Information provision device, information provision system, information provision program, and information provision method

Abstract

This technology provides real-time, detailed information about the stamp rally participants are taking part in, thereby improving the rate at which participants visit stores and supporting the success of stamp rally events. [Solution] The information providing device is characterized by comprising: a storage unit that stores participant information including stamp history information, which associates a customer identifier that identifies a stamp rally participant with the store identifier of a stamp rally participating store visited by the participant; a stamp rally management unit that stores in the stamp history information when it receives visit information including the customer identifier and the store identifier; a display information determination unit that determines the information of participating stores to be presented to the participant; a display information management unit that presents the information of participating stores; and a chat interface processing unit that, when it receives a request for information of a stamp rally participating store other than the one presented, presents it using chat.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information providing apparatus, an information providing system, an information providing program, and an information providing method.

Background Art

[0002] As a sales promotion event in a predetermined area such as a shopping arcade, a stamp rally event may be held. The stamp rally event includes various devices to entertain customers. Customers can enjoy such devices and obtain incentives such as discounts, and stamp rally franchise stores can obtain customer incentives and sales promotion opportunities. For example, when a customer visits a predetermined number or more of stamp rally franchise stores, the customer can obtain stamps at the stores, and a typical stamp rally is one where the customer can obtain prizes or receive services by visiting a predetermined number of stores. In recent years, such a stamp rally is being carried out using an information processing terminal (such as a smartphone) used by the customer, and while recording the store information visited as stamps, technologies that can also inform predetermined information and display stamp rally franchise store information are being realized.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a technology "including a recommendation information generation unit that generates recommendation information for recommending a second service to a user based on the user's interaction information via a user terminal and service usage information regarding a first service that the user has used or is using."

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The above technology uses conversation history and purchase history to classify users into groups and generate service recommendations. However, it does not include a mechanism to inform participants about the local area while they are actually participating in the stamp rally.

[0006] The objective of the present invention is to provide a technology that improves the rate at which participants are guided to stores and supports the excitement of stamp rally events by allowing them to obtain detailed information about the stamp rally they are participating in in real time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention includes several means for solving at least part of the above problems, but an example thereof is as follows. An information providing device according to one aspect of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a storage unit that stores participant information including stamp history information, which associates a customer identifier that identifies a stamp rally participant with a store identifier of a stamp rally participating store visited by the stamp rally participant; a stamp rally management unit that, upon receiving visit information including the customer identifier and the store identifier, stores it in the stamp history information; a presentation information determination unit that determines the information of the stamp rally participating store to be presented to the stamp rally participant; a presentation information management unit that presents the information of the stamp rally participating store; and a chat interface processing unit that, upon receiving a request for information of a stamp rally participating store other than the presented stamp rally participating store, presents the information using chat.

[0008] Furthermore, in the above-described information provision device, the chat interface processing unit may also cause a predetermined chat service to suggest information about other stamp rally participating stores that are different from the stamp rally participating stores.

[0009] Furthermore, in the above-described information provision device, the chat interface processing unit may pass the information of the stamp rally participating stores and the stamp history information of the stamp rally participants to the predetermined chat provision service for suggestions.

[0010] Furthermore, in the above-described information provision device, the chat interface processing unit may pass on the information of the stamp rally participating stores, the stamp history information of the stamp rally participant, and the text information entered by the stamp rally participant when requesting information on other stamp rally participating stores different from the presented stamp rally participating stores to the predetermined chat provision service for suggestions.

[0011] Furthermore, in the above-described information provision device, when the information presentation determination unit receives an image of a product offered by any of the stamp rally participating stores, it may cause a predetermined generation AI service to suggest information on stamp rally participating stores that offer similar products.

[0012] Furthermore, in the above-described information provision device, the information presentation determination unit may pass the image, the information of the stamp rally participating stores, and the stamp history information of the stamp rally participants to the predetermined generation AI service for proposal.

[0013] Furthermore, in the above-described information provision device, the chat interface processing unit may cause a designated chat service to provide detailed information about the stamp rally participating stores that have been presented.

[0014] Furthermore, an information provision system according to another aspect of the present invention is an information provision system comprising a participant terminal used by a stamp rally participant and an information provision device communicatively connected to the participant terminal, wherein the information provision device includes: a storage unit that stores participant information including stamp history information which associates a customer identifier that identifies the stamp rally participant with a store identifier of a stamp rally participating store visited by the stamp rally participant; a stamp rally management unit that, upon receiving visit information including the customer identifier and the store identifier from the participant terminal, stores it in the stamp history information; a display information determination unit that determines the information of the stamp rally participating store to be presented to the stamp rally participant; a display information management unit that presents the information of the stamp rally participating store; and a chat interface processing unit that, upon receiving a request for information of a stamp rally participating store different from the one presented, presents the information using chat.

[0015] Furthermore, an information provision program according to another aspect of the present invention is an information provision program that enables an information provision function in an information processing device, wherein the information processing device includes a storage unit that stores participant information including stamp history information which associates a customer identifier that identifies a stamp rally participant with a store identifier of a stamp rally participating store visited by the stamp rally participant, and a processing unit, wherein the processing unit is made to perform the following steps when it receives visit information including the customer identifier and the store identifier, the stamp rally management step which stores the information in the stamp history information; the presentation information determination step which determines the information of the stamp rally participating store to be presented to the stamp rally participant; the presentation information management step which presents the information of the stamp rally participating store; and the chat interface processing step which presents the information using chat when it receives a request for information of a stamp rally participating store other than the presented stamp rally participating store.

[0016] Furthermore, another aspect of the present invention relates to an information provision method for which an information processing device implements an information provision function, wherein the information processing device includes a storage unit that stores participant information including stamp history information which associates a customer identifier that identifies a stamp rally participant with a store identifier of a stamp rally participating store visited by the stamp rally participant, and a processing unit, wherein the processing unit is made to perform the following steps when it receives visit information including the customer identifier and the store identifier, the stamp rally management step which stores the information in the stamp history information; the presentation information determination step which determines the information of the stamp rally participating store to be presented to the stamp rally participant; the presentation information management step which presents the information of the stamp rally participating store; and the chat interface processing step which presents the information using chat when it receives a request for information of a stamp rally participating store other than the presented stamp rally participating store. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, by obtaining detailed information about the stamp rally in which participants are taking part in real time, it is possible to improve the rate at which participants are guided to stores and support the excitement of the stamp rally event.

