Information processing systems, information processing methods, and programs

Abstract

We provide information processing systems and other tools that can more effectively convey the appeal of products using a vertically oriented display area. [Solution] According to one aspect of the present invention, an information processing system is provided comprising one or more processors, wherein in an acquisition step, the processor acquires a listing image on which a product is listed; in a manner determination step, the processor determines a display manner for the acquired listing image on a display terminal, such as a first manner if the listing image includes a person, or a second manner if the listing image does not include a person; and in a display step, the processor causes the listing image to be displayed on the display terminal in the determined display manner, the display terminal having a vertically elongated display area, the first manner being a manner in which the listing image is displayed across the entire display area, and the second manner being a manner in which the left and right widths of the display area match the left and right widths of the listing image.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for acquiring clothing information regarding a user's clothing from the user, providing the acquired clothing information to at least a proposer who conducts product introductions, acquiring proposal information including evaluation contents regarding the user's clothing based on the clothing information and proposed products based on the evaluation contents from the proposer, and providing the acquired proposal information to the user.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Ordinary e-commerce sites are created on the premise of being displayed on the landscape displays of notebook computers and desktop computers.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide an information processing system or the like that can more strongly convey the attractiveness of products in a vertically long display area.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, an information processing system is provided comprising one or more processors, wherein in an acquisition step, the processor acquires a listing image on which a product is listed; in a mode determination step, the processor determines a display mode for the acquired listing image on a display terminal, such as a first mode if the listing image includes a person, or a second mode if the listing image does not include a person; and in a display step, the processor causes the listing image to be displayed on the display terminal in the determined display mode, the display terminal having a vertically elongated display area, the first mode being a mode in which the listing image is displayed across the entire display area, and the second mode being a mode in which the left and right widths of the display area match the left and right widths of the listing image.

[0007] This configuration allows for a stronger conveyance of the product's appeal within a vertically oriented display area. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of the overall configuration of EC support system 1. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of the hardware configuration of a vertical site server 10. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of the hardware configuration of user terminal 30. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of a vertically formatted e-commerce site. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of switching displays using a horizontal swipe. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of switching displays using a vertical swipe. [Figure 7] This is a diagram showing an example of an e-commerce site. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a vertical website generation process. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of a configuration where the vertical size matches. [Figure 10] This figure shows an example of how to enlarge a person. [Figure 11] This figure shows another example of a vertical size matching configuration. [Figure 12] This is a diagram showing an example of the horizontal size matching mode. [Figure 13] This is a diagram showing another example of the vertical size matching mode. [Figure 14] This is a diagram showing an example of the horizontal scroll mode. [Figure 15] This is a diagram showing another example of the horizontal size matching mode. [Figure 16] This is a diagram showing an example of the vertical arrangement mode. [Figure 17] This is a diagram showing an example of the display order table. [Figure 18] This is a diagram showing another example of the display order table. [Figure 19] This is a diagram showing an example of the display mode of the commercial material description D104.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Various characteristic matters shown in the embodiments described below can be combined with each other.

[0010] Incidentally, a program for realizing the software appearing in one embodiment may be provided as a non-temporary computer-readable medium (Non-Transitory Computer-Readable Medium) readable by a computer, may be provided so as to be downloadable from an external server, or may be provided so as to start the program on an external computer and realize its function on a client terminal (so-called cloud computing).

[0011] Furthermore, in various information processing according to one embodiment, an input and an output corresponding to the input can be realized. Here, as long as an output is obtained as a result of the input, the form of the information referenced in such information processing (hereinafter referred to as "reference information") is not limited. The reference information may be, for example, rule-based information such as a database, a lookup table, or a predetermined function (including a decision formula such as a regression equation constructed by a statistical method), or a trained model that has been pre-trained to learn the correlation between input and output, or a generative AI such as a large-scale language model that can output a desired result by inputting a prompt (these models include parameters that construct the correlation relationship between input and output) or a visual language model.

[0012] Furthermore, in one embodiment, "part" may include, for example, hardware resources implemented by a circuit in a broad sense, and the information processing of software that can be specifically realized by these hardware resources. Also, in one embodiment, various types of information are handled, and this information can be represented, for example, by the physical values ​​of signal values ​​representing voltage and current, the high or low values ​​of signal values ​​as a set of binary bits composed of 0s or 1s, or by quantum superposition (so-called qubits), and communication and calculations can be performed on a circuit in a broad sense.

[0013] Furthermore, a circuit in a broad sense is a circuit realized by appropriately combining at least a circuit, circuitry, a processor, a memory, etc. The processor may be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated circuit. That is, it includes an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (e.g., a simple programmable logic device (SPLD), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), and a field programmable gate array (FPGA)), etc.

[0014] <Embodiment> 1. System Configuration Hereinafter, the system configuration according to the embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of the EC support system 1. In FIG. 1, an overview of each device included in the EC support system 1 and an overview of users who use these devices are shown. Each overview will be described as needed while referring to other figures. Note that EC refers to Electronic Commerce.

[0015] The EC support system 1 includes a communication line 2, a vertical site server 10, an EC site server 20, and a user terminal 30. The communication line 2 is a physical or virtual connection path that mediates the exchange of data between devices connected to its own line, and includes, for example, the Internet, a local area network, a mobile communication network, and a virtual private network (VPN). In the example of FIG. 1, the vertical site server 10 and the EC site server 20 are wired-connected to the communication line 2, and the user terminal 30 is wirelessly connected. Note that the connection of each device to the communication line 2 may be wired or wireless.

[0016] EC support system 1 is a system that provides EC support services to support e-commerce businesses. EC site server 20 stores information about various products in product DB3 (DB: Database) and performs various information processing tasks for selling those products on the EC site.

[0017] The vertical site server 10 performs various information processing tasks to support the provision of products offered on an e-commerce site in a vertical format. A vertical site is a website that includes web pages where the home screen is displayed in a vertically oriented display area, similar to a smartphone. An e-commerce site that has been made vertical is also specifically called a vertical e-commerce site. In short, the vertical site server 10 performs information processing tasks to support the provision of a vertical e-commerce site.

[0018] The user terminal 30 is a display terminal with a vertically oriented display area, such as a smartphone. The user terminal 30 is used by users who utilize e-commerce services. The user terminal 30 has display means and input means and functions as a UI (User Interface) for users who intend to purchase goods on an e-commerce site.

[0019] The vertical site server 10 performs authentication processing to authenticate users who use the EC support system 1, and display processing to display images on the user terminal 30. The vertical site server 10 stores authentication information (e.g., user ID and password) for user authentication and authenticates users who enter the authentication information as users of the EC support system 1. By authenticating users, the vertical site server 10 determines which data the user can access and adds identification information to the data entered by the user to make it identifiable.

