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

Abstract

We provide technology to deliver more appropriate services to users. [Solution] The information processing device of the present invention includes a display control means that controls the display unit to display VR content or non-VR content corresponding to the selected plan in response to a selection operation, which is a user operation in which the user selects one of a plurality of plans, and a control means that controls the storage unit to store reservation information indicating the selected plan in response to a reservation operation, which is a user operation in which the user reserves the selected plan, wherein the reservation information further indicates whether the VR content corresponding to the selected plan was displayed when the reservation operation was performed.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] When making a hotel reservation or the like, a user searches for hotel plans via the Internet and reserves a desired plan. At this time, the user refers to two-dimensional information (character information and two-dimensional images) displayed on terminals such as personal computers and smartphones to reserve a desired plan.

[0003] When displaying an image showing as wide a range as possible, such as the interior view of a hotel room, on a terminal such as a personal computer or a smartphone, it is necessary to shoot with a wide-angle field of view. Since an image taken with a wide angle has a perspective different from the actual appearance, it is difficult for the user to grasp the actual state of the room.

[0004] Therefore, a reservation system has been devised that provides users with introduction images of accommodation facilities as three-dimensional images. Patent Document 1 describes a method of virtually experiencing the movement to a destination using three-dimensional images when making reservations for various facilities associated with travel, and a method of making it possible to confirm the internal configuration and service contents of accommodation facilities and the like in three-dimensional images.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] When a user decides on a reservation plan after viewing a 3D image, it is highly likely that they prioritize the plan's content and services. Conversely, when a user decides on a reservation plan after viewing an image that is not 3D, it is highly likely that they are choosing the plan based on factors such as the location of the accommodation and the price of the plan. Thus, when a user decides on a reservation plan, the criteria they seek may differ depending on the image they viewed at the time of decision.

[0007] However, since Patent Document 1 is based on the premise of displaying 3D images, the provision of services tailored to specific conditions has not been considered.

[0008] The present invention aims to provide technology for providing users with more appropriate services. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The information processing apparatus of the present invention includes a display control means that controls the display unit to display VR content or non-VR content corresponding to a selected plan in response to a selection operation, which is a user operation in which the user selects one of a plurality of plans, and a control means that controls the storage unit to store reservation information indicating the selected plan in response to a reservation operation, which is a user operation in which the user reserves the selected plan, wherein the reservation information further indicates whether the VR content corresponding to the selected plan was displayed when the reservation operation was performed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide technology for providing users with more appropriate services. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is an overall diagram of the reservation system. [Figure 2] This is a diagram showing the display on the user's terminal. [Figure 3]This is a flowchart showing how the reservation management system works. [Figure 4] This diagram shows the VR image displayed on the user's terminal. [Figure 5] This figure shows a non-VR image displayed on the user's terminal. [Figure 6] This is a table showing the classification of image formats. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a reservation system 1 using an information processing device according to this embodiment. The reservation system 1 includes a reservation management system 11, a content server 12, and a user terminal 16.

[0013] In this embodiment, the reservation management system 11 is used by users to reserve accommodation plans. The reservation management system 11 obtains VR (Virtual Reality) images from the content server 12 regarding the interior of the room, the facilities of the accommodation, and the details of services such as meals. In response to a selection operation, which is a user operation on the user terminal 16, the reservation management system 11 associates the selected accommodation plan with the VR image and transmits it to the user terminal 16.

[0014] The reservation management system 11 includes a lodging plan database (DB) 111, a reservation information database (DB) 112, a control unit 113, a display control unit 114, an acquisition unit 115, a notification unit 116, and a terminal determination unit (detection unit) 117.

[0015] Accommodation plan DB111 is a database including a storage unit such as a storage medium. Information about accommodation plans to be presented to users and the like are stored in this storage unit. In accommodation plan DB111, information related to the accommodation plan, such as vacancy information of the accommodation facility (information on whether the accommodation plan is reservable), price information, information on the interior view of the room and the facilities of the accommodation facility, information on service contents such as meals, and the like are stored. The various information stored in accommodation plan DB111 may include two-dimensional images and the like. The various information stored in accommodation plan DB111 is stored by accommodation facility 13 and tourism business 14. Reservation management system 11 transmits information on reservable accommodation plans from accommodation plan DB111 to user terminal 16 in response to a user operation on user terminal 16.