[0018] Other issues, configurations, and effects not mentioned above will be clarified by the following description of the embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0019] [Figure 1] This is an example of a block diagram of an information provision system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is an example of a block diagram of an information provision device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of a data structure for participant information. [Figure 4] This diagram shows an example of a data structure for store information. [Figure 5] This diagram shows an example of the data structure for information on stores participating in a stamp rally. [Figure 6]This is an example of the data structure of search word history information. [Figure 7] This is an example of the data structure of handled product information. [Figure 8] This is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the information providing device. [Figure 9] This is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the participant terminal. [Figure 10] This is a diagram showing the flow of stamp recording processing (read at the store terminal). [Figure 11] This is a diagram showing an example of information presentation screen transition. [Figure 12] This is a diagram showing an example of additional search screen transition. [Figure 13] This is a diagram showing the flow of stamp recording processing (read at the participant terminal). [Figure 14] This is a diagram showing an example of the flow of additional information presentation processing.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, an information providing system 1 to which an embodiment according to an aspect of the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0021] Generally, for stores participating in a stamp rally, informing and introducing information of other franchise stores to participants is useful for enlivening the entire stamp rally event. On the other hand, for stores participating in a stamp rally, preferentially informing and introducing affiliated stores, sister stores, or stores to be supported is also meaningful for surrounding customers and improving the customer acquisition of stores in a cooperative relationship.

[0022] By using the information provision system 1 according to this embodiment, participants can obtain detailed information about the stamp rally they are participating in in real time, thereby improving the rate of traffic to stores and supporting the excitement of the stamp rally event. Furthermore, for participating stores, it becomes possible to prioritize informing prospective customers who are highly likely to purchase products or use services, which is beneficial for both the stamp rally event as a whole and the participating stores.

[0023] Figure 1 is an example of a block diagram of the information provision system according to this embodiment. The information provision system 1 includes an information provision device 100, a participant terminal 200, a store terminal 300, a generation AI service 400, and an automated chat response service 500.

[0024] The participant terminal 200 is a terminal owned and used by participants in the stamp rally. The store terminal 300 is connected to the information provision device 100 via the network 50 and is a terminal used by participating stores in the stamp rally for payment and stamp recording.

[0025] The participant terminal 200 may be a smartphone or other device owned and used by a stamp rally participant, i.e., a customer of the store, unrelated to the stamp rally. The store terminal 300 may be a cash register, tablet, smartphone, or other device owned and used by the stamp issuer of the stamp rally, i.e., a participating store.

[0026] Network 50 is a communication network such as a LAN (Local Area Network), WAN (Wide Area Network), the Internet, or a mobile phone network. Network 50 may also be a VPN (Virtual Private Network) on a wireless communication network such as a mobile phone network.

[0027] The information providing device 100 is a so-called server device. However, it is not limited to this, and the information providing device 100 may be any kind of information processing device, such as a personal computer, smartphone, workstation, PDA (Personal Data Assistant), or tablet device.

[0028] The information provider 100 receives visit information, including information identifying the participant who visited the store, from the store terminal 300 (which may be a participant terminal 200 as described later) via the network 50, and realizes the stamp rally function by recording the stamp of the store in the participant's stamp history. In addition, once the information provider 100 has recorded the stamp in the stamp history, it transmits information about other stamp rally participating stores different from the store the participant visited to the participant terminal 200, and has the participant present it.

[0029] The store terminal 300 is, for example, a personal computer or a tablet device. However, it is not limited to these, and each device may be various information processing devices such as smartphones, workstations, or PDAs.

[0030] When the participant terminal 200 and the store terminal 300 receive instructions from the information provision device 100 via the network 50 to output a predetermined screen, they perform output processing. In addition, the participant terminal 200 and the store terminal 300 transmit input information received from input devices, etc., provided in their own devices (described later), to the information provision device 100 via the network 50.

[0031] The generative AI service 400 is a service that provides the functions of so-called generative AIs such as GPT and Gemini via an API (Application Programming Interface). The generative AI service 400 obtains desired results by giving commands (prompts) in natural language to the generative AI. The generative AI service 400 comprises an AI processing unit 410 and a communication unit 420.

[0032] In this embodiment, when the generation AI service 400 receives instructions, for example via an API, it causes the generation AI to generate information on recommended stores and sends the result to the source of the instructions as a return value of the API. At that time, the generation AI receives information on stores participating in the stamp rally and stamp information obtained by stamp rally participants, i.e., information on stores already visited, identifies the store identifier of the most suitable store among the unvisited stamp rally participating stores, and returns it as a recommended store.

[0033] For example, the generating AI service 400 may be given RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) information in advance, including the stamp rally participating store information 123, store information 122, participant information 121, behavioral history information 124, purchase history information 125, search word history information 126, and product information 127, as information about stores participating in the stamp rally. Alternatively, it may be given similar information via prompts, or it may be learned in advance. Or, the generating AI service 400 may obtain similar information at runtime by searching for it from other devices via the internet or the like.

[0034] Furthermore, the store identifier identified by the generating AI only needs to be "optimal" from various perspectives. For example, it might identify a nearby store that is frequently visited by participants with similar progress in the stamp rally as the optimal store, or conversely, it might identify a store that is not frequently visited by other participants in order to avoid congestion or to ensure fairness among stores as the optimal store.

[0035] The automated chat response service 500 is a service that provides functions such as a so-called chatbot via an API or the like. The automated chat response service 500 can generate responses by providing natural language commands (prompts) to the generation AI service 400 in a timely manner through chat. The automated chat response service 500 comprises a chat processing unit 510 and a communication unit 520.

[0036] In this embodiment, when the chat processing unit 510 receives instructions, for example via an API, it generates response information to the utterance in natural language, and the communication unit 520 sends the result to the source of the instruction as a return value of the API. At that time, the chat processing unit 510 may generate a response according to a predetermined scenario, or it may generate a response according to the content of the question, or it may refer to RAG information to extract background information containing the answer to the question, in this case for example, information on stores participating in the stamp rally, products handled by the stores, participant information, participant behavior history information, participant purchase history information, participant search word history information, etc., and request the generation AI service 400 to generate a response.