[0020] The vertical site server 10 performs display processing such as generating and sending HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) files, generates a web page showing the system screen, and displays the generated system screen on the user terminal 30 using the browser's functions. Alternatively, the user terminal 30 may install an application program to use the EC support system 1, and the vertical site server 10 may generate and display a system screen that can be displayed by that application. The vertical site server 10 controls the display on the user terminal 30 by performing these display processing operations.

[0021] 2. Hardware Configuration The hardware configuration according to this embodiment will be described below. Figure 2 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the vertical site server 10. The vertical site server 10 comprises a control unit 101, a storage unit 102, a communication unit 103, and a bus 104. The bus 104 electrically connects each part of the vertical site server 10.

[0022] (Control Unit 101) The control unit 101 has at least one processor. The at least one processor may consist of, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), one or more integrated circuits, one or more discrete circuits, or a combination thereof.

[0023] The control unit 101 is a computer that realizes various functions related to the EC support system 1 by reading predetermined programs stored in the memory unit 102. In other words, information processing by software stored in the memory unit 102 is concretely realized by the control unit 101, which is an example of hardware, and can be executed as each functional unit included in the control unit 101. Note that the control unit 101 is not limited to being a single unit, and may be implemented with multiple control units 101 for each function, or a combination thereof.

[0024] (Storage unit 102) The memory unit 102 stores various types of information as defined above. This can be done, for example, as a storage device such as a solid-state drive (SSD) or hard disk drive (HDD) that stores various programs related to the EC support system 1 executed by the control unit 101, or as memory such as random access memory (RAM) that stores temporarily necessary information (arguments, arrays, etc.) related to program calculations. The memory unit 102 stores various programs and variables related to the EC support system 1 executed by the control unit 101.

[0025] (Communications Department 103) The communication unit 103 is composed of a communication module. The communication module may be a wireless communication module compliant with standards such as IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax, LTE, 5G, 6G, or a wired communication module compliant with standards such as IEEE 802.3. The communication unit 103 is configured to transmit various electrical signals from the vertical site server 10 to external components. The communication unit 103 is also configured to receive various electrical signals from external components to the vertical site server 10. More preferably, the communication unit 103 has a network communication function, thereby enabling the communication of various information between the vertical site server 10 and external devices via the communication line 2.

[0026] The EC site server 20 has the same hardware configuration as the vertical site server 10. For the EC site server 20, only the control unit 201 will be described using a different reference numeral than the control unit 101 of the vertical site server 10.

[0027] Figure 3 shows an example of the hardware configuration of a user terminal 30. The user terminal 30 comprises a control unit 301, a storage unit 302, a communication unit 303, an input unit 304, an output unit 305, and a bus 306. The bus 306 electrically connects each part of the user terminal 30. The control unit 301, storage unit 302, and communication unit 303 are similar hardware to the control unit 101, storage unit 102, and communication unit 103 shown in Figure 3, although their specifications and models may differ.

[0028] (Input section 304) The input unit 304 has input receiving means such as keys, buttons, touchscreens, and mice, and accepts input from the user. The input unit 304 may also have sound receiving means such as a microphone, and may have a function to collect the user's voice and accept the input of the collected voice.

[0029] (Output section 305) The output unit 305 has display means such as a display and sound emission means such as a speaker, and outputs visual information and auditory information. For example, the output unit 305 displays visual information such as screens, images, icons, and text on the display surface 31 of the display in a manner that is visible to the user. The display surface 31 is part of a touchscreen and also accepts user input. The output unit 305 also outputs audible sound such as speech or synthesized sound from the speaker.

[0030] 3. Information Processing The following describes the information processing according to the embodiment. In the following description, the vertical site server 10, the EC site server 20, and the user terminal 30 are described as the main entities of each information processing, but their information processing is executed by at least one processor provided in the EC support system 1, that is, the processors in the control units 101, 201, and 301 of each device.

[0031] First, we will explain the vertical e-commerce site provided with the support of the vertical site server 10. Figure 4 shows an example of a displayed vertical e-commerce site. In the example in Figure 4, a browser image is displayed on the display surface 31 of the user terminal 30. More specifically, the web page of the vertical e-commerce site is displayed in the display area 33, excluding the operation area 32 where the browser operation images are displayed. This web page of the vertical e-commerce site is displayed under the control of the vertical site server 10.

[0032] The vertical site server 10 displays the listing image G11, the descriptive information D11, and the purchase button B11 in the display area 33. The listing image G11 is an image of the product displayed on the e-commerce site. In the example in Figure 4, the listing image G11 is an image showing the appearance of the clothing product M11, and displays the product M11. The descriptive information D11 is information that describes the product M11, such as the product name, price, size, and color of the product M11. The vertical site server 10 displays the descriptive information D11 superimposed on the listing image G11. The purchase button B11 is an operator image that accepts the operation to add product M11 to the cart and purchase it.

[0033] The vertical site server 10 controls the display of posted images and explanatory information by, for example, sending display data to the user terminal 30 that represents multiple posted images, explanatory information, and the display order of the multiple posted images. The user terminal 30 temporarily stores the transmitted display data and displays the posted images and explanatory information indicated by the stored display data in the order indicated by the display data. The display of posted images and explanatory information can be switched by a user switching operation. Switching operations include, for example, horizontal swiping and vertical swiping. Swiping is an operation in which a finger or stylus touches the display area 33 and slides it.

[0034] Figure 5 shows an example of switching displays using a horizontal swipe. When a user terminal 30 performs a left swipe operation, for example, the currently displayed image switches to the image that is one position lower in the display order from among the images showing the appearance of the same product as the displayed image showing the appearance of the product. In the example in Figure 5, the images are switched in the order of images G11, G12, and G13. Images G12 and G13 are images showing the appearance of a part (jacket and skirt) of product M11, which is clothing.

[0035] Furthermore, when the user terminal 30 performs a right swipe operation, it switches the displayed image to the image that is one position higher in the display order from among the displayed images that show the appearance of the same product as the currently displayed image that shows the appearance of the product. In the example in Figure 5, the images are switched in the order of G13, G12, and G11. Even when the user terminal 30 switches images by swiping horizontally, the displayed product itself does not change, so the explanatory information D11 continues to be displayed by superimposing the same information on the displayed image without changing it.

[0036] Figure 6 shows an example of switching displays using a vertical swipe. When the user terminal 30 performs an upward swipe operation, it switches the display to an image showing the appearance of another product that is one position lower in the display order than the currently displayed image showing the appearance of the product. In the example in Figure 6, the images are switched in the order of G11, G21, and G31. Images G21 and G31 are images showing the appearance of products M21 and M31 (each being a different garment from product M11).

