judging ease of use tend to vary widely from service to service. In this case, it is necessary to extract a lot of information from the person seeking advice in order to identify the service that is suitable for them. However, people seeking advice feel uneasy when a lot of information that is not directly related to their problem is collected from them.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention provides a service suggestion device that can propose services suitable for the user. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the above problems, a service proposal device according to one aspect of the present invention is a service proposal device that proposes services to a user, comprising a processor, memory and a user interface unit used by the processor, the memory storing a service management table for managing multiple services and a predetermined computer program, the service management table managing service identification information, at least one corresponding user need and at least one related user attribute in association with each of the multiple services, the predetermined computer program realizing predetermined functions as a service proposal device, and the processor executing the predetermined computer program stored in memory, thereby providing a user information receiving unit that receives information from the user via the user interface unit and a service proposal device that provides at least one service candidate corresponding to the user needs received by the user information receiving unit. The system includes: a service candidate extraction unit that extracts service candidates from a service management table; a user needs suitability calculation unit that calculates user needs suitability indicating the degree to which the service candidates extracted by the service candidate extraction unit suit user needs; a determination unit that determines whether or not to acquire at least one user attribute in order to extract service candidates with higher user needs suitability from the service management table based on the user needs suitability calculated by the user needs suitability calculation unit; a priority calculation unit that calculates the priority of the user attributes to be acquired if the determination unit determines to acquire user attributes; a priority presentation unit that presents the priority calculated by the priority calculation unit to the user and prompts the user to input the user attributes to be acquired; and a service proposal unit that, if the determination unit determines not to acquire user attributes, selects service candidates with high user needs suitability from among the service candidates extracted by the service candidate extraction unit and proposes the selected service candidates to the user. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, by acquiring user attributes as needed, it is possible to propose service candidates that are highly suited to user needs to the user. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] An explanatory diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a service proposal system. [Figure 2] A block diagram showing an example configuration of a service proposal system. [Figure 3] An explanatory diagram showing an example of a service information data table as a "service management table". [Figure 4] A diagram showing an example of the contents of a user information data table. [Figure 5] A diagram showing an example of a service combination result data table. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of the contents of the differential attribute data table stored in the differential attribute information storage unit of the service proposal device. [Figure 7] A flowchart illustrating an example of the service proposal process. [Figure 8] This diagram shows an example of an input information confirmation screen. [Figure 9] A flowchart illustrating the process of determining whether there are any missing user attributes obtained from the user. [Figure 10] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of the progress confirmation screen. [Figure 11] A flowchart for calculating the priority of attribute items from which to obtain user information. [Figure 12] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of the additional attribute input screen. [Figure 13] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of the results output screen. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The service proposal system 1 according to this embodiment assists in determining which attribute information should be prioritized from the user in order to reduce the amount of information extracted regarding the user's attributes (characteristics).

[0013] The service proposal system 1 of this embodiment proposes a service more suitable for user needs while reducing the acquisition of information on attributes not directly related to the user needs (the user needs that the user wants to solve).

[0014] The service proposal system 1 of this embodiment can be expressed as follows. However, the following expression is an example from one perspective and does not limit the configuration of the service proposal system 1 of this embodiment.

[0015] The service proposal system 1 includes a user terminal 3 used by a user who has user needs to be solved (the troubles, requests, and desires of the user) or a respondent who responds to consultations, and an attribute item that represents the types of attributes drawn from the user to identify the combination of services most suitable for the user. It is provided with a service proposal device 2 that calculates the priority and priority order of the attribute items and calculates the combination of services suitable for the user.

[0016] The service proposal device 2 holds, for each of a plurality of services, information on user needs that the service can meet and information on the attributes of the target persons suitable for the service. The user terminal 3 receives input of information regarding the user and transmits the information regarding the user to the service proposal device 2. The service proposal device 2 extracts information on user needs and information on the user's attributes based on the information regarding the user, and based on the information on user needs and information on the user's attributes, the information on user needs that each of the plurality of services can meet, and the information on the attributes of the recommended target persons for the service, extracts candidates for combinations of services that are easy for the user to use while corresponding to the user needs. The service proposal device 2 calculates a value (suitability) representing the ease of use for the user, based on the information on the user's attributes and the information on the attributes of the target persons suitable for the services included in the combination candidates, for the services included in the combination candidates and the combination candidates. The service proposal device 2 extracts, as information on the difference in attributes, the attribute items that differ between the combination candidates, for the attribute items representing the types of attributes of the recommended target persons for the services included in the combination candidates. The service proposal device 2 determines whether the information on the user's attributes is sufficient based on the information on the difference in attributes, and if it determines that it is not sufficient, calculates the priority and order of priority of the attribute items to be derived as information on the user's attributes, based on the information on the difference between the attributes of the target persons suitable for the services included in the combination candidates and the user attributes, and the statistical information. The service proposal device 2 transmits the information on the priority and order of priority to the user terminal 3. The service proposal device 2 receives input of additional information regarding the user attributes from the user terminal 3. The service proposal device 2 determines whether the information is sufficient, and if it determines that it is sufficient, transmits information on the combination of services with a high value representing the ease of use among the combination candidates to the user terminal 3 to propose it to the user.

[0017] According to the service proposal system 1 of the present embodiment, it is possible to appropriately respond to user needs while minimizing the information to be derived regarding attributes not directly related to the user needs for a user having user needs to be solved.

[0018] The service proposal system 1 of this embodiment can be used in consultation services provided by local governments, administrative agencies, or private businesses to improve the efficiency of consultation services and enhance user satisfaction.

[0019] The service proposal system 1 of this embodiment can be applied not only to consultation services but also to businesses that propose a wide range of services in accordance with user needs. [Examples]

[0020] Example 1 will be explained using Figures 1 to 13. However, the present invention is not limited to the contents of the following examples.

[0021] In the configuration of the invention described below, the same reference numerals are used in common across different drawings for parts that are the same or have similar functions, and redundant explanations may be omitted.

[0022] The positions, sizes, shapes, and ranges of each component shown in the drawings may not represent the actual positions, sizes, shapes, and ranges, in order to facilitate understanding of the invention. The present invention is not necessarily limited to the positions, sizes, shapes, and ranges disclosed in the drawings.

[0023] The configuration of this embodiment may consist of a single computer, or any part of the input device, output device, processing unit, and storage device may consist of other computers connected via a network. Furthermore, in this embodiment, functions equivalent to those configured in software can also be implemented in hardware such as FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) and ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits).