[0037] The information providing device 100 includes a processing unit 110, a storage unit 120, and a communication unit 130.

[0038] Figure 2 is an example of a block diagram of an information provision device according to an embodiment. The processing unit 110 includes a stamp rally management unit 111, a location data matching processing unit 112, a presentation information determination unit 113, a presentation information management unit 114, a chat interface processing unit 115, a store registration unit 116, and a participant registration unit 117. The storage unit 120 includes participant information 121, store information 122, stamp rally participating store information 123, behavior history information 124, purchase history information 125, search word history information 126, and product information 127.

[0039] Figure 3 shows an example of the data structure of participant information. Participant information 121 includes stamp history information that associates a customer identifier that identifies a stamp rally participant with the store identifier of the stamp rally participating store visited by the stamp rally participant. Specifically, participant information 121 stores the following associated information: rally identifier 121a, customer identifier 121b, customer name 121c, age 121d, email address 121e, address 121f, and stamp history 121g.

[0040] The rally identifier 121a is information that identifies the stamp rally in which the participant is participating. The customer identifier 121b is information that identifies the participant. The customer name 121c, age 121d, email address 121e, and address 121f are information that identifies the participant's name, age, email address, and address, respectively. The stamp history 121g is information that associates the store identifier of the stamp rally participating store visited by the stamp rally participant with the stamp identifier. For example, the stamp history 121g stores information that associates the date and time of the stamp rally participant's visit with the store identifier of the stamp rally participating store and the stamp identifier, according to the number of visits.

[0041] Figure 4 shows an example of the data structure of store information. Store information 122 includes related information concerning a store identifier that identifies stores that may be participating in the stamp rally. Specifically, store information 122 stores the store identifier 122a, store name 122b, address 122c, telephone number 122d, store type 122e, store location 122f, and representative product 122g in association with each other. Store identifier 122a is information that identifies the store. Store name 122b, address 122c, telephone number 122d, and store location 122f are information that identifies the name of the store, such as the trade name, the address of the store, the telephone number that serves as the contact information for the store, and the coordinate location of the store on a map.

[0042] Store type 122e is information that identifies the store's genre, such as the types of goods or services it offers. For example, store genres include designated categories such as "restaurant," "cafe," "souvenir shop," "accommodation," "general merchandise," and "cosmetics." Representative product 122g contains information about the products or services the store wants to promote.

[0043] Figure 5 shows an example of the data structure for stamp rally participating store information. The stamp rally participating store information 123 contains information about a unique stamp identifier for each participating store. Specifically, the stamp rally participating store information 123 stores the store identifier 123a, the store name 123b, and the stamp identifier 123c in association with each other. The store identifier 123a is information that identifies the store. The store name 123b is the name of the store, such as its trade name. The stamp identifier 123c is the identifier of the store in the stamp rally.

[0044] Figure 6 shows an example of the data structure of search word history information. The search word history information 126 includes information that associates the search words used by a stamp rally participant with a customer identifier that identifies the stamp rally participant. Specifically, the search word history information 126 stores the customer identifier 126a, the search word 126b, and the search date and time 126c in association with each other.

[0045] Customer identifier 126a is information that identifies the participant. Search word 126b is information that identifies the word used by the participant in their search. Search date and time 126c is information that identifies the date and time the participant performed the search.

[0046] Figure 7 shows an example of the data structure of product information. Product information 127 contains information about products offered by member stores. Specifically, product information 127 stores associated store identifier 127a, store name 127b, product type 127c, product name 127d, sales price 127e, and product image 127f. Store identifier 127a is information that identifies the store. Store name 127b is information that indicates the name of the store, such as its trade name. Product type 127c is information that indicates the attributes of the product. Product name 127d is information that indicates the name of the product. Sales price 127e is information that indicates the sales price of the product at the store. Product image 127f is image information that shows the product.

[0047] Returning to the explanation of Figure 2, when the stamp rally management unit 111 receives visit information including a customer identifier and a store identifier, it stores it in the stamp history 121g.

[0048] The location data matching processing unit 112 obtains the location information of the stamp rally participant from the participant terminal 200, compares that location information with the store location 122f, which is the location information of the store stored in the store information 122, and if they match, uses it as evidence that the participant visited that store. The location data matching processing unit 112 also records the visit information of the stamp rally participant in the behavior history information 124.

[0049] The information display unit 113 queries the generation AI service 400 to determine which stamp rally participating stores to display to stamp rally participants. The information display unit 113 also excludes stores included in the stamp history information related to the customer identifier from the information to be displayed. Furthermore, the information display unit 113 determines which stores to display based on the results of the query to the generation AI service 400. In addition, when the information display unit 113 receives an image of a product offered by one of the stamp rally participating stores, it causes the generation AI service 400 to suggest information on stamp rally participating stores that offer similar products. At that time, the information display unit 113 passes the product image, the information of the stamp rally participating store, and the stamp history information of the stamp rally participant to the generation AI service 400.

[0050] The information management unit 114 displays information about participating stores in the stamp rally.

[0051] The chat interface processing unit 115 causes the automated chat response service 500 to provide detailed information about the stamp rally participating stores presented by the presented information management unit 114. Furthermore, when the chat interface processing unit 115 receives a request for information on a stamp rally participating store other than the one presented, it passes the information on the stamp rally participating store and the stamp history information of the stamp rally participant to the automated chat response service 500 for suggestions. The chat interface processing unit 115 then presents information on the other stamp rally participating store, different from the one suggested, using chat. The chat interface processing unit 115 may also pass text information entered by the stamp rally participant, i.e., the chat log, to the automated chat response service 500 for suggestions.

[0052] The store registration unit 116 receives information on stores participating in the stamp rally and stores it in the stamp rally participating store information 123. The store registration unit 116 also receives information on stores that may potentially participate in the stamp rally and stores it in the store information 122. Furthermore, the store registration unit 116 provides functions for adding, editing, and deleting information (advertising information such as flyers) for stores stored in the stamp rally participating store information 123.