[0016] Reservation information DB112 is a database including a storage unit such as a storage medium. This storage unit is used to store reservation information and the like related to the selected accommodation plan in response to a reservation operation which is a user operation on user terminal 16. The reservation information includes personal information (contact information) about the user who reserved the accommodation plan, information about the accommodation plan reserved by the user (referred to as "plan information"), information about the surrounding area related to the accommodation plan reserved by the user (referred to as "surrounding information"), and the like.

[0017] The plan information includes a plurality of information such as the accommodation facility, room, date, period, number of reserved people, price of the reserved plan, and service contents (such as cuisine) related to the reserved plan that the user reserved. A plurality of VR images or non-VR images related to each of the plurality of information included in the plan information are associated.

[0018] The surrounding information includes a plurality of information such as tourism information around the accommodation facility, route information to the accommodation facility, information on transportation means to the accommodation facility, and the like. The plurality of information included in the surrounding information is information not directly related to the accommodation plan but is useful information for the user. One or a plurality of associated images (VR images or non-VR images) are associated with each of the plurality of information.

[0019] The control unit 113 controls the entire reservation management system 11. The control unit 113 controls to store reservation information in the reservation information DB 112 according to a user operation on the user terminal 16. Further, the control unit 113 performs determination of content to be displayed on the user terminal 16 and user authentication and the like.

[0020] The display control unit 114 controls to display a VR image (VR content) or a non-VR image (non-VR content) or the like on the user terminal 16 according to a user operation on the user terminal 16. The display control unit 114 controls to transmit a VR image or a non-VR image or the like from the accommodation plan DB 111 or the content server 12 to the user terminal 16. The display control unit 114 may control to superimpose a non-VR image on the VR image and display it on the user terminal 16.

[0021] The acquisition unit 115 acquires a VR image or a non-VR image or the like corresponding to a user operation on the user terminal 16. For example, the acquisition unit 115 acquires a VR image or a non-VR image or the like from the accommodation plan DB 111 and the content server 12.

[0022] The notification unit 116 sends notifications regarding reservation confirmation and the like to the contact information of the user registered by the user and to the accommodation facility 13 (or the tourism business 14) by e-mail or the like. The notification unit 116 may send a notification prompting the user to store a VR image in the content server 12 based on the reservation information after the reservation operation.

[0023] The terminal determination unit 117 determines the type of the user terminal 16 connected to the reservation management system 11. The terminal determination unit 117 determines the type of the user terminal 16 by acquiring information (terminal type information) regarding the type of the terminal transmitted from the user terminal 16.

[0024] The content server 12 is a server that includes a storage unit such as a storage medium. This storage unit stores information such as the interior and facilities of the accommodation rooms and the details of services such as meals. The various types of information stored in the content server 12 may include non-VR images, 3D images that are also 180-degree images (3D 180-degree images), and 3D images that are also 360-degree images (3D 360-degree images). Information may be stored in the content server 12 by the staff of the accommodation 13, or by one or more photographers.

[0025] In this embodiment, the 3D 180-degree image and the 3D 360-degree image are images captured of real space using multiple fisheye lenses arranged in parallel. The 3D 180-degree image is a type of three-dimensional image that captures the space in front of the camera with a horizontal field of view of approximately 180 degrees. The 3D 360-degree image is a type of three-dimensional image that captures a 360-degree space. The 3D 180-degree image and the 3D 360-degree image are composed of two images with parallax. One of the two images corresponds to the user's right eye, and the other corresponds to the user's left eye. The user views the 3D 180-degree image and the 3D 360-degree image, which have been processed using image editing software or the like, with a compatible HMD (Head-Mounted Display). As a result, the user can see the subject in three dimensions, allowing for an immersive viewing experience.

[0026] Generally, the effective field of vision that a human being can consciously perceive at one time is 60 to 70 degrees horizontally in front of them. It is said that the effective field of view is approximately 180 degrees, and in this embodiment, images capturing a range exceeding this are considered 3D 180-degree images. However, 3D 180-degree images are not limited to images capturing a space with a strictly 180-degree horizontal field of view; for example, they may be images with a horizontal field of view of 190 degrees, 220 degrees, or 140 degrees. By using a head-mounted display (HMD), users can view the areas captured beyond the effective field of view of the 3D 180-degree and 3D 360-degree images by moving their heads and gaze.

[0027] A user may view one of two parallax images captured as a 3D 180-degree image or a 3D 360-degree image. One of the two parallax images may be a 2D image that is also a 180-degree image (2D 180-degree image), or a 2D image that is also a 360-degree image (2D 360-degree image). When a user views a 2D 180-degree image or a 2D 360-degree image using an HMD, they cannot perceive depth, but they can look around to check their surroundings. When viewing 2D 180-degree images or 2D 360-degree images on a device that displays 2D images, such as a PC or smartphone, the viewpoint can be changed by user operation. In such cases, the user cannot perceive immersion. On the other hand, in this case, the amount of information the user obtains from the image increases compared to a simple 2D image.

