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

Abstract

This invention provides an information provision device, an information provision method, and an information provision program. [Solution] In an information provision system that allows information to be shared within a closed group consisting of multiple user terminals and a server, An information provision system that provides questions from the aforementioned system to enhance mutual understanding among users participating in the group via the multiple user terminals belonging to the group.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information providing apparatus, an information providing method, and an information providing program, and more particularly to an apparatus, a method, and a program for promoting communication within a specific closed group.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, services called social networking services (hereinafter abbreviated as "SNS") have been provided on the Internet. SNS is a community-type membership service that supports communication using texts, photos, videos, etc. within a community (group) formed by a registration system or an invitation system.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses an information providing apparatus including: a management unit that manages by associating one account with two pieces of identification information individually given to two users; and a providing unit that provides a service based on the account associated with the identification information of the user when a service provision is requested by the user. When a post is made by one of the couple users, the other user can manage the post.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the above prior art cannot appropriately support the promotion of communication between couples. For example, the prior art of Patent Document 1 cannot promote communication for improving mutual understanding and communication of intentions between couples. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] This application was made in view of the above, and aims to provide an information provision device, an information provision method, and an information provision program that appropriately support communication between couples or communication between users in a closed group. (Invention 1) An information provision system that allows information and questions to be shared within a closed group consisting of multiple user terminals and a server, wherein the system provides information and questions to users participating in the group via the multiple user terminals belonging to the group, in order to enhance mutual understanding among the users, The user registers information or questions selected from information or questions pre-prepared in the system, or information or questions created by the user (hereinafter referred to as "user information or questions"), in the system. An information provision system that performs processing to provide user information or questions as one of the pieces of information or questions provided by the system. Typically, multiple categorized question items are stored in the server's storage device, and the user selects a question to provide to the group from among them, provides the selected question to the users participating in the group, and obtains their answers. This allows the user to understand each participant's awareness of items characteristic of the group's attributes and deepen mutual understanding. Here, either a method of providing information in a format that identifies the questioner, or a method of providing information in a format that does not identify the questioner, or both, can be used. (Invention 2a) An information provision system that allows information and questions to be shared within a closed group consisting of multiple user terminals and a server, wherein the system provides information and questions determined by the system to enhance mutual understanding among the users to users participating in the group via the multiple user terminals belonging to the group, The user registers information or questions selected from information or questions pre-prepared in the system, or information or questions created by the user (hereinafter referred to as "user information or questions"), in the system. An information provision system that performs processing and provides the user information or question as one of the pieces of information or questions provided by the system (this information or question is determined by the system and not selected by the user) (i.e., both system-selected information and information selected by a specific user are mixed together). By distributing user-selected information and questions together with system-provided information and questions to all users, a specific user can ask questions without being identified as the one who asked the question. As a result, users can ask questions to each other without hesitation, deepening mutual understanding among users. (Invention 2b) The information provision system of Invention 1, wherein the plurality of user terminals comprises three or more units. (Invention 2c) The information provision system of Invention 1 is characterized by providing users with an opportunity to communicate with each other if there is a discrepancy in the answers to the aforementioned questions, providing users with an opportunity to communicate in groups with the same answer pattern, and providing users with an opportunity to participate in a BBS with a thread with the same answer pattern. To deepen mutual understanding when there is a discrepancy in perception, one can do so by engaging in dialogue with others or by exchanging opinions with those in similar circumstances. (Invention 3) In the case of a Peer-to-Peer connection, the server functions are distributed among the respective information processing terminals, according to one of the systems described in Invention 1-2(a), 2(b), or 2(c). (Invention 4) A system according to Invention 1-3, wherein the question provider (selector) can choose whether or not to identify the user when distributing the question. (Invention 5) A software program and a method for providing information for carrying out inventions 1-3. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the information provision device, information provision method, and information provision program of the present invention, it is possible for a couple, parent and child, family, group, or closed group (collectively referred to as a community) to share information that one user wishes to share within the community without identifying that user. Furthermore, the effectiveness of this community increases with the number of members, and is most effective in the case of families and especially couples. In other words, information can be provided to others without the risk of it being perceived as merely anonymous information within a closed community. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of the service provision system of the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of each functional block of the device included in the system of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of the operation flow of the system of the present invention. [Figure 4] This figure shows a screen image of the present invention. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of a management table used in the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The following describes in detail, with reference to the drawings, the embodiments for implementing the information provision device (system), information provision method, and information provision program relating to this application (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments"). Note that these embodiments do not limit the information provision device, information provision method, and information provision program relating to this application. Furthermore, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals in each of the following embodiments, and redundant descriptions are omitted. This invention provides a means of communicating things that cannot be said directly within a couple (or other closed group), or things that you want the other person to know but don't want them to know that you think them, without them knowing that you think them. Through this invention, mutual understanding can be deepened. Furthermore, by checking the other person's reaction to the information provided, you may realize that you were overthinking things or being overly considerate, or that the other person is not that bothered by the information, which can encourage behavioral changes so that you can communicate directly with the other person next time.