[0024] In this embodiment, for users who have a user need to solve something, such as a problem or a request, the service proposal device 2 can propose a service that can solve that user need and is suitable for the user. When the service proposal device 2 proposes a service suitable for the user, it calculates the priority of attribute items that represent the types of user attributes to be additionally elicited from the user in order to determine a suitable service, and presents this to the user. Here, "attribute items" are information items related to the user's attributes (characteristics), such as "place of residence," "hobbies," "personality," "age," and "available time of day."

[0025] Figure 1 shows an example of the functional configuration of the service proposal system 1. The following figures are illustrative and the present invention is not limited to the illustrated configuration. The service proposal system 1 comprises a service proposal server 2 as a "service proposal device" and a user terminal 3.

[0026] The service suggestion server 2 can communicate with user terminal 3 used by user U1 or U2, and is used by either user U1 or U2, or both. User U1 is an end-user who uses the services (or combinations of services) suggested by the service suggestion system 1. User U2 is a representative who interacts with end-user U1 using the service suggestion server 2. User U1 can also be called a consultant who has user needs such as problems. User U2 can also be called an advisor, counselor, or consultant who listens to user needs from user U1 and suggests services. User U1 can use the service suggestion system 1 directly, or indirectly through user U2.

[0027] The service proposal server 2 is configured using a computer system as described below and has predetermined functions E1 to E8. The predetermined functions of the service proposal server 2 are not limited to the functions E1 to E8 shown in the figure. A system lacking at least one of the functions E1 to E8 can also be used as the service proposal server 2. Alternatively, at least one function not shown can be added to the service proposal server 2. Note that the configuration shown in Figure 1 does not mean that the service proposal service 2 is a combination of function implementation means. Figure 1 merely schematically shows the functions provided by the service proposal server 2.

[0028] The service proposal server 2 includes, for example, a user information receiving unit E1, a service candidate extraction unit E2, a suitability calculation unit E3, a missing attribute determination unit E4, a determination result presentation unit E5, a priority calculation unit E6, a priority presentation unit E7, and a service proposal unit E8.

[0029] As described below, the user information receiving unit E1 receives information from the user via the user interface unit. The service candidate extraction unit E2 extracts at least one service candidate from the service management table that corresponds to the user needs received by the user information receiving unit E1.

[0030] The User Needs Suitability Calculation Unit E3 calculates User Needs Suitability, which indicates the degree to which the service candidates extracted by the Service Candidate Extraction Unit E2 suit the user needs. The Missing Attribute Determination Unit E4, acting as a "Determination Unit," determines, based on the User Needs Suitability calculated by the Suitability Calculation Unit E3, whether or not to acquire at least one user attribute in order to extract service candidates with higher User Needs Suitability from the service management table.

[0031] The judgment result presentation unit E5 presents the judgment result from the missing attribute judgment unit E4 to the user. When requested by the user who has confirmed the judgment result, the priority calculation unit E6 calculates the priority for acquiring the user attribute to be acquired, assuming that the missing attribute judgment unit E4 has determined that the user attribute should be acquired. The priority presentation unit E7 presents the priority calculated by the priority calculation unit E6 to the user and prompts them to input the user attribute to be acquired.

[0032] If the missing attribute determination unit E4 does not acquire user attributes (i.e., the user who has confirmed the determination result does not wish to input additional user attributes), the service proposal unit E8 selects a service candidate from among the service candidates extracted by the service candidate extraction unit E2 whose suitability for user needs is above a predetermined value (hereinafter also referred to as "service candidate with high suitability for user needs"), and proposes the selected service candidate to the user.

[0033] The service suggestion server 2 can suggest at least one or both of a single service or a combination of multiple services in response to user needs. For example, if user needs are specific and cannot be met by the pre-prepared set of services, the service suggestion server 2 does not need to suggest a service to the user. This service suggestion server 2 is also included within the scope of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of the service proposal system 1. The service proposal system 1 is a service system that includes, for example, at least one user terminal 3 and at least one service proposal server 2. The user terminal 3 and the service proposal server 2 are connected via a communication network CN so that they can communicate with each other. The type of communication network CN is not specified.

[0035] First, let's explain the configuration of user terminal 3. As shown in Figure 1, user terminal 3 is a computer used by user U1 who has user needs such as problems, or by user U2 who interacts with user U1 and provides advice. For example, user U2, who is in charge of a consultation desk at a government office, can propose services that are suitable for user U1's user needs by interacting with user U1 who visits the consultation desk. User U2 can also interact with user U1 using voice calls, video calls, email, chat, SNS (Social Networking Service), etc.

[0036] User U1, who has user needs, can also access the service suggestion server 2 directly without going through user U2 to obtain service suggestions that suit their needs. The service suggestion server 2 can also interact with user U1 using Large Language Models (LLMs) to obtain information such as user needs or user attributes. The service suggestion system 1 may be used by user U1 or by user U2 who interacts with user U1. Hereafter, unless otherwise specified, users U1 and U2 will be referred to as "users".

[0037] The user terminal 3 includes, for example, a processor 31, memory 32, a communication unit 33, a user interface unit 34, and so on. The units 31 to 34 are connected by a bus 35 or the like.

[0038] The processor 31 consists of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and other components, and executes a predetermined computer program stored in the memory 32. The processor 31 receives input information from the user interface unit 34 and outputs information from the user interface unit 34.

[0039] Furthermore, each function implemented by the specified computer program may be implemented by hardware circuits such as LSIs (Large Scale Integration). The processor 31 is not limited to a CPU, but may also include a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The explanation regarding the processor is the same as for the service proposal server 2 described later.

[0040] Memory 32 includes main memory and auxiliary memory (neither of which are shown in the diagram). The type of memory is not specified. External storage (not shown) may also be used as storage.

[0041] The communication unit 33 transmits IP packets forwarded by the processor 31 to the user terminal 3 via the communication network CN. The communication unit 33 also forwards IP packets received by the user terminal 3 via the communication network CN to the processor 31. The communication unit 33 is composed of, for example, a network card. The same applies to the communication unit 23 of the service proposal server 2, which will be described later.

[0042] The user interface unit 34 is a device that transmits information from the outside to the processor 31 and outputs information from the processor 31 to the outside. The user interface unit 34 includes an information input device and an information output device (neither of which are shown). The information input device is, for example, a keyboard, a pointing device such as a mouse, a microphone, a touch panel, etc. The information output device is, for example, a monitor display, a printer, a speaker, etc.

[0043] Information may be exchanged with users using AR (Augmented Reality) or VR (Virtual Reality) equipment.

[0044] The form of user terminal 3 is not restricted. User terminal 3 may include, for example, a desktop personal computer, a laptop personal computer, a tablet personal computer, a goggle-type personal computer, a bracelet-type personal computer, or a personal digital assistant (including so-called smartphones).

