Information processing device and information processing method

Abstract

To activate economic circulation in a specific area or store.SOLUTION: A management server 1 includes: a receiving part 132 for receiving from a purchase requester, a purchase request for purchasing a product in a virtual store, the virtual store in an area in a virtual space, by using crypto-assets available for settlement in a region in a real space or a real store, the store in the real space; a determination part 134 for determining whether or not the area or the virtual store is associated with the region or the real store; and an output part 135, on the condition that it is determined that the area or the virtual store is associated with the region or the real store, outputting a first instruction for providing the product to the purchase requester and a second instruction for paying the price of the product from the purchase requester to the virtual store by using the crypto-assets.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device and an information processing method for processing information related to crypto assets. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a system in which a user pays for products purchased over the Internet using crypto-assets such as virtual currency. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2020 / 230540 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In order to stimulate economic circulation in a specific region or store, it is conceivable to issue cryptocurrency to users that can be used in that region or store. If such cryptocurrency could be used to freely purchase goods on the internet, the cryptocurrency would easily flow out of the specific region or store, and the purpose of stimulating economic circulation in the specific region or store may not be fully achieved. On the other hand, if it were not possible to use cryptocurrency to purchase goods on the internet, the convenience of cryptocurrency would decrease, and the spread of cryptocurrency may be hindered.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and aims to make it possible to revitalize economic circulation in a specific area or store. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A first aspect of an information processing device of the present invention has a reception unit that receives a purchase request from a purchase requester to purchase a product at a virtual store, which is a virtual store within an area in a virtual space, and an output unit that outputs instructions to pay for the product in the purchase request with crypto assets, provided that the area or the virtual store is associated with a region in the real space or a physical store, which is a store in the real space, where crypto assets can be used for payment.

[0007] The information processing device may further include a display control unit that causes information about the virtual store to be displayed within the area on an information terminal used by the purchase requester.

[0008] The reception unit may receive the purchase request in response to the purchase requester performing an operation on the information terminal to specify the virtual store in the virtual space.

[0009] The output unit may further output a consideration payment instruction for the virtual store to pay a consideration for the purchase requester's purchase of the product at the virtual store to an operator of the area.

[0010] The information processing device may further include a determination unit that determines whether the area or the virtual store is associated with the region or the physical store.

[0011] The output unit may output the instruction on condition that the area is operated by a local government having jurisdiction over the region or a business operator within the region.

[0012] The source of the cryptocurrency may be provided by the local government or the business operator.

[0013] The output unit may output the instruction on the condition that the operator of the virtual store and the operator of the physical store are the same or have a specified relationship.

[0014] The output unit may output the instruction on the condition that the area or the virtual store and the region or the physical store are in a predetermined positional relationship when the virtual space and the real space are associated in advance by the virtual space simulating the real space.

[0015] The output unit may output the instruction under the condition that the area or the virtual store is associated with the region or the physical store in association information recorded on the blockchain indicating whether the area or the virtual store is associated with the region or the physical store.

[0016] Payment by the purchase requester using the crypto asset at the virtual store and payment by the purchase requester using the crypto asset at the store in the real world may be carried out using common or mutually associated user identification information to identify the purchase requester. Payment using the crypto asset may be possible in stores within the area in the real space, but may not be possible in stores outside the area in the real space. The instructions may be instructions to transfer the cryptocurrency from the purchase requester's account to the virtual store's account. The instructions may be instructions to add data to a blockchain indicating the transfer of the cryptocurrency from the purchase requester's account to the virtual store's account.

[0017] A second aspect of the information processing method of the present invention includes the steps of: accepting, executed by a processor, a purchase request for a purchase requester to purchase a product at a virtual store, which is a virtual store within an area in a virtual space; and outputting instructions to pay for the product in the purchase request with the cryptocurrency, provided that the area or the virtual store is associated with a region in the real space or a physical store in the real space where cryptocurrency can be used for payment. Effect of the Invention

[0018] The present invention has the effect of revitalizing economic circulation in a particular area or store. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of an information processing system according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram of an information processing system according to an embodiment. [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for managing crypto assets by an information processing system. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining association information. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a user terminal displaying a virtual space. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining the relationship between a purchase requester, a virtual store, and a manager. [Figure 7] 1 is a sequence diagram of an exemplary information processing method executed by an information processing system according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] [Outline of Information Processing System S] 1 is a schematic diagram of an information processing system S according to this embodiment. The information processing system S includes a management server 1 and a user terminal 2. The information processing system S may also include other devices such as servers and terminals.