[0010] (An example of the configuration of the information provision system of the present invention) An example of the information provision system of the present invention is a program installed on a user's information processing terminal, such as a PC, laptop computer, or typically a smartphone or tablet (typically, the aforementioned program is executed in conjunction with a front-end program installed on the user's information processing terminal and a back-end program installed on the server to which the user's information processing terminal is connected). Figure 1 shows an example of the information provision system of the present invention. Information processing terminals 101 to 104 are information processing terminals used by the user, such as smartphones, tablets, mobile PCs, and wearable devices, and server 110 is a service provision server. The information processing terminal shown in Figure 1 is a portable information terminal device capable of communicating with any server device via wireless communication networks such as 3G (Generation), LTE (Long Term Evolution), 5G, WIFI, and WiMAX. The terminal device 100 is assumed to employ an output unit such as a liquid crystal display and an input unit such as a touch panel. In other words, typically, the user of the information processing terminal performs various operations by touching the display surface of the touch panel-equipped liquid crystal (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the screen) with their finger or stylus. The information processing terminal may also have the function of displaying information on other display devices such as liquid crystal monitors, in addition to the screen attached to the information processing terminal. Furthermore, the information processing terminal may accept various operations via information input devices such as a mouse, keyboard, accelerometer, and eye-tracking input.

[0011] The server 110 shown in Figure 1 is a server that provides communication and information sharing services between users, and is implemented by an information processing device such as a server device. For example, the server 110 stores an authentication database that associates user IDs (Identifiers) and passwords that identify the IDs of users using each terminal device 101 to 109, and authenticates each user 101 to 109 individually. The server 110 then provides authenticated users with various content such as questions such as surveys selected by other users, posted text, still images, videos, audio, links, advertisements, and information provided by the system, as well as various content such as questions such as surveys and advertisements. In other words, the server 110 creates individual accounts for each user 101 to 109, and provides various content that each user 101 to 109 posts or selects to other users with attributes set as content, or simply to other users belonging to the system, and / or provides content provided by the system to other users with set attributes, or simply to other users belonging to the system. Furthermore, it has the function of providing other services to each user 101-109, and is at least capable of communicating with each information processing terminal 101-109 via the Internet or LAN (Local Area Network), and of sending and receiving various types of information. Even if multiple functions are consolidated into a single server 110, the server 110 may be a collection of servers with multiple functions that coordinate information communication with users and other servers. Moreover, it is also possible to directly connect information processing terminals via a network, distributing the server's functions among the information processing terminals, and thereby realizing the functions of the present invention.

