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

Abstract

This technology provides information on statistics about other users who meet certain criteria linked to a particular user. [Solution] The information processing device according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires user information of a user from the user's terminal device; a collection unit that acquires action information indicating the user's actions toward content from the user's terminal device; a detection unit that detects a second user that matches predetermined conditions based on the user information of a first user and the action information of a second user; a generation unit that generates statistical information of the second user that matches the conditions; and a provision unit that provides the statistical information of the second user that matches the conditions to the terminal device of the first user.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, various contents such as news articles with various contents have been provided via the Internet. For example, a user can perform various actions such as posting a comment on a news article or spreading a news article being viewed on an SNS (Social Networking Service) (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the information flowing on the Internet is enormous, and with the above-described technology, for example, it is difficult to grasp how many other users satisfy the conditions associated with the user, such as having a common interest in the topic or content that the user is currently viewing.

[0005] The present application has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to grasp information regarding the statistics of other users who satisfy the conditions associated with the user.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The information processing device according to the present application is characterized by comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires user information of a user from the user's terminal device; a collection unit that acquires action information indicating the user's actions toward content from the user's terminal device; a detection unit that detects a second user that matches predetermined conditions based on the user information of the first user and the action information of the second user; a generation unit that generates statistical information of the second user that matches the conditions; and a provision unit that provides the statistical information of the second user that matches the conditions to the terminal device of the first user. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one embodiment of the system, it is possible to obtain statistical information about other users who meet the conditions associated with the user. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an overview of the information processing system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of the configuration of an information processing device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an example of a user information storage unit. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an example of a history information storage unit. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an example of a content information storage unit. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows an example of a condition information storage unit. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the information processing flow according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows an example of a hardware configuration. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The following describes in detail, with reference to the drawings, embodiments for implementing the information processing device, information processing method, and information processing program according to the present application (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments"). Note that these embodiments do not limit the information processing device, information processing method, and information processing program according to the present application. Furthermore, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals in each of the following embodiments, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0010] [Embodiment] [1. Overview of Information Processing] First, with reference to Figure 1, an overview of information processing by the information processing system 1 having the information processing device 100 according to the embodiment will be described. Figure 1 is a diagram showing an overview of the information processing system 1 according to the embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the information processing system 1 includes terminal devices 10a and 10b for a plurality of users Ua and Ub, and the information processing device 100. In the following description, when users Ua and Ub are not specifically distinguished, they will be referred to as "user U" as appropriate. Also, when terminal devices 10a and 10b are not specifically distinguished, they will be referred to as "terminal device 10" as appropriate.

[0011] The terminal device 10 and the information processing device 100 are connected via a network N (see Figure 2) via a wired or wireless connection, enabling communication between them. This allows the terminal device 10 to cooperate with the information processing device 100. The network N is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) or a WAN (Wide Area Network) such as the Internet.

[0012] Terminal device 10 is an information processing device used by user U. User U is a user who receives content and performs actions such as selecting, viewing, searching, and posting comments on the content. By operating terminal device 10, user U performs various actions such as viewing various types of content and posting comments on the content.

[0013] Typical examples of terminal devices 10 include smart devices such as smartphones and tablet terminals, but they may also include PCs (Personal Computers) such as desktop or laptop computers, mobile phones such as feature phones, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), game consoles and AV equipment with communication functions, information appliances and digital appliances, car navigation systems, wearable devices such as smartwatches, head-mounted displays, and smart glasses. Furthermore, terminal devices 10 may also include houses and buildings compatible with the Internet of Things (IoT), cars, home appliances, electronic devices, etc.

[0014] Furthermore, the terminal device 10 can communicate with any server device via wireless communication networks such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G (4th Generation), 5G (5th Generation), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or wireless LAN. The terminal device 10 also has a screen, such as a liquid crystal display, that has touch panel functionality, and accepts various operations on displayed data such as content from the user U using their finger or stylus, such as tapping, sliding, and scrolling. Operations performed on the area of ​​the screen where content is displayed may also be considered operations on the content.

[0015] The information processing device 100 is an information processing device that performs various information processing in the information processing system 1. The information processing device 100 can be implemented using a computer such as a PC, blade server, mainframe, or workstation. Alternatively, the information processing device 100 may be implemented using cloud computing. In the example shown in Figure 1, the information processing device 100 is, for example, an information processing device that provides various content to the terminal device 10 of each user U.