[0021] The management server 1 (information processing device) is a computer that manages information related to crypto assets and information related to virtual space. The management server 1 is capable of communicating with a user terminal 2 via a network.

[0022] The virtual space is a virtual space formed on a computer. The virtual space is displayed on the user terminal 2 as a region having an area or volume. The virtual space is divided into, for example, one or more virtual areas. Each virtual area is associated with an operator such as a specific local government or business operator, and is operated by that operator. Within each virtual area, one or more virtual stores are located.

[0023] On the other hand, the actual space in which a user lives is called a real space, and a store located in an area in the real space (for example, a prefecture or a city, ward, town, or village) is called a physical store. A virtual area may be associated with a specific area. In this case, the virtual area is operated, for example, by a local government that has jurisdiction over the area or by a business operator within the area. Also, a virtual store may be associated with a specific physical store. In this case, for example, the business operator that operates the virtual store and the business operator that operates the physical store are the same.

[0024] A user can use the user terminal 2 to access the virtual space via a network such as the Internet, and purchase goods at a virtual store using crypto assets. Goods sold and purchased at a virtual store include, for example, digital data, services, goods, etc. When a user purchases a good at a virtual store, the virtual store may deliver the good to the user's address in the real space.

[0025] Crypto assets are electronic assets that can be used for payment of bills in a region or a physical store. Crypto assets are electronic assets that are different from legal tender (Japanese yen, US dollars, etc.). Crypto assets may be electronic assets backed by legal tender, for example, electronic assets that have the same value and guarantee as legal tender. Crypto assets include, for example, stable coins and digital currencies. Crypto assets are issued to users, for example, by local governments that have jurisdiction over a region or businesses within the region. Crypto assets are associated with users who hold the crypto assets in, for example, a storage device, and are transferred from one user to another when used for payment.

[0026] Crypto assets are, for example, electronic assets managed by a blockchain. Furthermore, crypto assets are not limited to blockchains and may be electronic assets managed by a database or the like. Crypto assets are managed in asset units, which are predetermined units (e.g., circulating units) used for settlement. Hereinafter, the asset unit of crypto assets will be referred to as coins, but may be called by other names.

[0027] In this embodiment, the crypto asset is, for example, a regional digital currency that can be used in a specific region. Payment using the crypto asset, which is a regional digital currency, can be made in a store in a specific region in the real space, but cannot be made in a store outside that region in the real space. Furthermore, the crypto asset may be, for example, an in-store currency that can be used in a specific physical store. Payment using the crypto asset, which is an in-store currency, can be made in a specific physical store in the real space, but cannot be made in a store other than that physical store in the real space.

[0028] In addition, when a product is sold between two users (for example, on a website for person-to-person transactions), the individual user selling the product may be treated as a store. In this case, it may be determined whether or not the store is located in the area based on the address of the user selling the product.

[0029] The management server 1 manages crypto assets held by each user in a crypto asset account associated with that user. For example, the management server 1 transfers crypto assets from one user's crypto asset account to another user's crypto asset account by changing the owner of the crypto asset from one user to another user in the blockchain.

[0030] The user terminal 2 is an information terminal used by a user who is a purchase requester. The purchase requester is, for example, a user who wishes to purchase a product using crypto assets at a virtual store. The user terminal 2 is, for example, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a personal computer. The user terminal 2 has an operation unit such as a touch panel or a keyboard for accepting operations, and a display unit such as a liquid crystal display for displaying information. The user terminal 2 is capable of communicating with the management server 1 via a network.

[0031] An overview of the processing executed by the information processing system S according to this embodiment will be described below. The management server 1 transmits display information for displaying information about a virtual store in a virtual space to the user terminal 2 (1). The display information includes store information of one or more virtual stores in each virtual area. The user terminal 2 displays the store information of the virtual store in the virtual area in the virtual space on the display unit.