[0037] Furthermore, when a user 30 performs a downward swipe operation, it switches the displayed image to show the appearance of the product that is one position higher in the display order than the currently displayed image showing the appearance of the product. In the example in Figure 6, the images are switched in the order of G31, G21, and G11. When a user 30 performs a vertical swipe to switch images, the displayed product changes, so the explanatory information is also switched and displayed. In the example in Figure 6, the user 30 displays explanatory information D21 that describes product M21 superimposed on image G21, and displays explanatory information D31 that describes product M31 superimposed on image G31.

[0038] Figures 5 and 6 describe the original e-commerce site from which the images were posted. Figure 7 shows an example of an e-commerce site. The e-commerce site screen E101 shown in Figure 7 displays the product image G101, a thumbnail image N101, explanatory information D101, a purchase button B101, and a list button B102. The product image G101 is the image of the product M101 and is displayed in the main display area A101.

[0039] Thumbnail image N101 is a reduced-size version of multiple images of product M101. When a user selects thumbnail image N101, the original image of the selected thumbnail image N101 is displayed in the main display area A101. Product image G101 is a photograph of person H101 wearing product M101. The images include photographs showing only product M101 and photographs showing both product M101 and person H101. For products like clothing, which are worn and used by people, it is common practice to include photographs of people actually wearing the clothing to show how it looks when worn.

[0040] Description information D101 is information describing product M101, and includes the product name D102, price information D103, and product description D104. The purchase button B101 is an operator image that accepts the operation to add product M101 to the cart and purchase it. The list button B102 is an operator image that accepts the operation to display a list of products. When the list button B102 is operated, the product list screen is displayed, and if another product is selected from the displayed list, an e-commerce site screen like Figure 7 is displayed for purchasing the selected product.

[0041] EC site screen E101 is a screen displayed by the EC site server 20. The EC site server 20 stores multiple images for each product and associates them with descriptive information for each product. The EC site server 20 also stores definition information that defines the layout for displaying each image and descriptive information side by side, as shown on EC site screen E101. This definition information defines a layout for display on a widescreen display area, such as that of a laptop or desktop computer.

[0042] The EC support system 1 executes a vertical site generation process to generate a vertical EC site that provides products offered on an EC site. The vertical site generation process can target any site as the source EC site, and is particularly characterized by its ability to convert even EC sites that are provided with a layout for display in a horizontal display area, such as the EC site screen E101 shown in Figure 7, into a vertical EC site. Note that the original EC site may also be a vertical EC site.

[0043] The vertical site generation process is described with the vertical site server 10 and the EC site server 20 as the main entities responsible for each information processing. However, these information processing operations are performed by one or more processors provided in the EC support system 1, which is an information processing system, namely the processors in the control units 101 and 201 of each device.

[0044] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the vertical site generation process. The flow shown in Figure 8 is executed, for example, at a fixed time every day (such as a predetermined time at night). The vertical site server 10 first requests the e-commerce site server 20, which provides the original e-commerce site, to display images and description information of the products offered on the e-commerce site (step S11). When the e-commerce site server 20 receives the request from the vertical site server 10, it reads the displayed images and description information stored in its own device and sends it to the vertical site server 10 (step S12).

[0045] The vertical site server 10 acquires the submitted posted image and descriptive information (step S13). Next, the vertical site server 10 performs image recognition processing on the acquired posted image to recognize the type and extent of the objects represented in the posted image (step S14). Objects are things that appear in the posted image and include products, people, and background objects. Background objects are things that are photographed together with people and products, such as chairs, desks, or buildings.

[0046] The vertical site server 10 first performs preprocessing such as noise reduction and resizing, then extracts features and compares them with the features of pattern images of various objects to recognize the shape of objects within the posted image. Subsequently, the vertical site server 10 classifies the type of object using a machine learning algorithm (e.g., a convolutional neural network). The vertical site server 10 also uses an object detection algorithm such as YOLO (You Only Look Once) to identify the bounding box of the recognized object within the posted image. A bounding box is a rectangular area that surrounds an object in an image.

[0047] Next, the vertical site server 10 determines whether or not a person is included in the object recognized from the posted image (step S21). If the vertical site server 10 determines in S21 that a person is included (YES), it determines whether or not the recognized person fits within the display area when the vertical size of the posted image is matched with the vertical size of the display area (step S22). Hereafter, matching the vertical size of the posted image with the vertical size of the display area will also be simply referred to as "matching the vertical size".

[0048] If the vertical site server 10 determines in S22 that the image fits (YES), it determines whether the ratio of the area of ​​the recognized person to the area of ​​the display area (hereinafter referred to as "person ratio") is greater than or equal to a threshold (step S23). If the vertical site server 10 determines in S23 that it is greater than or equal to the threshold (YES), it displays the image in a vertical size matching manner (step S24). A vertical size matching manner is a manner in which the vertical size is matched, that is, a manner in which the vertical size of the image is matched to the vertical size of the display area.

[0049] Figure 9 shows an example of a vertical size matching configuration. Figure 9(a) shows a posted image G101 of a person H101 wearing product M101. The vertical site server 10 determines that the recognized person H101 fits within the display area 33 if the vertical size of the posted image G101 matches the vertical size of the display area 33, and both the width and height of the bounding box of person H101 are less than or equal to the width and height of the display area 33.

[0050] The vertical site server 10 generates a posted image G102 by changing the size of the posted image G101 so that its vertical size matches the vertical size of the display area 33. In the posted image G102 shown in Figure 9(b), the width and height of the bounding box X101 of person H101 are both less than or equal to the display area 33, so the vertical site server 10 determines that person H101 fits within the display area 33.

[0051] Next, the vertical site server 10 calculates the proportion of person H101 in the posted image G102. For example, to simplify the calculation, the vertical site server 10 considers the area of ​​the bounding box X101 as the area of ​​person H101 and calculates the proportion of person. Alternatively, the vertical site server 10 may calculate a more accurate proportion of person by counting the number of pixels included in person H101. In the example of Figure 9(b), the vertical site server 10 determines that the proportion of person H101 is above a threshold and displays the generated posted image G102 in a manner that matches the vertical size of the display area 33, as shown in Figure 9(b), i.e., in a vertical size matching manner.

[0052] If the vertical site server 10 determines in S23 that the proportion of people is not above a threshold (NO), it displays the posted image in a person-enlarged mode (step S25). The person-enlarged mode is a mode in which the person is enlarged so that the proportion of people is above a threshold, and the enlarged person is displayed so that it fits within the display area 33.

