Notification system, information processing device, terminal for monitored person, and notification method

Abstract

In situations where multiple guardians are present, if the person being monitored does not receive an immediate response from a guardian of psychological importance after sending a message, the person being monitored may experience psychological anxiety, even if other guardians have seen the message. [Solution] The information processing device (30) is equipped with a notification control unit (53) that receives messages from the monitored person's terminal (10) addressed to multiple guardian terminals (20), and when it receives a confirmation signal from any of the guardian terminals (20) indicating that the message has been viewed, it controls the manner of sending confirmation notifications to the monitored person's terminal (10) based on the priority associated with the guardian terminal (20) that sent the confirmation signal. For example, the notification control unit (53) may hold off on sending confirmation notifications from guardians with lower priority for a predetermined time, and if it receives a new confirmation signal from a guardian with higher priority during that hold, it may prioritize sending a confirmation notification based on the new confirmation signal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a notification system, an information processing device, a monitored person's terminal, and a notification method for transmitting and receiving messages between a plurality of terminals via a network. In particular, it relates to a technique for performing notification control in consideration of the psychological state of the monitored person.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, against the backdrop of the increase in dual-income households and the diversification of lifestyles, so-called monitoring services for ensuring the safety of monitored persons such as children and the elderly and reassuring guardians and family members who are in distant locations have become widespread. Many of these services take the form of the monitored person possessing a dedicated terminal equipped with a GPS (Global Positioning System) function, and the guardian checking the location information in real time from a terminal such as their own smartphone.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, conventional technologies had the following challenges. Specifically, it is now common for multiple guardians, such as a father, mother, and grandparents, to monitor a single person being monitored (for example, a child). In this situation, when a child sends a message from their device to multiple guardians, it is difficult for the child to accurately know who has seen the message and who has not. In particular, if there is no response from the specific guardian the child relies on most psychologically (for example, the mother, the primary caregiver), even if other guardians have seen the message, the child may experience psychological anxiety and feelings of loneliness, wondering if the message has reached the person they want to see it most or if they haven't noticed it. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] To solve the above problems, an information processing device according to one aspect of the present invention is capable of communicating with a plurality of parent terminals and includes a receiving unit that receives messages addressed to the plurality of parent terminals from a monitored person's terminal, a confirmation receiving unit that receives a confirmation signal from one of the plurality of parent terminals indicating that the message has been viewed, and a notification control unit that controls the manner of confirmation notification to the monitored person's terminal based on the priority associated with the parent terminal that sent the confirmation signal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, in situations where multiple guardians are present, confirmation from a guardian of high psychological importance to the person being watched over can be notified in an optimal manner. This reduces unnecessary anxiety and feelings of loneliness in the person being watched over and strongly enhances their sense of security from being watched over. As a result, it can promote smooth communication among family members and support the autonomous behavior of the person being watched over. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1]This is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a notification system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the information processing device (server) in the notification system. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the terminal for the person being monitored in the notification system. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the parent terminal in the notification system. [Figure 5] Figure 2 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the information processing device. [Figure 6] Figure 3 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the monitoring terminal. [Figure 7] Figure 4 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the parental control device. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of a parent priority table. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of a context rule database. [Figure 10] Sequence diagram of notification control processing (server execution) in the first embodiment [Figure 11] This is a flowchart of the dynamic priority determination process. [Figure 12] This is a flowchart of the notification type control process (hold, priority transmission, timeout). [Figure 13] This is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a notification system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] This is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the monitoring terminal in the second embodiment. [Figure 15] This is a flowchart of the notification mode control process (terminal execution) in the second embodiment. [Figure 16] This is a front view showing the first example of the UI (User Interface) of a terminal for the person being monitored. [Figure 17]It is a front view showing a second example (high-priority notification) of the UI of the terminal for the person under guardianship. [Figure 18] It is a front view showing a third example (medium-priority notification) of the UI of the terminal for the person under guardianship. [Figure 19] It is a front view showing a fourth example (timeout notification) of the UI of the terminal for the person under guardianship. [Figure 20] It is a front view showing a fifth example (summary notification) of the UI of the terminal for the person under guardianship. [Figure 21] It is a state transition diagram showing a sixth example (screen switching) of the UI of the terminal for the person under guardianship. [Figure 22] It is a state transition diagram showing a seventh example (screen addition) of the UI of the terminal for the person under guardianship. [Figure 23] It is a front view showing an example of a priority rule setting screen on the guardian's terminal. [Figure 24] It is a sequence diagram of a notification system (cooperation model) according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 25] It is a diagram for explaining the proper use of notification means according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same components, and redundant descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0009] (First Embodiment) First, the overall configuration of a notification system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described using FIG. 1. The notification system 1 includes one terminal 10 for the person under guardianship (for example, a child) C held by the person under guardianship, a plurality of guardianship terminals 20 (20-1, 20-2,..., 20-n) respectively held by a plurality of guardians P (in FIG. 1, n persons of guardians P1, P2,..., Pn are shown), and a server 30 that functions as an information processing device. These devices are connected to each other so as to be communicable via a network NW such as the Internet or a mobile phone network.

[0010] The monitored person terminal 10 is a portable, small communication terminal with a built-in GPS receiver and the ability to determine its own location. As will be described in detail later, the monitored person terminal 10 has the function of sending messages to the server 30 addressed to multiple guardian terminals 20 based on the actions of the monitored person C, and the function of notifying the monitored person C of confirmation notifications received from the server 30.