[0028] In this embodiment, 3D 180-degree images, 3D 360-degree images, 2D 180-degree images, and 2D 360-degree images are collectively referred to as VR images. VR images may be still images or videos. Because VR images contain more information than simple 2D images, downloading VR images to the user terminal 16 may strain network bandwidth. Therefore, it is necessary to transmit VR images to the appropriate target at the appropriate time.

[0029] The VR images stored in the content server 12 are not limited to being stored by staff of the accommodation facility 13. VR images may be stored in the content server 12 by one or more photographers 151,152. Photographers 151,152 may, for example, be guests of the accommodation facility 13, and VR images of the interior of the room or the food they actually stayed in may be stored, linked to their booked accommodation plan. Thus, those who store VR images in the content server 12 are not limited to staff of the accommodation facility 13. This means that even if staff of the accommodation facility 13 do not take VR images of their own facility, it is possible to obtain high-quality VR images from multiple guests with high VR image literacy.

[0030] The user terminal 16 is a terminal that can connect to the reservation management system 11 via a network such as the Internet and has a display unit. In this embodiment, the reservation management system 11 is connected to the user terminal 16, which includes terminals capable of displaying 2D images from a personal computer 161 and a smartphone 162, and terminals capable of displaying 3D VR images such as an HMD 163. However, the user terminal 16 only needs to be a terminal that can connect to a network, display images, and is user-operable.

[0031] When the user terminal 16 connects to the reservation management system 11, it transmits terminal type information and other data to the reservation management system 11. The reservation management system 11 receives the terminal type information and identification information (described later) transmitted from the user terminal 16. The reservation management system 11 changes the image format displayed on the user terminal 16 based on the user terminal 16's operation. The user terminal 16 displays non-VR images and VR images transmitted from the reservation management system 11 on its display unit.

[0032] Next, using Figures 2 to 6, we will explain the process of a user booking a lodging plan using the HMD163 (user terminal 16). Figures 2A and 2B show the display on the HMD163. In Figure 2A, a user wearing the HMD163 is viewing the screen displayed on the HMD163. In Figure 2A, the dashed frame 201 is visible to the user wearing the HMD163. This indicates the range of possibilities. Search screen 202 displays multiple accommodations that the user can select. Search screen 202 displays non-VR images that show the location of the accommodations on a map. If the user is using a PC 161 or smartphone 162, search screen 202 will be displayed in the display area.

[0033] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the reservation management system 11 when a user makes a reservation using the HMD163. The process in this flowchart begins when "the user connects to the reservation management system 11 using the HMD163 and enters information such as the date and time of stay, the number of people, and the accommodation location while viewing the search screen 202."

[0034] In S301, the control unit 113 searches the accommodation plan database 111 for plans that match the search criteria among the available plans. The display control unit 114 displays the results of the search performed by the control unit 113 from the accommodation plan database 111 on the HMD 163. The search results displayed on the HMD 163 may be two-dimensional information, for example, showing the locations of candidate accommodations on a map and displaying the details of the main plans (such as price and plan name). Once the search results are displayed, the user performs a user operation (selection operation) to select one of the plans that best matches the desired conditions from the displayed multiple plans (search results).

[0035] In S302, the control unit 113 selects a plan corresponding to the selection operation.

[0036] In S303, the display control unit 114 displays detailed information about the plan selected in S302 on the HMD 163. As shown in Figure 2B, the HMD 163 displays a detailed screen 203 showing various information about the plan selected by the selection operation as two-dimensional information.

[0037] The details screen 203 contains information such as the room size and bed size related to the plan selected in S302. The details screen 203 includes a 2D thumbnail 204, another 2D thumbnail 205, price information 206, and a reservation button 207. The 2D thumbnail 204 shows the interior of the room. The 2D thumbnail 205 shows the view from the room, the meals, and the open-air bath. The reservation button 207 is a button for making a reservation. Here, let's assume the user selected the 2D thumbnail 204 to get detailed information about the interior of the room for the selected plan.