[0032] The purchase requester specifies the product he or she wishes to purchase at the virtual store using the user terminal 2. The management server 1 accepts a purchase request to purchase the product using crypto assets from the user terminal 2 used by the purchase requester (2).

[0033] The management server 1 determines whether the virtual area in which the virtual store indicated by the purchase request is located or the virtual store is associated with an area or a physical store where the cryptocurrency indicated by the purchase request can be used (3). The management server 1 determines that the virtual area is associated with an area, for example, on the condition that the virtual area is operated by a local government that has jurisdiction over the area or a business operator within the area. The management server 1 also determines that the virtual store is associated with a physical store, for example, on the condition that the business operator that operates the virtual store and the business operator that operates the physical store are the same.

[0034] The management server 1 outputs a provision instruction to provide the product to the purchase requester, on condition that it is determined that the virtual area or virtual store is associated with the region or physical store (4), and outputs a payment instruction to have the purchase requester pay the price of the product with cryptocurrency to the virtual store (5). The virtual store provides the product to the purchase requester in accordance with the provision instruction. The management server 1 transfers the cryptocurrency from the purchase requester's cryptocurrency account to the virtual store's cryptocurrency account in accordance with the payment instruction.

[0035] In this way, the information processing system S enables a purchase requester to purchase a product using crypto assets, on the condition that the virtual area or virtual store in the virtual space where the purchase requester is trying to purchase the product is associated with an area or physical store in the real space. This allows the information processing system S to make the crypto assets usable only in virtual areas or virtual stores associated with the area or physical store where the crypto assets can be used, thereby stimulating economic circulation in the area or physical store.

[0036] [Configuration of Information Processing System S] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an information processing system S according to this embodiment. In FIG. 2, arrows indicate main data flows, and data flows other than those shown in FIG. 2 may exist. In FIG. 2, each block indicates a configuration in functional units, not a configuration in hardware (device) units. Therefore, the blocks shown in FIG. 2 may be implemented in a single device, or may be implemented separately in multiple devices. Data may be exchanged between blocks via any means, such as a data bus, a network, or a portable storage medium.

[0037] The management server 1 includes a communication unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a control unit 13. The management server 1 may be configured by connecting two or more physically separate devices via wired or wireless communication. The management server 1 may also be configured by a cloud, which is a collection of computer resources.

[0038] The communication unit 11 has a communication controller for transmitting and receiving data to and from the user terminal 2 via the network. The communication unit 11 notifies the control unit 13 of data received from the user terminal 2 via the network. The communication unit 11 also transmits data output from the control unit 13 to the user terminal 2 via the network.

[0039] The storage unit 12 is a storage medium including a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a hard disk drive, etc. The storage unit 12 pre-stores a program to be executed by the control unit 13. The storage unit 12 also stores store information for one or more virtual stores in each virtual area in the virtual space. The storage unit 12 also stores association information that associates the virtual area or virtual store with a region or real store. The storage unit 12 may be provided outside the management server 1, in which case data may be exchanged between the storage unit 12 and the control unit 13 via a network.

[0040] The control unit 13 has a display control unit 131, a reception unit 132, an acquisition unit 133, a determination unit 134, an output unit 135, and a crypto asset processing unit 136. The control unit 13 is a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and functions as the display control unit 131, the reception unit 132, the acquisition unit 133, the determination unit 134, the output unit 135, and the crypto asset processing unit 136 by executing a program stored in the storage unit 12. The processes performed by each of the display control unit 131, the reception unit 132, the acquisition unit 133, the determination unit 134, the output unit 135, and the crypto asset processing unit 136 will be described later.

[0041] [Account Description] First, a method in which the information processing system S manages crypto assets will be described. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining a method in which the information processing system S manages crypto assets. The management server 1 manages the crypto assets held by each of a number of users in a crypto asset account. The crypto asset account of each of the multiple users is associated with user identification information (user ID (Identification)) for identifying the user. In managing crypto assets, the management server 1 deposits and withdraws crypto assets from the crypto asset accounts, or transfers currency between multiple crypto asset accounts.