[0053] Specifically, the store registration unit 116 provides a function to accept arbitrary, real-time changes to the stamp rally participating store information 123 via the store terminal 300, etc. Furthermore, when using such a change function, the store registration unit 116 performs authentication on the stamp rally participating store and verifies the authority to update the table (stamp rally participating store information 123).

[0054] The participant registration unit 117 receives information on stamp rally participants and stores it in the participant information unit 121. The participant registration unit 117 also provides functions for adding, editing, and deleting participant information in the participant information unit 121.

[0055] The communication unit 130 communicates with other devices, namely participant terminals 200, store terminals 300, generation AI service 400, and automated chat response service 500, via the network 50.

[0056] The participant terminal 200 includes a processing unit 210, an input receiving unit 220, a display unit 230, and a communication unit 240. The processing unit 210 includes a stamp rally processing unit 211 and a location information management unit 212. The input receiving unit 220 receives input instructions from the operator of the participant terminal 200, for example, a participant, and transmits them to the information providing device 100. The display unit 230 receives screen information in a predetermined format instructed to be displayed by the information providing device 100 from the communication unit 240 and displays it on the display device. The display unit 230 also displays screen information such as flat barcodes instructed by the stamp rally processing unit 211 on the display device. The communication unit 240 communicates with the information providing device 100, which is another device, via the network 50.

[0057] The stamp rally processing unit 211 implements the stamp rally function by combining the location information management unit 212, the input reception unit 220, the display unit 230, and the communication unit 240. Specifically, the stamp rally processing unit 211 converts information including the customer identifier into a flat barcode using a predetermined algorithm and displays it on the display unit 230. The stamp rally processing unit 211 also displays information such as participating stores in the stamp rally presented by the information provision device 100.

[0058] The stamp rally processing unit 211 associates the participant's email address when they participate in the stamp rally. This allows the stamp rally processing unit 211 to receive push notifications from the information providing device 100. The stamp rally processing unit 211 also transmits location information acquired by the location information management unit 212 to the information providing device 100 as needed. This ensures that the current location of the participant terminal 200 is provided to the information providing device 100. However, the stamp rally processing unit 211 is not limited to associating the participant's email address when they participate in the stamp rally; it may also associate various types of information that enable targeted push notifications, such as the recipient of a short message (phone number), an SNS (Social Networking Service) account, an identifier for the participant terminal 200, or the app ID of the stamp rally processing unit 211.

[0059] The location information management unit 212 identifies the location information of the participant terminal 200 and provides it to the stamp rally processing unit 211 as needed. The location information management unit 212 identifies the coordinates using a satellite-based positioning system such as GPS (Global Positioning System) or GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System).

[0060] The store terminal 300 includes a processing unit 310 and a communication unit 320. The processing unit 310 includes a purchasing processing unit 311 and a code reading unit 312. The purchasing processing unit 311 implements POS (Point of Sales) register functions, for example, by inputting the type and quantity of goods to be sold and performing accounting processing. The code reading unit 312 reads the flat barcode displayed on the display unit 230 of the participant terminal 200, decodes it to extract the customer identifier, generates visit information including the combination of the store identifier and the customer identifier, and transmits it to the information providing device 100.

[0061] The communication unit 320 communicates with another device, the information providing device 100, via the network 50.

[0062] Figure 8 shows an example of the hardware configuration of an information providing device. The information providing device 100 includes a processor 101, memory 102, storage 103, communication device 104, and a bus 105 connecting the devices. In addition, the information providing device 100 may also include an input device.

[0063] The processor 101 is a computing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and it performs processing according to a program recorded in memory 102 or storage 103. In the information providing device 100, processing is performed by the processor 101, which operates according to a program read from memory 102 or storage 103. The processing unit 110, the stamp rally management unit 111, the location data verification processing unit 112, the presentation information determination unit 113, the presentation information management unit 114, the chat interface processing unit 115, the store registration unit 116, and the participant registration unit 117 each realize their respective functions by having the processor 101 execute a program.

[0064] Memory 102 is a storage device such as RAM (Random Access Memory) or flash memory, and functions as a storage area where programs and data are temporarily read. Storage 103 is a writable and readable storage device. The storage unit 120's functions are realized by either memory 102 or storage 103. Alternatively, the storage unit 120 may be realized by a storage device connected via communication device 104.

[0065] The communication device 104 is an interface for connecting the information provision device 100 to an external device. For example, the communication device 104 uses an antenna that can utilize predetermined radio waves (e.g., 5GHz band, 2.4GHz band, etc.) to establish connections with the store terminal 300, the generation AI service 400, and the automated chat response service 500 using the Wi-Fi standard to perform wireless communication.

[0066] Furthermore, the processing of each component of the information providing device 100 may be performed on one piece of hardware or on multiple pieces of hardware. Also, the processing of each component of the information providing device 100 may be implemented by one program or by multiple programs.

[0067] The processor 101, memory 102, storage 103, and communication device 104 are connected to each other by connecting wires such as a bus 105.

[0068] The storage unit 120 of the information providing device 100 described above is implemented by memory 102 and storage 103. Furthermore, the communication unit 130 of the information providing device 100 is implemented by communication device 104. The above is an example of the hardware configuration of the information providing device 100.

[0069] Each component of the information providing device 100 can be further classified into many more components depending on the processing content. Alternatively, each component can be classified to perform even more processing.

[0070] Furthermore, each processing unit (processing unit 110, stamp rally management unit 111, location data matching processing unit 112, presentation information determination unit 113, presentation information management unit 114, chat interface processing unit 115, store registration unit 116, participant registration unit 117) may be constructed using dedicated hardware (ASIC, GPU, etc.) to realize its respective function. Also, the processing of each processing unit may be executed on a single piece of hardware or on multiple pieces of hardware.

[0071] Figure 9 shows an example of the hardware configuration of a participant terminal. The participant terminal 200 includes an input device 201, a processor 202, storage 203, memory 204, a display 205, a communication device 206, a camera 207, a GPS receiver 208, and a bus 209 connecting each device.