[0016] Note that the information processing apparatus 100 may have a function as a web server that provides websites related to various services such as news services, blog services, and SNS services. Further, the information processing apparatus 100 may be a device that distributes information to be displayed on applications (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "apps") related to various services installed on the terminal device 10 of the user U to the terminal device 10 of the user U. Further, the information processing apparatus 100 may be a server that distributes the apps themselves. Further, the information processing apparatus 100 may function as a distribution device that distributes control information to the terminal device 10 of the user U. Here, the control information is described by, for example, a script language such as JavaScript (registered trademark) or a style sheet language such as CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). Note that the app itself distributed from the information processing apparatus 100 may be regarded as control information.

[0017] Note that the number of each device included in the information processing system 1 shown in FIG. 1 is not limited to that shown. For example, in FIG. 1, for simplification of illustration, only two terminal devices 10 are shown, but this is merely an example and is not limited, and three or more may be used.

[0018] Hereinafter, the outline of the information processing performed by the information processing apparatus 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 1. First, the information processing apparatus 100 acquires user information indicating information regarding the user Ua or the terminal device 10a from the terminal device 10a of the user Ua (step S1). Further, the information processing apparatus 100 detects an action of the user Ub from the terminal device 10b of the user Ub and acquires action information (step S2).

[0019] Here, the user Ua is a user who views the content provided by the information processing apparatus 100. Further, the user Ub is a user who performs an action on the content provided by the information processing apparatus 100. It can be said that the user Ua is also the user Ub at the same time, and it can be said that the user Ub is also the user Ua at the same time.

[0020] Content may include, for example, news articles or advertisements, but it may also include blog posts, social media posts, or other types of content. Content may also include, in place of or in addition to, its summary, headline, URL (Uniform Resource Locator), etc. Actions refer to user U's actions toward the content, and include, for example, actions such as accessing the content, viewing it, clicking on it, and posting to the content.

[0021] User information for user Ua includes, for example, attribute information related to user Ua's attributes and setting information related to conditions for detecting other users Ub. User Ua's attributes include user segments, user personas, etc. Setting information includes one or more conditions. The conditions for detecting users Ub corresponding to user Ua are based on user information of user Ua and action information indicating user Ub's actions on content. The conditions may be set in advance by user Ua, or the information processing device 100 may set based on user Ua's attribute information or user Ua's content viewing status in the current or recent predetermined period.

[0022] The conditions may include, for example, conditions relating to the user's attributes, conditions relating to the content or content classification to which the user acted, conditions relating to the type of action, or a combination thereof. The conditions may also include, for example, specific strings contained in the posted comments. The conditions may be set for, for example, user U who has performed a specific action on a specific topic or content in a given period of time. There may be multiple conditions.

[0023] Next, the information processing device 100 detects a user Ub that matches predetermined conditions (step S3). Based on the user information settings of user Ua obtained in step S1, the information processing device 100 detects a user Ub that matches the conditions.

[0024] The information processing device 100 sequentially detects users Ub that match the conditions while user Ua is viewing content. The information processing device 100 generates statistical information of the detected users Ub (step S4). Specifically, the information processing device 100 aggregates users Ub that match the conditions, for example. If there are multiple conditions, the information processing device 100 aggregates users Ub for each condition. If there are users Ub that satisfy multiple conditions, the information processing device 100 may aggregate users Ub that satisfy multiple conditions.

[0025] Furthermore, the information processing device 100 extracts content corresponding to the conditions based on the user information settings of user Ua obtained in step S1 (step S5). The information processing device 100 may also extract only the content for which user Ub performed an action when user Ub is detected.

[0026] Next, the information processing device 100 provides the statistical information generated in step S4 and the list of content extracted in step S5 to the user Ua's terminal device 10a (step S6). In the example shown in Figure 1, the information processing device 100 provides the terminal device 10a with a list of content by displaying the summary content corresponding to news articles #1, #2, ... in a timeline format. The summary content includes an overview of the content, headlines, thumbnail images, etc.

[0027] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 1, the information processing device 100 displays statistical information, which numerically represents the number of users Ub corresponding to each condition, overlaid on a timeline showing a list of summary content. After step S6, the information processing device 100 continues to repeatedly execute steps S2, S3, and S4, updating the statistical information provided to the user Ua's terminal device 10a in real time.

[0028] In the example shown in Figure 1, the statistical information provided is defined as "interested in politics" and "interested in smartphones." When the statistical information is "interested in politics," the conditions for detecting a user UB are, for example, individuals who have frequently viewed, searched for, shared, or posted comments on news articles related to politics, policies, or the activities of politicians. When the statistical information is "interested in smartphones," the conditions for detecting a user UB are, for example, individuals who have frequently viewed, searched for, shared, or posted comments on news articles or advertisements related to smartphone development and releases, technology, innovation, new gadgets, and technology trends.