[0042] The management server 1 manages crypto assets using, for example, a blockchain with coins as asset units. The management server 1 stores data (blocks) that associate, for example, a user's user ID with the details of transactions in the user's crypto asset account as a blockchain on one or more storage devices on the network. Each block contains one or more transactions indicating that crypto assets have been transferred between users' crypto asset accounts. Each block in the blockchain contains a hash value generated according to a predetermined rule, and the accuracy of the entire blockchain is guaranteed by checking the consistency of the hash values ​​between blocks.

[0043] The management server 1 is not limited to blockchain, and may, for example, store data associating a user's user ID with the crypto assets managed in the user's crypto asset account as a database on the memory unit 12 possessed by the management server 1.

[0044] [Association information description] Next, the association information stored in the storage unit 12 will be described. Figures 4(a) and 4(b) are schematic diagrams for explaining the association information. The association information is information indicating that a virtual area or a virtual store is associated with a region or a real store.

[0045] In the example of FIG. 4(a), a virtual area in a virtual space is associated with a region in a real space. The association information indicates that the virtual area is associated with a region by, for example, indicating that the virtual area is operated by a local government that has jurisdiction over the region in the real space, or that the virtual area is operated by a business operator in the region in the real space. In this case, the local government that has jurisdiction over the region or the business operator in the region is, for example, an entity that provides the source of cryptocurrency. Operating a virtual area includes, for example, holding the rights to the virtual area, being granted business rights by a person who holds the rights to the virtual area, being a business operator that operates all stores located in the virtual area, and the like. The association information may be recorded on a blockchain as an NFT (Non-Fungible Token). One virtual area may be associated with multiple regions. Also, multiple virtual areas may be associated with one region.

[0046] In the example of FIG. 4(b), a virtual store in the virtual space is associated with a physical store in the physical space. The association information indicates that the virtual store and the physical store are associated with each other, for example, by indicating that the operator who operates the virtual store and the operator who operates the physical store are the same or have a predetermined relationship (partnership, control, etc.). One virtual store may be associated with multiple physical stores. Also, multiple virtual stores may be associated with one physical store.

[0047] The association information is not limited to the specific relationship described above, and may indicate that the virtual area or virtual store and the region or real store are associated by a predetermined relationship. For example, when the virtual space is associated in advance with the real space by simulating the real space, the association information may indicate that the virtual area or virtual store and the region or real store are associated by having a predetermined positional relationship between the virtual area or virtual store (coordinates, etc.) and the region or real store (city, ward, town, village, etc.). The association information may also indicate that the virtual area and the real store are associated, or may indicate that the virtual store and the region are associated.

[0048] [Purchase process explanation] The configuration for the information processing system S to execute a process for allowing a purchase requester to purchase a product from a virtual store will be described below. In the management server 1, the display control unit 131 acquires store information of one or more virtual stores in each virtual area in the virtual area, which is pre-stored in the storage unit 12. The store information includes, for example, the coordinates in the virtual space where the virtual store is located, and information such as the contents and prices of products sold by the virtual store. For example, if the coordinates in the virtual space where a virtual store is located are included in a specific virtual area, the virtual store is located within that virtual area.

[0049] The display control unit 131 transmits display information including the acquired store information to the user terminal 2, thereby displaying the store information of the virtual store within a virtual area on the user terminal 2. The user terminal 2 displays, on the display unit, the store information of the virtual store within a virtual area on the virtual space, according to the display information received from the management server 1.

[0050] 5 is a schematic diagram of the user terminal 2 displaying a virtual space. The purchase requester specifies a virtual store by operating an image (avatar, icon, etc.) corresponding to the purchase requester in the virtual space using the operation unit. The user terminal 2 displays the contents and prices of products sold by the virtual store specified by the purchase requester, based on the store information included in the display information received from the management server 1.

[0051] The user terminal 2 accepts the designation of the product that the purchase requester wishes to purchase and the crypto asset to be used to purchase the product at the virtual store designated by the purchaser. In response to a specified operation being performed by the purchase requester, the user terminal 2 transmits a purchase request to the management server 1 to purchase the specified product using the designated crypto asset. The purchase request is information indicating, for example, the user ID of the purchase requester, store identification information (store ID) for identifying the virtual store, the product designated by the purchase requester, and the crypto asset designated by the purchase requester.