[0045] The configuration of the service proposal server 2 will now be described. The service proposal server 2 is implemented using a general-purpose server device. For example, the service proposal server 2 includes a processor 21, memory 22, and communication unit 23. The basic roles of the processor 21, memory 22, and communication unit 23 are the same as those of the processor 31, memory 32, and communication unit 33 of the user terminal 3.

[0046] Memory 22 stores predetermined computer programs for implementing each of the functions described later. These functions include, for example, the web service provision unit 201, the user information reception unit 202, the service information registration unit 203, the service candidate calculation unit 204, the missing attribute determination unit 205, the attribute priority calculation unit 206, the user information storage unit 207, the combination information storage unit 208, the differential attribute information storage unit 209, the service information database 210 (hereinafter referred to as DB), the statistical information DB 211, etc. Each unit 201 to 211 is connected by a bus 24, etc.

[0047] The service information DB210 and statistics information DB211 may be located on external storage (not shown) separate from the service proposal server 2. The elements shown in Figure 2 do not need to be physically separated; one element may serve multiple purposes. Note that the user interface section of the service proposal server 2 is not shown in the diagram.

[0048] The web service provider unit 201 transmits data to the user terminal 3 via the communication network CN in a format that can be displayed on a web browser, such as data written in HTML, or data written in formats such as XML or JSON. The web service provider unit 201 receives information such as the user terminal 3's operations on its web browser from the communication network CN, and based on the received information, it executes processing in the user information receiving unit 202, user information storage unit 207, service information registration unit 203, service candidate calculation unit 204, missing attribute determination unit 205, attribute priority calculation unit 206, etc. The web service provider unit 201 is, for example, a computer program having the above web service functions.

[0049] The user information receiving unit 202 is a computer program that receives information such as the operations performed on the user terminal 3's web browser from the communication network CN, extracts user needs and attribute information based on the received information, and registers information related to user needs (information about the user's problems or concerns) and user attribute information (hereinafter referred to as user attribute information) in the user information storage unit 207.

[0050] The service information registration unit 203 acquires user needs information that each service can address, and information on the attributes of recommended target users for each service, from each service provider (not shown in the diagram) via the communication network CN. Based on the acquired information, the service information registration unit 203 is a computer program that has the function of registering user needs information that each service can address (service-compatible user needs information) and information on the attributes of recommended target users for each service (hereinafter referred to as service target user attribute information) in the service information DB 210.

[0051] The service candidate calculation unit 204 calculates service candidates (including service combination candidates; the same applies hereinafter) that are more user-friendly while addressing user needs, based on user needs information and user attribute information stored in the user information storage unit 207 and service-compatible user needs information and service target attribute information stored in the service information DB 210. The service candidate calculation unit 204 is a computer program that has the function of storing information regarding the calculated service combination candidates in the combination information storage unit 208.

[0052] The deficiency determination unit 205 is a program that has the function of determining whether the user attribute information was sufficient when calculating a service combination that is more suitable for the user, based on the user attribute information stored in the user information storage unit 207, the service target attribute information stored in the service information DB 210, and the information on the calculated service combination candidates stored in the combination information storage unit 208. It extracts attribute items that differ among the combination candidates and may affect the suitability of each service combination for the user, and stores the extracted information (hereinafter referred to as difference attribute information) in the difference attribute information storage unit 209.

[0053] The attribute priority calculation unit 206 calculates the priority and ranking of attribute items from which information should be obtained from the user, in order to more efficiently calculate a combination of services suitable for the user. The attribute priority calculation unit 206 is a computer program that has the function of calculating the priority and ranking of attribute items from which information should be obtained from the user, based on the service-compatible user needs information and service target attribute information stored in the service information DB 210, the information on candidate service combinations that have been calculated and stored in the combination information storage unit 208, the differential attribute information stored in the differential attribute information storage unit 209, and the statistical information stored in the statistical information DB 211, and storing the calculated information in the differential attribute information storage unit 209.

[0054] The user information storage unit 207 stores some or all of the user needs information and user attribute information registered by the user information receiving unit 202. The user information storage unit 207 may be composed of multiple storage units, each equipped with a different storage method, depending on the size and format of the data to be stored. The same applies to the combination information storage unit 208 and the differential attribute information storage unit 209 described later.

[0055] The combination information storage unit 208 stores some or all of the information regarding candidate service combinations calculated by the service candidate calculation unit 204.

[0056] The differential attribute information storage unit 209 stores some or all of the differential attribute information extracted by the missing attribute determination unit 205, and the priority and priority of each attribute item calculated by the attribute priority calculation unit 206.

[0057] The service information DB210, which functions as a "service management table," stores some or all of the service-responsive user needs information and service target attribute information for each service, which are registered by the service information registration unit 203, linked to information that uniquely identifies each service.

[0058] The statistical information DB 211 stores some or all of the statistical information for each attribute. Statistical information for each attribute refers to, for example, the percentage of residents living under the jurisdiction of a certain municipality whose "place of residence" is "Area A". The statistical information DB 211 is not contained within the service proposal server 2; instead, when the attribute priority calculation unit 206 processes information using the information in the statistical information DB, it may collect information from an external statistical information management device (not shown) via the communication network CN.

[0059] Here, the user information receiving unit E1 in Figure 1 corresponds to the user information receiving unit 202, the service candidate extraction unit E2 in Figure 1 corresponds to the service candidate calculation unit 204, the missing attribute determination unit E4 in Figure 1 corresponds to the missing attribute determination unit 205, and the priority calculation unit E6 corresponds to the attribute priority calculation unit 206.

[0060] The service proposal server 2 is connectable to a storage medium MM. The storage medium MM is configured as, for example, a memory device, hard disk drive, optical disk drive, magneto-optical disk drive, or magnetic tape drive, and stores computer programs and data non-temporarily. The storage medium MM can store computer programs and data by transferring them to the memory 22 of the service proposal server 2. It can also store computer programs and data by transferring them from the memory 22 to the storage medium MM. By storing the computer program that realizes the functions of the service proposal system 1 in the storage medium MM, connecting the storage medium MM to another computer, and installing the computer program stored in the storage medium MM on the other computer, the other computer can be made to function as the service proposal server 2.

[0061] Figure 3 shows an example of the contents of the service information data table T1 stored in the service information DB210.

[0062] The service information data table T1 consists of a service ID column C11, a service name column C12, a column for applicable user needs C13, and various attribute columns C14, C15, C16, C17, C18, C19, etc., which constitute the target user attribute area.

[0063] The Service ID column C11 stores information that uniquely identifies the services available to the user.

[0064] The service name column C12 stores the name of the service.