[0011] The parent / guardian terminal 20 consists of general-purpose information processing devices such as smartphones, tablet devices, and personal computers. The parent / guardian terminal 20 has dedicated application software (hereinafter simply referred to as "the app") installed for using this notification system 1. Through this app, the parent / guardian can view messages sent from the monitored person's terminal 10 and set priority rules, as described later.

[0012] Server 30 is a computer that plays a central role in notification control in this embodiment and is configured as a so-called cloud server. Server 30 receives messages sent from the monitored person's terminal 10 and forwards them to each guardian's terminal 20. Furthermore, when it receives a confirmation signal from the guardian's terminal 20 indicating that the message has been viewed, it intelligently controls the manner in which confirmation notifications are sent to the monitored person's terminal 10 based on a proprietary control logic described later. In this first embodiment, a configuration in which this server 30 performs the main functions of the "notification control unit" will be described as an example.

[0013] Next, we will describe the hardware configuration of each device.

[0014] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of server 30. Server 30 has a known computer configuration, comprising a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 31, ROM (Read Only Memory) 32, RAM (Random Access Memory) 33, storage 34, communication interface 35, etc., which are interconnected via a bus 36.

[0015] The CPU 31 controls the overall operation of the server 30 and implements various functions described later by loading various programs stored in the storage 34 into the RAM 33 and executing them. The ROM 32 stores boot programs and the like. The RAM 33 functions as the work area for the CPU 31. The storage 34 consists of a hard disk drive, SSD (Solid State Drive), etc., and stores the OS (Operating System), a program for executing notification control processing according to the present invention, and various data described later. The communication interface 35 is for sending and receiving data between the monitored terminal 10 and the guardian terminal 20 via the network NW.

[0016] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the monitored person terminal 10. The monitored person terminal 10 includes a CPU 11, ROM 12, RAM 13, flash memory 14, communication unit 15, GPS receiver 16, input unit 17, output unit 18, etc. The CPU 11 controls the operation of the entire terminal by executing a program stored in the flash memory 14. The communication unit 15 communicates with the server 30 via the network NW. The GPS receiver 16 receives signals from GPS satellites and calculates latitude and longitude information indicating the current location of the terminal. The input unit 17 consists of physical buttons and a touch panel for operation by the monitored person C. The output unit 18 includes various devices for notifying information, such as display devices such as liquid crystal displays and organic EL displays, speakers, LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes), and vibrators.

[0017] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the parental device 20. Taking a smartphone as an example, the parental device 20 has a known configuration that includes a CPU 21, ROM 22, RAM 23, flash memory 24, communication unit 25, GPS receiver 26, input unit 27, output unit 28, etc. The input unit 27 is a touch panel display and also serves as the output unit 28.

[0018] Next, the functional configuration of the server 30 in this embodiment will be described using Figure 5. The server 30 functions as a receiving unit 51, an acknowledgment receiving unit 52, a notification control unit 53, a priority determination unit 54, and a data management unit 55 when the CPU 31 executes a predetermined program.

[0019] The receiving unit 51 has the function of receiving messages from the monitored person's terminal 10 addressed to multiple guardian terminals 20. Messages can include various formats, such as text data, voice data, or standardized identifiers. In addition, contextual information such as the location information of the monitored person's terminal 10 at the time the message was sent and the type of message (for example, "normal" or "urgent") is attached to the message.

[0020] The confirmation receiving unit 52 has the function of receiving a confirmation signal from any of the parent terminals 20 indicating that a message has been viewed. This confirmation signal is automatically sent from the parent terminal 20 when the parent P opens the message on the app on the parent terminal 20. The confirmation signal includes a parent ID that identifies which parent P sent it.

[0021] The notification control unit 53 is one of the core functions of the present invention. When the confirmation receiving unit 52 receives a confirmation signal, it controls the "mode" of the confirmation notification sent to the monitored terminal 10 based on the priority of the guardian P who sent the confirmation signal. Here, "mode" is a concept that encompasses all aspects related to the notification, such as the timing of sending the confirmation notification, whether or not the notification is sent at all, and the content and format included in the notification. The specific control logic will be described later with reference to Figure 12.

[0022] The priority determination unit 54 has the function of determining the priority of each of the multiple guardians P based on context information received from the monitored person's terminal 10 and various data stored in the data management unit 55. This priority determination may be a "dynamic determination" that changes the priority in real time according to the context information, as will be described later, or it may be a "static determination" that is predetermined based on the user's settings.

[0023] The data management unit 55 has the function of storing and managing various data necessary for the operation of the notification system 1. The data managed by the data management unit 55 includes, for example, a parent master that manages information on each parent, a parent priority table 80 (see Figure 8) that statically defines the priority of each parent, and a context rule database 90 (see Figure 9) that stores rules for dynamic priority determination.

[0024] Next, the functional configuration of the monitored terminal 10 will be explained using Figure 6. The monitored terminal 10 functions as a message transmission unit 61, a confirmation notification receiving unit 62, and a notification unit 63 when the CPU 11 executes a predetermined program.

[0025] The message transmission unit 61 generates messages addressed to multiple guardian terminals 20 in response to the operation of the person being monitored C via the input unit 17, and sends them to the server 30. At that time, the message transmission unit 61 adds contextual information to the message, such as the current location information obtained from the GPS receiver 16 and the type of message (for example, whether the user pressed the "normal contact button" or the "emergency contact button" which has been set in advance), before sending it.

