SERVICE PROVIDING SYSTEM, SERVICE PROVIDING METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM

Abstract

To allow an information processing apparatus to present a familiar world to improve convenience and entertainment.SOLUTION: A character information transmitting / receiving unit 100 in a character world management server 20 transmits / receives data of a character to be displayed on an information processing apparatus. A real-object information acquisition unit 102 acquires information of a real object related to action of a user. An object information transmission unit 104 converts the real object into model data and transmits it to the information processing apparatus to be displayed in a character world. A position information acquisition unit 106 acquires a position of the information processing apparatus. A place information transmission unit 108 transmits information on a place corresponding to the position to reflect it in the character world. A reward offering unit 109 offers a reward to the user in accordance with a matter in the character world. A position cooperative processing unit 118 affects processing of the information processing apparatus in accordance with a position of the user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a service providing system for providing services to users via a network. , SERVICE PROVIDING METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM - Patent application Regarding. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, electronic games have been known in which a character that can be considered an avatar of the user appears, moving in a displayed virtual world and fighting enemies in response to user operations. In the field of online games, a technique has been proposed that allows a common character to appear in different games by registering model data of a character created by a user in a server (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Also, a technique has been proposed in which electronic coupons are distributed from an access point device to a customer's mobile information terminal by short-range wireless communication in department stores and the like (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2002-360936 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2003-67618 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above technologies, characters and electronic coupons are seen only in very limited situations in the user's life, such as when playing games or shopping, and therefore it is difficult to say that they are objects that the user feels attached to. In an age where carrying an information processing device has become commonplace, there is a demand for technology that can fuse the presented virtual world with the real world at a higher level and increase convenience and entertainment value.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide a technique that brings the world presented by an information processing device closer to people and enhances convenience and entertainment value. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention relates to a service providing system, which is characterized by including an information processing device that displays an image of a character world in which a character corresponding to a user exists, and a character world management server that acquires information related to an action of the user in the real world and transmits data to the information processing device for displaying an object representing a real object related to the action as part of the character world.

[0007] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a service providing method, which is characterized in that, in a service providing system that causes an information processing device to display an image of a character world in which a character corresponding to a user exists, the service providing method includes a step in which a server that has established communication with the information processing device acquires information related to an action of the user in the real world, and a step in which the server transmits data to the information processing device for displaying an object representing a real object related to the action as a part of the character world.

[0008] Any combination of the above components, and any transformation of the present invention into a method, device, system, computer program, or recording medium having a computer program recorded thereon, are also effective aspects of the present invention. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, the world presented by an information processing device can be made more familiar, and convenience and entertainment value can be improved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a service providing system to which the present embodiment can be applied. [Diagram 2]1 is a diagram showing an internal circuit configuration of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] 1 is a diagram showing a functional block configuration of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 4 is a diagram showing in more detail the configuration of the functional blocks of the character world processing unit shown in FIG. 3. [Diagram 5] 2 is a diagram showing the functional block configuration of a character world management server in this embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a functional block configuration of a store server according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the structure of data stored in a user information storage unit of a character world management server in the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 8] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the structure of data stored in an object information storage unit of a character world management server in the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 9] A figure illustrating an example of the structure of data stored in a physical store information storage unit of a character world management server in this embodiment. [Figure 10] 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of the structure of data stored in a location information storage unit of the character world management server in the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 11] 13 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure relating to displaying a character world and transitioning to a site of a physical store in the present embodiment. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for making a character wear a virtual product that corresponds to a real product in the present embodiment. [Figure 13] 13 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure relating to cooperation between a virtual store and a real store in a character world in the present embodiment. [Figure 14] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for granting an electronic coupon or an item based on location information of a user in the present embodiment. [Figure 15]10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for implementing games and communication based on user position information in the present embodiment. [Figure 16] 13 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for acquiring land in a character's world in the present embodiment. [Figure 17] 2 shows an example of a character world displayed on a display device in this embodiment. [Figure 18] In this embodiment, a site screen of a real store that is displayed upon activation of a store service processing unit is shown as an example. [Figure 19] 13 shows an example of a screen when an electronic coupon appears in the character world in this embodiment. [Figure 20] In this embodiment, a game screen that uses spots set in the character's world is shown as an example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] 1 shows an example of the configuration of a service providing system to which the present embodiment can be applied. The service providing system 1 includes information processing devices 10a, 10b, and 10c that perform information processing in response to user operations, and a character world management server 20 that manages a base virtual world in which characters for each user exist. The service providing system 1 further includes a store server 52 that realizes a product sales service, a content server 54 that provides electronic content such as online games, and a communication server 56 that realizes communication between users.