[0065] The "Supportable User Needs" column C13, which constitutes the "Supportable User Needs" area, stores the user needs that each service can support. Multiple user needs may be registered for a single service.

[0066] The target user attribute area includes, for example, the age column C14, the place of residence column C15, the personality column C16, the hobbies column C17, the available time slot column C18, and the other column C19. Each attribute column C14-C19 stores the attributes of the target user recommended for each service.

[0067] For example, if the recommendation is for people in their teens and twenties, the "Age" column C14 will be set, and the value "teens and twenties" will be stored.

[0068] It is assumed that some attribute items are included in the criteria for determining whether a service is recommended or not for one service, but are not relevant when determining whether another service is recommended or not. For example, if the "Culture School" service is conducted in a classroom in area B, then the "Place of Residence" being "Area B" is a factor in determining whether it is recommended or not. Therefore, the value of the "Place of Residence" column for the "Culture School" service will be set to "Area B". On the other hand, if the "Youth Comprehensive Counseling" service is provided online, then the "Place of Residence" is not relevant when determining whether it is recommended or not. Therefore, the value of the "Place of Residence" column for the "Youth Comprehensive Counseling" service will be empty.

[0069] The personality column C16 is used to define the subject's personality, for example, introverted or extroverted. The hobby column C17 is used to define the subject's hobbies, for example, reading, walking, watching movies, etc. The available activity time column C18 is used to define the subject's available activity times, for example, 10am to 5pm, after 6pm, weekday evenings only, or weekend daytime only. The other column C19 is used to define other attributes, for example, service usage fees, equipment required to use the service, etc.

[0070] Figure 4 shows an example of the contents of the user information data table T2 stored in the user information storage unit 207.

[0071] The user information data table T2 consists of columns such as the user name column C21, the user needs column C22 which constitutes the user needs area, the attribute item column C23 which constitutes the attribute area, and the attribute value column C24.

[0072] The user name column C21 stores the user's name. Instead of the user's name, a unique identification number or other identifier for the user may be used.

[0073] The user needs column C22, which constitutes the user needs area, stores the user needs that the user wants to resolve. Multiple user needs may be stored in this column.

[0074] The attribute item column C23, which constitutes the attribute area, stores information about user attribute items from the user's attributes for which information could be obtained from the user. For example, if a user inputs information to the service suggestion server 2 such as, "I'm a 28-year-old male living alone, but I don't go out much and I'm lonely because I don't have anyone to talk to. Also, my diet tends to be unbalanced, so I'd like to improve that," then user attributes such as "28 years old," "living alone," and "infrequent going out" can be obtained.

[0075] The attribute item column C24, which constitutes the attribute area, stores information about the user's attributes, specifically the attribute values ​​corresponding to the attribute items.

[0076] Figure 5 shows an example of the contents of the service combination result data table T3 stored in the combination information storage unit 208.

[0077] The service combination result data table T3 is composed of, for example, a combination ID column C31, a service column C32 included in the combination, a suitability (service) column C33, a suitability (combination) column C34, and so on.

[0078] The combination ID column C31 stores information that uniquely identifies candidate service combinations to be suggested to the user.

[0079] The service column C32 within a combination stores information that uniquely identifies the service included in the combination corresponding to the value in the combination ID column C31. This information uniquely identifies a service and may include, for example, the service name or service ID.

[0080] The suitability (service) column C33 stores a value that represents the degree to which the service corresponding to the value in the service column C32 included in the combination is suitable for the user.

[0081] The suitability (combination) column C34 stores a value representing the degree to which the service corresponding to the value in the combination ID column C31 is suitable for the user. Suitability can also be described as the ease of use or convenience when the user uses the service.

[0082] Figure 6 shows an example of the contents of the differential attribute data table T4 stored in the differential attribute information storage unit 209.

[0083] The difference attribute data table T4 consists of the first combination ID column C41, the second combination ID column C42, the difference attribute column C43, the priority column C44, the priority column C45, and so on.

[0084] The first combination ID column C41 and the second combination ID column C42 store information that uniquely identifies candidate combinations of proposed services. However, the values ​​stored in the first combination ID column C41 and the second combination ID column C42 are different from each other.

[0085] The difference attribute column C43 stores attribute items where there are differences in the subject's attributes between the service included in the combination stored in the first combination ID column of the corresponding row and the service included in the combination stored in the second combination ID column.

[0086] The priority column C44 stores the priority value for the attribute item corresponding to the value in the difference attribute column C43.

[0087] The priority column C45 stores the priority value for the attribute item corresponding to the value in the difference attribute column C43.

[0088] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the service proposal process in which the service proposal server 2 proposes services that are suitable for the user needs entered by the user. This process shows the sequence of events from when the user terminal 3 receives input regarding the user's consultation content (user needs) and sends it to the service proposal server 2, until the service proposal server 2 sends information about the combination of services it determines to be most suitable for the user back to the user terminal 3.

[0089] First, user terminal 3 receives input from the user regarding user information and user needs, and transmits the input information to service proposal server 2 (S1). The format of the information to be accepted is expected to be text or audio data, but it is not limited to these and video data is also acceptable.

[0090] The service suggestion server 2 extracts user needs information and user attribute information based on the information received from the user terminal 3, sends the extracted information to the user terminal 3, and outputs it to the screen of the user terminal 3. For example, let's consider a case where the user input is, "I feel lonely because I have no one to talk to on weekends. I don't go out much, and because I live alone and my diet is poor, I feel like I'm not getting enough nutrients." In this case, the service suggestion server 2 uses existing natural language processing technology to extract "no one to talk to" and "nutritional deficiency" as user needs information, and "lives alone" and "doesn't go out often" as user attribute information. User attribute information is not limited to what is extracted based on user input; it may also be extracted from an accessible database (not shown) that stores information about the user. When obtaining data from other databases, the protection of personal information is taken into consideration.

[0091] Figure 8 shows an example of the input information screen G1, which allows users to confirm the information they have entered into the service suggestion server 2.

[0092] The input information confirmation screen G1 is displayed on a window such as a web browser. The input information confirmation screen G1 includes, for example, a user name area GP11, an initial input area GP12, a user needs display area GP13, an OK button GP14, a user attribute display area GP15, and so on.

[0093] The User Name Area GP11 displays the name of the user who entered information into User Terminal 3. The Initial Input Area GP12 displays the initial information entered by the user into User Terminal 3. The User Needs Display Area GP13 displays user needs information extracted by the Service Proposal Server 2 from the information entered by the user. The User Attributes Display Area GP15 displays user attributes extracted by the Service Proposal Server 2 from the user's input information, etc.