[0072] The input device 201 is a variety of input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, or touch panel. The input reception unit 220 of the participant terminal 200 is realized by the input device 201, the processor 202, and the camera 207. The processor 202 is a computing device such as a CPU or GPU, and it performs processing according to a program recorded in the memory 204 or storage 203. In the participant terminal 200, processing is performed by the processor 202, which operates according to the program read from the memory 204 or storage 203. The processing unit 210 realizes its respective functions when the processor 202 executes a program.

[0073] Memory 204 is a storage device such as RAM (Random Access Memory) or flash memory, and functions as a storage area where programs and data are temporarily read. Storage 203 is a writable and readable storage device.

[0074] The display 205 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. The display unit 230 is realized by the display 205 and the processor 202.

[0075] The communication device 206 is an interface for connecting the participant terminal 200 to an external device. For example, the communication device 206 uses an antenna that can utilize predetermined radio waves (e.g., 5GHz band, 2.4GHz band, etc.) to establish a connection with the information provision device 100 using the Wi-Fi standard for wireless communication. The communication unit 240 of the participant terminal 200 is realized by the communication device 206 and the processor 202.

[0076] The GPS receiver 208 is a device that performs positioning using satellite communication such as GPS or GLONASS. The location information management unit 212 of the participant terminal 200 is implemented by the GPS receiver 208 and the processor 202.

[0077] Furthermore, the processing of each component of the participant terminal 200 may be performed on one piece of hardware or on multiple pieces of hardware. Also, the processing of each component of the participant terminal 200 may be implemented by one program or by multiple programs.

[0078] The input device 201, processor 202, storage 203, memory 204, display 205, communication device 206, camera 207, and GPS receiver 208 are connected to each other by connecting wires such as a bus 209. The above is an example of the hardware configuration of the participant terminal 200.

[0079] Each participant terminal 200 can be further classified into many more components depending on the processing content. Alternatively, each component can be classified to perform even more processing.

[0080] Furthermore, each processing unit (stamp rally processing unit 211, location information management unit 212, input reception unit 220, display unit 230, communication unit 240) may be constructed using dedicated hardware (ASIC, GPU, etc.) to realize its respective function. Also, the processing of each processing unit may be executed on a single piece of hardware or on multiple pieces of hardware.

[0081] Since the store terminal 300 has essentially the same hardware configuration as the participant terminal 200, a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0082] The Generative AI Service 400 is a service provided outside of the Information Provision System 1, which uses Generative AI. However, it is not limited to this, and it may also use Generative AI maintained by the Information Provision System 1. In that case, the Generative AI includes Generative AI that uses a large-scale language model. The Generative AI is a pre-trained model, such as GPT-4, which has been trained in advance using language data to create a large-scale language model using a neural network (NN) through machine learning or deep learning. The Generative AI is not limited to a neural network (NN), and other known methods may be used. Furthermore, it is desirable to use a Generative AI that has been tuned to achieve high accuracy in program code generation through techniques such as Few-shot Learning and fine-tuning.

[0083] Furthermore, the information presentation unit 113 may also pass participant information 121, store information 122, stamp rally participating store information 123, behavioral history information 124, purchase history information 125, search word history information 126, and product information 127 to the generation AI service 400 as RAG information as a result of the search.

[0084] The automated chat response service 500 is a service provided outside of the information provision system 1, which uses a chatbot or the like. However, it is not limited to this, and may also use a chatbot program maintained by the information provision system 1. Furthermore, the automated chat response service 500 may include a generative AI using a large-scale language model in its implementation, or it may be a chatbot that generates responses according to pre-prepared scenarios.

[0085] Next, the operation of the information provision system 1 in this embodiment will be described.

[0086] First, participating stores in the stamp rally access the information provision device 100 via a store terminal 300 or the like, and set any changes to the store information 122, stamp rally participating store information 123, and product information 127. When such changes are made, the store registration unit 116 performs various authentications such as password authentication and biometric authentication on the stamp rally participating stores and verifies the authority to update the tables (store information 122, stamp rally participating store information 123, and product information 127). The store registration unit 116 also adds, deletes, and modifies the set store information 122, stamp rally participating store information 123, and product information 127 by inserting new records in accordance with the changes made. As a result, the store information 122, stamp rally participating store information 123, and product information 127 are updated, and preparations are made for the stamp recording process (read by the store terminal) described later.

[0087] Figure 10 shows the flow of the stamp recording process (read by the store terminal). The stamp recording process (read by the store terminal) is initiated when a stamp rally participant visits a participating store and displays a flat barcode containing information including the customer identifier on the display unit 230 of the participant terminal 200, and presents it to the store terminal 300 of the participating store. Note that the stamp recording process is not limited to cases where a flat barcode is displayed on the display unit 230 of the participant terminal 200, but also applies when a flat barcode containing information including the store identifier, which is placed as printed material in the store, is presented to the participant terminal 200.

[0088] First, the stamp rally processing unit 211 causes the display unit 230 to display a code including the customer identifier (step S001). Specifically, the stamp rally processing unit 211 encodes information including the participant identifier previously provided to the participant terminal 200 using a predetermined algorithm to create a flat barcode such as a QR code (registered trademark), and displays it on the display unit 230.

[0089] Then, the code reading unit 312 of the store terminal 300 reads the presented code (step S002). Specifically, the code reading unit 312 reads the presented flat barcode using a camera or the like.

[0090] Then, the code reading unit 312 of the store terminal 300 extracts the customer identifier from the code (step S003). Specifically, the code reading unit 312 of the store terminal 300 decodes the read flat barcode using a predetermined algorithm and extracts the customer identifier contained therein.

[0091] Then, the code reading unit 312 of the store terminal 300 generates visit information including the store identifier and the customer identifier (step S004). Specifically, the code reading unit 312 generates predetermined visit information including the store identifier that has been pre-assigned to the store terminal 300 and the customer identifier extracted in step S003.

[0092] Then, the code reading unit 312 transmits the stopover information (step S005). Specifically, the code reading unit 312 transmits the stopover information generated in step S004 to the information providing device 100.

[0093] Then, the stamp rally management unit 111 of the information providing device 100 receives the visit information, which includes a combination of a store identifier and a customer identifier (step S006). Specifically, the stamp rally management unit 111 receives the visit information transmitted in step S005.