[0026] The confirmation notification receiving unit 62 receives a confirmation notification from the server 30 indicating that any parent P has viewed the message. This confirmation notification is issued after its "mode" has been controlled by the notification control unit 53 of the server 30.

[0027] The notification unit 63 has the function of notifying the person being monitored C of the confirmation notification received by the confirmation notification receiving unit 62. The notification method can take various forms, such as display on the display provided by the output unit 18, audio output from the speaker, lighting or flashing of an LED, or vibration of a vibrator. These notification forms can be changed based on the information contained in the received confirmation notification, as will be described later.

[0028] Next, the functional configuration of the parental device 20 will be explained using Figure 7. The parental device 20 functions as a message receiving unit 71, a viewing / operation unit 72, a confirmation signal transmission unit 73, and a rule setting unit 74, with the CPU 21 executing a dedicated application.

[0029] The message receiving unit 71 receives messages from the monitored person's terminal 10 via the server 30. The viewing and operation unit 72 displays the messages received by the message receiving unit 71 on the screen of the output unit 28, making them available for viewing by the guardian P. It also accepts various operation inputs from the guardian P.

[0030] When the viewing / operation unit 72 detects that a specific message has been viewed by the parent P (for example, when the message is tapped on the screen and its content is displayed), the confirmation signal transmission unit 73 automatically sends a confirmation signal to the server 30, along with its parent ID, indicating that the message has been viewed.

[0031] The rule setting unit 74 receives setting input from parent P via the viewing and operation unit 72, defines rules used for dynamic priority determination, and has the function of sending and registering them to the server 30. An example of a specific setting screen will be described later with reference to Figure 23.

[0032] Next, we will describe an example of a data structure stored in the data management unit 55 of the server 30.

[0033] Figure 8 shows an example of a guardian priority table 80. The guardian priority table 80 is used to statically manage the priority of each guardian. In this example, each record has the fields of Guardian ID 81, Guardian Name 82, and Priority Rank 83. The Priority Rank 83 indicates, for example, that a smaller number indicates a higher priority. When using this table 80, the priority determination unit 54 determines the priority by simply reading the priority rank corresponding to the Guardian ID included in the confirmation signal.

[0034] Figure 9 shows an example of a context rule database 90. The context rule database 90 is used when priorities are to be determined dynamically. In this example, each record has the fields Rule ID 91, Condition 92, and Action 93.

[0035] The Condition 92 field describes the contextual conditions for which priority is applied. These conditions can be defined by combining various contextual information such as time, day of the week, location, calendar information, and message type, for example, "the time period is between 5 PM and 7 PM on weekdays" and "the location information of the monitored person's device is within the 'school area'."

[0036] The action 93 field contains information on what priority to assign to each guardian when condition 92 is met. For example, in rule ID "R001" in Figure 9, the action is defined to set the priority of the mother (guardian ID: P001) to "1" and the priority of the father (P002) to "2". The priority determination unit 54 compares the context information received from the monitored person's terminal 10 with each rule in this database 90 and attempts to find a matching rule. If a matching rule exists, the priority of each guardian is dynamically determined according to the action 93 of that rule. If no matching rule exists, it is possible to apply a predetermined default priority.

[0037] Next, the overall flow of the notification control process in this embodiment will be explained using the sequence diagram in Figure 10.

[0038] First, the person being monitored C operates the monitored terminal 10 and sends a message (step S101). The monitored terminal 10 adds context information to the message and sends it to the server 30.

[0039] The receiving unit 51 of the server 30 receives the message and context information. The priority determination unit 54 dynamically determines the current priority of each guardian based on the received context information and the context rule database 90 (step S102). The server 30 then forwards the received message to all registered guardian terminals 20 (in this case, 20-1 and 20-2) (step S103).

[0040] Here, suppose a parent with lower priority, P1 (for example, the father), views the message first on their parent terminal 20-1 (step S104). Then, parent terminal 20-1 sends an acknowledgment signal to server 30 (step S105).

[0041] When the confirmation receiving unit 52 of the server 30 receives this confirmation signal, the notification control unit 53 evaluates the priority of the guardian P1 who sent the confirmation signal and executes notification mode control processing (step S106). In this example, the priority of guardian P1 does not meet the predetermined conditions (for example, being the highest priority), so the notification control unit 53 "holds" the transmission of the confirmation notification to the monitored person's terminal 10.

[0042] Subsequently, suppose a high-priority guardian P2 (for example, the mother) views the message on their guardian terminal 20-2 (step S107). The guardian terminal 20-2 then sends a confirmation signal to the server 30 (step S108).

[0043] When the confirmation receiving unit 52 of the server 30 receives this new confirmation signal, the notification control unit 53 executes notification type control processing again (step S109). This time, since the priority of guardian P2 who sent the confirmation signal meets the predetermined conditions, the notification control unit 53 decides to "send the confirmation notification from guardian P2 with priority" and immediately sends the confirmation notification to the monitored person's terminal 10. At this time, the notification from guardian P1 that was previously received and held in reserve is not sent (or is discarded).

[0044] The confirmation notification receiving unit 62 of the monitored person's terminal 10 receives a confirmation notification from the server 30 (step S110), and the notification unit 63 notifies the monitored person C of the content of the received notification (in this case, the information that "the mother viewed it") (step S111).

[0045] This processing flow allows the person being monitored (C) to receive the most valuable information at the optimal time—that the guardian they consider most psychologically important has viewed the information—and thus avoid unnecessary anxiety.