[0094] The user checks the user needs displayed in the user needs display area GP13. If not all the user needs they wish to resolve are displayed, they add new user needs to the user needs display area GP13. Once the user confirms that all the user needs they wish to resolve are displayed in area GP13, they press the OK button GP14.

[0095] Returning to Figure 7, the service suggestion server 2 extracts candidate service combinations that can address the user needs based on the user needs information and the information in the service information DB 210, and stores them in the combination information storage unit 208 (S2). For example, if the user needs are "I want someone to talk to" and "I am malnourished," then "Cultural school," which can address both "I want someone to talk to" and "I am malnourished," becomes one of the candidate combinations. The combination of "Youth comprehensive counseling," which addresses "I want someone to talk to," and "Government office cafeteria," which addresses "I am malnourished," also addresses all of the user needs, so it becomes another candidate combination.

[0096] The service suggestion server 2 calculates a suitability value for each service and each combination candidate included in the combination candidates extracted in step S2, based on the user attribute information stored in the user information storage unit 207 and the information in the service information DB 210 (S3).

[0097] For example, among the attribute items for which the attributes of the recommended target audience for each service are set, the suitability value is calculated based on the deviation of the user's attribute values ​​from the range of attribute values ​​of the recommended target audience for each service, using attribute items for which attribute values ​​are obtained from user attribute information. If the deviation value is used directly as the suitability value, the smaller the deviation value, the more suitable the service is for the user. Conversely, the reciprocal of the deviation value can also be used as the suitability value. If the suitability value is set to a value that decreases as the deviation value increases, then the larger the suitability value, the more suitable the service is for the user. The suitability value can also be called the degree of suitability.

[0098] After calculating the suitability value for each service, the suitability value of the combination is calculated for each candidate combination based on the suitability values ​​of the services included in the combination. For example, one method is to sum the suitability values ​​of each service included in the combination.

[0099] The service proposal server 2 determines whether the acquired user attributes are sufficient to calculate a service combination that is more suitable for the user, based on the user attribute information stored in the user information storage unit 207, the service target attribute information stored in the service information DB 210, and the information on candidate service combinations that have been calculated, stored in the combination information storage unit 208 (S4).

[0100] Here, we will explain, using the flowchart in Figure 9, how to determine whether a more appropriate service can be calculated using only the acquired user attributes, that is, whether there are any missing user attributes to acquire.

[0101] In step S2 of Figure 7 described above, candidate service combinations are extracted and stored in the combination information storage unit 208. Then, in step S401 of Figure 9, the number of service combination candidates stored in the combination information storage unit 208 is counted to determine if there are multiple service combination candidates (S401).

[0102] If no multiple service combination candidates are extracted (S401: NO), it is determined that the user attributes are sufficient (S411).

[0103] If there are multiple service combination candidates (S401: YES), the service suggestion server 2 sorts the service combination candidates in descending order of suitability based on their suitability values ​​(S402). Here, it is assumed that a total of NSGs have been extracted for the service combination candidates (NSG ≥ 2).

[0104] As a result of sorting, the service combination candidate with the highest suitability is designated as the first combination ID SID1, and the combination candidate with the i-th (in this case, the second) highest suitability is designated as the second combination ID SID2 (S403). This processing step involves a loop to compare the most suitable combination candidate (combination ID SID1) with each of the other combination candidates (combination ID SID2).

[0105] For attribute items for which user attribute information is unavailable, the service suggestion server 2 extracts the differences between the attribute values ​​of the recommended target users for the service included in combination ID SID1 and the attribute values ​​of the recommended target users for the service included in combination ID SID2 as attribute differences (S404).

[0106] For example, consider a case where certain attribute items for which user attribute information has already been obtained are "age," "household," and "frequency of going out," and the services included in combination ID SID1 are "cultural school" (recommended target attribute items are "place of residence" and "available time of day"), and the services included in combination ID SID2 are "youth consultation" (recommended target attribute items are "age" and "personality") and "government office cafeteria" (recommended target attribute item is "place of residence").

[0107] In this case, for attribute items for which user attribute information has not been obtained, the differences in the attributes of the recommended target users for the service will be "personality," "place of residence," and "activity time." Attribute items for which recommended target user attributes are set in one service but not in the other (which is not relevant to determining suitability, so it is not a concern) will also be extracted as differences in attributes.

[0108] Then, for all the attribute items extracted in step S404, the service suggestion server 2 calculates a suitability value for both combination ID SID1 and combination ID SID2, assuming that the user attribute values ​​are the values ​​of the recommended service attributes included in combination ID SID2 (S405). In the example above, the service suggestion server 2 calculates the suitability by assuming that, in addition to the user attribute information already obtained, "Personality: Introverted", "Residence: Area C", and "Activity Time: Anytime" are obtained.

[0109] In step S405, the service proposal server 2 compares the suitability values ​​calculated for each of the combination IDs SID1 and SID2, and determines whether the suitability value for combination ID SID2 is higher or lower (S406).

[0110] If combination ID SID2 has a higher suitability, then, depending on the user's attributes, combination ID SID2 may have a higher suitability than combination ID SID1, which is the most suitable combination when considering the user attribute information already stored in service suggestion server 2. Therefore, there is insufficient user attribute information to determine the most suitable service combination for the user.

[0111] If the service proposal server 2 determines that the combination ID SID2 has a higher suitability (S406:YES), it stores the difference in attributes extracted in step S404 in the difference attribute information storage unit 209 (S407).

[0112] Steps S404 to S407 are performed on the combination candidate with the highest suitability (combination ID SID1) and each of the other combination candidates (combination ID SID2). Therefore, the combination with combination ID SID2 is changed to the combination with the third highest suitability (S408). The loop process of steps S404 to S407 is repeated for all combinations with suitability of second highest or lower until they are set to combination ID SID2 and processed. In other words, the loop process is repeated until the variable i, which indicates the loop count, matches the total number of extracted service combination candidates, NSG.

[0113] Finally, the service proposal server 2 accesses the differential attribute data table T4 stored in the differential information storage unit 311 and determines whether or not there is a description of the difference in attributes (S409).

[0114] If there is a description of attribute differences (S409:N0), the service proposal server 2 determines that there were missing user attributes (S410). Conversely, if there is no description of attribute differences (S409:YES), the service proposal server 2 determines that there were sufficient user attributes (S411).

[0115] Return to Figure 7. After completing the processing in step S4, the service suggestion server 2 sends the judgment result from step S4 and the extracted combination candidate information to the user terminal 3. The user terminal 3, having received the information from the service suggestion server 2, displays the received information on the screen and takes input from the user regarding whether or not they want to know which attribute items should be prioritized (S5).