[0012] Fig. 2(a) shows an example of the configuration of the information providing server 110. Fig. 2(b) shows an example of the configuration of the information processing terminal 101 as an example of the information processing terminal. The server 110 in Fig. 2(a) at least includes an authentication unit 226 that performs user registration and authentication, a reception unit 227 that receives requests to the server, a storage unit 221, a communication unit 220, a management unit 228 that controls and manages the operations of each part of the server, a control unit 225 that includes a provision unit 229 that controls a program for providing services, a storage unit 221 that stores information provided to the user, such as a program of the service, an ID, a password, etc., and a communication unit 220 that controls communication between the server via the network and the information processing terminal connected thereto. The control unit 225 performs processing by appropriately using semiconductor memory elements such as a RAM, which is a temporary memory not shown, and a flash memory. The information processing terminal shown in Fig. 2(b) at least includes an authentication unit 233 that performs user registration and authentication, a transmission / reception unit (management unit) 232 that controls and manages the operations of the storage unit 243 and the control unit, and a communication unit 230 that controls communication between the server via the network and the information processing terminal connected thereto. The control unit 232 includes an authentication unit 233 that performs user authentication, a management unit 234 that controls and manages the operations of each part of the information processing terminal, an input unit 235 that controls information input to the information processing terminal, an output unit 236 that controls information output from the information processing terminal, an input device 241 such as a touch panel, a microphone, a keyboard, a camera, etc. that is connected to the control unit and controlled by the input unit 235, and a display device 242 such as a liquid crystal display device, a speaker, etc. that is controlled by the output unit 236. The storage units 221 and 243 use storage devices such as hard disks, optical disks, SSDs, etc.

[0013] (Example of Information Processing Table) An example of a table for user data management is shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 describes the features mainly used in the present invention, and personal data such as the user's name, nickname, address, and personal information are omitted. The management table in FIG. 5 is typically stored in the storage unit 221 of the server 110. In addition to personal data not shown, the management table is associated with a user ID, and includes a password not shown, attribute information about the groups in which the user is having conversations (here, as an example, attributes 1 to 3 are set, and each is assigned a couple, family, company, team, etc., but not limited thereto), information about the user's wishes regarding information distributed within the group, etc., such as distribution correction wish attributes 1 to 3 (indicating that the user wants to correct information from the system for the group to which the user belongs, that is, the user wants to enter the information they want to provide), and the storage locations where information such as conversations, images, videos, voices, text information, messages, URLs, etc. created by the user in the talk rooms for each attribute are stored. By the system referring to this storage location information, it is possible to call out the information.

[0014] (Example 1) The processing of an information provision system according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figure 3. Typically, the information processing system is a system in which the front end is installed on the user's information processing terminal and the back end is installed on the information processing server, and software programs are executed to realize each process. However, it is not limited to software programs, and it may be implemented as hardware such as FPGA that performs similar operations, or the system control may be performed by the server and the user's information processing terminal may be configured to have only input / output functions via a web browser or the like. Also, the server may be implemented as a single server or as multiple servers working together. This application program is downloaded and used from an app store or the website of a service provider company. In this embodiment, the user downloads and installs the application from an app store. Then, the user launches the application by touching the application icon on the display screen of the information processing terminal 101 (information processing terminals 101-109 are smartphones, tablets, mobile PCs, etc.), which is a smartphone. In this embodiment, an example of applying the present invention to an SNS application (a good example being a chat-type application where conversations take place between individuals or within groups) is shown. However, general SNS technology can also be applied to the present invention. Furthermore, while the present invention can be used in open-type SNS and BBS, if a large number of users participate and post information anonymously, the source of information cannot be identified, and therefore the effects of the present invention are not fully realized. The present invention is most effective in SNS and BBS with few participants, or in closed systems, or in systems where users can be identified (not anonymous).

[0015] (Flow 301) Upon initial launch, the application performs user registration. User registration involves storing a form containing predetermined information such as ID, password, nickname, and email address in the storage unit 221. In response to a request from the information processing terminal, the control unit 225 reads the form from the storage unit 221 and transmits it to the information processing terminal 101 via the communication unit 220. The information processing terminal 101 receives the form via the communication unit 230 through the control unit 232 and transmits it to the authentication unit 233. The authentication unit 233 displays the information to the user via the liquid crystal display device 242 through the output unit 236. The user then inputs the information into the form via the touch panel input device 241 and input unit 235, transmits it to the server 110 via the communication unit 230, and stores it in the management table of the storage unit 221 via the communication unit 220 and authentication unit 226. Here, the ID and password may be stored as issued by the server. User registration may also be performed using information from social networking services (SNS) or other services used by the user. IDs and passwords are stored as user personal data, for example, in the management table shown in Figure 5 (where, for example, the ID is 101, and the password, which is not shown, is stored along with other information). For subsequent startups, the user enters their ID and password via the input device 241 according to the form on the user's display device 242. The authentication unit 233 controls the input of the ID and password in cooperation with the input unit 235 and output unit 236, and sends the information to the server 110 via the communication unit 230. The server receives the ID and password via the communication unit 220, and the authentication unit 226 compares it with the ID and password in the management table stored in the storage unit 221. If a matching ID and password exists, it is identified as being used by that user, and the process moves to the next step. If a matching ID and password does not exist, the user is prompted to enter it again, and after a certain number of failures, for example, 5 times, they are prompted to register again. If SNS authentication is used, the authentication method is followed. Also, once authentication is successful, it is convenient for the user to save the ID and password in cache memory for a certain period or a certain number of uses, thus eliminating the need to enter them again.