[0052] In the management server 1, the reception unit 132 receives a purchase request from the user terminal 2. The acquisition unit 133 acquires association information pre-stored in the storage unit 12. The association information is information indicating that a virtual area or a virtual store is associated with a region or a real store, as exemplified in Fig. 4(a) and Fig. 4(b).

[0053] Based on the association information acquired by the acquisition unit 133, the determination unit 134 determines whether the virtual area in which the virtual store indicated in the purchase request is located or the virtual store is associated with an area or physical store where the crypto asset indicated in the purchase request can be used.

[0054] For example, if the association information indicates that the virtual area in which the virtual store indicated by the purchase request is located is operated by a local government that has jurisdiction over the area in which the crypto asset indicated by the purchase request can be used or by a business operator within the area, the determination unit 134 determines that the virtual area is associated with the area; if not, the determination unit 134 determines that the virtual area is not associated with the area.

[0055] In addition, for example, when the association information indicates that the business operator operating the virtual store indicated by the purchase request is the same as the business operator operating the physical store where the cryptocurrency indicated by the purchase request can be used, the determination unit 134 determines that the virtual store is associated with the physical store, and when this is not the case, determines that the virtual area is not associated with the region. The determination unit 134 may determine whether or not a virtual area or virtual store is associated with a region or physical store based on other criteria, without being limited to the specific criteria shown here.

[0056] On condition that the determination unit 134 determines that the virtual area or virtual store is not associated with a region or a physical store, the output unit 135 transmits information to the user terminal 2 indicating that the product cannot be purchased with the crypto asset specified by the purchase requester. Based on the information received from the management server 1, the user terminal 2 displays on the display unit information indicating that the product cannot be purchased with the crypto asset specified by the purchase requester.

[0057] The output unit 135 outputs a provision instruction (first instruction) to provide the product to the purchase requester and a price payment instruction (second instruction) to pay the price of the product from the purchase requester to the virtual store with cryptocurrency, on condition that the determination unit 134 determines that the virtual area or virtual store is associated with the region or physical store. In addition to the provision instruction and the price payment instruction, the output unit 135 may also output a consideration payment instruction (third instruction) to pay the consideration for the purchase of the product by the purchase requester at the virtual store from the virtual store to the operator of the virtual area.

[0058] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining the relationship between a purchase requester, a virtual store, and an operator. The provision instruction is, for example, information indicating a product specified by the purchase requester and the user ID of the purchase requester. If the product is an item, the provision instruction may indicate information (such as an address) inputted in the user terminal 2 for sending the product to the purchase requester. The output unit 135 transmits the provision instruction to, for example, an information terminal associated with the virtual store. In accordance with the provision instruction outputted by the output unit 135, the virtual store transmits a product which is digital data to the purchase requester, provides a product which is a service to the purchase requester, or sends a product which is an item to the purchase requester.

[0059] The payment instruction is, for example, information indicating the amount of cryptocurrency specified by the purchase requester, which corresponds to the price of the product specified by the purchase requester, the user ID of the purchase requester, and the user ID of the virtual store (the business operating the virtual store). The output unit 135, for example, notifies the cryptocurrency processing unit 136 of the payment instruction. The cryptocurrency processing unit 136 transfers the cryptocurrency from the cryptocurrency account of the purchase requester to the cryptocurrency account of the virtual store in accordance with the payment instruction output by the output unit 135. The cryptocurrency processing unit 136, for example, adds to the blockchain a transaction indicating the transfer of one or more coins corresponding to the price of the product from the cryptocurrency account of the purchase requester to the cryptocurrency account of the virtual store.

[0060] This allows the management server 1 to allow a purchase requester to purchase goods from a virtual store using crypto assets, provided that the virtual area or virtual store is associated with a region or physical store.

[0061] The consideration payment instruction is, for example, information indicating the consideration paid by the virtual store to the operator of the virtual area, the user ID of the virtual store, and the user ID of the operator of the virtual area. The consideration is, for example, a predetermined cryptocurrency or legal tender such as Japanese yen. The output unit 135 calculates the consideration from the price of the product specified by the purchase requester using, for example, a predetermined calculation formula, and outputs a consideration payment instruction indicating the calculated consideration.