[0116] Figure 10 shows an example of an intermediate confirmation screen G2, which confirms with the user whether they want to know which user attribute items should be prioritized in order for the user to receive more appropriate service suggestions from the service suggestion server 2.

[0117] On screen G2, the user terminal 3 is presented with information about the combination candidates received from the service suggestion server 2, along with the result of the judgment on whether the information was sufficient, and is asked to input whether or not they want to know which attribute items should be prioritized.

[0118] The progress confirmation screen G2 is displayed on a window such as a web browser. The progress confirmation screen G2 includes, for example, a combination candidate output area GP21, an information sufficiency judgment result display area GP22, a user intention confirmation input area GP23, and a send button GP25.

[0119] The combination candidate output area GP21 contains information on service combination candidates extracted by the service proposal server 2, including whether the combination has the highest potential suitability among the combination candidates (GP211), the names of the services included in the combination (GP212), the user needs it can address (GP213), and the suitability value for the user calculated using the user attribute information available (GP214).

[0120] Area GP22, which displays the result of the determination of whether sufficient user attributes have been obtained, displays the result of the determination of the sufficiency of user attributes as determined by the service proposal server 2. For example, if it is determined in step S4 that "the information (user attributes) was sufficient," "Yes" will be displayed, and if it is determined that "the information (user attributes) was insufficient," "No" will be displayed.

[0121] The user confirmation input area GP23, which is used to confirm the user's intentions, accepts input from the user regarding whether or not they want to know which additional attribute items should be prioritized for input, based on the information from the combination candidate output area GP21 and the judgment result display area GP22. For example, if the user wants to know which additional attribute items should be prioritized for input, "Yes" is checked; otherwise, "No" is checked.

[0122] When the user presses the send button GP25, the user terminal 3 sends the information entered in the user intention confirmation input area GP23 to the service proposal server 2 (S5).

[0123] Return to Figure 7. Based on the information indicating the user's intentions entered into the user terminal 3 (S5), the service proposal server 2 determines whether to calculate the priority of additional attribute items to ask about (S6).

[0124] If it is determined that priority should not be calculated (S6:NO), the process proceeds to step S10, and information regarding the combination of service combinations that is most suitable for the user is sent to the user terminal 3.

[0125] If it is determined that priority should be calculated (S6:YES), the service proposal server 2 calculates the priority and priority of attribute items for which it would be good to obtain information from the user (S7). That is, based on the service target attribute information stored in the service information DB 210, the calculated service combination candidate information stored in the combination information storage unit 208, and the differential attribute information stored in the differential attribute information storage unit 209, the service proposal server 2 calculates the priority and priority of attribute items for which it would be good to obtain information from the user in order to calculate a service combination more efficiently suitable for the user, and stores the calculated information in the differential attribute information storage unit 209 (S7).

[0126] Here, we will explain the priority and ranking of attribute items from which it is good to obtain information from users, using the flowchart in Figure 11.

[0127] The service suggestion server 2 extracts one attribute item from the differential attribute data table T4 stored in the differential attribute information storage unit 209 (S701). For the attribute item extracted in step S701, the server identifies patterns of attribute values ​​based on the service target attribute information of the services included in each service combination candidate, and calculates the amount of attribute response information for each identified pattern based on the idea that "the fewer services that are recommended, the better the attribute value obtained will lead to the identification of suitable services" (S702).

[0128] For example, for each attribute value pattern that has been separated, we focus on how many different service candidates can be separated, assuming that the user's attribute corresponds to a certain attribute value within that pattern. An example of this calculation is "-log2(number of matching services / number of services included in the combination for all service combination candidates)".

[0129] For example, let's consider a case where there are three services: "Service 1," "Service 2," and "Service 3." If the attribute item "Residence" (with attribute value patterns A, B, and C) has recommended attribute values ​​of "No preference" for "Service 1," "B and C" for "Service 2," and "C" for "Service 3," then if we obtain the information "Attribute Value: A," we can narrow down the three services to just "Service 1." Therefore, the amount of attribute response information is [-log2(1 / 3)]. If we obtain the information "Attribute Value: B," we can narrow down the three services to just "Service 1" and "Service 2," so the amount of attribute response information can be calculated as [-log2(2 / 3)]. Alternatively, this can be calculated from the narrowing result that takes into account the suitability values ​​for each combination for the user, calculated in step S3.

[0130] The service proposal server 2 calculates the expected value of attribute acquisition for the relevant attribute item (S703) based on the amount of attribute response information for each attribute value calculated in step S702 and the statistical information stored in the statistical information DB 211. For example, for each attribute value, the server obtains the probability that a user corresponds to each attribute value from the statistical information and calculates the expected value of the amount of attribute response information.

[0131] Subsequently, the service suggestion server 2 calculates the weighting coefficients for the relevant attribute items (S704). At this time, the weighting coefficients are calculated so that the values ​​are larger for attribute items included in services where the suitability needs to be more clearly defined. For example, in services where attribute items for recommended target audiences are set, but many attribute items for which user attribute values ​​are not available, the suitability value may change significantly depending on the user's attribute values.

[0132] Therefore, based on the idea of ​​giving higher weight to attribute items included in the service, we use the ratio of attribute items for which user attribute values ​​have not been obtained relative to the total number of attribute items for the recommended target. This method is just one example.

[0133] In addition, when looking at the recommended target attributes of the services included in the service combination candidates, it is possible to narrow down the service combination candidates by obtaining information on attribute items for which the service containing the relevant attribute item is small. This can be done by using the ratio of the number of combinations that include a service that sets the relevant attribute item as an attribute of the recommended target audience to the total number of service combination candidates.

[0134] The service proposal server 2 calculates the attribute priority value (S705) based on the expected attribute acquisition value calculated in step S703 and the weighting coefficient value calculated in step S704. For example, the attribute priority can be obtained by multiplying the expected attribute acquisition value by the weighting coefficient value.

[0135] The service proposal server 2 determines whether the processes from steps S701 to S704 have been performed for all attribute items listed in the differential attribute data table T4 (S706), and executes a loop process until it has been performed for all attribute items listed in the differential attribute data table T4 (S706: YES).

[0136] Finally, the service proposal server 2 determines the priority of additional attributes to inquire about, in descending order of attribute priority for each attribute item (S707).

[0137] Return to Figure 7. The service proposal server 2 sends information regarding the attribute priority and priority of each attribute item calculated in step S7 to the user terminal 3 (S8). The user terminal 3, having received the information from the service proposal server 2, displays the received information on the screen and prompts the user to input additional information about attribute items and their attribute values ​​(attribute information) (S9).