[0012] The information processing devices 10a, 10b, and 10c are connected to input devices 14a, 14b, and 14c for user operations and display devices 16a, 16b, and 16c for displaying images, respectively. The information processing devices 10a, 10b, and 10c can establish communication with various servers via a network 8 such as a WAN (World Wide Network) or a LAN (Local Area Network). The information processing devices 10a, 10b, and 10c may establish communication with each other via short-distance wireless communication using infrared rays, Bluetooth (registered trademark), or the like, in addition to the network 8.

[0013] The information processing devices 10a, 10b, and 10c may be connected to the display devices 16a, 16b, and 16c and the input devices 14a, 14b, and 14c either by wire or wirelessly. Alternatively, two or more of these devices may be integrally formed. For example, the information processing device 10b is a portable game machine and is integrally formed with the buttons (hardware keys) of the input device 14b and the display device 16b. The information processing device 10c is a highly functional mobile phone and is integrally formed with the display device 16c and the touch pad on the screen of the input device 14c.

[0014] In this way, there is no limitation on the external shape or connection form of the devices. There is also no limitation on the number of information processing devices 10a, 10b, 10c and various servers connected to the network 8. Hereinafter, the information processing devices 10a, 10b, 10c will be collectively referred to as information processing device 10, the input devices 14a, 14b, 14c as input device 14, and the display devices 16a, 16b, 16c as display device 16.

[0015] The input device 14 may be any one or a combination of general input devices such as a controller, a keyboard, a mouse, a touchpad, or a joystick, and supplies the contents of user operations to the information processing device 10. The display device 16 may be a general display such as a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, an organic EL display, a wearable display, or a projector, and displays images and outputs sounds output from the information processing device 10.

[0016] The character world management server 20 manages characters for each user who uses the information processing device 10. Here, a character is, for example, an avatar, an alter ego of the user that moves in response to user operations on the information processing device 10. However, as long as the character is an object displayed in association with the user, there is no particular restriction on the rules of movement, and there is no restriction on the number of characters associated with one user.

[0017] The characters may be any of people, animals, robots, objects, figures, etc., represented by two-dimensional or three-dimensional model data. The characters may be entirely represented by computer graphics, or may include live-action images. A character is associated with a user by the user creating the character himself or selecting a character from among existing characters using the information processing device 10. The character world management server 20 accepts character registrations from the information processing device 10 and manages the characters for each user. The character world management server 20 further provides the information processing device 10 with the environment of a virtual world in which the characters exist.

[0018] Here, the virtual world is a base world shared by multiple users, each of which has its own corresponding character. For example, a user can set up a virtual home in the world, have his / her own character live there, and converse and act with the characters of other users. For this reason, the character world management server 20 transmits data related to the geographical situation of the world and the characters of other users to the information processing device 10.

[0019] However, in this embodiment, the character is not limited to the virtual world but is allowed to move between multiple spaces. Here, the "space" refers to a space where the user can shop online, a space where contents such as electronic games and videos are displayed, a space where users can communicate with each other, etc. These spaces are actually constructed by cooperation between application software started up on the information processing device 10 and the store server 52, the content server 54, the communication server 56, etc.

[0020] However, the type of space in which the characters appear is not particularly limited, and may be any two-dimensional or three-dimensional information or world that can be displayed on display device 16. The space may be represented by individual application software installed on information processing device 10, or by a browser that displays various websites. In this embodiment, since there are a wide variety of spaces in which characters may exist, the virtual world that is provided by character world management server 20 and that is the base for the characters is specifically called the "character world" to distinguish it from other spaces.

[0021] In this embodiment, the character world management server 20 changes the appearance of the characters and the character world in response to user actions and user operations that are not directly related to the character world. That is, in this embodiment, the user himself who uses the information processing device 10, and places, stores, products, etc. in the real world that are related to the user are reflected in the character world. For example, an object that represents a real object related to the user's actions is represented as part of the character world. Or, conversely, actions and events in the character world are reflected in the user's own life. That is, the character world management server 20 serves as a relay between the real world including the store server 52 and the character world.