[0046] Next, the details of the processing performed by the CPU 31 of the server 30 will be explained using the flowcharts in Figures 11 and 12.

[0047] Figure 11 is a flowchart of the dynamic priority determination process, corresponding to step S102 in Figure 10. This process is triggered by the receipt of a message and context information from the monitored terminal 10.

[0048] First, the priority determination unit 54 acquires the received context information (time, location information, message type, etc.) (step S201). Next, it reads the context rule database 90 stored in the data management unit 55 (step S202).

[0049] Then, it is determined whether the acquired context information matches the condition 92 of any rule in the context rule database 90 (step S203). This determination is made by sequentially scanning the rules in the database.

[0050] If a rule that matches the conditions is found (YES in step S203), the priority determination unit 54 determines the priority of each guardian according to the action 93 of the matching rule (step S204). Then, it stores the determined priority information in the temporary storage area on RAM 33 and terminates the process.

[0051] On the other hand, if no matching rule is found in step S203 (NO in step S203), the priority determination unit 54 applies a predetermined default priority setting (step S205). This default setting may be, for example, a static priority rank defined in the guardian priority table 80. Then, the process terminates.

[0052] Figure 12 is a flowchart of the notification mode control process, corresponding to steps S106 and S109 in Figure 10. This process is triggered when a confirmation signal is received from any of the parent terminals 20.

[0053] First, the notification control unit 53 obtains a parent ID from the received confirmation signal to identify which parent made the confirmation (step S301). Next, it reads the current priority of the parent identified in step S301 from the temporary storage area on the RAM 33 (step S302). This priority is determined by the process shown in Figure 11.

[0054] Next, the notification control unit 53 determines whether the read priority satisfies predetermined conditions (for example, "it is the highest priority rank" or "the priority rank is above a threshold") (step S303).

[0055] If the priority is determined to meet the predetermined conditions (YES in step S303), the notification control unit 53 immediately sends a confirmation notification indicating this guardian's confirmation to the monitored person's terminal 10 (step S304). At this time, if there are other guardian confirmation notifications pending, the control unit discards those pending notifications and prioritizes sending the current notification. After that, this process ends.

[0056] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S303 that the priority does not meet the predetermined conditions (NO in step S303), the notification control unit 53 "holds" the transmission of the confirmation notification indicating parental confirmation without immediately sending it (step S305). Specifically, it adds the information of the received confirmation signal, along with a timestamp, to the hold queue on RAM 33.

[0057] Next, the notification control unit 53 performs timer monitoring to determine whether the elapsed time since the hold started has exceeded a predetermined timeout period (this is a conceptual step; in reality, the timer event is monitored in the background). If the timeout period elapses without the priority transmission in step S304 occurring during the hold (YES in step S306), the notification control unit 53 sends the pending confirmation notification to the monitored terminal 10 (step S307). At this time, it is preferable to add identification information that indicates the notification was sent due to a timeout, as will be described later. After that, this process ends. If the timeout period has not elapsed (NO in step S306), this process ends while maintaining the hold state.

[0058] Through this process, the server 30 can intelligently control the manner in which confirmation notifications are sent to the person being monitored, according to the guardian's priority.

[0059] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described using Figures 13 to 15. In the first embodiment, a configuration was described in which the server 30 mainly performs the control of the notification mode. However, with the recent increase in the performance of terminals, it is also possible for some or all of these controls to be performed on the terminal side. This second embodiment shows an example of such a configuration.

[0060] Figure 13 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the notification system 1A according to the second embodiment. The notification system 1A includes a terminal 10A for the person being monitored, a terminal 20 for the guardian, and a server 30A. The main difference from the first embodiment is the location of the intelligence related to the control of the notification format.

[0061] In this embodiment, the server 30A does not perform timing control of notifications (hold, priority transmission, timeout), but specializes in a simpler relay function. That is, when it receives a confirmation signal from the guardian terminal 20, it adds the corresponding guardian's "priority information" to the confirmation signal and transmits it to the monitored person's terminal 10A without delay.

[0062] Meanwhile, the monitored terminal 10A receives a confirmation notification with priority information from the server 30A and autonomously controls its own "notification method" based on that priority information.

[0063] Figure 14 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the monitored terminal 10A in the second embodiment. The monitored terminal 10A includes a message transmission unit 61, a confirmation notification receiving unit 62A, and a notification unit 63A.

[0064] The confirmation notification receiving unit 62A has the function of receiving not only the confirmation signal itself, but also the "priority information" of the parent who sent the confirmation signal, from the server 30A. This priority information is determined by the priority determination unit 54 of the server 30A.

[0065] In addition to the functions of the notification unit 63 in the first embodiment, the notification unit 63A has the function of autonomously determining and controlling the "notification method" of confirmation notifications based on the received priority information. For example, the terminal itself controls whether to announce high-priority notifications with sound, light and display, or to announce low-priority notifications quietly with screen display only.

[0066] Figure 15 is a flowchart of the notification mode control process executed by the notification unit 63A. This process is triggered when the confirmation notification receiving unit 62A receives a confirmation notification and priority information from the server 30A.

[0067] First, the notification unit 63A obtains the guardian's identification information and the attached priority information from the received confirmation notice (step S401). Next, it determines the priority level indicated by the obtained priority information (step S402).

[0068] If the determination result indicates, for example, that the priority level is "high" (high in step S402), the notification unit 63A controls the output unit 18 to execute a predetermined notification method for high priority (for example, playing a special melody, flashing an LED, and displaying an animation on the screen) (step S403).