[0138] Figure 12 shows an example of screen G3, which presents attributes to the user. User terminal 3 presents the user with information such as attribute priority and priority for each attribute item, received from service suggestion server 2, and requests input for additional attribute information.

[0139] The additional attribute input confirmation screen G3 is displayed on a window such as a web browser. The additional attribute input confirmation screen G3 includes, for example, an attribute priority information output area GP31, a determinable combination output area GP32, an additional attribute input area GP33, etc.

[0140] The attribute priority information output area GP31 displays user attribute information that should be prioritized for obtaining from the user. This area GP31 contains the priority of additional attribute items to be asked for GP311, the priority GP312, and the name of the corresponding attribute item GP313, etc.

[0141] In the GP32 output area for determinable combinations, for each attribute item (GP321), the system outputs candidate combinations GP322 by obtaining information on the attribute value of the corresponding attribute item GP321 for the user.

[0142] The additional attribute input area GP33 is where newly added user attributes are entered. This area GP33 displays candidate attribute items GP331 that should be requested in order of priority. The user enters the attribute values ​​for the added attribute items in the attribute value input area GP332. Note that the user does not have to enter values ​​for all attribute items displayed in area GP331. The user can decide for themselves which user attribute items to respond to. However, if the user does not respond to the added user attribute items, the service suggestion server 2 may not be able to suggest the most suitable service to the user.

[0143] Once the user has finished entering additional user attribute information and pressed the OK button GP332, the user terminal 3 sends information that it has received input in the additional input area GP33 to the service proposal server 2.

[0144] Return to Figure 7. In step S9, when user terminal 3 sends the additional user attribute information it has received to service proposal server 2 (S1), service proposal server 2 returns to processing in step S2.

[0145] If the service suggestion server 2 determines that it does not need to calculate a priority (S6: NO), it sends information about the most suitable service combination among the candidate service combinations at that time to the user terminal 3, considering it to be the optimal service combination for the user (S10). The user terminal 3, having received the information from the service suggestion server 2, displays the received information on the screen and prompts the user to confirm the result (S11).

[0146] Figure 13 is a plan view showing an example configuration of the result output screen G4, which is displayed to the user terminal 3, along with user information and information received from the service suggestion server 2 regarding the most suitable service combination.

[0147] The results output screen G4 is displayed in a window such as a web browser. The results output screen G4 includes a user information display area GP41, an optimal combination information display area GP42, and other elements.

[0148] The user information display area GP41 shows the user's name GP411, user needs GP412, and user attributes GP413, as user information used in a series of processes in the service proposal system.

[0149] The optimal combination information display area GP42 displays information about the combination of services that is deemed most suitable for the user while addressing their needs. This information includes the services included in the most suitable service combination GP421, the user needs that each service can address GP422, attribute items that differ between the user's attributes and the attributes of the recommended target audience for each service GP423, and attribute values ​​of the recommended target audience for the services included in the discrepant attribute items GP424.

[0150] According to the service proposal system 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to propose services (including combinations of services) that are suitable for the user's needs to the user.

[0151] The service suggestion system 1 of this embodiment can suggest more suitable services to the user by obtaining additional user attributes from the user regarding services that can meet the user's needs, in addition to the user attributes initially specified by the user.

[0152] The service suggestion system 1 in this embodiment acquires user attributes from the user to the extent necessary, thereby reducing the time required to suggest services that are suitable for the user's needs and improving usability for the user.

[0153] The service suggestion system 1 of this embodiment separates user attribute information into information related to user needs and attribute information related to the ease of use of the service, even if it is not directly related to user needs. Similarly, service information is separated into information about user needs that can be addressed and information about the attributes of the recommended target users. Therefore, when extracting a combination of services suitable for a user, the objective function can be set to maximize user usability (suitability) under the condition that all user needs can be addressed, reducing the problem to a combinatorial optimization problem. As a result, even among services that can address the same user needs, the system can extract and propose a combination of services that is easier for the user to use.

[0154] On the other hand, in order to solve this combinatorial optimization problem, a suitability value representing the ease of use of each service for the user must be calculated. If the attribute items used to determine who a service is recommended for are the same for all services, then the suitability of each service for the user can be determined by obtaining information on those attribute items from the user's information. However, the attribute items used to determine who a service is recommended for may differ and be diverse depending on the service. In this case, in order to accurately calculate the suitability value for the user for all services, it is necessary to obtain information on all attribute items as part of the user's information. However, obtaining all user attributes is time-consuming and may increase the user's anxiety.

[0155] Therefore, in order to determine a service that suits the user's needs, the service suggestion system 1 of this embodiment narrows down candidate service combinations from the user's needs information, extracts the differences in the attributes of the recommended target users for the services included in the narrowed-down combinations, and considers the possibility that the output will change when the attribute values ​​of the differing attributes are assumed to be a certain value. In this way, the service suggestion system 1 determines whether it is possible to make a decision using only the user attributes already obtained from the user, and if it is not, it calculates additional user attribute items that should be prioritized for acquisition, focusing on how much the combinations can be narrowed down. Then, by presenting the additional user attributes that should be acquired to the user, the service suggestion system 1 of this embodiment can minimize the amount of information obtained from the user.

[0156] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Those skilled in the art can make various additions and modifications within the scope of the present invention. The embodiments described above are not limited to the configuration examples shown in the accompanying drawings. The configuration and processing methods of the embodiments can be appropriately modified within the scope of achieving the objectives of the present invention.

[0157] Furthermore, each component of the present invention can be arbitrarily selected, and an invention comprising the selected components is also included in the present invention. Moreover, the components described in the claims can be combined in combinations other than those explicitly stated in the claims.

[0158] Furthermore, this embodiment includes the following inventions.

[0159] (Note 1) A service proposal device that proposes services to a user, comprising a processor, memory and a user interface unit used by the processor, wherein the memory stores a service management table for managing multiple services and a predetermined computer program, the service management table manages each of the multiple services in association with service identification information, at least one applicable user need and at least one related user attribute, the predetermined computer program realizes predetermined functions as a service proposal device, and the processor executes the predetermined computer program stored in the memory, thereby comprising a user information receiving unit that receives information from the user via the user interface unit and a service candidate extraction unit that extracts at least one service candidate corresponding to the user needs received by the user information receiving unit from the service management table. A service proposal device comprising: an output unit; a user needs suitability calculation unit that calculates a user needs suitability indicating the degree to which the service candidates extracted by the service candidate extraction unit suit the user needs; a determination unit that determines whether or not to acquire at least one user attribute in order to extract a service candidate with higher user needs suitability from the service management table based on the user needs suitability calculated by the user needs suitability calculation unit; a priority calculation unit that calculates the priority of the user attribute to be acquired when the determination unit determines to acquire a user attribute; a priority presentation unit that presents the priority calculated by the priority calculation unit to the user and prompts the user to input the user attribute to be acquired; and a service proposal unit that, when the determination unit determines not to acquire a user attribute, selects a service candidate with high user needs suitability from among the service candidates extracted by the service candidate extraction unit and proposes the selected service candidate to the user.