[0038] In S304, the display control unit 114 displays a VR image corresponding to the 2D thumbnail 204 on the HMD 163. To do this, first, the terminal determination unit 117 detects a user operation in which the control unit 113 selects the user's 2D thumbnail 204 and acquires terminal type information. The display control unit 114 then transmits an image in an image format corresponding to the terminal type information (terminal) to the user terminal 16. In this embodiment, since the user is connected to the reservation management system 11 using the HMD 163, the display control unit 114 transmits a VR image of the room's interior from the content server 12 to the HMD 163. As a result, the display control unit 114 controls the display unit of the HMD 163 to display the VR image of the room's interior. Therefore, the user can confirm the VR image using the HMD 163.

[0039] VR images come in various image formats, including 3D 180-degree images, 3D 360-degree images, 2D 180-degree images, and 2D 360-degree images. However, the image formats of VR images stored in the content server 12 by the accommodation facility 13 and photographers 151 and 152 may not be standardized. Therefore, the image format of the images associated with each plan may differ. In this embodiment, it will be explained that the plan selected by the user is associated with a 3D 180-degree image.

[0040] Figures 4A and 4B show the HMD 163 displaying a VR image of the interior of a room. In Figures 4A and 4B, the dashed frame 401 indicates the field of view of the HMD 163, showing the area of ​​the VR image that the user is viewing. In the HMD 163, the frame 401 moves in response to the user's head movement, changing the displayed area of ​​the VR image. For example, if a user viewing the image in frame 401 shown in Figure 4A turns their head to the left, the displayed area of ​​the VR image changes as shown in Figure 4B. In this embodiment, since the VR image displayed on the HMD 163 is a 3D 180-degree image, the user can get the feeling that they are actually in the room and looking around.

[0041] The display control unit 114 may display a non-VR image corresponding to the selected plan based on the selection operation, superimposed on the VR image displayed on the HMD 163. In this embodiment, price information 403, a reservation button 404, and a registration button 405 are displayed superimposed on the VR image of the room's interior. Price information 403 indicates the price information of the selected plan. The reservation button 404 is a button for making a reservation request for the selected plan. The registration button 405 is a button for registering the selected plan as a favorite so that it can be compared with other plans later. Price information 403, reservation button 404, and registration button 405 are collectively referred to as superimposed two-dimensional information 402.

[0042] The display control unit 114 may display a non-VR image corresponding to a plan different from the one selected based on the selection operation (another plan) superimposed on the VR image displayed on the HMD 163. In this embodiment, a 2D thumbnail 406 is superimposed (displayed) to facilitate comparison between the selected plan and the other plan. The 2D thumbnail 406 is a thumbnail image of the VR image (3D 180-degree image) corresponding to the other plan. By selecting the 2D thumbnail 406, the user can view the VR image corresponding to the other plan. The other plan may be a plan using a different room in the same accommodation facility 13, or a plan using a different accommodation facility.

[0043] In S305, the control unit 113 determines whether the user has performed an operation to select another plan (a plan different from the plan selected in S302) (referred to as the "other plan selection operation"). If the control unit 113 determines that the user has performed the other plan selection operation, it returns to S304; otherwise, it proceeds to S306.

[0044] In this embodiment, when the user performs the operation to select another plan, they select a 2D thumbnail 406 using hand gestures or a controller attached to the HMD 163. When the control unit 113 determines that the user has performed the operation to select another plan, the display control unit 114 controls the display to switch the VR image corresponding to the plan the user was viewing to the VR image corresponding to the other plan. At this time, the price information 403 displayed on the HMD 163 also switches. After the display switches to the VR image corresponding to the other plan, the 2D thumbnail 406 that is displayed superimposed on the VR image is a thumbnail of the VR image corresponding to the room of the plan selected in S302. This allows the user to easily compare the VR images corresponding to each of the multiple plans, making it easy to compare each plan.

[0045] In S306, the control unit 113 determines whether the user has performed a user operation (referred to as a "confirmation operation") to check various information corresponding to the plan selected in S305. If the control unit 113 determines that the user has performed a confirmation operation, it returns to S303; otherwise, it proceeds to S307.

[0046] The superimposed 2D information 402 and 2D thumbnail 406 should be displayed superimposed in front of the VR image (closer to the user) to improve visibility. For example, the superimposed 2D information 402 and 2D thumbnail 406 should be displayed virtually 40 cm away from the user. In addition, the 3D 180-degree interior image of the room should be taken so that the nearest subject is positioned at least 50 cm away from the user.

[0047] In S307, the control unit 113 determines whether the user has performed a user operation (reservation operation) to reserve the selected plan. If the control unit 113 determines that the user has performed a reservation operation, it proceeds to S308; if it determines that the user has not performed a reservation operation, it waits until the reservation operation is performed. The user decides whether to reserve a plan by comparing multiple VR images corresponding to each of the multiple plans, switching between them. When the user selects the reservation button 404, the HMD 163 displays the application screen for the selected plan. This application screen consists of 2D information. After entering personal information and payment information on the application screen, the contract is concluded when the reservation is confirmed on the final confirmation screen.