[0094] Then, the stamp rally management unit 111 identifies the customer's stamp history (step S007). Specifically, the stamp rally management unit 111 refers to the participant information 121 related to the customer identifier included in the stopover information to identify the stamp history 121g.

[0095] The stamp rally management unit 111 then determines whether the customer is visiting the store for the first time (step S008). Specifically, the stamp rally management unit 111 refers to the stamp history 121g identified in step S007, and if there is no stamp information related to the store identifier included in the visit information, it determines that the customer is visiting the store for the first time. If the customer is not visiting the store for the first time (if the answer is "No" in step S008), the stamp rally management unit 111 proceeds to step S010, which will be described later.

[0096] If it is the customer's first visit to the store (if the answer is "Yes" in step S008), the stamp rally management unit 111 adds a stamp to the customer's stamp history (step S009). Specifically, the stamp rally management unit 111 identifies the stamp identifier 123c related to the store identifier included in the visit information in the stamp rally participating store information 123, generates information associating the date and time the stamp rally participant visited, the store identifier of the stamp rally participating store, and the stamp identifier, and adds it to the stamp history 121g.

[0097] Then, the information presentation unit 113 determines the information to present to the customer using the generation AI service 400 (step S010). Specifically, the information presentation unit 113 passes to the generation AI service 400 the stamp history 121g identified in step S007, store information 122, stamp rally participating store information 123, behavior history information 124, purchase history information 125, search word history information 126, and product information 127. The information presentation unit 113 then identifies the store identifier of the most suitable store among the unvisited stamp rally participating stores and instructs the generation AI service 400 to return it as a recommended store. This instruction uses prompt commands. The information presentation unit 113 then receives the information of the recommended store, which is the result of querying the generation AI service 400, decides to present it to the customer, and acquires the representative product 122g of the store information 122 as information of the participating store.

[0098] Furthermore, the information display determination unit 113 may instruct the generation AI service 400 to display multiple recommended stores. By doing so, the information of the received stores is displayed sequentially, making it easier for the customer to select a store that interests them.

[0099] Then, the Information Management Unit 114 presents information about participating stores in the stamp rally to the customer (participant) (step S011). Specifically, the Information Management Unit 114 uses a customer identifier to refer to participant information 121 to obtain an email address 121e, and sends a push notification via the stamp rally processing unit 211 of the participant terminal 200 associated with that email address, transmitting the information to be presented to the customer determined by the Information Decision Unit 113 in step S010. In other words, information about representative products from one or more recommended participating stores is transmitted to the participant terminal 200 by the Information Management Unit 114.

[0100] Then, the stamp rally processing unit 211 displays the received information (step S012). Specifically, the stamp rally processing unit 211 displays information on one or more recommended participating stores on the display unit 230.

[0101] The stamp rally processing unit 211 then determines whether or not it has received an instruction to switch to different information (step S013). Specifically, if the information presented to the customer includes multiple participating stores, the stamp rally processing unit 211 determines whether or not it has received an instruction to switch to different information within a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) to switch the display to the information of the next participating store after the currently displayed participating store. If it has not received an instruction to switch to different information, or if it has received an instruction to end the display (if the result is "No" in step S013), the stamp rally processing unit 211 ends the screen displaying the store information.

[0102] Then, if a command to switch to different information is received (if "Yes" is selected in step S013), the stamp rally processing unit 211 switches the displayed information (step S014). Specifically, if the information to be presented to the customer includes information from multiple participating stores, the stamp rally processing unit 211 switches the display to the information of the next participating store after the currently displayed participating store.

[0103] The above is an example of the stamp recording process (read by store terminal). This stamp recording process allows participants to receive real-time information about the stamp rally they are participating in (such as recommended stores).

[0104] Figure 11 shows an example of an information display screen transition. The information display screen transition 700 is an example of the screen transition displayed on the display unit 230 of the participant terminal 200 in step S012 of the stamp recording process (read by the store terminal). The information display screen 710 includes store information 720, route guidance information 730 from the participant's current location to the store, and a detailed information display button 740.

[0105] Store information 720 displays the store name 122b, address 122c, telephone number 122d, and store type 122e information included in store information 122.

[0106] The route guidance information 730 displays the route from the participant terminal 200's current location to the address indicated by the address information 122c in the store information 720, superimposed on the map. The information display unit 113 may, for example, use the location of the store that the participant terminal 200 has visited as the participant terminal 200's current location to search for a route. When the detailed information display button 740 receives input, it transitions the screen to the detailed information display screen 750 and instructs the chat interface processing unit 115 to display information such as menus, reviews, and business hours disclosed on the gourmet information website. The chat interface processing unit 115 instructs the automatic chat response service 500 to search for store information.

[0107] The detailed information screen 750 includes detailed information 760, a "Next Recommendation" button 770, and a "Ask a Question to Search" button 780.

[0108] Detailed Information 760 displays not only the store information included in Store Information 122, but also detailed information about the store that is publicly available on the internet, etc. Specifically, for example, information such as menus, reviews, and business hours disclosed on gourmet information websites will be displayed in Detailed Information 760.

[0109] The next recommendation button 770, upon receiving input, generates an instruction to switch to different information. Upon receiving this instruction, the stamp rally processing unit 211, if the information presented to the customer includes multiple participating stores, switches the display to the information of the next participating store after the currently displayed store, and displays the information presentation screen 710' related to the other store. The information presentation screen 710' related to the other store is similar to the information presentation screen 710, but displays store information 720' related to the other store and route guidance information 730' from the participant's current location to the other store.

[0110] When the "Ask a question to search" button 780 receives input, the stamp rally processing unit 211 transitions the screen to the search method selection screen 810 of the additional search screen transition 800, which will be described later.

[0111] Figure 12 shows an example of an additional search screen transition. The additional search screen transition 800 is an example of a screen transition displayed on the display unit 230 of the participant terminal 200 in step S012 of the stamp recording process (read by the store terminal). The search method selection screen 810 includes buttons for accepting input of an additional search method, namely the "Search by Image" button 820, which accepts instructions to search by image, and the "Search by Chat" button 830, which accepts instructions to search by chat. The search method selection screen 810 also includes the "Next Recommendation" button 840, which has the same function as the "Next Recommendation" button 770.