[0016] (Flow 302) Once a user is identified in the previous flow, the front-end program on the information processing terminal 101 creates a screen to display the conversation between users. First, the management unit 234 requests the server, via the communication unit 230, to record the user's conversation (including information used in the SNS, such as images, videos, and text information), according to the program stored in the memory unit 243. The server 110 receives the request, with the management unit 228 controlling the communication unit 220. The server 110 retrieves the conversation data, which is associated with the user's ID and its attributes in chronological order, from the memory unit 221 and stores it in temporary memory. It also retrieves and stores in temporary memory the conversation records of other users with IDs that share common attributes with this user, attribute by attribute. These conversations and the conversation data of the other party are then sent to the information processing terminal 101 via the communication unit 220. Subsequently, the information processing terminal 101 receives this information, with the management unit 234 of the control unit 232 controlling the communication unit 230, and proceeds with processing according to the execution of the program stored in the memory unit 243. In other words, based on the received information, the program displays the history of these conversations to the user via the output unit 236 and the display device 242 in a format defined by the program. An example of the defined format and the information displayed on the LCD, i.e., the conversation history, is shown in Figure 4(a). The figure shows the app screen (top screen) on the user's smartphone terminal 101, and displays the SNS timeline. The figure shows the conversation history of user A and user B, a box for entering a new conversation, a send button for sending the conversation, a button for the user to send a survey to the conversation partner, a button to request temporary information, and a button to switch the attributes of the timeline (attribute 1, attribute 2, and attribute 3 are shown as examples, and currently the hatched attribute 1 is selected). The above conversation history information is shown as the dialogue between user A and user B (the conversation on the right is from this user, and the conversation on the left is from another user), and the management unit 234 processes it according to the program so that the user can scroll by touching up and down on the screen and view a predetermined number of past conversations. The user can switch conversations by touching the attribute button on the top screen.For example, a user using the information processing terminal 101 can switch between the following functions: attribute 1 is the conversation function for a couple (husband and wife, 101 and 102), attribute 2 is the conversation function for family B (family, users 101, 102, and 103), and attribute 3 is the conversation function for company A.