[0048] In S308, the control unit 113 stores reservation information based on user operations on the HMD 163 in the reservation information DB 112. The reservation information is information (including information containing these) that links personal information, identification information, plan information, and peripheral information about the user. If the HMD 163 can acquire biometric information such as the user's iris information, blood pressure information, and heart rate information, the control unit 113 may link at least one of the various pieces of information included in the biometric information to the user's personal information. The biometric information may be fingerprint information or voiceprint information, etc.

[0049] Identification information refers to information about the image format of the image the user was viewing when they made a reservation. For example, the image format information includes whether the image the user was viewing was a non-VR image or a VR image. Furthermore, if the image the user was viewing was a VR image, the image format information also includes details about the VR image format. For instance, if a user was viewing a 3D 180-degree image when making a reservation, the identification information will record that the user made the reservation by viewing a 3D 180-degree image.

[0050] Here, we will describe the case where the user is using a user terminal 16 that can only display two-dimensional images, such as a personal computer 161 or a smartphone 162. The display control unit 114 controls the user terminal 16 to display a non-VR image that allows the user to view the interior of the room in the plan selected by the user, according to the terminal type information. If both VR images and non-VR images are stored in the accommodation plan DB 111 or the content server 12, the display control unit 114 may send either a VR image or a non-VR image to the user terminal 16 according to the terminal type information. If the user selects a two-dimensional thumbnail 204, the display control unit 114 sends a non-VR image corresponding to the interior of the room in the plan selected by the user to the user terminal 16.

[0051] Figure 5 shows a non-VR image representing the interior of a room displayed on the display unit of a PC 161 or smartphone 162. This display unit shows price information 501, a reservation button 502, and a registration button 503 as 2D information. Price information 501 shows the price information for the selected plan. Reservation button 502 is a button for making a reservation for the selected plan. Registration button 503 is a button for adding the selected plan to favorites so that it can be compared with other plans later. The various 2D information are displayed so as not to overlap with the non-VR image corresponding to the room's interior. In addition, 2D thumbnails 504 are displayed to facilitate comparison between the selected plan and other plans. The 2D thumbnails 504 are thumbnails of images corresponding to the room interiors of other plans. This is an image. The 2D thumbnail 504 is displayed so as not to overlap with the non-VR image corresponding to the interior of the room. By selecting the 2D thumbnail 504, the user can view images corresponding to other plans. The process until the reservation is confirmed is the same as when viewing VR images with HMD163, so the explanation is omitted. The identification information linked to the reservation information records that the user made the reservation operation by viewing a non-VR image.

[0052] Returning to the explanation of Figure 3, in S309, the notification unit 116 performs a notification process based on the reservation information, notifying the user's registered contact information of the reservation confirmation via email or the like. The notification unit 116 also notifies the accommodation facility 13 or the tourism business 14 of the reservation confirmation via email or the like. The email contains a link (URL) to the reservation information, and by selecting this link, the user can check their own reservation details. If the user checks their reservation details using the link to the reservation information after the reservation operation, the control unit 113 determines the image format of the information to be displayed on the user terminal 16 based on the terminal type information of the user terminal 16 and the reservation information.

[0053] Figure 6 is a table showing the classification of image formats. Figure 6 shows which image format the reservation management system 11 uses to present information to a user who is checking their reservation details after making a reservation. The reservation management system 11 determines which image format to use based on the type of terminal used by the user and the identification information linked to the reservation information. The numbers 1 to 5 in Figure 6 indicate the priority order of the image formats presented by the reservation management system 11. If there are images stored in the content server 12 after the user's reservation operation that are linked to the plan reserved by the user, the reservation management system 11 may present new images according to the priority order shown in Figure 6.

[0054] Here, we will explain the case where the user terminal 16 connects to the reservation management system 11 in order to confirm the reservation details after the reservation operation. First, we will explain the case where a user who was viewing non-VR images during the reservation operation connects to the reservation management system 11 from a personal computer 161. In this case, the control unit 113 determines the user's level of demand for VR images and their VR image literacy based on terminal type information and identification information. In this case, since the personal computer 161, which is not suitable for viewing VR images, is being used, the control unit 113 determines that the user's level of demand for VR images is not high. Also, since the user was not viewing VR images during the reservation operation, the control unit 113 determines that the user's VR image literacy is not high. Therefore, the display control unit 114 determines that there is little need to show the user VR images and sends non-VR images to the personal computer 161 when presenting the user with plan information or related information linked to the reservation information.