[0029] [2. Configuration of the Information Processing Device] Next, the configuration of the information processing device 100 according to the embodiment will be described using Figure 2. Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the information processing device 100 according to the embodiment. As shown in Figure 2, the information processing device 100 includes a communication unit 110, a storage unit 120, and a control unit 130. The information processing device 100 may also have an input unit (for example, a keyboard or mouse) that accepts various operations from an administrator or the like who uses the information processing device 100, and a display unit (for example, a liquid crystal display) for displaying various information.

[0030] The communication unit 110 is implemented, for example, by a NIC (Network Interface Card). The communication unit 110 is connected to the network N by wire or wireless connection and transmits and receives information with the user U's terminal device 10.

[0031] The storage unit 120 is implemented by, for example, semiconductor memory elements such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and flash memory, or by storage devices such as HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), and optical discs. As shown in Figure 3, the storage unit 120 includes a user information storage unit 121, a history information storage unit 122, a content information storage unit 123, and a condition information storage unit 124.

[0032] The user information storage unit 121 stores various information about the user U or the terminal device 10. Figure 3 shows an example of the user information storage unit 121. In the example shown in Figure 3, the user information storage unit 121 has items such as "user ID," "attribute information," and "setting information."

[0033] "User ID" refers to identification information for identifying terminal device 10, and includes identifiers represented by strings of characters, numbers, etc. "User ID" may also refer to identification information for identifying user U associated with terminal device 10.

[0034] "Attribute information" refers to information about user U, including, for example, information about user U's attributes such as gender, age, and place of residence. "Attribute information" may also include, for example, information about user U's hobbies, preferences, and interests, analyzed from user U's past actions on various types of content.

[0035] "Configuration information" refers to information about the conditions that are used to detect user U who matches the specified conditions, and is managed, for example, by the "condition ID" described below.

[0036] In other words, Figure 3 shows that the user information for user U, identified by user ID "UID#1", is "UDT#1", and the configuration information is "SETDT#1".

[0037] The history information storage unit 122 shown in Figure 2 stores various information related to the history of user U's actions. Figure 4 shows an example of the history information storage unit 122. In the example shown in Figure 4, the user information storage unit 121 has items such as "user ID," "browsing history," "posting history," and "search history."

[0038] The "User ID" indicates identification information for identifying the terminal device 10 and corresponds to the "User ID" shown in the user information storage unit 121 in Figure 3.

[0039] "Browsing history" refers to the history of content viewed by user U, and is managed, for example, by the "Content ID" described below.

[0040] "Posting history" refers to the posting history of user U's comments and other posts on content, and includes, for example, identification information to identify posts, text or image information indicating the content of the posts, and information related to the corresponding content.

[0041] "Search history" refers to the search history, which is a record of search queries entered by user U to search for specific content, content categories, or topics.

[0042] In other words, Figure 4 shows that the browsing history identified by the user ID "UID#1" is "RLOG#1", the posted information is "PLOG#1", and the search information is "SLOG#1".

[0043] The content information storage unit 123 shown in Figure 2 stores various types of information related to content such as news articles and advertisements. Figure 5 shows an example of the content information storage unit 123. In the example shown in Figure 5, the content information storage unit 123 has items such as "Content ID," "Text Information," "Image Information," "Delivery Date and Time," and "Classification."

[0044] "Content ID" refers to identifying information used to identify content, and includes identifiers represented by strings of characters, numbers, etc.

[0045] "Text information" refers to the text information of the content, and stores text information such as the title of a news article and the body of a news article. "Text information" may also include text information such as the summary text of summary content displayed on the timeline. In addition, "text information" may include source information indicating the source from which the content was posted to the news service.

[0046] "Image information" refers to images included in the content, such as thumbnail images displayed on the timeline.

[0047] "Distribution date and time" indicates the date and time when the content began to be distributed on the news service.

[0048] "Classification" refers to classification information for content, including, for example, the genre of a news article or information about the event.

[0049] In other words, Figure 5 shows that the text information of news articles and other content identified by the content ID "CID#1" is "TXTDT#1", the image information is "PICDT#1", the delivery date and time is "DDT#1", and the classification is "CATDT#1".

[0050] The condition information storage unit 124 shown in Figure 2 stores various information related to a predetermined condition in order to detect a user U that matches that condition. Figure 6 shows an example of the condition information storage unit 124. In the example shown in Figure 6, the condition information storage unit 124 has items such as "condition ID", "condition information", "statistical information", and "content information".