[0053] Figure 10 shows an example of a person enlargement mode. In Figure 10(a), a posted image G111 is shown, which is a photograph of a person H111 wearing product M111, and has been resized to match the vertical size of the display area 33. The vertical site server 10 determines that the proportion of person H111 in posted image G111 is below a threshold, and generates posted image G112 by enlarging posted image G111 to a size where the proportion of person H111 is equal to or greater than the threshold. The vertical site server 10 displays the generated posted image G112 in a manner that displays the area indicated by the dotted line, which has the same shape and size as the display area 33, as shown in Figure 10(b), i.e., in a person enlargement mode.

[0054] If the vertical site server 10 determines in S22 that the person recognized does not fit within the display area (NO), it then determines whether the recognized product fits within the display area (step S26). If the vertical site server 10 determines in S26 that it fits within the display area (YES), it displays the image in the vertical size matching manner described above (step S27).

[0055] Figure 11 shows another example of the vertical size matching configuration. Figure 11(a) shows a posted image G121 of a person H121 wearing product M121. The vertical site server 10 generates a posted image G122 in which the vertical size of posted image G121 matches the vertical size of the display area 33. As shown in Figure 11(b), in posted image G122, the person H121's feet H122 and hands H123 extend beyond the display area 33, but the product M121 fits within the display area 33. In this case, the vertical site server 10 displays the generated posted image G122 in a configuration where the dotted line area, which indicates the same shape and size as the display area 33, is displayed within the display area 33, i.e., the vertical size matching configuration.

[0056] If the vertical site server 10 determines in S26 that the product recognized does not fit within the display area (NO), it displays the image in a horizontal size matching configuration (step S28). The horizontal size matching configuration is a configuration in which the horizontal size of the displayed image is matched to the horizontal size of the display area. Hereafter, matching the horizontal size of the displayed image to the horizontal size of the display area will also be simply referred to as "matching the horizontal size."

[0057] Figure 12 shows an example of a horizontal size matching configuration. Figure 12(a) shows a posted image G131 in which people H131, H132, and H133 are photographed wearing merchandise M131, M132, and M133, respectively. In posted image G131, both the people and the merchandise are distributed throughout the entire image. Therefore, when the vertical size of posted image G131 is matched to the vertical size of the display area 33, the recognized people H131, H132, and H133 do not fit within the display area 33, and the recognized merchandise M131, M132, and M133 also do not fit within the display area 33.

[0058] The vertical site server 10 generates a posted image G132 by changing the size of the posted image G131 so that its horizontal size matches the horizontal size of the display area 33. The vertical site server 10 displays the generated posted image G132 in a manner that matches the horizontal edge of the display area 33 and places it in the vertical center of the display area 33, as shown in Figure 12(b), i.e., in a manner that matches the horizontal size.

[0059] If the vertical site server 10 determines in S21 that the object recognized from the posted image does not include a person (NO), it then determines whether the recognized product will fit within the display area when the vertical size is matched (step S31). If the vertical site server 10 determines in S31 that it will fit (YES), it displays the posted image in a vertical size matched manner (step S32).

[0060] Figure 13 shows another example of the vertical size matching configuration. In Figure 13(a), a posted image G141 of product M141 is shown. The vertical site server 10 generates a posted image G142 in which the vertical size of posted image G141 matches the vertical size of the display area. In the posted image G142 shown in Figure 13(b), product M141 fits within the display area 33. The vertical site server 10 displays the generated posted image G142 in a configuration where the dotted line area, which indicates the same shape and size as the display area 33, is displayed within the display area 33, i.e., in the vertical size matching configuration.

[0061] If the vertical site server 10 determines in S31 that the product recognized does not fit within the display area (NO), it then determines whether the recognized product is horizontally oriented or not (step S33). For example, the vertical site server 10 determines that the recognized product is horizontally oriented if the ratio of the horizontal length to the vertical length of the bounding box of the product is greater than or equal to the threshold Th1.

[0062] Threshold Th1 is a threshold for determining whether an image is widescreen, and specifically, it may be a value such as 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 5.0, and may also be within the range of any two of the values ​​exemplified here.

[0063] If the vertical site server 10 determines in S33 that the image is horizontal (YES), it displays the image in a horizontal scrolling manner (step S34). A horizontal scrolling manner is a manner in which the image is displayed while maintaining the same vertical size, and scrolling horizontally from one end to the other.

[0064] Figure 14 shows an example of a horizontal scrolling mode. Figure 14(a) shows a posted image G151 of a horizontally oriented product M151. The vertical site server 10 generates a posted image G152 in which the vertical size of posted image G151 matches the vertical size of the display area. As shown in Figure 14(b), the vertical site server 10 initially displays the portion of the generated posted image G152 including the left edge in the display area 33, and then scrolls horizontally to the left, continuing horizontally until the right edge is displayed.

[0065] After horizontal scrolling to the right edge is complete, the vertical site server 10 will, for example, display the image G152 while scrolling to the right if the user swipes to the right, and display the image that is one position lower in the display order of the same product if the user swipes to the left. When the left edge of the image G152 is displayed, the vertical site server 10 will display the image that is one position higher in the display order of the same product if the user swipes to the right.

[0066] If the vertical site server 10 determines in S33 that the product recognized is not horizontal (NO), it displays the image in a manner that matches the horizontal size (step S35). Figure 15 shows another example of the horizontal size matching configuration. In Figure 15(a), a published image G161 of product M161 is shown. In published image G161, only the product is visible, and when the vertical size of published image G161 is matched to the vertical size of the display area 33, the recognized product M161 does not fit within the display area 33. Furthermore, product M161 is not horizontally oriented.

[0067] Therefore, the vertical site server 10 generates a posted image G162 by changing the size of the posted image G161 so that its horizontal size matches the horizontal size of the display area 33. The vertical site server 10 displays the generated posted image G162 in a manner that matches the horizontal edge of the display area 33 and places it in the vertical center of the display area 33, as shown in Figure 16(b), i.e., in a manner that matches the horizontal size.

[0068] The vertical site server 10 performs the above vertical site generation process for each posted image and stores the posted images after resizing them for display in each display mode. When a user terminal 30 accesses the vertical e-commerce site, the vertical site server 10 generates the display data described in the example in Figure 4 and sends it to the user terminal 30. At that time, the vertical site server 10 generates the display data with posted images containing people displayed above posted images that do not contain people. The user terminal 30 displays the vertical e-commerce site based on the transmitted display data.

[0069] 4. Summary of the structure The following sections are examples of functional modules that are functionally realized by the processor of the control unit 101 of the vertical site server 10 executing a program stored in the memory unit 102. The processing performed by each section can be expressed as a step performed by that section (for example, the acquisition section performs the acquisition step).