[0017] (Flow 303) Next, we will explain how to provide the survey function when a user touches the survey button. The flow from user input on the information processing terminal 101 to the cooperation between the server 110 and the information processing terminal 101, and the output to the user on the information processing terminal 101 is the same as the flow described above, so we will omit the details below. When the user's survey button is detected by touching the input device 241, which is the touch panel, the information processing terminal 101 requests survey items from the server 110 and requests a list of survey items corresponding to the attributes stored in the storage unit 221. In response to this request, the server 110 sends this information to the information processing terminal 101, stores it in the temporary memory or storage unit 243 of the information processing terminal, and displays the information on the display device. This list of information is a list of frequently discussed questions that match the attributes. For example, in the case of a couple, the list includes categories such as lifestyle (living with parents, preference for dual-income / stay-at-home spouse, etc.) and family (number of children, timing of conception, etc.). The user selects a category or question from these lists via the information processing terminal 101. Depending on this selection, the information processing terminal 101 further requests information from the server 110 about the selected category or the content of the questions included in the question. The server sends the information about the question (question content, etc.) stored in the storage unit 221 to the user terminal 101. Then, the user terminal 101 displays the selected category and the question items / content included in the category, as shown in Figure 4(b), based on the received category and the question information included in that category. It accepts the user's input via the input device 241 and displays a screen showing the answers to the questions (this example corresponds to when a category is selected; if a question is selected as described above, only the question items and content are displayed). This screen is shared among members of the group with the same attributes, and their answers are also shared. In other words, since the user is calling the questionnaire with attribute 1 on the information processing terminal 101, the information processing terminal 102 (see Figure 5) can also view the questions, input answers to the questions, and view the results. These answer results are aggregated, and it is convenient to configure the system so that both parties can view them from a separate summary screen of results (not shown).Furthermore, it would be beneficial to include a function that allows both parties to revise their answers, and a function that notifies the other party when an answer is revised (in this case, it would be preferable to leave a revision history so that the change in intent can be understood). For example, in the case of couples before marriage, it is possible to deepen mutual understanding between the couple by including questions similar to those in a prenuptial agreement. In the case of families, it is desirable to include questions that are appropriate for improving mutual understanding within the family, such as attitudes towards a child's education, attitudes towards caring for a grandparent, and the need for communication between parents and children. In the case of companies or teams, it is possible to deepen mutual understanding by including questions about ambiguous matters such as agreements within the group as questions, thereby allowing for the re-establishment of consensus within the group. In addition, if there is a disagreement in the answers to these questions, it would be good to include a function to delve deeper into the other party's answer (for example, touching the other party's answer on the results display screen sends a question to the other party asking for the reason for their answer, allowing them to view the other party's answer, and further, enabling a chat-style dialogue regarding this answer would deepen mutual understanding). Furthermore, a function to record and display the time it takes for the other party to view a question and then answer it (a long time may indicate hesitation or a lack of interest in answering), and an alert function to prompt an answer may also be provided. In addition, by pre-categorizing questions and displaying the average time for each category (of course, the type of answer itself, such as positive or negative, can also be aggregated), it is possible to estimate the other party's attitude towards that category. After these processes are completed, the user can return to the top screen by touching the "back" button (not shown). This survey function allows one person in a group to ask questions of their own choosing. The survey can be in the form of selecting an item and asking multiple questions included in it, or in the form of asking a single question. Furthermore, it is preferable that the system processes the user's answers to these surveys and stores them in the storage unit 221, linked to an ID in the management table, and after the series of processes, the user can request to re-view and confirm the answers.This method of re-viewing can be implemented, for example, by displaying a selection screen on the display device 242 when a user touches the survey button. The system then allows the user to choose whether to provide new questions to others or to view past answers (a list view is particularly convenient). The user can then use the input device 241 to select and view past answers. These surveys make it possible for couples or groups to gain mutual understanding about topics that are difficult to discuss directly, or topics that need to be discussed but were overlooked, thereby improving communication. When using the survey function, the user who initiated the survey may provide questions in a way that prevents other users from being notified.