[0051] The "Condition ID" indicates identification information for identifying a condition, and includes identifiers represented by strings, numbers, etc.

[0052] "Condition information" refers to information about the conditions for detecting user U. For example, it stores information about specific content that user U views, searches for, or posts on, the category of that content, or the type of action that user U takes regarding that content.

[0053] "Statistical information" refers to statistics about users U who meet the criteria, including, for example, the number of users U who meet the criteria.

[0054] "Content information" refers to information about content that corresponds to a given condition, and is managed, for example, by the aforementioned "Content ID".

[0055] In other words, Figure 6 shows that the condition information identified by the condition ID "COID#1" is "COD#1", the statistical information is "STDT#1", and the content information is "CDT#1".

[0056] The control unit 130 shown in Figure 2 is implemented, for example, by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or MPU (Micro Processing Unit) executing various programs stored in the memory device inside the information processing device 100 using RAM as the working area. Alternatively, the control unit 130 can be implemented by an integrated circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). As shown in Figure 5, the control unit 130 of this embodiment includes a presentation unit 131, an acquisition unit 132, a collection unit 133, a detection unit 134, a generation unit 135, an extraction unit 136, and a provision unit 137, and implements or executes the information processing functions and operations described below.

[0057] The presentation unit 131 presents various content to the user U's terminal device 10. For example, the presentation unit 131 acquires various content provided through a news service. The presentation unit 131 acquires news articles from the terminal device of the news article poster via the network N. The presentation unit 131 stores the acquired news articles in the content information storage unit 123 and, based on a distribution request from the user U's terminal device 10, presents the content corresponding to the news articles to the user U's terminal device 10. The presentation unit 131 recognizes that it has received a distribution request, for example, by detecting that the user U's terminal device 10 has accessed a website related to the news service.

[0058] The acquisition unit 132 acquires user information from the terminal device 10 of user U who is viewing the content presented by the presentation unit 131. The user information acquired by the acquisition unit 132 includes setting information regarding the conditions of other users U detected by the detection unit 134. The acquisition unit 132 acquires user information of user U as needed, such as each time the presentation unit 131 presents content to user U.

[0059] The collection unit 133 detects actions taken by user U on content presented by the presentation unit 131 and obtains action information from user U's terminal device 10. The collection unit 133 collects action information from each user U's terminal device 10. The collection unit 133 obtains user U's action information as needed. For example, the collection unit 133 detects access to content by user U's terminal device 10, thereby detecting viewing of the content and updating the viewing history in the history information storage unit 122. For example, the collection unit 133 detects posting to content by user U's terminal device 10 and updates the posting history in the history information storage unit 122. For example, the collection unit 133 detects searching for content by user U's terminal device 10 and updates the search history in the history information storage unit 122.

[0060] The detection unit 134 matches the user Ua setting information acquired by the acquisition unit 132 with the user Ub action information collected by the collection unit 133 to detect other user Ub that match the conditions in the user Ua setting information. The detection unit 134 detects user Ub that match the conditions required by user Ua, whose user information was acquired by the acquisition unit 132, from among the user Ub whose action information was collected by the collection unit 133. The detection unit 134 continuously detects user Ub that match the conditions.

[0061] For example, when the generation unit 135, described later, generates statistical information on users Ub who are "interested in politics," the detection unit 134 detects users Ub who have taken actions such as viewing, searching for, or sharing content related to political news articles, or posting comments on content related to political news articles. The detection unit 134 may also use the condition that users Ub have taken actions on content viewed by users Ua whose user information has been acquired by the acquisition unit 132.

[0062] The generation unit 135 generates statistical information of the user Ub detected by the detection unit 134. That is, the generation unit 135 generates statistical information of other user Ub that match the conditions in the user Ua setting information acquired by the acquisition unit 132. For example, the generation unit 135 aggregates user Ub that match the conditions. If there are multiple conditions, the generation unit 135 aggregates user Ub for each condition. If there are user Ub that satisfy multiple conditions, the generation unit 135 may aggregate user Ub that satisfy multiple conditions. The generation unit 135 updates and generates statistical information as needed, such as each time the detection unit 134 detects a user Ub.

[0063] The extraction unit 136 extracts content corresponding to the conditions based on the user Ua setting information acquired by the acquisition unit 132. For example, if the condition is "a user Ub who has viewed, searched for, or shared content related to political news articles, or who has posted a comment on content related to political news articles," then the extraction unit 136 extracts news article content.