[0070] As described above, the vertical site server 10 functions as an example of an acquisition unit that acquires images to display products on an e-commerce site. The EC site screen E101 shown in Figure 7 is an example of an e-commerce site. The vertical site server 10 also functions as an example of a display mode determination unit that determines how the acquired images are displayed on a display terminal. The display terminal has a vertically oriented display area. The user terminal 30 is an example of a display terminal, and the display area 33 is an example of a vertically oriented display area.

[0071] In detail, the vertical site server 10 determines the display mode of the posted image, using a first mode if the posted image contains a person, and a second mode if the posted image does not contain a person. The first mode is, for example, a mode in which the posted image is displayed across the entire display area. The vertical size matching mode explained in the example of Figure 9 is an example of the first mode. The second mode is, for example, a mode in which the left and right widths of the display area are matched to the left and right widths of the posted image. The horizontal size matching mode explained in the example of Figure 15 is an example of the second mode.

[0072] The vertical site server 10 functions as an example of a display unit that displays the posted image on the display terminal in a determined display mode. When the posted image is displayed in a vertical size matching mode, the entire person and product can be displayed largely within the display area 33. When the posted image is displayed in a horizontal size matching mode, the entire product can be displayed without extending beyond the display area 33. In either case, the appeal of the product can be conveyed more strongly in a vertically elongated display area compared to when the posted image is not displayed in the above modes.

[0073] The first embodiment described above is one in which the entire person fits within the display area. For example, in the example in Figure 9, the entire person H101 wearing product M101 is displayed within the display area 33. With this embodiment, the person is displayed without extending beyond the display area 33, so the appearance of the person in the posted image can be improved compared to when the posted image is not displayed in the above embodiment.

[0074] Furthermore, the vertical site server 10 (an example of a mode determination unit) may, if the posted image includes a person, but displaying the image across the entire display area would prevent the entire person from fitting within the display area, then the mode in which the left and right widths of the display area and the left and right widths of the posted image are matched (horizontal size matching mode) is designated as the first mode. For example, in the example shown in Figure 12, the vertical site server 10 displays the image in the horizontal size matching mode because if the vertical size is matched, the person H131, H132, and H133 would not fit within the display area 33.

[0075] Note that the term "person" here includes cases where there are multiple people, as shown in the example in Figure 12. Also, even if there is only one person, if they are holding their arms outstretched or lying down, they may not fit within the display area 33, in which case they will also be displayed in a manner that matches the horizontal size. With this manner, it is possible to ensure that the person fits within the display area, and it is possible to suppress the display of parts of the person extending beyond the display area compared to when the posted image is not displayed in the manner described above.

[0076] Furthermore, the vertical site server 10 (an example of a mode determination unit) considers the mode in which the posted image is displayed across the entire display area (vertical size matching mode) as the first mode if, when the posted image is displayed across the entire display area, the entire person cannot fit within the display area, but the entire product can fit within the display area. For example, in the example shown in Figure 11, the vertical site server 10 displays the image in the vertical size matching mode because, when the vertical size is matched, the person H121 does not fit within the display area 33, but the product M121 fits within the display area 33.

[0077] When an image includes a person, it's generally best to ensure the person doesn't extend beyond the image's boundaries to make them appear more attractive. However, if you adjust the image to match the horizontal size, the image size becomes smaller, reducing its impact. As mentioned above, if the entire product fits within the display area even when the vertical size is matched, displaying the image in a vertical size-matching format allows for a more impactful image of the product compared to displaying it in a different format.

[0078] Furthermore, the vertical site server 10 (an example of a mode determination unit) has a first mode in which, if the proportion of the display area occupied by a person (person proportion) is less than a threshold, the displayed image is enlarged until the person proportion becomes equal to or greater than the threshold (person enlargement mode). For example, in the example of Figure 10, if the vertical size is matched, the person H111 fits within the display area 33, but since the person proportion is less than the threshold, the vertical site server 10 displays it in the person enlargement mode.

[0079] Even if the vertical size is matched, if the proportion of the person is small, the image will lack impact. In particular, when the product is something that the person wears, such as clothing, the product will also appear small, making it difficult to convey the product's appeal. Therefore, by displaying the image with the person enlarged, as shown in Figure 10(b), it is possible to display a more impactful image of the person compared to when the image is not displayed in the above manner, and the appeal of the product can be conveyed more effectively.

[0080] Furthermore, the vertical site server 10 (an example of the mode determination unit) designates a mode in which the entire product shown in the image fits within the display area, even if the image does not contain a person, as a second mode (vertical size matching mode), when the image is displayed across the entire display area and the entire product fits within the display area. For example, in the example shown in Figure 13, the vertical site server 10 displays the image in the vertical size matching mode because the product M141 fits within the display area 33 when the vertical size is matched.

[0081] Images of products should not extend beyond the display area in order to ensure that the product's appearance is correctly recognized. However, if the vertical size matches the display area without exceeding it, it is better to display it larger, so it should be displayed in a manner that matches the vertical size. With this method, vertically oriented products can be displayed with a more impactful image compared to when the images are not displayed in the manner described above.

[0082] Furthermore, the vertical site server 10 (an example of a mode determination unit) has a second mode in which, if the aspect ratio of the product shown in the posted image that does not include a person falls within the range of values ​​indicating a widescreen format, the vertical width of the display area matches the vertical width of the posted image, and the posted image is displayed from left to right while scrolling horizontally (horizontal scrolling mode). For example, in the example in Figure 14, the vertical site server 10 displays the product M151 in the horizontal scrolling mode because it is widescreen.

[0083] When displaying images of horizontally oriented products using a horizontal-size matching format, the product becomes quite small, making it difficult to convey its appeal. In contrast, displaying horizontally oriented product images in a horizontal scrolling format allows for a more impactful presentation of the product. Furthermore, after horizontal scrolling, users can swipe back to view the scrolled images, allowing them to carefully examine the entire product.

[0084] <Example: Horizontally oriented product> The display mode for images of horizontally oriented products is not limited to horizontal scrolling. The vertical site server 10 (an example of a mode determination unit) may, as a second mode, display two or more images of a product arranged vertically if the aspect ratio of the product in the image that does not include a person falls within the range of values ​​indicating a horizontal orientation. This mode will be referred to as the "vertical arrangement mode" below.

[0085] Figure 16 shows an example of a vertical arrangement. Figure 16(a) shows images G171 and G172 of a horizontally oriented product M171. Image G171 shows the side of product M171, and image G172 shows the front of product M171. When the vertical site server 10 performs vertical site generation processing on image G171, it determines in S21 (as shown in Figure 8) that there are no people included, and in S31 that when the vertical size is matched, product M171 does not fit in the display area 33, and in S33 it determines that product M171 is horizontally oriented.