[0112] The "Search by Image" button 820, upon receiving input, transitions to an image input method reception screen 860, which asks how to accept image input. The "Search by Chat" button 830, upon receiving input, transitions to a chat screen 900, which displays chat input and output.

[0113] The image input method reception screen 860 includes a "Search with saved photos" button 870 for receiving images of similar products and services to request a search from the information display determination unit 113, and a "Capture with camera" button 880 for capturing an image with the camera 207 and receiving the selection. The image input method reception screen 860 also includes a "Back" button 890 for transitioning to the search method selection screen 810.

[0114] The "Search with saved photos" button 870, upon receiving input, accepts the selection of one of the photos stored in the participant terminal 200's storage and sends it to the information display unit 113 to request a search. Specifically, the information display unit 113 instructs the generation AI service 400 to suggest information on stamp rally participating stores that offer products and services similar to those depicted in the submitted photos. At this time, the information display unit 113 passes the image, information on stamp rally participating stores, product information 127, and stamp history information of the stamp rally participant to the generation AI service 400. The image input method reception screen 860 displays the information on stamp rally participating stores suggested by the generation AI service 400.

[0115] The camera button 880, upon receiving input, activates the camera 207 on the participant terminal 200, takes an image, and sends it to the information display unit 113 to request a search. Specifically, the information display unit 113 instructs the generation AI service 400 to suggest information on stamp rally participating stores that offer products and services similar to those captured in the submitted photograph. At this time, the information display unit 113 passes the image, information on stamp rally participating stores, product information 127, and stamp history information of the stamp rally participant to the generation AI service 400. The image input method reception screen 860 displays the information on stamp rally participating stores suggested by the generation AI service 400.

[0116] The chat screen 900 activates the chat interface processing unit 115 and starts the chat. For example, the chat interface processing unit 115 displays a question 910 to the participant asking "What kind of shop are you looking for?" and prompts the participant to enter their answer in the input area 940. If the participant's answer 920 is "Tell me about a good curry restaurant," the chat interface processing unit 115 accepts the answer and requests a response from the automated chat response service 500. At that time, the chat interface processing unit 115 passes information on the stamp rally participating stores, the stamp history information of the stamp rally participants, the text information including the participant's answer 920, the product information 127, and the activity history information 124 to the automated chat response service 500.

[0117] The chat interface processing unit 115 then displays the response obtained from the automated chat response service 500 as the chat reply 930. When the back button 950 receives input, it transitions the screen to the search method selection screen 810.

[0118] The information provision system 1, to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied, has been described above. According to this embodiment, by obtaining detailed information about the stamp rally in which participants are participating in real time, it is possible to improve the rate of customers visiting stores and support the excitement of the stamp rally event.

[0119] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. The embodiments described above can be modified in various ways within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention. For example, in the above embodiments, the store terminal 300 reads a code including a customer identifier displayed on the participant terminal 200, but in order to realize the stamp rally function even at member stores that do not have a store terminal 300, the participant terminal 200 may be configured to read a code including a store identifier displayed at the storefront of the member store. Such embodiments will be explained with reference to Figure 13.

[0120] Figure 13 shows the flow of the stamp recording process (read by the participant's terminal). The flow of the stamp recording process (read by the participant's terminal) is basically the same as the flow of the stamp recording process (read by the store terminal), but there are some differences in the process. The following will explain the differences in detail.

[0121] First, the stamp rally processing unit 211 of the participant terminal 200 reads a code containing a store identifier displayed at the storefront of a participating store (step S101). Specifically, the stamp rally processing unit 211 reads the displayed flat barcode using a camera or the like.

[0122] Then, the stamp rally processing unit 211 extracts the store identifier from the code (step S102). Specifically, the stamp rally processing unit 211 decodes the read flat barcode using a predetermined algorithm and extracts the included store identifier.

[0123] Then, the stamp rally processing unit 211 generates stopover information including the store identifier and customer identifier (step S103). Specifically, the stamp rally processing unit 211 generates predetermined stopover information including the store identifier extracted in step S102 and the participant identifier.

[0124] Then, the stamp rally processing unit 211 transmits the stopover information (step S104). Specifically, the stamp rally processing unit 211 transmits the stopover information generated in step S103 to the information providing device 100.

[0125] The processing from step S006 onward is the same as the flow for stamp recording processing (read by the store terminal).

[0126] The above is an example of the stamp recording process (read by participant's terminal). According to this stamp recording process (read by participant's terminal) flow, the stamp rally function can be implemented even in member stores that do not own a store terminal 300.

[0127] Figure 14 shows an example of the flow of the additional information presentation process. The additional information presentation process is the flow of processing that takes place during the transition to the additional search screen described above. When the "Ask a question to search" button 780 on the detailed information presentation screen 750 accepts input, the stamp rally processing unit 211 displays the search method selection screen 610 as a screen that accepts the means of searching for information (image search, text search) (step S201).

[0128] Then, the stamp rally processing unit 211 accepts input from either the "Search by Image" button 820 or the "Search by Chat" button 830 (step S202).

[0129] Then, if the stamp rally processing unit 211 receives a text search, i.e., the "Search by Chat" button 830, it performs the processing described in steps S203 to S207 below. If the stamp rally processing unit 211 receives an image search, i.e., the "Search by Image" button 820, it performs the processing described in steps S208 to S211 and step S207 below.

[0130] If the request is a text search, the chat interface processing unit 115 starts a chat and presents a chat screen asking for the request (step S203). For example, the chat interface processing unit 115 displays the question 910 "What kind of restaurant are you looking for?" to the participant. Then, the chat interface processing unit 115 accepts the request (step S204). For example, the chat interface processing unit 115 has the participant enter their answer in the input area 940 and accepts the participant's answer 920 "Tell me about a good curry restaurant."

[0131] The chat interface processing unit 115 receives the response and requests a response from the automated chat response service 500. At that time, the chat interface processing unit 115 passes the following information to the automated chat response service 500: information on participating stores in the stamp rally, stamp history information of stamp rally participants, text information including the participant's response 920, product information 127, and behavioral history information 124 (step S205).