[0160] (Note 2) The service proposal device described in Note 1 can address the aforementioned user needs through a combination of multiple services.

[0161] (Note 3) The service proposal device according to Note 1 or 2, wherein the priority calculation unit calculates the priority based on the suitability of the user needs for the user attributes to be acquired and statistical information for the user attributes to be acquired.

[0162] (Note 4) The service proposal device according to any one of Notes 1 to 3, wherein the determination unit determines whether the user attribute to be acquired exists and whether it should be acquired by comparing the user attribute not included in the user needs received by the user information receiving unit with the user attribute related to the multiple service candidates extracted by the service candidate extraction unit.

[0163] (Note 5) A service proposal device according to any one of Notes 1 to 4, further comprising a determination result presentation unit that presents the determination result of the determination unit to the user, wherein when requested by the user who has confirmed the determination result via the user information reception unit, the priority calculation unit calculates the priority of the user attributes to be acquired.

[0164] (Note 6) The user needs can be addressed by a combination of multiple services belonging to different fields, as described in any one of Notes 1 to 5.

[0165] (Note 7) A method for proposing a service to a user using a service proposal device that proposes services to a user, wherein the service proposal device maintains a service management table that manages service identification information, at least one applicable user need, and at least one related user attribute for each of a plurality of services, receives information from the user via a user interface unit, extracts at least one service candidate corresponding to the received user need from the service management table, calculates a user need suitability score indicating the degree to which the extracted service candidate suits the user need, determines whether or not to acquire at least one user attribute in order to extract a service candidate with higher user need suitability from the service management table based on the calculated user need suitability score, calculates the priority order of the user attribute to be acquired if it is determined to acquire a user attribute, presents the calculated priority order to the user and prompts the user to input the user attribute to be acquired via the user interface unit, and if it is determined not to acquire a user attribute, selects a service candidate with high user need suitability from the extracted service candidates and proposes the selected service candidate to the user.

[0166] (Note 8) The above user needs can be addressed by a combination of multiple services. The service proposal method described in Appendix 7.

[0167] (Note 9) The priority is calculated based on the user needs suitability of the user attributes to be acquired and the statistical information regarding the user attributes to be acquired, using the service proposal method described in Note 7 or 8.

[0168] (Note 10) A service proposal method according to any one of Notes 7 to 9, wherein the presence or absence of the user attribute to be acquired and whether or not to acquire it are determined by comparing the user attribute not included in the user needs received through the user interface unit with the user attribute related to the extracted multiple service candidates. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0169] 1: Service proposal system, 2: Service proposal server, 3: User terminal

Claims

1. A service proposal device that proposes services to users, The system comprises a processor, memory and a user interface unit used by the processor, The memory contains a service management table for managing multiple services and a predetermined computer program. The service management table manages, for each of the multiple services, by associating service identification information, at least one applicable user need, and at least one related user attribute. The aforementioned predetermined computer program enables the realization of predetermined functions as a service proposal device. The processor executes a predetermined computer program stored in the memory, A user information receiving unit that receives information from the user via the user interface unit, A service candidate extraction unit extracts at least one service candidate from the service management table that corresponds to the user needs received by the user information reception unit, A user needs suitability calculation unit calculates a user needs suitability that indicates the degree to which the service candidates extracted by the service candidate extraction unit suit the user needs, A determination unit determines whether or not to acquire at least one user attribute in order to extract a service candidate with a higher user needs suitability from the service management table, based on the user needs suitability calculated by the user needs suitability calculation unit. When the determination unit determines that user attributes should be acquired, a priority calculation unit calculates the priority order of the user attributes to be acquired, Based on the priority calculated by the priority calculation unit, information prompting the user to input the user attributes to be acquired is presented to the user, and the priority presentation unit prompting the user to input the user attributes to be acquired is also provided. If the determination unit determines that it does not acquire user attributes, the service proposal unit selects a service candidate that is highly suitable for the user's needs from among the service candidates extracted by the service candidate extraction unit, and proposes the selected service candidate to the user. A service proposal device that enables this.

2. The aforementioned user needs can be addressed by a combination of multiple services. The service proposal device according to claim 1.

3. The priority calculation unit calculates the priority based on the suitability of the user needs for the user attributes to be acquired and statistical information about the user attributes to be acquired. The service proposal device according to claim 2.

4. The determination unit compares user attributes not included in the user needs received by the user information receiving unit with user attributes related to multiple service candidates extracted by the service candidate extraction unit to determine whether the target user attribute exists and whether it should be acquired. The service proposal device according to claim 3.

5. The system further includes a determination result presentation unit that presents the determination result from the determination unit to the user, When a user who has confirmed the determination result requests it via the user information receiving unit, the priority calculation unit calculates the priority of the user attributes to be acquired. The service proposal device according to claim 4.

6. The aforementioned user needs can be addressed by combining multiple services belonging to different fields. The service proposal device according to claim 1.

7. A method of proposing a service to a user using a service proposal device that proposes services to users, The service proposal device maintains a service management table that manages service identification information, at least one applicable user need, and at least one related user attribute for each of multiple services, in association with each service. The user interface unit receives information from the user. Extract at least one service candidate corresponding to the received user needs from the service management table, The user needs suitability score, which indicates the degree to which the extracted service candidates meet the user needs, is calculated. Based on the calculated user needs suitability, it is determined whether or not to retrieve at least one user attribute in order to extract service candidates with higher user needs suitability from the service management table. When it is determined that user attributes should be retrieved, the priority order of the user attributes to be retrieved is calculated. The calculated priority order is presented to the user, and the user is prompted to input the user attributes to be acquired through the user interface unit. If it is determined that user attributes cannot be obtained, the system selects a service candidate that is highly suitable for the user's needs from the extracted service candidates and proposes the selected service candidate to the user. Service proposal methods.

8. The aforementioned user needs can be addressed by a combination of multiple services. The service proposal method according to claim 7.

9. The aforementioned priority is calculated based on the suitability of the user needs for the user attributes to be acquired and statistical information regarding the user attributes to be acquired. The service proposal method according to claim 8.

10. By comparing user attributes not included in the user needs received through the user interface unit with user attributes related to the extracted multiple service candidates, it is determined whether the user attributes to be acquired exist and whether or not they should be acquired. The service proposal method according to claim 9.

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