[0018] (Information provided by the system) A key feature of this invention is that it inserts user-requested information into the information provided by the system, making it appear as if the information is provided by the system, and then distributing the user's requested information to other members of the group. The information provided by the system includes pre-set periodic information and information that is sent on an ad-hoc or random basis. An example of an information provision screen is shown in Figure 4(c). In the figure, the title "Information (Scheduled / Ad-hoc)" is given to indicate that the information is from the system. Scheduled information is information whose distribution status, frequency, and content are set in advance by the user on attribute-specific setting screens, and these settings are stored in the storage unit 221. These settings are then read from this program and provided to the user. As for scheduled information, when it is time for the program to process the information provision function in flow 304, this setting information and the system's date and time information are read from the storage unit 221 by the management unit 228 and compared. For example, if the distribution is "Yes" and the distribution frequency is one month, the information was previously provided from the system to the user's app top screen (for example, when the first user registered or one month later). (It goes without saying that if a user joins the group later, the information will be provided according to the group's previous distribution rules.) On the top screen, the conversation to which the information was distributed is provided on the conversation timeline, and the user can transition to the screen shown in Figure 4(c) by touching the conversation portion on the display device 242. There are no particular limitations on the information provided by the system, but it is convenient if it is information related to the attribute, and in particular, it is convenient if it is information that improves communication among members (text, written documents, videos, audio, links to URLs, etc.). Here, Figure 4(c) shows an example where the top 10 questions selected most frequently by the user for that attribute are provided. Examples of such information include, but are not limited to, the question items themselves, the answers to those questions, the aggregated results, and information that allows users to select all of those questions, or one or more, and redistribute them within the user's group.Furthermore, the system administrator may select information and questions, incorporate information provided by partnering with specialized information providers, and use AI to select, quote, and reference information and questions relevant to each group. Temporary information is also configured in the settings screen, with settings such as whether or not temporary information is distributed and the content of the information pre-configured. Temporary information is provided by the administrator through the system; examples of such information include, when a new category is created, the category, question items, question content, prompts users to input questions and answers, information on attributes attracting public attention, information useful for improving communication, or questions attracting public attention. The system (in this case, the relevant functional block of the control unit 225 of server 110) stores the provided information in the storage unit 221 in association with the provided attributes. If questions are included and user answers to those questions are included, the system further stores them in the storage unit 221 in association with each user ID. It is preferable to have a function to allow users to re-view this history.

[0019] Next, we will explain how to view the past information or the results of each user's answers to the questions about past information mentioned above. The user touches the "Information" button on the top screen displayed on the display device 242 shown in Figure 4(a). When the "Information" button is touched, the input device 241, which is a touch panel, detects the touch, and the control unit 232, in cooperation with the input unit 235 and the management unit 234, requests access to the management table from the communication unit 230 according to the program flow. When the server 110 receives the request via the communication unit 220, the control unit 225 controls the management unit 228 and the storage unit 221 in cooperation with each other and retrieves the management table stored in the storage unit 221. The control unit 225 then stores it in temporary memory and compares the requesting user (ID) with the user's attributes at the time of the request in the management table. As an example of comparison, referring to the management table in Figure 5, for example, if user ID 101 accesses from attribute 1, there are no requests for distribution / correction attribute 1, so it is determined to be "NO". If user ID 102 accesses from attribute 1, there are two requests for distribution / correction attribute 1, so it is determined to be "2". If it is determined to be "NO", the control unit 225 sends back to the information processing terminal the information, questions, and answers to questions previously provided for that attribute in the storage unit 221. Here, the distribution / correction requests in the management table are set by the user from a management screen (not shown) for each attribute, but it is also possible to modify them as appropriate, such as allowing the user to set whether or not to make corrections when pressing the "Information" button. If it is "NO", the information processing terminal 101 (although information processing terminal 101 is used as an example, it goes without saying that it could be any other information processing terminal) receives the information in the communication unit 230, and the control unit 232, in cooperation with the management unit 234 and the output unit 236, displays and provides it to the user via the display device 242. Regarding the means of displaying and providing information, methods well-known to those skilled in the art can be used, and various modifications are possible, such as providing information over a limited period if the amount of information is large.