[0064] The extraction unit 136 may extract only the content to which a user Ub performed an action when the detection unit 134 detected the user Ub. In this case, the extraction unit 136 extracts the corresponding content as needed, such as each time the detection unit 134 detects a user Ub. For example, if the action information unit 133 has acquired that the detected user Ub "viewed news article #1", the extraction unit 136 extracts the content corresponding to news article #1. In other words, the extraction unit 136 may extract only the content to which any of the multiple user Ubs detected by the detection unit 134 performed an action, from among the content that meets the conditions.

[0065] The provisioning unit 137 provides the statistical information generated by the generation unit 135 and the list information showing the list of content extracted by the extraction unit 136 to the user Ua's terminal device 10a via the network N. That is, the provisioning unit 137 provides the statistical information of detected user Ub that matches the conditions based on the user Ua's setting information, and a list of content corresponding to the conditions. The provisioning unit 137 may update the information it provides in real time as needed when the statistical information is updated or when new content corresponding to the conditions is extracted, or it may update it at predetermined intervals, or it may update it based on operations by the user Ua.

[0066] If the information provided by the information provision unit 137 is to be updated in real time, it may provide detection information indicating that the detection unit 134 has detected a user Ub, and user Ub's action information, to the user Ua's terminal device 10a via the network N at any time. In other words, along with updating the statistical information, the provision unit 137 provides the user Ua's terminal device 10a with information regarding the detection and behavioral history of the user Ub that has been added to the statistics.

[0067] [3. Statistical display example] This section explains the conditions for users (UBs) to display statistical information, providing several examples.

[0068] For example, when providing statistics on "people similar to" a user (Ua), a user (Ub) that meets the criteria would be someone whose interests and behavioral patterns (actions) regarding that content are similar to those of user (Ua). Therefore, the criteria would include users (Ub) who frequently view, search for, or share content of the same category, or who post comments on that content.

[0069] Furthermore, for example, when providing statistical information on "people who like festivals" for a user (Ua), the conditions would be set to include users (Ub) who frequently view, search for, or share news articles or advertisements related to local festivals and events, or who post comments on such content. For example, the conditions may also include the scale of the festival or event, the season and dates, and the region where it is held.

[0070] Furthermore, for example, when providing statistical information on "people who talk passionately about baseball" for a user Ua, the conditions for setting user Ub would include users who frequently post lengthy comments on news articles or advertisements related to baseball in general, such as game results or players.

[0071] Furthermore, for example, when providing statistical information on "people interested in environmental protection" for a user Ua, the conditions would be set to user Ub, such as frequently viewing, searching for, or sharing news articles, public relations articles, or other content related to environmental issues, environmental protection activities, or eco-activities, or posting comments on such content.

[0072] Furthermore, for example, when providing statistical information on "people who collect childcare information" to a user Ua, the conditions would be set to include users Ub who frequently view, search for, or share content such as news articles, advertisements, public relations articles, columns, essays, personal blogs, and SNS posts related to childcare support and consultation systems, parenting tips, education, and parent-child events, or who post comments on such content. For example, the conditions may also include the child's age, grade level, and whether or not they have siblings.

[0073] Furthermore, for example, when providing statistical information on "people who are enthusiastic about health and exercise" for user Ua, the conditions would be set to include users Ub who frequently view, search for, or share content such as articles about health and exercise, advertisements for health equipment and health foods, articles about health checkup results and exercise advice, or who post comments on such content.

[0074] Furthermore, for example, when providing statistics on "people knowledgeable about local news" for a user (Ua), the conditions would be set to include users (Ub) who frequently view, search for, or share news articles or advertisements related to incidents, events, or happenings in a specific region, or who post comments on such content.

[0075] Furthermore, for example, when providing statistical information on "people interested in smartphones" for a user (Ua), the conditions for setting user (Ub) would include frequently viewing, searching for, or sharing news articles or advertisements related to smartphone development and releases, technology, innovation, new gadgets, and technology trends, or posting comments on such content.

[0076] Furthermore, for example, when providing statistical information on "people who are highly interested in politics" for a user (Ua), the conditions would be set to user (Ub), such as frequently viewing, searching for, or sharing news articles related to politics, policies, or the activities of politicians, or posting comments on such content.

[0077] Furthermore, for example, when providing statistical information on "people who like movies and TV shows" for a user Ua, the conditions would be set to user Ub, such as frequently viewing, searching for, or sharing content related to the latest movies and TV shows, or articles about reviews and opinions on them, or posting comments on such content.