[0022] For example, the present embodiment realizes the following aspects. 1. Have characters wear products that are sold in real stores or sell them in the character world 2. Reflect the user's actual location and the things set in that location in the character's world 3. Reward users based on their influence in the character world and sales performance 4. Change the character world according to the user's wishes and preferences

[0023] Regarding 1, a "real store" is a store that actually sells products, and it may be a store on a network such as an EC (Electronic Commerce) site, or a store that serves customers in the real world. Hereinafter, these will be collectively referred to as "real stores," and virtual stores in the character world will be called "virtual stores." In the character world, "products" are represented as objects using photographed images and graphics that show their characteristics. Hereinafter, products sold in real stores will be referred to as "real products," and objects that imitate real products represented in the character world will be called "virtual products."

[0024] The model data of the virtual product is generated by the character world management server 20 by obtaining information about the real product. Alternatively, it may be prepared by the store server 52 of the real store that sells the real product. For example, clothing as a real product that a user has shown an interest in or purchased at a real store is converted into texture data and made into data as a virtual product. By mapping this as a texture onto a three-dimensional model of a character corresponding to the user, it is possible to express a state in which the character is wearing the clothing. Texture mapping onto a three-dimensional model is a well-known technique. However, as mentioned above, it is not intended to limit the character model to three dimensions.

[0025] Regarding 2, at least a part of the places represented as the character world is modeled after places in the real world. In this case, the character moves in the character world in conjunction with the movement of the user. Conditions are set for the user's position and situation in the real world, and when these conditions are met, some kind of change is made to the character world. For example, when the user approaches a pre-registered brick-and-mortar store in the real world, an electronic coupon issued by that brick-and-mortar store is given to the user.

[0026] In this case, in the character world displayed on the information processing device 10, an object resembling an electronic coupon may suddenly appear or fall to the ground, thereby achieving integration with the character world. In addition, the locations of tourist spots and the like set in the real world may be highlighted in the character world to guide the user to visit them. Furthermore, other users visiting the same place may be represented as other characters, allowing them to communicate with each other or participate in the same game.

[0027] Regarding 3, virtual goods can be sold in a virtual store in the character world, and the real store can give a reward to the user depending on the number of other characters who visit the store and the sales record. Alternatively, a link to the real store's site is set in the character world along with the virtual goods, and a reward is given to the user who set up the virtual store when the site is accessed via the link. In addition, the real store may have a user's character that is approved by the real store wear virtual goods for products sold by the real store, giving the user the role of a billboard. In this case, the user may also be given a reward depending on the period of wearing the goods.

[0028] Regarding 4, a character (user) can acquire land in the character world in exchange for points or the like. A user can build a house or a virtual store there, and the state of the land is shared among users. On the other hand, the house or virtual store displayed in the character world may be different for each individual user. For example, the virtual store may be changed according to the preferences of the user viewing the display, i.e., the user using the information processing device 10. For example, a virtual store of a confectionery store may be displayed for a user who likes sweets, and an apparel shop may be displayed for a user who likes fashion. If such a virtual store is associated with a real store and a link is set up, purchasing behavior can be stimulated through the character world.

[0029] The store server 52 is a server of a store that sells real products. The store server 52 may be a server of one real store, or a server of a mall-type site that bundles multiple real stores under the same domain. The store server 52 may also be a server of an EC site that sells products online, or a server that only provides information about real stores and real products.

[0030] The content server 54 is a server that provides at least one of electronic content such as electronic games, videos, and music. The communication server 56 is a server that provides a communication service for talking with other users and sending information to other users via the network 8. Note that the servers included in the service providing system 1 are not limited to those shown in the figure, and the number of servers is not limited, as long as they provide services to the information processing device 10 via the network 8.