[0055] This section describes the case where a user who was viewing a non-VR image during the reservation process connects to the reservation management system 11 from the HMD 163 to confirm the reservation details. In this case as well, the control unit 113 determines the user's level of demand for VR images and their VR image literacy based on terminal type information and identification information. In this case, the control unit 113 determines that the user's demand for VR images is high because the HMD 163, which is suitable for viewing VR images, is being used. On the other hand, the control unit 113 determines that the user's VR image literacy is not high because they were not viewing VR images during the reservation process. Therefore, the control unit 113 determines that although the user did not request VR images during the reservation process, they may now be requesting images with more information than non-VR images. Therefore, the display control unit 114 determines that there is a certain degree of need to show the user VR images, and if one or more VR images are associated with the reserved plan, it sends the VR image with the highest priority among the one or more VR images to the HMD 163. If a VR image is not associated with the reserved plan, the display control unit 114 sends a non-VR image to the HMD 163.

[0056] This section describes the case where a user who was viewing VR images during the reservation process connects to the reservation management system 11 from a PC 161 to confirm the reservation details. In this case as well, the control unit 113 determines the user's level of demand for VR images and their VR image literacy based on terminal type information and identification information. In this case, the control unit 113 determines that the user's level of demand for VR images is not high because the PC 161, which is not suitable for viewing VR images, is being used. However, the control unit 113 determines that the user has high VR image literacy because, although a terminal capable of only 2D display is being used, the user was viewing VR images during the reservation process. Therefore, the display control unit 114 determines that there is a certain degree of need to show the user VR images and sends a 2D 180-degree image or a 2D 360-degree image to the PC 161.

[0057] This section describes the case where a user who was viewing a VR image during the reservation process connects to the reservation management system 11 from the HMD 163 to confirm the reservation details. In this case as well, the control unit 113 determines the user's level of demand for VR images and their VR image literacy based on terminal type information and identification information. In this case, since the HMD 163, which is suitable for viewing VR images, is being used, the control unit 113 determines that the user's level of demand for VR images is high. Furthermore, since the user was viewing a VR image during the reservation process, the control unit 113 also determines that the user's VR image literacy is high. Therefore, the display control unit 114 determines that there is a certain degree of need to show the user a VR image, and if a 3D VR image is associated with the reserved plan, it sends a 3D 180-degree image or a 3D 360-degree image to the HMD 163. If a 3D VR image is not associated with the reserved plan, the display control unit 114 sends a 2D 180-degree image or a 2D 360-degree image to the HMD 163.

[0058] The notification unit 116 (reservation management system 11) may issue a notification to users who have been determined to have viewed VR images during the reservation process based on their identification information, urging them to "take a picture of the VR image and post (store) it to the content server 12." The notification to the user should encourage them to take VR images of the interior of the accommodation facility 13 or the services offered. By issuing such a notification, the staff of the accommodation facility 13 can expect to obtain high-quality VR images from guests with high VR image literacy without having to take VR images of their own facility.

[0059] Furthermore, if the reservation information includes the user's biometric information, the reservation management system 11 may perform user authentication using that biometric information when the user confirms their reservation details. For example, if the HMD 163 obtains the user's iris information, the reservation management system 11 may perform user authentication using that iris information. Among the biometric information, information such as blood pressure information and heart rate information can be used to estimate the information that the user was most interested in during the reservation process. For example, if it is estimated that the user was most interested in VR images related to food during the reservation process, the system may be configured to first present VR images related to food corresponding to the reserved plan when the user confirms their reservation details after the reservation process.