[0078] [4. Processing Flow of Information Processing Devices] Next, the processing procedure by the information processing device 100 according to the embodiment will be described using Figure 7. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the information processing flow according to the embodiment.

[0079] As shown in Figure 7, first, the information processing device 100 obtains user information from the terminal device 10 (for example, terminal device 10a shown in Figure 1) of user U (for example, user Ua shown in Figure 1) (step S101). Step S101 is performed for multiple users U who view content provided by the information processing device 100. Next, the information processing device 100 collects action information from the terminal device 10 (for example, terminal device 10b shown in Figure 1) of an unspecified user U (for example, user Ub shown in Figure 1) (step S102).

[0080] Next, the information processing device 100 determines whether or not it has detected a user U that matches the conditions (step S103). Specifically, the information processing device 100 detects whether or not there is a user U among the users U from whom action information was collected in step S2 that matches the conditions requested by the user U whose user information was obtained in step S1. If no user U is detected (step S103; No), the information processing device 100 waits until a user U is detected. On the other hand, if a user U is detected (step S103; Yes), the information processing device 100 generates statistical information for the user Ub that matches the conditions (step S104).

[0081] Next, the information processing device 100 extracts content corresponding to the conditions (step S105). Then, the information processing device 100 provides the user Ua's terminal device 10a with statistical information of user Ub that matches the conditions and a list of the extracted content (step S106).

[0082] [5. Variations] The above-described embodiment is merely an example, and various modifications and applications are possible.

[0083] For example, some or all of the processing performed by the information processing device 100 may actually be performed by the terminal device 10 (or an application running on the terminal device 10). For example, the processing may be completed in a standalone manner (by the terminal device 10 alone). In this case, the terminal device 10 is assumed to be equipped with the functions of the information processing device 100 in the above embodiment. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, since the terminal device 10 is in cooperation with the information processing device 100, from the perspective of the user U, it appears as if the processing of the information processing device 100 is also being performed by the terminal device 10. In other words, from another perspective, it can be said that the terminal device 10 is equipped with the information processing device 100.

[0084] Furthermore, the internal configuration of the control unit 130 of the information processing device 100 in the above embodiment is not limited to the configuration shown in Figure 2, and may be any other configuration as long as it performs the information processing described above. Also, the connection relationships of the various processing units in the control unit 130 are not limited to the connection relationships shown in Figure 2, and may be any other connection relationships.

[0085] Furthermore, the content list may be displayed in order of the number of actions taken by users Ub, or in order of newest delivery or action. The number of users Ub who have taken action on each piece of content may be tallied and provided along with the list of content taken by users Ub, along with the number of users Ub who have taken action on each piece of content. The content list and statistical information displayed on the terminal device 10a may be updated in real time, at predetermined intervals, or based on operations by users Ua. In addition, the information processing device 100 may notify the terminal device 10b of users Ub that they have been detected by users Ua if they meet the specified conditions.

[0086] Furthermore, in this embodiment, statistical information is provided on users Ub who are similar to user Ua, or users Ub who share common interests, etc., of people Ua "wants to meet." However, the conditions for users Ub who provide statistical information are not limited to these. For example, the information processing device 100 may provide statistical information on users Ua "wants to avoid," such as users Ub who dislike Ua, or users Ub who are interested in topics that Ua is tired of. For example, the information processing device 100 may provide a set of statistical information on "people Ua wants to meet," a list of content corresponding to "people Ua wants to meet," and statistical information on "people Ua wants to avoid."

[0087] Furthermore, although the above embodiments use news articles and other articles concerning events as examples, in practice, instead of news articles and other articles, the target may be content that can be displayed in a browser or app, etc., and that relates to a predetermined theme, article, topic, etc. For example, the content may be social networking services, video streaming sites, Q&A sites, specialized field sites, life advice sites, etc.

[0088] [6. Effects] As described above, the information processing device 100 according to the embodiment includes an acquisition unit 132, a collection unit 133, a detection unit 134, a generation unit 135, and a provision unit 137. The acquisition unit 132 acquires user information of user U from the terminal device 10 of user U. The collection unit 133 acquires action information indicating user U's actions on content from the terminal device 10 of user U. The detection unit 134 detects a second user Ub that matches predetermined conditions based on the user information of a first user U (for example, user Ua shown in Figure 1) and the action information of a second user U (for example, user Ub shown in Figure 1). The generation unit 135 generates statistical information of the second user Ub that matches the conditions. The provision unit 137 provides the statistical information of the second user Ub that matches the conditions to the terminal device 10a of the first user Ua.