[0062] When the consideration is crypto asset, the output unit 135, for example, notifies the crypto asset processing unit 136 of a consideration payment instruction. The crypto asset processing unit 136 transfers the crypto asset from the crypto asset account of the virtual store to the crypto asset account of the operator of the virtual space in accordance with the consideration payment instruction output by the output unit 135. The crypto asset processing unit 136, for example, adds to the blockchain a transaction indicating that one or more coins corresponding to the consideration are to be transferred from the crypto asset account of the virtual store to the crypto asset account of the operator of the virtual space.

[0063] When the consideration is a legal currency, the output unit 135 notifies, for example, a bank server of a bank that handles legal currency of a consideration payment instruction. The bank server transfers the consideration from the bank account of the virtual store to the bank account of the operator of the virtual area in accordance with the consideration payment instruction output by the output unit 135.

[0064] This allows the management server 1 to provide compensation to the operator of the virtual area in response to the purchase requester's purchase of a product at the virtual store, thereby increasing the operator's motivation to operate the virtual area.

[0065] It is desirable that a payment by a purchase requester using crypto assets at a virtual store and a payment by a purchase requester using crypto assets at a real store are performed using a common or mutually associated user ID for identifying the purchase requester. In this case, a payment at the real store is performed using a user ID used for payment at the virtual store or a user ID associated with that user ID, and a payment at the virtual store is performed using a user ID used for payment at the real store or a user ID associated with that user ID. In other words, a purchase requester can purchase goods at a virtual store using crypto assets using a user ID in a virtual space, and can also purchase goods at a real store using crypto assets using that user ID in a real space. This allows a purchase requester to easily purchase goods without having to manage user IDs separately in the virtual space and the real space.

[0066] [Sequence of information processing method] 7 is a sequence diagram of an exemplary information processing method executed by the information processing system S according to this embodiment. The user terminal 2 accepts the designation of the product that the purchase requester wishes to purchase and the crypto asset to be used to purchase the product in a virtual store designated by the purchaser. In response to a predetermined operation being performed by the purchase requester, the user terminal 2 transmits a purchase request to the management server 1 to purchase the designated product using the designated crypto asset (S11).

[0067] In the management server 1, the reception unit 132 receives a purchase request from the user terminal 2. The acquisition unit 133 acquires association information pre-stored in the storage unit 12 (S12).

[0068] Based on the association information acquired by the acquisition unit 133, the determination unit 134 determines whether the virtual area in which the virtual store indicated by the purchase request is located or the virtual store is associated with an area or physical store where the crypto asset indicated by the purchase request can be used (S13).

[0069] On the condition that the determination unit 134 determines that the virtual area or virtual store is not associated with a region or a physical store (NO in S14), the output unit 135 transmits information to the user terminal 2 indicating that the product cannot be purchased with the crypto asset specified by the purchase requester. Based on the information received from the management server 1, the user terminal 2 displays on the display unit information indicating that the product cannot be purchased with the crypto asset specified by the purchase requester.

[0070] The output unit 135 outputs a provision instruction to provide the product to the purchase requester (S15) on the condition that the determination unit 134 determines that the virtual area or virtual store is associated with the region or the real store (YES in S14). In accordance with the provision instruction output by the output unit 135, the virtual store transmits the product, which is digital data, to the purchase requester, provides the product, which is a service, to the purchase requester, or sends the product, which is an item, to the purchase requester.

[0071] The output unit 135 also outputs a payment instruction for the purchase requester to pay the price of the product to the virtual store with cryptocurrency (S16). In accordance with the payment instruction output by the output unit 135, the cryptocurrency processing unit 136 transfers the cryptocurrency from the purchase requester's cryptocurrency account to the cryptocurrency account of the virtual store.

[0072] Furthermore, the output unit 135 outputs a consideration payment instruction for the virtual store to pay the consideration for the purchase requester's purchase of the product at the virtual store to the operator of the virtual area (S17). If the consideration is cryptocurrency, the cryptocurrency processing unit 136 transfers the cryptocurrency from the cryptocurrency account of the virtual store to the cryptocurrency account of the operator of the virtual area in accordance with the consideration payment instruction output by the output unit 135. If the consideration is legal tender, the bank server, for example, remits the consideration from the bank account of the virtual store to the bank account of the operator of the virtual area in accordance with the consideration payment instruction output by the output unit 135.