[0020] On the other hand, the method for providing information when a correction request is made is as follows. When a correction request is made, the form of information necessary for the correction (stored in the storage unit 221) is provided to the user via the information processing terminal 101 using the same procedure as described above. First, the system prompts the user to choose whether to input the correction details or to view past information. If the user chooses to view past information, the past information is displayed as described above. If the user chooses to input the correction details, the system proceeds to the correction routine. An example of the input screen for managing this information correction is shown in Figure 4(e). On the correction screen, the user is prompted to input parameters such as the selection of the information type (scheduled or temporary) and the selection of additional questions (questions the user wants to ask others in the same group. This can be in the form of selecting questions from categories or creating additional questions themselves). The control unit 232 controls the display device 242 and input device 241 to process these. If "scheduled" is selected, the form data is stored in the server's storage unit 221, and the information the user wishes to insert is added to the information that will be periodically distributed to the group of that attribute next time. If "Temporary" is selected, the system may provide the information requested by the user as information from the system, or it may be added to the next temporary information provided by the system. The user can set which option to select in advance on the settings screen, and this setting will be stored in the management table. If there are any modifications that should be added temporarily, the system will process the distribution of that information (information, questions, requests for answers to questions, etc.) when providing temporary information. For information provided by the system, processing may also be added to make it possible to view information related to that information, namely the viewing status of the information (which can also be modified by the user, such as by adding a "like"), answers to questions, and the status of the answers (whether or not an answer was given, the time taken to answer, etc.). Furthermore, after providing this information, the system will process / control the system so that the user is returned to the top screen when they touch the "back" button (not shown in the diagram).In groups of users, if the number of users is limited (typically 20 people or less, preferably 10 people, even more preferably 7 people or less, and even more preferably 5 people or less), if roles and positions within the group are divided, or if a person's personality and character are known to other users within the group and it is easy to guess who is saying what, then even if information is posted anonymously, the sender can be identified, making it impossible to post information. Therefore, in the above configuration of this embodiment, a function is provided for the system to post information, and by allowing users to add information they wish to distribute to that information, a situation can be created where it is difficult for users to be identified. This makes it possible for users to present information and questions without their identity being known, improving communication among users. Furthermore, by considering the response status to these posts, users may understand that "hesitation" is not necessary and may post directly or engage in direct conversations about them outside the app, further improving communication. These methods are effective when you don't know what the other person is thinking, when you first inquire, or when discussing topics that are difficult for couples to talk about, such as contraception methods, fertility treatments between spouses, parental opinions on children's education within a family, group management in a company, team strategies, or sharing awareness of previously taboo topics. The main difference between information that users request to be added, inserted, or replaced by the system and information provided by the system is typically that the former provides user-selected or created information only to the attribute group to which a specific user belongs, while the latter is not information that a specific user particularly requests to be provided to a specific group. For example, when the system selects and decides on distribution information, such as the top 10 questions selected by many users, it is not distributed only to a specific group. Also, the former information is provided by the system in a way that some of it is replaced, added, or swapped with the latter information when it is distributed (however, if it is requested to be provided on a temporary basis, it may be provided without any particular replacement).

[0021] Normally, after the app is launched (300) and authenticated (301), the following functions—SNS function (302), survey function (303), and information provision function (304)—are provided to the user on a regular basis. Then, when the user chooses to exit the app, the logout process is performed and the app is terminated (flow 305).

[0022] (modified version) When there are discrepancies in perception among users regarding the survey results, it is important to understand these discrepancies. Therefore, a modified version of the above embodiment for when there are discrepancies based on the survey results is described below. In this case, for example, it applies when user ID:101 selects "yes" and user ID:102 selects "no" in the question illustrated in Figure 4(b). In this modified version, after the user enters their answer to the question, the system stores the user's answer in the memory unit 221 and simultaneously compares the user's answer. If it is determined that there are discrepancies in the user's answer within the group, an alert is issued to the user, and the users in that group are invited to the timeline. Conventional techniques can be used for the invitation; for example, an alert window can be displayed as a pop-up, and when the user touches it, the timeline on the top screen opens, and at the same time, the system suggests information about the question and, if necessary, related information about the question, encouraging users to communicate with each other while referring to this information.

[0023] (Modification 2) When there are discrepancies in perception among users regarding the survey results, it is important to understand these discrepancies. However, before directly engaging in dialogue with other users about the points of discrepancy, it is necessary to organize one's own perceptions. To this end, the following configuration is added to the present invention. The system classifies registered users in advance based on their answer patterns to questions and forms groups of users with the same answer pattern. Here, the groups may be further subdivided not only by answer pattern, but also by combinations of the user's personal data (age, gender, home environment, family environment, work environment, team environment, etc.) and other answer patterns. When the results of the question are obtained, the user is invited to a chat-style timeline for dialogue with other users who have the same answer pattern, and the user participates in the group to exchange opinions on their individual situations and thoughts. In this case, for example, if the group is for couples or married couples, it is preferable that the group consists only of users of the same gender. Similarly, in the case of families, it is preferable that the groups consist of parents, children, etc. Furthermore, in a company setting, it is preferable to have groups of people with similar circumstances, such as superiors, subordinates, managers, female employees, or, in the case of a team, staff members, players, or players in the same position, as these groups are easier to understand and participate in. Additionally, it may be helpful to set up alerts to be sent to participating members when a conversation is entered into a group.