[0069] If the priority level is "medium" (as determined in step S402), the notification unit 63A performs a notification method for medium priority (for example, playing a short sound effect and displaying an icon on the screen) (step S404).

[0070] If the priority level is "low" (low in step S402), the notification unit 63A performs a notification method for low priority (for example, without sound or light, only a static icon is displayed in the corner of the screen) (step S405).

[0071] Thus, according to this second embodiment, by having the monitored terminal 10A possess the intelligence regarding notification, it becomes possible to reduce the load on the server 30A while providing a more detailed user experience.

[0072] (Third embodiment) The present invention can also adopt a hybrid configuration (cooperative model) that combines the first embodiment (server-driven model) and the second embodiment (terminal-driven model).

[0073] Figure 24 is a sequence diagram of the notification system (cooperative model) according to this third embodiment.

[0074] In this model, the server 30 controls the "timing" of notifications (hold, priority transmission, timeout), similar to the first embodiment. When sending a confirmation notification to the monitored person's terminal 10, it adds information indicating the circumstances under which the notification was sent (for example, information such as "priority transmission" or "sent due to timeout," and priority information of the corresponding guardian) before sending it (step S501).

[0075] On the other hand, the monitored terminal 10, similar to the second embodiment, autonomously controls the "method of expression (sound, light, display content, etc.)" of the notification based on the information (priority information, etc.) attached to the notification received from the server 30 (step S502).

[0076] In this way, by having the server and terminal share intelligence in their respective areas of expertise and work together, more advanced and flexible notification control can be achieved. For example, the server could determine the optimal timing by considering the overall network situation, while the terminal could determine the optimal display method by considering the user's recent operation history and ambient light levels.

[0077] In the present invention, the "notification control unit" may be implemented on a server, on a terminal for the person being monitored, or distributed between both, and as long as the system as a whole controls the manner of confirmation notifications based on the guardian's priority, all such units are included within the scope of the present invention.

[0078] (Example of UI display for a device used by a person being monitored) Next, using Figures 16 to 22, we will explain specific examples of the UI (User Interface) displayed on the display, which is the output unit 18 of the monitored terminal 10 (or 10A).

[0079] Figure 16 shows an example of the UI display during normal operation. In this state, the notification unit 63 (or 63A) displays basic information such as the current time 161 and battery level 162 as the first display mode. This is the default standby screen, intended for daily use by the person being monitored C as a watch.

[0080] Figure 17 shows an example of the UI display when a confirmation notification is received from a high-priority parent (e.g., the mother). In this example, the notification unit 63 displays information related to the confirmation notification in a second display mode, either in place of the standby screen or superimposed on the standby screen. Specifically, as information to visually identify who the confirmation is from, the parent's icon or photo 171 and the parent's name 172 ("Mom") are displayed. Furthermore, a positive text message 173 to enhance the child's sense of security, such as "I saw your message!", or an animation effect to express joy may be displayed along with it.

[0081] Figure 18 shows an example of the UI display when a confirmation notification is received from a guardian with medium priority (e.g., the father). In this case, the notification unit 63 notifies using a different expression than in the case of high priority. For example, it displays an icon 171 and a name 172 along with a simpler text message 181 ("Dad has confirmed").

[0082] Figure 19 shows an example of the UI display when a pending confirmation notification is sent after a predetermined time (e.g., 30 minutes) has elapsed on the server 30. In this case, the notification unit 63 displays the notification with identification information indicating that it was sent due to a timeout. In the example in Figure 19, in addition to the information "Dad has seen the message," time information 191 indicating when it was viewed, such as "(30 minutes ago)," is added. As a result, the person being monitored C can recognize that the message was viewed without their knowledge, even though it is not real-time confirmation, and can gain a sense of security.

[0083] Figure 20 shows an example of a UI display when multiple confirmation notifications are summarized and displayed. When the notification control unit 53 of the server 30 receives confirmation signals from multiple guardians within a predetermined period, it can summarize them into a single confirmation notification and send it instead of sending them as individual notifications. In this case, the notification unit 63 displays multiple icons 171 of the guardians who viewed the notification, along with a summary message 201 such as "Viewed by 3 family members." This effectively conveys a sense of security that many family members are watching over the child, while avoiding the complexity of individual notifications.

[0084] Figures 21 and 22 illustrate two different patterns of state transitions when the notification unit 63 controls the screen display.

[0085] Figure 21 shows the "replacement" pattern. Under normal circumstances, the screen displays the standby screen D1 (time, battery level, etc.) as the first display mode. When a confirmation notification is received, the notification unit 63 stops displaying the standby screen D1 and, instead, displays the notification-only screen D2 across the entire screen as the second display mode. Once the notification is complete, the display returns to the standby screen D1.

[0086] Figure 22 shows the "additional" pattern. Under normal circumstances, the screen displays the time and battery level as the first piece of information (screen D3). When a confirmation notification is received, the notification unit 63 displays the first piece of information while simultaneously displaying information related to the confirmation notification as the second piece of information in a part of the screen (for example, the banner area at the top of the screen) (screen D4). In this case, the person being monitored C can check the time and other information while simultaneously knowing who has viewed the message.

[0087] (Example of UI display on a parental control device) Figure 23 shows an example of a priority rule setting screen provided by the rule setting unit 74 of the parent terminal 20. Parents P can intuitively set the conditions and actions of context rules via this screen 230 and register and update them in the context rule database 90 of the server 30. For example, they can specify "location" and "time period" in the condition setting area 231, and set the priority of each parent under those conditions using sliders and buttons in the action setting area 232.