[0086] The vertical site server 10 reads out image G172, which is a photograph of the same product M171 as image G171. Image G172 is, for example, the image displayed after image G171. From the read images G171 and G172, the vertical site server 10 generates images G173 and G174, which are resized so that their horizontal size matches the horizontal size of the display area 33. The vertical site server 10 arranges the generated images G173 and G174 vertically and displays them in a vertical arrangement, as shown in Figure 16(b), with their horizontal edges aligned with the horizontal edges of the display area 33 and centered vertically within the display area 33.

[0087] When the image G171 is displayed in a horizontal size matching configuration, empty space is created at the top and bottom of the display area 33 where the image is not displayed. In the case of horizontally oriented products, the image G171 itself tends to be horizontally oriented, so the empty space tends to be larger compared to when the image of a vertically oriented product is displayed in a horizontal size matching configuration. According to the configuration in Figure 16, the images are arranged vertically, so the empty space is reduced or completely eliminated compared to when the images are not displayed in the above configuration, allowing the display area to be used effectively to display the product.

[0088] <Differentiation: Display order> When the vertical site server 10 generates display data indicating how images are displayed on a vertical e-commerce site, it sets the display order of multiple images to, for example, the order in which they were displayed on the original e-commerce site. However, the method for determining the display order is not limited to this. The vertical site server 10 may also function as an example of an order determination unit that determines the display order of acquired images.

[0089] The vertical site server 10 (an example of an order determination unit) determines an earlier order for images that include people than for images that do not include people. The vertical site server 10 may also determine the display order according to the posture or orientation of people or products. The vertical site server 10 determines the display order using, for example, a display order table that associates the type of object with the posture / orientation of the object and the display order.

[0090] Figure 17 shows an example of a display order table. In the display order table TB1 shown in Figure 17, it is shown that when the object type is "with person", the display order for posture / orientation is "standing facing forward", "standing facing side", and "other posture" is "1", "2", and "3". Also, when the object type is "without person", it is shown that the display order for posture / orientation is "product facing forward", "product from the side", and "product from another side".

[0091] When the vertical site server 10 recognizes an object in S14 as shown in Figure 8, it also recognizes its posture and orientation. The vertical site server 10 determines the display order of the displayed image by associating the type, posture, and orientation of the object recognized from the displayed image with the display order table TB1. With this configuration, images that are visually appealing and include people can be displayed preferentially, and images with visually appealing postures and orientations can also be displayed preferentially. However, the method for determining the display order is not limited to this.

[0092] Figure 18 shows another example of a display order table. In the display order table TB2 shown in Figure 18, it is shown that when the object type is "with person", the display order for display modes "vertical size matching mode", "person enlarged mode", and "horizontal size matching mode" is "1", "2", and "3". Also, when the object type is "without person", it is shown that the display order for posture / orientation "front of product", "side of product", and "other side of product" is "vertical size matching mode", "horizontal scrolling mode", and "horizontal size matching mode".

[0093] The vertical site server 10 determines the display order of the posted image by associating the type of object recognized from the posted image and the display mode determined for that posted image with the display order in the display order table TB2. In this way, the vertical site server 10 (an example of an order determination unit) may determine the display order according to the display mode of the posted image. With this configuration, images that are displayed in an aesthetically pleasing manner can be displayed preferentially.

[0094] Furthermore, the vertical site server 10 may determine the display order according to the posture or orientation of objects included in the posted image, regardless of whether or not there are people, or it may determine the display order according to the display mode of the posted image. Specifically, the vertical site server 10 may determine the display order using a display order table that associates each posture or orientation with the display order, or using a display order table that associates each display mode with the display order, as shown in the examples in Figures 17 and 18.

[0095] <Variation: Explanatory Information> The vertical site server 10 may display all of the original e-commerce site's description information on the vertical e-commerce site, or it may display only some of it. Since the display area on a vertical e-commerce site tends to be smaller than that of the original e-commerce site, the vertical site server 10 may, for example, in the example in Figure 7, display only the product name D102 and price information D103 on the vertical e-commerce site. Alternatively, the vertical site server 10 may display the product description D104 as follows.

[0096] Figure 19 shows an example of how product description D104 is displayed. In Figure 19, the vertical site server 10 displays the description information D11 and the description information D12 superimposed on the posted image G11. The description information D11 is, for example, the name and price of the product. The description information D12 is, for example, various descriptions such as the size and color of the product. The vertical site server 10 displays the description information D11 in a fixed position, while displaying the description information D12 by moving it horizontally, like a so-called scrolling text. With this configuration, compared to the case where all the description information is displayed in a fixed position, the area for displaying the description information can be reduced so as not to interfere with the image, and a large amount of information can be displayed as description information.

[0097] <Variation example: Method of identifying a person> The method for determining whether a person is present by the vertical site server 10 is not limited to the method described above. For example, the vertical site server 10 first functions as an example of a face determination unit that determines whether or not a person's face is included in the acquired posted image. The vertical site server 10 determines whether or not a person's face is included in the posted image by, for example, extracting feature points included in the posted image and determining whether or not those feature points match a predetermined face feature model.

[0098] Specifically, the vertical site server 10 calculates feature quantities based on edge components and grayscale distribution for the displayed images, and inputs these feature quantities into a recognition model that has learned the shape of human faces to estimate the presence or absence of a face. As the recognition model, a support vector machine (SVM) using histogram-of-oriented gradient (HOG) features or a deep learning model using a convolutional neural network (CNN) can be used.

[0099] Next, the vertical site server 10 functions as an example of a body detection unit that determines whether or not a person's body is included in an acquired posted image if it is determined that the image does not contain a person's face. The vertical site server 10 extracts feature quantities that indicate the shape of a person's body from a region within the posted image (for example, the outline of a human body, a characteristic grayscale distribution in a vertically elongated rectangular region, material features seen in clothing, etc.), and inputs these feature quantities into an identification model that has learned the shape of a person's body to estimate the presence or absence of a body. As the identification model, an object detection model using a convolutional neural network (CNN) (YOLO, Faster R-CNN, etc.) can be used.

[0100] Furthermore, the vertical site server 10 functions as an example of a person detection unit that determines that a person is included in the posted image if at least one of the following is determined: that the posted image includes a person's face, and that the posted image includes a person's body. In other words, the vertical site server 10 determines that a person is included in the posted image whether only the face is included, only the body is included, or both are included.