[0060] As described above, the reservation management system 11 displays the search screen 202, superimposed 2D information 402, and 2D thumbnail 406 as 2D information on the user terminal 16. Furthermore, since the reservation management system 11 displays only the interior of the room as a VR image on the user terminal 16, it can reduce the strain on network bandwidth caused by transmitting VR images. In addition, identification information (reservation information) indicating whether a VR image (VR content) corresponding to the selected plan was displayed when the reservation operation was performed is stored in the reservation information DB 112. For this reason, the reservation management system 11 can, for example, identify when the user checks the reservation details after the reservation operation. Based on additional information, it is possible to determine whether a user was viewing a non-VR image or a VR image during the reservation process. The reservation management system 11 can send the appropriate VR image to the target based on the identification information. In other words, it can provide VR images to users who request them and not provide unnecessary VR images to users who do not request them. Therefore, it becomes possible to provide users with a more appropriate service. Furthermore, even if the user terminal 16 is different from the one used during the reservation process, the image format can be appropriately sent to the user terminal 16, thus reducing the strain on network bandwidth.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the reservation management system 11 controlled whether or not to send a VR image to the user after the reservation operation based on the reservation information, but other controls may be performed based on the reservation information. For example, the reservation management system 11 may prioritize showing plans similar to the appearance of the room or facility in the previously reserved plan to users who viewed a VR image when making a reservation. This is because by viewing the VR image, the user may have examined the room or facility in more detail and become interested in these rooms or facilities. On the other hand, the reservation management system 11 may prioritize showing plans with a similar price to the previously reserved plan to users who did not view a VR image when making a reservation. This is because, since the user did not view the VR image, they may not have examined the room or facility in more detail and may have made the reservation because they were attracted by the price of the plan. In this way, if the identification information (reservation information) is stored in the reservation information DB 112, the reservation management system 11 will be able to provide a more suitable service to the user thereafter.

[0062] In this embodiment, the reservation management system 11 has been described as a system for allowing users to reserve accommodation plans, but it is not limited to this. For example, the reservation management system 11 may be a system for allowing users to reserve tickets for concerts, etc., or a system for allowing users to purchase goods. Also, in this embodiment, the information processing device has been described as the reservation management system 11, but the user terminal 16 may be an information processing device having a control unit, display control unit, acquisition unit, notification unit, detection unit, etc. In this case, the reservation management system 11 may be a server having only an accommodation plan DB 111 and a reservation information DB 112.

[0063] The various controls described above may or may not be performed by a single piece of hardware (e.g., a processor or circuit). Multiple pieces of hardware (e.g., multiple processors, multiple circuits, or a combination of one or more processors and one or more circuits) may share the processing to control the entire device.

[0064] Furthermore, the above-mentioned processors are processors in a broad sense, including general-purpose processors and specialized processors. General-purpose processors include, for example, CPUs (Central Processing Units), MPUs (Micro Processing Units), and DSPs (Digital Signal Processors). Specialized processors include, for example, GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), and PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices). Programmable logic devices include, for example, FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) and CPLDs (Complex Programmable Logic Devices).

[0065] Furthermore, although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various forms that do not depart from the spirit of the invention are also included in the present invention. Moreover, each of the embodiments described above is merely one embodiment of the present invention, and each embodiment can be appropriately combined. It is also possible to combine them.

[0066] <Other Embodiments> The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit that implements one or more functions.

[0067] This embodiment includes the following configurations, methods, and programs. (Composition 1) A display control means controls the display unit to show VR content or non-VR content corresponding to the selected plan in response to a selection operation, which is a user operation in which one of several plans is selected. Control means that controls the storage of reservation information indicating the selected plan in a storage unit in response to a reservation operation, which is a user operation to reserve the selected plan. It has, The aforementioned reservation information further indicates whether the VR content corresponding to the selected plan was displayed when the reservation operation was performed. An information processing device characterized by the following: (Configuration 2) The aforementioned VR content is in one of the following formats: a 3D image that is also a 180-degree image, a 3D image that is also a 360-degree image, a 2D image that is also a 180-degree image, or a 2D image that is also a 360-degree image. The information processing device according to configuration 1, characterized by the above. (Composition 3) The system further includes acquisition means for acquiring the VR content or non-VR content corresponding to the selected plan in response to the selection operation. An information processing device according to configuration 1 or 2, characterized by the above. (Composition 4) The aforementioned VR content is a VR image captured by one or more photographers. The information processing apparatus according to configuration 3, characterized by the features described herein. (Composition 5) The aforementioned reservation information includes the user's biometric information. An information processing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, characterized by the above. (Composition 6) The aforementioned biological information includes at least one of iris information, blood pressure information, and heart rate information. The information processing apparatus according to configuration 5, characterized by the features described herein. (Composition 7) The control means performs user authentication based on the biometric information when the user refers to the reservation information stored in the storage unit. The information processing apparatus according to configuration 5 or 6, characterized by the above. (Composition 8) The control means determines, based on the reservation information including the biometric information, which content from the VR content and non-VR content to be displayed after the reservation operation. An information processing device according to any one of configurations 5 to 7, characterized by the above. (Composition 9) The display control means controls the transmission of the VR content or non-VR content from the content server where the VR content or non-VR content is stored to the user terminal having the display unit. An information processing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 8. (Composition 10) The system further includes a detection means for detecting the type of the user terminal, If both the VR content and the non-VR content are stored in the content server, the display control means controls the transmission of either the VR content or the non-VR content to the user terminal based on the type of user terminal. The information processing apparatus according to configuration 9, characterized by the features described therein. (Composition 11) The aforementioned reservation information further includes the user's contact information, The information processing device according to configuration 9 or 10, further comprising notification means for notifying the user to store new VR content related to the selected plan in the content server when the reservation information indicates that the VR content was displayed. (Composition 12) The display control means superimposes the two-dimensional image corresponding to the selected plan onto the VR content and displays it on the display unit. An information processing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 11, characterized by the above. (Composition 13) The display control means is The first VR content corresponding to the first selected plan, the first plan, is superimposed with a two-dimensional image corresponding to a second plan that is different from the first plan, and displayed on the display unit. If the user performs a selection operation to select the second plan, the display control means causes the display unit to display the second VR content corresponding to the second plan. The information processing device according to configuration 12, characterized by the features described herein. (method) A display control step that controls the display unit to show VR content or non-VR content corresponding to the selected plan in response to a selection operation, which is a user operation in which one of several plans is selected. A control step that controls the system to store reservation information indicating the selected plan in a storage unit in response to a reservation operation, which is a user operation to reserve the selected plan. It has, The aforementioned reservation information further indicates whether the VR content corresponding to the selected plan was displayed when the reservation operation was performed. A control method for an information processing device characterized by the following features. (program) A program to cause a computer to function as one of the means of an information processing device described in any one of configurations 1 to 13. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 11: Reservation management system 16: User terminal 113: Control Unit 114: Display Control Unit