[0088] (Other embodiments) Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments.

[0089] For example, in the above embodiment, display, sound, and light were given as examples of notification means, but the system is not limited to these, and any other notification means may be used, such as changing the vibration pattern of a vibrator according to priority. Figure 25 is a table showing an example of how to set how to use these notification means (modalities) according to the priority level. The notification unit 63 or 63A can determine the notification mode by referring to such a table.

[0090] Furthermore, the contextual information used to determine priority is not limited to location, time, or message type. For example, if the monitored person's terminal 10 is equipped with a heart rate sensor and an accelerometer, biometric information obtained from these sensors (such as whether the person is normal, excited, or exercising) may be used as contextual information. It is also possible to link with the calendar information of the guardian's terminal 20 to determine whether the guardian is "in a meeting" or "traveling" and reflect this in the priority.

[0091] Furthermore, although the information processing device was described as a single server 30 in the above embodiment, it is naturally possible to apply the present invention to a cloud computing environment in which multiple servers perform processing in a distributed manner.

[0092] It goes without saying that various improvements and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0093] The following are appendices describing various aspects of the present invention. Each of these appendices can stand alone as an independent invention, and they can also be combined in any way to constitute a further invention.

[0094] (Note 1: Basic configuration of information processing equipment) An information processing device capable of communicating with multiple parent terminals, comprising: receiving means for receiving messages addressed to the multiple parent terminals from a monitored person's terminal; confirmation receiving means for receiving a confirmation signal indicating that the message has been viewed from one of the multiple parent terminals; and notification control means for controlling the manner of confirmation notifications to the monitored person's terminal based on the priority associated with the parent terminal that sent the confirmation signal. The challenge: In situations where multiple guardians are watching over a child, the child being watched over does not know "who will be watching over them and when" after sending a message, and experiences psychological anxiety, especially if the guardian they rely on the most does not respond. This is a problem that has been overlooked in conventional, uniform notification systems. Effect: By intelligently controlling the "nature" of confirmation notifications according to the guardian's priority, the system provides the most valuable information to the person being monitored in the most optimal way, fostering a sense of psychological security.

[0095] (Note 2: Hold control) The information processing apparatus according to Appendix 1, characterized in that the notification control means suspends the transmission of the confirmation notice for a predetermined time if the priority does not meet predetermined conditions. The problem is that if confirmation notices from lower-priority guardians arrive first, the person being monitored may fall into the trap of thinking, "The person I want to see my child the most hasn't seen them yet," which could actually amplify their anxiety. Effect: By intentionally "holding" low-priority notifications, it blocks out psychological noise from low-value information and creates a "quiet waiting time" for the monitored person to receive the notifications they most expect.

[0096] (Note 3: Priority transmission control) The information processing apparatus according to Appendix 2, characterized in that when the notification control means receives a new confirmation signal from another parent terminal having priority that satisfies the predetermined conditions during the period in which the transmission of the confirmation notification is pending, it prioritizes transmitting a confirmation notification based on the new confirmation signal. Problem: Simply suspending notifications leaves it unclear when the suspension will be lifted, making the system's purpose unclear. Effect: By establishing a clear logic that prioritizes sending the highest priority confirmation signal above all others when it arrives while the call is on hold, this technically validates that the "hold" function is designed to maximize the sense of security of the person being monitored, thus embodying the system's intelligence.

[0097] (Note 4: Timeout control) The information processing device according to Appendix 2, characterized in that the notification control means transmits a pending confirmation notification when a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the hold. The problem: When the primary caregiver is unable to check messages for extended periods, notifications can be held indefinitely, resulting in a severe communication breakdown where the person being monitored receives no feedback whatsoever. Effect: By implementing a timeout mechanism, it is guaranteed that some form of confirmation notification will eventually reach the monitored person under any circumstances, thereby ensuring the reliability and integrity of the system.

[0098] (Note 5: Identification information for timeout notifications) The information processing apparatus according to Appendix 4, characterized in that when the notification control means transmits a confirmation notice that has been held due to the elapsed of a predetermined time, it transmits the confirmation notice with identification information indicating that the confirmation notice was transmitted due to the elapsed of a predetermined time. Problem: If notifications sent due to a timeout are displayed in the same way as real-time notifications, the person being monitored may not realize the passage of time, potentially leading to misunderstandings. Effect: By adding identifying information such as "I saw it 30 minutes ago," it conveys the situation accurately to the person being cared for and provides a more subtle sense of reassurance, knowing that they were cared for even if there was a delay.

[0099] (Note 6: Display suppression control) The information processing apparatus according to Appendix 1, characterized in that the control of the above embodiment includes control to prevent the confirmation notification from being displayed on the terminal for the person being monitored. Challenge: In some situations, no notification should interrupt the person being monitored's concentration, and in some cases, notifications of significantly low priority should not provide information. Effect: By offering the option to completely suppress confirmation notifications, it enables more advanced notification control and prevents competitors from employing circumvention strategies such as "sending notifications but hiding them."

[0100] (Note 7: Content change control) The information processing apparatus according to Appendix 1, characterized in that the control of the above embodiment includes control to change the content of the confirmation notice. Problem: When all notifications use the same wording and expression, it becomes difficult to convey the importance and urgency of the notification to the person being cared for. Effect: By changing the "content" of the notification itself according to priority, the emotional nuances of the information can be expressed more richly, improving the quality of the experience for the person being monitored.