[0132] The chat interface processing unit 115 then receives store information that meets the request from the automated chat response service 500 (step S206). The chat interface processing unit 115 then presents the store information from the search results included in the response received (step S207).

[0133] If the received request is for an image search, the information display unit 113 displays an image input method reception screen 860, which asks for the image input means (camera, image file) (step S208).

[0134] Then, the stamp rally processing unit 211 accepts a selection of photos stored in the participant terminal 200's storage or an image captured by the participant terminal 200's camera 207 (step S209). Then, the presentation information determination unit 113 creates a search instruction to the image-generating AI service 400 and performs the search (step S210).

[0135] Then, the information presentation unit 113 receives store information that satisfies the request from the generation AI service 400 (step S211). Then, the information presentation unit 113 presents the store information from the search results included in the obtained response (step S207).

[0136] The above is an example of the flow for the additional information presentation process. According to this example of the additional information presentation process flow, in addition to the information displayed during the stamp recording process, it becomes possible to suggest stores that are more suitable for stamp rally participants.

[0137] Furthermore, the technical elements of the embodiments described above may be applied individually, or they may be divided into multiple parts, such as program components and hardware components, and applied accordingly.

[0138] The present invention has been described above, focusing on its embodiments. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0139] 1... Information provision system, 50... Network, 100... Information provision device, 110... Processing unit, 111... Stamp rally management unit, 112... Location data matching processing unit, 113... Display information determination unit, 114... Display information management unit, 115... Chat interface processing unit, 116... Store registration unit, 117... Participant registration unit, 120... Memory unit, 121... Participant information, 122... Store information, 123... Stamp rally participating store information, 124... Behavioral history information, 125... Purchase history information, 126... Search word history History information, 127...Product information, 130...Communication department, 200...Participant terminal, 210...Processing unit, 211...Stamp rally processing unit, 212...Location information management unit, 220...Input reception unit, 230...Display unit, 240...Communication department, 300...Store terminal, 310...Processing unit, 311...Purchase processing unit, 312...Code reading unit, 320...Communication department, 400...Generating AI service, 410...AI processing unit, 420...Communication department, 500...Automatic chat response service, 510...Chat processing unit, 520...Communication department.

Claims

1. A storage unit that stores participant information including stamp history information, which associates a customer identifier that identifies a stamp rally participant with the store identifier of a stamp rally participating store visited by the stamp rally participant, The stamp rally management unit, upon receiving visit information including the customer identifier and the store identifier, stores it in the stamp history information. A display information determination unit that determines the information of participating stores in the stamp rally to be presented to the stamp rally participants, The information management unit presents information on participating stores in the stamp rally, When a request is received for information on a different stamp rally participating store than the one presented, a chat interface processing unit presents the information using chat, An information providing device characterized by being equipped with the following features.

2. An information providing device according to claim 1, The chat interface processing unit causes a designated chat service to suggest information about other stamp rally participating stores that are different from the stamp rally participating stores. An information-providing device characterized by the following features.

3. An information providing device according to claim 2, The chat interface processing unit passes the information of the stamp rally participating stores and the stamp history information of the stamp rally participants to the predetermined chat service provider for suggestions. An information-providing device characterized by the following features.

4. An information providing device according to claim 2, The chat interface processing unit passes the information of the stamp rally participating stores, the stamp history information of the stamp rally participant, and the text information entered by the stamp rally participant when requesting information on a different stamp rally participating store from the one presented to the predetermined chat service provider to make a suggestion. An information-providing device characterized by the following features.

5. An information providing device according to claim 1, When the information presentation unit receives an image of a product offered by any of the stamp rally participating stores, it causes a predetermined generation AI service to propose information on other stamp rally participating stores that offer similar products. An information-providing device characterized by the following features.

6. An information providing device according to claim 5, The information presentation unit passes the image, the information of the stamp rally participating stores, and the stamp history information of the stamp rally participants to the predetermined generation AI service for proposal. An information-providing device characterized by the following features.

7. An information providing device according to claim 1, The chat interface processing unit causes a designated chat service provider to provide detailed information about the stamp rally participating stores that it has presented. An information-providing device characterized by the following features.

8. An information provision system including a participant terminal used by stamp rally participants and an information provision device that is communicatively connected to the participant terminal, The aforementioned information providing device is A storage unit that stores participant information including stamp history information, which associates a customer identifier that identifies a stamp rally participant with the store identifier of a stamp rally participating store visited by the stamp rally participant, The stamp rally management unit receives visit information including the customer identifier and the store identifier from the participant terminal and stores it in the stamp history information. A display information determination unit that determines the information of participating stores in the stamp rally to be presented to the stamp rally participants, The information management unit presents information on participating stores in the stamp rally, When a request is received for information on a different stamp rally participating store than the one presented, a chat interface processing unit presents the information using chat, An information provision system characterized by comprising the following features.

9. An information provision program that enables an information provision function in an information processing device, The aforementioned information processing device is The system includes a storage unit that stores participant information, including stamp history information, which associates a customer identifier that identifies a stamp rally participant with the store identifier of a participating stamp rally store visited by the stamp rally participant, and a processing unit, In the aforementioned processing unit, A stamp rally management step in which, upon receiving visit information including the customer identifier and the store identifier, the information is stored in the stamp history information. A step of determining the information to be presented to the stamp rally participant, A step for managing information to display information about participating stores in the stamp rally, When a request is received for information on a different stamp rally participating store than the one presented, a chat interface processing step is performed to present the information using chat, An information provision program characterized by having the following implemented.

10. An information provision method that enables an information provision function in an information processing device, The aforementioned information processing device is The system includes a storage unit that stores participant information, including stamp history information, which associates a customer identifier that identifies a stamp rally participant with the store identifier of a participating stamp rally store visited by the stamp rally participant, and a processing unit, In the aforementioned processing unit, A stamp rally management step in which, upon receiving visit information including the customer identifier and the store identifier, the information is stored in the stamp history information. A step of determining the information to be presented to the stamp rally participant, A step for managing information to display information about participating stores in the stamp rally, When a request is received for information on a different stamp rally participating store than the one presented, a chat interface processing step is performed to present the information using chat, A method of providing information characterized by having the following implemented.

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