[0101] This configuration allows for more reliable determination of the presence or absence of a person. Specifically, even if either the face detection unit or the body detection unit fails to make a correct determination (for example, if the face is hidden or only a part of the body is visible), the presence of a person can still be appropriately determined based on the result of the other unit's determination.

[0102] Furthermore, the vertical site server 10 performs face detection first, and if it determines that the acquired image contains a person's face, it does not need to perform the body detection step. In this way, the processing load can be reduced by determining whether an image is a person based on its face alone. Also, if face and body detection are performed using a paid AI service, if a person is determined to be a person by face detection, body detection becomes unnecessary, thus reducing the cost required for the AI. Moreover, since body detection often requires more AI resources than face detection, the cost reduction effect can be even greater by relying solely on face detection.

[0103] Furthermore, the vertical site server 10 performs body detection processing first, and if it determines that a person's body is included in the acquired image, it does not need to perform the face detection step. By determining that a person is present even if only the body is detected, the processing load can be reduced. Also, similarly to the above, if face detection and body detection are performed by a paid AI service, if a person is detected by body detection, face detection becomes unnecessary, thus reducing the cost required for the AI. It should be noted that in product images on e-commerce sites, people may be facing away from the camera or their heads may be outside the frame, and in such images, body detection may be more reliable than face detection in detecting people. For this reason, performing body detection first is advantageous in terms of processing efficiency for certain image types.

[0104] Furthermore, the vertical site server 10 (person detection unit) may determine that a person is not included in an image if the position in the image containing a person's face is far from the position in the image containing a person's body. For example, the vertical site server 10 determines that the position of the face and the position of the body are far apart and determines that a person is not included in the image if there is zero overlap between the bounding box of the face and the bounding box of the body.

[0105] Furthermore, the vertical site server 10 may determine that the position of the face and the position of the body are far apart if the distance between the bounding box of the face and the bounding box of the body is greater than or equal to a threshold, and may determine that the posted image does not contain a person.

[0106] This approach prevents the incorrect detection of a person. Specifically, by using the relative positioning of the face detection location and the body detection location, even if background patterns or objects are mistakenly detected as faces or bodies, the unnatural positional relationship between them can be used to eliminate false detections. For example, even if a pattern on a wall or floor is mistakenly detected as a face, and a pattern on clothing is mistakenly detected as a body, it can be appropriately determined that the image does not contain a person because these detected areas are located far apart in the image.

[0107] <Example of change: Vertical website> In the example above, the vertical site server 10 supported the provision of products on a vertical site that are offered on an e-commerce site that provides functions from product introduction to transaction, similar to an e-commerce site, but it is not limited to this. The vertical site server 10 may also support the provision of products on a vertical site that are offered on a product introduction site that only introduces products. Examples of product introduction sites include property introduction sites provided by real estate companies, product introduction sites provided by manufacturers, travel plan introduction sites provided by travel agencies, and job information introduction sites provided by human resources companies.

[0108] <Example of variation: Variations in configuration> The configuration shown in Figure 1, etc. (overall configuration, hardware configuration, and functional configuration, etc.) is just an example, and other configurations can be adopted as long as they do not cause inconvenience in implementation. For example, the vertical site server 10 and the EC site server 20 may each be distributed across two or more devices, and may also be provided in the form of SaaS (Software as a Service) or a cloud computing system. Furthermore, the user terminal 30 may execute some of the processing performed by the vertical site server 10, and the vertical site server 10 may execute some of the processing performed by the user terminal 30. In short, as long as the necessary information processing is performed throughout the EC support system 1, the devices that perform that information processing are not limited.

[0109] The output destination for information or data (hereinafter referred to as "information, etc.") may be other devices, displays, storage units (including built-in and external storage units), email addresses, or accounts in other systems. Acquisition of information, etc. includes not only acquiring information, etc. transmitted from other devices, but also acquiring information, etc. generated by the device itself or information, etc. stored by the device itself. The database may be stored in an information processing device such as the vertical site server 10, or it may be stored in an external device. Furthermore, the information stored in the database may be used in a manner that temporarily stores it in memory.

[0110] The embodiment described above was an information processing system (EC support system 1) comprising a server device equipped with a processor (such as a vertical site server 10) and a terminal (user terminal 30) that can access the server device, but it may also be an information processing method. The information processing method comprises steps executed by one or more processors in the information processing system. Furthermore, the embodiment described above may also be a program. The program causes a computer to execute the same steps as those executed by the information processing system.

[0111] <Note> Furthermore, they may be provided in the following embodiments.

[0112] (1) An information processing system comprising one or more processors, wherein in an acquisition step, the processor acquires a listing image on which a product is listed; in a manner determination step, the processor determines a display manner for the acquired listing image on a display terminal, such as a first manner if the listing image includes a person, or a second manner if the listing image does not include a person; and in a display step, the processor causes the listing image to be displayed on the display terminal in the determined display manner, the display terminal having a vertically elongated display area, the first manner being a manner in which the listing image is displayed across the entire display area, and the second manner being a manner in which the left and right widths of the display area match the left and right widths of the listing image.

[0113] This configuration allows for a stronger conveyance of the product's appeal within a vertically oriented display area.

[0114] (2) An information processing system as described in (1) above, wherein the first embodiment is an embodiment in which the entire person fits within the display area.

[0115] This method can improve a person's appearance.

[0116] (3) In the information processing system described in (2) above, in the mode determination step, if the processor causes the posted image to be displayed across the entire display area and the entire person cannot be contained within the display area, the mode in which the left and right widths of the display area are matched is defined as the first mode.

[0117] According to this configuration, the person can be reliably placed within the display area.

[0118] (4) In the information processing system described in (3) above, in the mode determination step, if the processor displays the posted image across the entire display area, the entire person cannot be contained within the display area, but the entire product can be contained within the display area, then the mode in which the posted image is displayed across the entire display area is the first mode.

[0119] This configuration allows for the display of impactful images of products.

[0120] (5) An information processing system as described in (2) above, wherein in the mode determination step, the first mode is an mode in which the processor enlarges the displayed image until the ratio of the area occupied by the person in the display area becomes equal to or greater than the threshold when the ratio is less than the threshold.

[0121] This configuration allows for the display of powerful images of people.

[0122] (6) An information processing system according to any one of (1) to (5) above, wherein in the mode determination step, the processor determines the mode in which the posted image, which does not include a person, is displayed across the entire display area, and the entire product shown in the posted image can fit within the display area, and the mode in which the posted image is displayed across the entire display area and the entire product can fit within the display area is the second mode.

[0123] This configuration allows for the display of vertically oriented products with impactful images.