[0101] (Note 8: Summary control) The information processing device according to Appendix 7, characterized in that the change in the above content includes summarizing multiple confirmation signals received from multiple parental terminals within a predetermined period into a single confirmation notice and transmitting it. Problem: When multiple parents contact the parent in a short period of time, they receive a series of notifications, which can be cumbersome and stressful. Effect: By intelligently summarizing multiple notifications, such as "Viewed by 3 family members," it eliminates the clutter of notifications and conveys a more positive message of "everyone is watching over you."

[0102] (Note 9: Notification of Identification Information) The information processing device according to Appendix 1, characterized in that the confirmation notification includes information for identifying the parental terminal that transmitted the confirmation signal. The challenge: Even if a confirmation notice is sent, if it's unclear "who" saw it, it won't provide reassurance to the person being monitored—this is the most fundamental challenge of notifications. Effect: By including parental identification information such as icons and names in the notification, the attribution of the notification is clarified, the basic structure of the invention is solidified, and the stability of the rights is ensured.

[0103] (Note 10: Dynamic priority determination) The information processing apparatus according to Appendix 1, further comprising a priority determination means for dynamically determining the priority of each of the plurality of parental terminals based on predetermined contextual information. Problem: A fixed priority system cannot accommodate the diverse situations (location, time, behavior) of the person being monitored, making it impossible to truly optimize notification control. Effect: By incorporating a "brain" that automatically determines priorities in real time according to the situation, the system's intelligence is dramatically increased, providing an optimal notification experience in all situations.

[0104] (Note 11: Contextual information (location and time)) The information processing device according to Appendix 10, characterized in that the context information includes at least one of the location information and the current time of the monitored person's terminal. Challenge: The challenge is to define what information will be used as a basis for making dynamic priority decisions. Effect: Clearly defines "location" and "time," which are the core elements of the monitoring system, as decision-making factors, and solidifies the specific embodiments of the invention.

[0105] (Note 12: Context information (message type)) The information processing apparatus according to Appendix 10, characterized in that the context information includes the type of the message. The problem is that "regular communication" and "emergency communication" require completely different types of notifications, yet they are controlled by the same logic. Effect: This allows the priority determination logic itself to be switched depending on the type of message, further enhancing the system's ability to respond to different situations.

[0106] (Note 13: Static priority determination) The information processing device according to Appendix 1, characterized in that the priority is a fixed value pre-set by the user for each of the plurality of parental terminals. Challenge: While there are simple use cases that do not require dynamic priority determination, the challenge is that it is unclear whether such configurations fall within the scope of the rights. Effect: By clearly protecting configurations based on fixed priorities manually set by users, this eliminates cheap imitation by competitors (claiming "we're not automated") and closes loopholes in the scope of rights.

[0107] (Note 14: System invention (device)) A notification system comprising a terminal for the person being monitored, multiple terminals for guardians, and the information processing device described in Appendix 1. The challenge is that relying solely on rights for individual devices can make enforcing those rights complicated if the entire system is imitated. Effect: By patenting the entire "system," including all related terminals, the overall picture of the invention is protected, and the enforcement of those rights becomes easier and stronger.

[0108] (Note 15: Invention of a terminal for monitoring persons) A monitored terminal connected to an information processing device capable of communicating with multiple parent terminals, comprising: message transmission means for transmitting a message to the information processing device; confirmation notification receiving means for receiving a confirmation signal from the information processing device indicating that the message has been viewed, and priority information associated with the parent terminal that transmitted the confirmation signal; and notification means for controlling and notifying the manner in which the confirmation notification based on the confirmation signal is notified based on the received priority information. Challenge: In the future, as device performance improves and intelligent control of notifications is performed on the device side rather than the server side, the server-side rights alone will not be sufficient to handle this. Effect: By clearly patenting architectures where the terminal side possesses intelligence, it is possible to adapt to future technological advancements and extend the lifecycle of the invention.

[0109] (Note 16: System invention (architecture-free)) A notification system comprising a terminal for a person being monitored and a plurality of terminals for guardians, the notification system comprising the steps of: receiving a message from the terminal for a person being monitored addressed to the plurality of guardian terminals; receiving a confirmation signal from one of the plurality of guardian terminals indicating that the message has been viewed; and a notification control means that controls the manner of confirmation notification to the terminal for a person being monitored based on the priority associated with the guardian terminal that sent the confirmation signal. Challenge: The challenge is that individual rights may not be sufficient to address the diversity of future architectures, such as server-driven, terminal-driven, or a collaborative model of both. Effect: Regardless of where the controlling entity lies, this effect secures the strongest and broadest rights, protecting the very essential concept of the invention that "priority-based behavioral control is performed as a whole system."

[0110] (Note 17: Invention of UI (Display of Identification Information)) The guardian terminal according to Appendix 15, characterized in that the notification means displays identification information on the screen for visually identifying the guardian terminal that transmitted the confirmation signal. The challenge: Even if the notification control logic is excellent, if the final output (UI) is difficult to understand, the value will not be conveyed to the person being monitored. Effect: This patents the most basic and important UI feature, which visually displays "who viewed it" using icons and names, and clarifies the specific use cases of the invention.