[0073] [Effects of the embodiment] According to the information processing system S of this embodiment, the management server 1 enables the purchase requester to purchase the product specified by the purchase requester using a crypto asset, on the condition that the virtual area in which the virtual store selling the product specified by the purchase requester is located or the virtual store is associated with an area or physical store in which the crypto asset specified by the purchase requester can be used. This allows the information processing system S to make the crypto asset usable only in virtual areas or virtual stores associated with areas or physical stores in which the crypto asset can be used, thereby stimulating economic circulation in the area or physical store.

[0074] Furthermore, this invention will make it possible to contribute to Goal 9 of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is to "build resilient infrastructure, promote industry, innovation and infrastructure."

[0075] Although the present invention has been described above using the embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, all or part of the device can be configured by distributing or integrating functionally or physically in any unit. In addition, new embodiments resulting from any combination of multiple embodiments are also included in the embodiments of the present invention. The effect of the new embodiment resulting from the combination combines the effect of the original embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] S Information Processing System 1 Management Server 11 Communications Department 12 Storage section 13 Control section 131 Display control unit 132 Reception 133 Acquisition Department 134 Judgment section 135 Output section 136 Cryptocurrency Processing Unit 2. User terminal

Claims

1. a reception unit that receives a purchase request from a purchase requester to purchase a product at a virtual store, the virtual store being a virtual store within an area in a virtual space; an output unit that outputs an instruction to transfer the cryptocurrency corresponding to the price of the product in the purchase request from the first account to a second account associated with identification information for identifying the virtual store, on the condition that the area or the virtual store is associated with a real store that is a region in the real world or a store in the real world where the cryptocurrency managed in a first account associated with identification information for identifying the purchase requester can be used for payment; An information processing device having the above configuration.

2. The information terminal used by the purchase requester further includes a display control unit that displays information about the virtual store in the area. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. the reception unit receives the purchase request in response to an operation by the purchase requester on the information terminal to specify the virtual store in the virtual space. The information processing device according to claim 2 .

4. The output unit further outputs a payment instruction for the virtual store to pay a price for the purchase of the product at the virtual store by the purchase requester to an operator of the area. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

5. A determination unit that determines whether the area or the virtual store is associated with the region or the real store. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

6. The output unit outputs the instruction on the condition that the area is operated by a local government having jurisdiction over the area or a business operator within the area. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

7. The cryptocurrency's source of funds is provided by the local government or the business operator. The information processing device according to claim 6.

8. The output unit outputs the instruction on the condition that a business operator operating the virtual store and a business operator operating the physical store are the same or have a predetermined relationship. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

9. the output unit outputs the instruction on the condition that the area or the virtual store and the region or the real store are in a predetermined positional relationship when the virtual space and the real space are associated in advance by simulating the real space with each other. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

10. The output unit outputs the instruction under the condition that the area or the virtual store is associated with the area or the real store in association information recorded on the blockchain indicating whether the area or the virtual store is associated with the area or the real store. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

11. The payment by the purchase requester using the crypto asset at the virtual store and the payment by the purchase requester using the crypto asset at the store in the real world are executed using the common or mutually associated identification information for identifying the purchase requester. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

12. The settlement using the crypto asset can be carried out in a store within the area in the real space, but cannot be carried out in a store outside the area in the real space. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

13. The instruction is an instruction to add data to a blockchain indicating that the cryptocurrency is to be transferred from the account of the purchase requester to the account of the virtual store. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

14. The processor executes A step of accepting a purchase request from a purchase requester to purchase a product at a virtual store, which is a virtual store within an area in a virtual space; outputting an instruction to transfer the cryptocurrency corresponding to the price of the product in the purchase request from the first account to a second account associated with identification information for identifying the virtual store, provided that the area or the virtual store is associated with a real-world region or a real-world store in which the cryptocurrency managed in a first account associated with identification information for identifying the purchase requester can be used for payment; An information processing method comprising the steps of:

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