Claims

1. A display control means controls the display unit to display VR content or non-VR content corresponding to the selected plan in response to a selection operation, which is a user operation in which one of several plans is selected. Control means that controls the storage of reservation information indicating the selected plan in a storage unit in response to a reservation operation, which is a user operation to reserve the selected plan. It has, The aforementioned reservation information further indicates whether the VR content corresponding to the selected plan was displayed when the reservation operation was performed. An information processing device characterized by the following:

2. The VR content is in one of the following formats: a 3D image that is also a 180-degree image, a 3D image that is also a 360-degree image, a 2D image that is also a 180-degree image, or a 2D image that is also a 360-degree image. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

3. The system further includes acquisition means for acquiring the VR content or non-VR content corresponding to the selected plan in accordance with the selection operation. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

4. The aforementioned VR content is a VR image captured by one or more photographers. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The aforementioned reservation information includes the user's biometric information. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

6. The aforementioned biological information includes at least one of iris information, blood pressure information, and heart rate information. The information processing apparatus according to feature 5.

7. The control means performs user authentication based on the biometric information when the user refers to the reservation information stored in the storage unit. The information processing apparatus according to feature 5.

8. The control means determines, based on the reservation information including the biometric information, which content from the VR content and non-VR content to be displayed after the reservation operation. The information processing apparatus according to feature 5.

9. The display control means controls the transmission of the VR content or non-VR content from the content server where the VR content or non-VR content is stored to the user terminal having the display unit. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

10. The system further includes a detection means for detecting the type of the user terminal, If both the VR content and the non-VR content are stored in the content server, the display control means controls the transmission of either the VR content or the non-VR content to the user terminal based on the type of user terminal. The information processing apparatus according to feature 9.

11. The aforementioned reservation information further includes the user's contact information, The information processing device according to claim 9, further comprising notification means for notifying the user to store new VR content related to the selected plan in the content server when the reservation information indicates that the VR content was displayed.

12. The display control means superimposes the two-dimensional image corresponding to the selected plan onto the VR content and displays it on the display unit. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

13. The display control means is The first VR content corresponding to the first selected plan, the first plan, is superimposed with a two-dimensional image corresponding to a second plan that is different from the first plan, and displayed on the display unit. When the user performs a selection operation to select the second plan, the display control means causes the display unit to display the second VR content corresponding to the second plan. The information processing apparatus according to feature 12.

14. A display control step that controls the display unit to show VR content or non-VR content corresponding to the selected plan in response to a selection operation, which is a user operation in which one of several plans is selected. A control step that controls the system to store reservation information indicating the selected plan in a storage unit in response to a reservation operation, which is a user operation to reserve the selected plan. It has, The aforementioned reservation information further indicates whether the VR content corresponding to the selected plan was displayed when the reservation operation was performed. A control method for an information processing device characterized by the following features.

15. A program for causing a computer to function as one of the means of an information processing apparatus described in any one of claims 1 to 13.

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