[0089] For example, the conditions for detecting a second user Ub include the attributes of the second user Ub, the content or content classification to which the second user Ub took action, or the type of action taken. Furthermore, for example, the conditions may be set based on the content viewing history of the first user Ua during the current or most recent specified period.

[0090] As a result, the information processing device 100 according to the embodiment presents to the first user Ua, statistically, a second user Ub who has performed an action that matches predetermined conditions for the first user Ua. The predetermined conditions are based on the user information of user Ua. Therefore, user Ua can grasp statistical information about other users Ub that meet the conditions associated with user Ua. Thus, user Ua can grasp the trends in popular themes and topics that user Ua is seeking or is presumed to be seeking.

[0091] Furthermore, the information processing device 100 according to the embodiment further includes an extraction unit 136. The extraction unit 136 extracts content corresponding to the conditions for detecting a second user Ub. For example, the extraction unit 136 extracts content that corresponds to the conditions and is the target of an action taken by the second user Ub when the detection unit 134 detects the second user Ub. The provision unit 137 also provides a list of the extracted content to the terminal device 10a of the first user Ua.

[0092] As a result, the information processing device 100 according to the embodiment provides the first user Ua's terminal device 10a with content that serves as the basis for detecting the second user Ub. Therefore, the first user Ua can grasp a list of content that user Ua requests or is presumed to request, along with statistical information, and thus grasp trends in themes and topics of interest.

[0093] Furthermore, in the information processing device 100 according to the embodiment, for example, the collection unit 133 collects action information as needed, and the detection unit 134 detects a second user Ub that matches the conditions as needed. The generation unit 135 generates statistical information by updating it as needed, and the provision unit 137 provides the statistical information updated by the generation unit 135 to the terminal device 10a of the first user Ua as needed. Also, for example, the extraction unit 136 extracts the content for which the detected second user Ub performed an action as needed, and the provision unit 137 provides the terminal device 10a of the first user Ua with a list of the content extracted by the extraction unit 136 as needed. Also, for example, the provision unit 137 provides the terminal device 10a of the first user Ua as needed with detection information and action information indicating that the detection unit 134 has detected a second user Ub.

[0094] As a result, the information processing device 100 according to the embodiment presents statistical information and corresponding content to user Ua in real time. Therefore, user Ua can quickly grasp how quickly other users Ub that user Ua desires or is presumed to desire are increasing. Furthermore, the information processing device 100 according to the embodiment presents the detected second user Ub to user Ua in real time. Therefore, user Ua can quickly find other users Ub that user Ua desires or is presumed to desire and easily connect with them. By connecting with users U who share common interests, opportunities to be exposed to different perspectives and new information can be increased, and it is expected that the breadth of user U's knowledge will broaden, and the diversity and understanding of information will deepen. In addition, communication such as information exchange, discussion, and engagement among users U can be activated, and the entire platform can be revitalized.

[0095] [7. Hardware Configuration] The information processing device 100 according to the above-described embodiment is realized by a computer 1000 having a configuration such as that shown in Figure 8. Figure 8 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration. The computer 1000 includes a CPU 1100, RAM 1200, ROM 1300, HDD 1400, communication interface (I / F) 1500, input / output interface (I / F) 1600, and media interface (I / F) 1700.

[0096] The CPU 1100 operates based on programs stored in the ROM 1300 or HDD 1400, and controls various parts. The ROM 1300 stores boot programs executed by the CPU 1100 when the computer 1000 starts up, as well as programs that depend on the computer 1000's hardware.

[0097] The HDD1400 stores programs executed by the CPU1100, as well as data used by those programs. The communication interface1500 receives data from other devices via the network N and sends it to the CPU1100, and also transmits data generated by the CPU1100 to other devices via the network N.

[0098] The CPU 1100 controls output devices such as displays and printers, and input devices such as keyboards and mice, via the input / output interface 1600. The CPU 1100 acquires data from input devices via the input / output interface 1600. The CPU 1100 also outputs the data it generates to output devices via the input / output interface 1600.

[0099] The media interface 1700 reads a program or data stored in the recording medium 1800 and provides it to the CPU 1100 via the RAM 1200. The CPU 1100 loads the program from the recording medium 1800 onto the RAM 1200 via the media interface 1700 and executes the loaded program. The recording medium 1800 is, for example, an optical recording medium such as a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) or PD (Phase Change Rewritable Disk), a magneto-optical recording medium such as an MO (Magneto-Optical disk), a tape medium, a magnetic recording medium, or a semiconductor memory.