[0111] (Note 18: Invention of UI (Differentiation of notification methods)) The terminal for a person being monitored as described in Appendix 15, characterized in that the notification means uses one or more notification means selected from the group consisting of sound notification, light notification, and display notification, according to the priority level indicated by the priority information, to notify the confirmation notice. Problem: When all notifications are communicated through the same physical means (e.g., display only), the difference in importance of each notification is not intuitively conveyed to the person being monitored. Effect: This design patents a UX design that dramatically improves the quality of the user experience by appealing to the five senses to convey the importance of information through the use of physical notification methods such as sound, light, and displays according to priority.

[0112] (Note 19: Invention of UI (screen replacement)) The terminal for a person being monitored as described in Appendix 15, characterized in that the notification means displays information including the battery level and the current time as a first display mode, and when the confirmation notification receiving means receives the confirmation notification, it displays information related to the confirmation notification as a second display mode instead of the first display mode. Problem: Important notifications may get lost among other information and be missed. Effect: This feature secures a UI behavior that provides a strong warning by completely "switching" the normal screen to a dedicated notification screen, preventing important notifications from being missed.

[0113] (Note 20: Invention of UI (addition to screen)) The terminal for a person being monitored as described in Appendix 15, characterized in that the notification means displays, on a screen that displays first information including the battery level and the current time, second information relating to the confirmation notification in addition to the first information when the confirmation notification receiving means receives the confirmation notification. Problem: When the screen completely switches every time a notification arrives, basic information such as the time cannot be checked, which can be inconvenient in some cases. Effect: This protects a flexible UX design that allows for information delivery while maintaining the user's context by providing a patent for another key UI behavior: displaying notification information "in addition" to normal information. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0114] 1. Notification System 10. Terminal for the person being monitored 20 Parental control devices 30 Servers (Information Processing Devices) C. Person under guardianship P guardian NW Network

Claims

1. An information processing device capable of communicating with multiple parental devices, A receiving unit that receives messages from the monitored person's terminal addressed to the aforementioned multiple guardian terminals, A confirmation receiving unit that receives a confirmation signal indicating that the message has been viewed from one of the parental terminals among the aforementioned multiple parental terminals, A notification control unit controls the manner of sending confirmation notifications to the monitored person's terminal based on the priority associated with the guardian terminal that sent the confirmation signal, An information processing device characterized by comprising:

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the notification control unit suspends the transmission of the confirmation notification for a predetermined time if the priority does not meet predetermined conditions.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, if the notification control unit receives a new confirmation signal from another parent terminal having priority that satisfies the predetermined conditions during the period in which the transmission of the confirmation notification is pending, it prioritizes transmitting a confirmation notification based on the new confirmation signal.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the notification control unit transmits the pending confirmation notification when a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the hold.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that when the notification control unit transmits a confirmation notice that has been held due to the elapsed of a predetermined time, it transmits the confirmation notice with identification information indicating that the confirmation notice was transmitted due to the elapsed of a predetermined time.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control of the above embodiment includes control to prevent the confirmation notification from being displayed on the terminal for the person being monitored.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control of the above embodiment includes control to change the content of the confirmation notice.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the change in the above content includes summarizing a plurality of confirmation signals received from the plurality of guardian terminals within a predetermined period into a single confirmation notification and transmitting it to the monitored person terminal.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the confirmation notification includes information for identifying the parent terminal that transmitted the confirmation signal.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a priority determination unit that dynamically determines the priority of each of the plurality of parental terminals based on predetermined contextual information.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the context information includes at least one of the location information and the current time of the monitored terminal.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the context information includes the type of the message.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the priority is a fixed value pre-set by the user for each of the plurality of parental terminals.

14. A terminal for the person being monitored, Multiple parental devices, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, A notification system characterized by comprising the following features.

15. A guardian terminal connected to an information processing device capable of communicating with multiple guardian terminals, A message transmission unit that transmits a message to the aforementioned information processing device, A confirmation notification receiving unit receives a confirmation signal from the information processing device indicating that the message has been viewed, and priority information associated with the parental terminal that transmitted the confirmation signal. A notification unit that controls and notifies the manner in which a confirmation notification based on the confirmation signal is notified based on the priority information received, A terminal for monitoring a person, characterized by being equipped with the following features.

16. A notification system comprising a terminal for the person being monitored and multiple terminals for guardians, The monitored terminal receives a message addressed to the multiple guardian terminals. Upon receiving a confirmation signal from one of the aforementioned parental control devices indicating that the message has been viewed, A notification control unit controls the manner of sending confirmation notifications to the monitored person's terminal based on the priority associated with the guardian terminal that sent the confirmation signal, Provided within the aforementioned system A notification system characterized by the following features.

17. The monitoring terminal according to claim 15, characterized in that the notification unit displays identification information on the screen for visually identifying the guardian terminal that transmitted the confirmation signal.

18. The terminal for a person being monitored according to claim 15, characterized in that the notification unit uses one or more notification means selected from the group consisting of sound notification, light notification, and display notification, according to the priority level indicated by the priority information, to notify the confirmation notification.

19. The aforementioned notification department, As the first display mode, information including battery level and current time is displayed. When the confirmation notification receiving unit receives the confirmation notification, it displays information related to the confirmation notification as a second display mode instead of the first display mode. A terminal for monitoring a person, as described in claim 15.

20. The aforementioned notification department, On the screen that displays the first piece of information, including the battery level and the current time, When the confirmation notification receiving unit receives the confirmation notification, it displays a second piece of information relating to the confirmation notification in addition to the first piece of information. A terminal for monitoring a person, as described in claim 15.

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