[0031] 2 shows an internal circuit configuration of the information processing device 10. The information processing device 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 23, a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) 24, and a main memory 26. These components are connected to each other via a bus 30. An input / output interface 28 is further connected to the bus 30. The input / output interface 28 is connected to a communication unit 32 that establishes communication with other information processing devices and servers, a storage unit 34 such as a hard disk drive or a nonvolatile memory, an output unit 36 ​​that outputs data to the display device 16, an input unit 38 that inputs data from the input device 14, a recording medium drive unit 40 that drives a removable recording medium such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, or a semiconductor memory, and a position acquisition unit 42 that acquires position information of the device itself by known techniques such as a Global Positioning System (GPS) or an Assisted-GPS (A-GPS).

[0032] The CPU 23 executes an operating system stored in the storage unit 34 to control the entire information processing device 10. The CPU 23 also executes various programs read from a removable recording medium and loaded into the main memory 26. The GPU 24 performs drawing processing in accordance with drawing commands from the CPU 23, and outputs the results to the output unit 36 ​​and the communication unit 32. The main memory 26 is composed of a RAM (Random Access Memory), and stores programs and data required for processing. Note that the various servers included in the service providing system 1 may also be realized with a similar circuit configuration.

[0033] Fig. 3 shows the configuration of functional blocks of the information processing device 10 in this embodiment. Each functional block shown in Fig. 3 and Figs. 4 to 6 described later can be realized in terms of hardware by electronic components such as the CPU and main memory shown in Fig. 2, and in terms of software by programs that perform various functions such as data input function, data storage function, image processing function, and communication function, loaded into the main memory from a recording medium, etc. Therefore, it is understood by those skilled in the art that these functional blocks can be realized in various forms by only hardware, only software, or a combination thereof, and are not limited to any one of them.

[0034] The information processing device 10 includes an input information acquiring unit 60 that acquires the contents of user operations via the input device 14, a character world processing unit 62 that performs processing related to the character world, a character information storage unit 66 that stores character model data, a communication unit 68 that establishes communication with external devices such as the character world management server 20 via the network 8, and an output unit 76 that outputs display image and audio data to the display device 16. The information processing device 10 further includes a store service processing unit 70 that processes services provided by the store server 52, a content processing unit 72 that processes electronic content, and a communication processing unit 74 that realizes communication with other users.

[0035] The input information acquisition unit 60 acquires the contents of user operations via the input device 14. The contents of the input operations include starting / ending various application software, command input corresponding to the application software, character input, user interface operation, operations related to character model data generation, etc. The input information acquisition unit 60 may also acquire position information from the position acquisition unit 42, image data captured by an imaging device (not shown), etc., depending on the processing contents.

[0036] The character world processing unit 62, the store service processing unit 70, the content processing unit 72, and the communication processing unit 74 each acquire input information from the input information acquisition unit 60, perform the corresponding information processing, and generate image and audio data representing the results, which are output to the output unit 76. The character world processing unit 62, the store service processing unit 70, the content processing unit 72, and the communication processing unit 74 may each be realized by application software or a web browser started by the user. Therefore, it is not necessary for all of these functional blocks to function simultaneously.

[0037] The character world processing unit 62 performs processing related to characters and the character world in which they exist in cooperation with the character world management server 20. The character world processing unit 62 includes at least a character creation unit 64 and a character control unit 78a. The character creation unit 64 creates model data of a character to be associated with a user. For example, the character creation unit 64 displays options for the character's face and body parts on the display device 16, and completes the character model data in response to the user's selection operation.

[0038] Alternatively, the character creation unit 64 may create a character that resembles the user by acquiring an image of the user photographed by the user and reflecting the image in the character's appearance. Techniques for extracting body features from a photographed image and generating model data that resembles the real thing are widely known. Alternatively, the character creation unit 64 may simply display a plurality of characters created in advance on the display device 16 and allow the user to select one of them. The character creation unit 64 stores the model data of the character thus created and selected in the character information storage unit 66 in association with the user's identification information.

[0039] Hereinafter, a character associated with a user using the information processing device 10 will be referred to as the "own character," and a character associated with a user using another information processing device 10 will be referred to as the "other character." Model data for the own character is also registered in the character world management server 20 via the communication unit 68. When a virtual product that imitates a real product is worn by a character, the character information storage unit 66 also stores the model data for that virtual product transmitted from the character world management server 20.