[0124] (7) An information processing system according to any one of (1) to (6) above, wherein in the mode determination step, the processor determines the mode such that if the aspect ratio of the merchandise shown in the posted image, which does not include a person, falls within the range of values ​​indicating a widescreen view, the processor matches the vertical width of the display area with the vertical width of the posted image, and displays the posted image from left to right while scrolling horizontally, which is the second mode of the information processing system.

[0125] This configuration allows for the display of horizontally oriented products with impactful images.

[0126] (8) An information processing system according to any one of (1) to (6) above, wherein in the mode determination step, the processor determines that the second mode is to display two or more images of the product arranged vertically when the aspect ratio of the product shown in the posted image that does not include a person falls within the range of values ​​indicating a widescreen view.

[0127] This configuration allows for effective use of the display area to display merchandise.

[0128] (9) An information processing system according to any one of (1) to (8) above, wherein in the order determination step, the processor determines an earlier order for displaying the acquired posted images if the posted images include a person than if the posted images do not include a person.

[0129] This configuration allows for prioritizing the display of visually appealing images.

[0130] (10) An information processing system according to any one of (1) to (9) above, wherein in the face determination step, the processor determines whether or not the acquired posted image contains a person's face; in the body determination step, if the processor determines that the acquired posted image does not contain a person's face, it determines whether or not the posted image contains a person's body; and in the person determination step, if the processor has determined that the acquired posted image contains a person's face and that the posted image contains a person's body, it determines that the posted image contains a person.

[0131] This configuration allows for a more reliable determination of whether or not a person is present.

[0132] (11) An information processing system as described in (10) above, wherein the processor determines that the acquired posted image contains a person's face, and the information processing system does not perform the body determination step.

[0133] This configuration can reduce the processing load.

[0134] (12) An information processing system according to (10) or (11) above, wherein the processor determines that the acquired posted image contains a person's body, and the processor does not perform the face determination step.

[0135] This configuration can reduce the processing load.

[0136] (13) An information processing system according to any one of (10) to (12) above, wherein in the person determination step, the processor determines that no person is included in the posted image if the position in the posted image that includes a person's face is far from the position in the posted image that includes a person's body.

[0137] This configuration can prevent the incorrect determination that a person is included.

[0138] (14) An information processing system according to any one of (1) to (13) above, comprising a server device equipped with the processor and a terminal that can access the server device.

[0139] According to this configuration, the information processing system can be implemented in various ways.

[0140] (15) An information processing method comprising each of the steps described in any one of (1) to (13) above, which is performed by a processor.

[0141] According to this embodiment, it is possible.

[0142] (16) A program that causes a computer to perform any one of the steps described in (1) to (13) above.

[0143] According to this embodiment, it is possible. Of course, this is not always the case. Furthermore, the embodiments and modifications described above may be implemented in any combination.

[0144] Finally, various embodiments of the present invention have been described, but these are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Novel embodiments can be implemented in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0145] 1: EC support system 2: Communication lines 10: Vertical site server 20: EC site server 30: User terminal 31:Display surface 32: Operation area 33:Display area 101: Control Unit 201: Control Unit 301: Control Unit

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising one or more processors, In the acquisition step, the processor acquires the images on which the product is displayed. In the mode determination step, the processor determines the display mode of the acquired posted image on the display terminal as follows: if the posted image contains a person, it determines the first mode; if the posted image does not contain a person, it determines the second mode. In the display step, the processor causes the displayed image to be displayed on the display terminal in the determined display mode. The aforementioned display terminal has a vertically oriented display area, The first embodiment is an embodiment in which the posted image is displayed across the entire display area, The second embodiment is one in which the left and right widths of the display area and the left and right widths of the displayed image are made to match. Information processing system.

2. In the information processing system described in claim 1, The first embodiment is one in which the entire person fits within the display area. Information processing system.

3. In the information processing system described in claim 2, In the above mode determination step, the processor If displaying the image across the entire display area would prevent the entire person from fitting within the display area, the first embodiment is one in which the left and right widths of the display area and the left and right widths of the image are made to match. Information processing system.

4. In the information processing system described in claim 3, In the above mode determination step, the processor If displaying the image across the entire display area prevents the entire person from fitting within the display area, but the entire product can fit within the display area, the configuration in which the image is displayed across the entire display area is defined as the first configuration. Information processing system.

5. In the information processing system described in claim 2, In the above mode determination step, the processor If the proportion of the area occupied by the person within the display area is less than a threshold, the first embodiment involves enlarging the displayed image until that proportion becomes equal to or greater than the threshold. Information processing system.

6. In the information processing system described in claim 1, In the above mode determination step, the processor If, even if the posted image that does not include a person is displayed across the entire display area, the entire product shown in the posted image can still fit within the display area, then the second embodiment is one in which the posted image is displayed across the entire display area and the entire product fits within the display area. Information processing system.

7. In the information processing system described in claim 1, In the above mode determination step, the processor In the case where the aspect ratio of the product shown in the aforementioned image, which does not include a person, falls within the range of values ​​indicating a widescreen orientation, the second embodiment is to display the image by matching the vertical width of the display area with the vertical width of the aforementioned image, and to display the aforementioned image from left to right while scrolling horizontally. Information processing system.

8. In the information processing system described in claim 1, In the above mode determination step, the processor If the aspect ratio of the product shown in the aforementioned image, which does not include a person, falls within the range of values ​​indicating a widescreen format, the second embodiment is a configuration in which two or more of the aforementioned images of the product are displayed side by side vertically. Information processing system.

9. In the information processing system described in claim 1, In the order determination step, the processor determines the display order of the acquired posted images, and if the posted image contains a person, it is placed earlier than if the posted image does not contain a person. Information processing system.

10. In the information processing system described in claim 1, In the face detection step, the processor determines whether or not the acquired image contains a person's face. In the body determination step, if the processor determines that the acquired posted image does not contain a person's face, it determines whether or not the posted image contains a person's body. In the person detection step, the processor determines that the image contains a person if it has determined that the image contains a person's face and that the image contains a person's body. Information processing system.

11. In the information processing system according to claim 10, If the processor determines that the acquired image contains a person's face, it will not perform the body detection step. Information processing system.

12. In the information processing system according to claim 10, If the processor determines that the acquired image contains a person's body, it will not perform the face detection step. Information processing system.

13. In the information processing system according to claim 10, In the person detection step, the processor determines that no person is present in the image if the position in the image containing a person's face is far from the position in the image containing a person's body. Information processing system.

14. In the information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 13, A server device equipped with the aforementioned processor, An information processing system comprising a terminal capable of accessing the aforementioned server device.

15. Information processing method, The processor comprises each step according to any one of claims 1 to 13, Information processing methods.

16. It is a program, Cause the computer to perform each of the steps described in any one of claims 1 to 13. program.

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