[0024] (Variation 3) In the above Modification 2, group dialogue was provided, but there are problems such as the group becoming too large or members not being constantly present. Therefore, Modification 3 provides a BBS (bulletin board system). It provides a combination of BBS threads and one or more response patterns, or combinations of items in the user's personal data. In this case, it is convenient because past user opinions can be referenced by looking back through the BBS threads. In Modifications 2 and 3, processing may be added to send an alert to the user after they enter a response, inviting them to a chat group or BBS thread. In addition, opinions from Modifications 2 and 3, summaries of them created by the system, and summaries created using AI can be added to the information provided by the system and distributed. Furthermore, since the chat group in Modification 2 and the BBS in Modification 3 involve dialogue with users who are not directly known, the system may provide processing to monitor posts such as conversations within them. In this case, the system can use AI to learn excluded words and hide or delete posts when excluded words or related words are entered. It is also convenient to prohibit users from posting, viewing, and adding them to a blacklist to prevent future participation. Furthermore, it is preferable to store these chat posts, BBS posts, and additional information about these users (such as blacklisting) in the memory unit 221 so that the system can use them as needed.

[0025] If a group of users with specific attributes includes three or more people, the target audience for surveys and questions included in system-provided information may be set to include all members of the group or selected users during the processing of surveys or the processing of additional modifications to system-provided information. Survey and question providers / selectors can choose whether to make their identifying information (username, user ID, nickname, etc.) public or private, which can be pre-configured in the system (individually for each user, unified by the administrator, or collectively), or fixed in the program when providing questions and information. Furthermore, in the case of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) connections, the server functionality may be distributed across any user's information processing terminal, or the system may be constructed with the server functionality distributed across any user's information processing terminal.

[0026] The embodiments of the present invention are merely one example, and it is not necessary to include all configurations. It goes without saying that it is possible to implement the invention using only some of the configurations corresponding to the constituent elements included in the claims. Although the embodiments of the present invention describe configurations as examples for implementation, the methods of implementing the present invention are not limited thereto, and well-known methods available for realizing the constituent elements defined in the claims are also available. [Explanation of symbols]

[0027] 100 Information Provision System 101-104 Information Processing Terminals 110 Servers 220, 230 Communications Department 225, 232 Control Unit 221, 243 Storage section 241 Input device 242 Output device, display device

Claims

1. An information provision system that allows information and questions to be shared within a closed group consisting of multiple user terminals and a server, wherein the system provides information and questions determined by the system to enhance mutual understanding among the users to users participating in the group via the multiple user terminals belonging to the group, The user registers information or questions selected from information or questions pre-prepared in the system, or information or questions created by the user (hereinafter referred to as "user information or questions"), in the system. An information provision system that performs processing such as providing the user information or question as one of the pieces of information or questions provided by the system only to the group to which the user belongs.

2. An information provision system that allows information and questions to be shared within a closed group consisting of multiple user terminals and a server, wherein the system provides information and questions determined by the system to enhance mutual understanding among the users to users participating in the group via the multiple user terminals belonging to the group, The steps include registering information or questions selected by the user from information or questions pre-prepared in the system, or information or questions created by the user (hereinafter referred to as "user information or questions"), in the system, The system provides the user information or question as one of the pieces of information or questions provided by the system only to the group to which the user belongs, as information or questions from the system. A method for providing information that performs a process consisting of the following.

3. A software program used in an information provision system that allows information and questions to be shared within a closed group consisting of multiple user terminals and a server, wherein the system provides information and questions determined by the system to enhance mutual understanding among users to users participating in the group via the multiple user terminals belonging to the group, The user registers information or questions selected from information or questions pre-prepared in the system, or information or questions created by the user (hereinafter referred to as "user information or questions"), in the system. A software program that performs a process in which the system provides the user information or question as one of the pieces of information or questions provided by the system only to the group to which the user belongs.

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