[0100] For example, when computer 1000 functions as information processing device 100, the CPU 1100 of computer 1000 implements the functions of the control unit 130 by executing programs loaded onto RAM 1200. The HDD 1400 stores the data within the storage device (storage unit 120) of the information processing device 100. The CPU 1100 of computer 1000 reads and executes these programs from the recording medium 1800, but as another example, these programs may be obtained from other devices via a predetermined communication network.

[0101] [8. Other] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited by the content of these embodiments. Furthermore, the aforementioned components include those that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those that fall within the so-called equivalent range. Moreover, the aforementioned components can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the components can be made without departing from the gist of the embodiments described above.

[0102] Furthermore, among the processes described in the above embodiments, all or part of the processes described as being performed automatically can be performed manually, or all or part of the processes described as being performed manually can be performed automatically by known methods. In addition, the processing procedures, specific names, and information including various data and parameters shown in the above document and drawings can be arbitrarily changed unless otherwise specified. For example, the various information shown in each figure is not limited to the information shown.

[0103] Furthermore, the components of each illustrated device are functionally conceptual and do not necessarily need to be physically configured as shown. In other words, the specific forms of distribution and integration of each device are not limited to those shown, and all or part of them can be functionally or physically distributed and integrated in any unit according to various loads, usage conditions, etc.

[0104] For example, the information processing device 100 described above may be implemented using multiple server computers, and depending on the function, it may be implemented by calling external platforms, etc., via APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) or network computing, allowing for flexible configuration changes.

[0105] Furthermore, the embodiments described above can be combined as appropriate, as long as the processing content is not contradictory.

[0106] Furthermore, the terms "section, module, unit" used above can be replaced with "means," "circuit," etc. For example, the acquisition unit can be replaced with acquisition means or acquisition circuit. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0107] 1. Information Processing System 10 Terminal devices 100 Information Processing Devices 110 Communications Department 120 Storage section 121 User information storage unit 122 History Information Storage Unit 123 Content Information Storage Unit 124 Condition information storage unit 130 Control Unit 131 Presentation section 132 Acquisition Department 133 Collection Department 134 Detection unit 135 Generation part 136 Extraction part 137 Provision Department N Network U User

Claims

1. An acquisition unit that acquires user information of the user from the user's terminal device, A collection unit that acquires action information indicating the user's actions on the content from the user's terminal device, A detection unit that detects a second user who matches predetermined conditions based on the user information of the first user and the action information of the second user, A generation unit that generates statistical information of the second user that matches the above conditions, A providing unit that provides the statistical information of the second user that matches the above conditions to the terminal device of the first user, An information processing device characterized by comprising:

2. The collection unit collects the action information as needed, The detection unit detects the second user who matches the conditions as needed. The generation unit generates the statistical information by updating it as needed. The provisioning unit provides the statistical information updated by the generation unit to the terminal device of the first user as needed. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

3. The system further includes an extraction unit that extracts content corresponding to the aforementioned conditions, The provisioning unit provides the extracted content list to the terminal device of the first user. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

4. The extraction unit extracts content that corresponds to the conditions and in which the second user has taken an action when the detection unit detects the second user. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The collection unit collects the action information as needed, The detection unit detects the second user who matches the conditions as needed. The extraction unit extracts content in which the detected second user has taken action, as needed. The provisioning unit provides the list of content extracted by the extraction unit to the terminal device of the first user at any time. The information processing apparatus according to feature 5.

6. The provisioning unit provides the first user's terminal device with detection information indicating that the detection unit has detected the second user, as well as the action information, from time to time. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 or 5.

7. The aforementioned conditions include any of the following: the attributes of the second user, the content or category of content to which the second user took action, or the type of action. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

8. The aforementioned conditions are set based on the content viewing status of the first user during the current or most recent specified period. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

9. An information processing method performed by an information processing device, The process involves acquiring user information from the user's terminal device, A collection process to obtain action information indicating the user's actions on the content from the user's terminal device, A detection step for detecting a second user that matches predetermined conditions based on the user information of the first user and the action information of the second user, A generation step for generating statistical information of the second user that matches the above conditions, A provision step of providing the statistical information of the second user that matches the above conditions to the terminal device of the first user, An information processing method characterized by including

10. Procedure for obtaining user information from the user's terminal device, A collection procedure for obtaining action information indicating the user's actions on content from the user's terminal device, A detection procedure for detecting a second user that matches predetermined conditions based on the user information of the first user and the action information of the second user, A generation procedure for generating statistical information of the second user that matches the above conditions, A provision procedure for providing the statistical information of the second user that matches the above conditions to the terminal device of the first user, An information processing program that causes a computer to execute something.

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