[0040] The character control unit 78a reads out model data from the character information storage unit 66 and draws the player's character in the character world. For example, the character control unit 78a draws the player's character so that it moves in response to a user operation. Information relating to the player's character's movements is transmitted to the character world management server 20 via the communication unit 68. By distributing this information together with the model data of the registered character to another information processing device 10, the player's character can be made to appear in the character world displayed on that information processing device 10.

[0041] The store service processing unit 70 performs processing related to the purchase of real products in cooperation with the store server 52. That is, it accesses the store server 52 via the communication unit 68, displays information related to the real store and real products on the display device 16, accepts the user's product purchase operation, and completes the commercial transaction with the store server 52. Here, the store service processing unit 70 includes a character control unit 78b. The character control unit 78b reads out model data of the player's character from the character information storage unit 66, and displays the player's character on the display screen for information related to the real store and real products.

[0042] The content processing unit 72 processes content such as electronic games and moving images. For example, the content processing unit 72 may realize an online game by acquiring details of game operations performed by other users from the content server 54 via the communication unit 68. Alternatively, the content processing unit 72 may decode, expand, and display moving image data streamed from the content server 54. However, the content processing unit 72 is not limited to online processing, and may also process content offline.

[0043] Here, the content processing unit 72 includes a character control unit 78c. The character control unit 78c reads out model data of the player's character from the character information storage unit 66, and displays the player's character on the display screen of the content. For example, the content processing unit 72 makes the player's character appear in an electronic game and moves it in response to a user operation. In the case of an online game, the player's character may fight against other characters operated by other users, or may form a team. When playing a moving image, the player's character may simply be displayed in the vicinity of the moving image.

[0044] The communication processing unit 74 acquires and displays comments from other users and posts on SNS (social networking service) via the communication unit 68, and realizes communication by transmitting the user's own comments and posts via the communication unit 68. The communication may be realized via the communication server 56, or may be realized directly with other information processing devices 10 using short-distance wireless technology.

[0045] Here, the communication processing unit 74 includes a character control unit 78d. The character control unit 78d reads out model data of the player's character from the character information storage unit 66, and displays the player's character on a communication screen showing comments and the like. For example, on a chat screen where multiple users are having a conversation, the character of each user may display a character string of the comment in a speech bubble as if it were speaking. Alternatively, the content of the conversation may be output as audio, and an image may be displayed in which the character corresponding to the user who made the comment is speaking.

[0046] In this way, the character control units 78a, 78b, 78c, and 78d share the model data of the user's character stored in the character information storage unit 66, and draw the image of the character based on the data. This allows a common character to be displayed even when different functions are being performed, and deepens the relationship with the user's actions in various situations. Furthermore, since the characters are consistent, it becomes easier to distinguish other users from each other by their characters regardless of the situation. The specific movements of the characters may vary depending on each processing unit.

[0047] The communications unit 68 establishes communications with the character world management server 20, the store server 52, the content server 54, and the communication server 56, and transmits and receives data necessary for processing by the character world processing unit 62, the store service processing unit 70, the content processing unit 72, and the communication processing unit 74. The output unit 76 acquires display screen and audio data generated by the character world processing unit 62, the store service processing unit 70, the content processing unit 72, and the communication processing unit 74, and outputs it to the display device 16 at appropriate timing.

[0048] Fig. 4 shows in more detail the configuration of the functional blocks of character world processing unit 62 shown in Fig. 3. In addition to the character creation unit 64 and character control unit 78a described above, character world processing unit 62 includes another character information acquisition unit 80, a location information acquisition unit 82, an object information acquisition unit 84, a character world image generation unit 86, a position information transmission unit 88, a coupon / reward management unit 90, and an external operation relay unit 92.

[0049] The other character information acquisition unit 80 acquires model data and information related to the actions of other characters in the same place in the character world from the character world management server 20 at any time. For example, when the action of another character is determined by a user operation on the other information processing device 10, the other character information acquisition unit 80 acquires the action information in real time. The location information acquisition unit 82 acquires information related to the place in the character world where the own character is located from the character world management server 20 at any time. For example, the location information acquisition unit 82 acquires information necessary for a general map display, such as roads, facilities, buildings, seas, and rivers in the place, and model data for expressing it.

[0050] The object information acquisition unit 84 acquires information related to objects represented in the character world. Here, the objects are objects placed in a house or virtual store installed by the user, objects sent from the character world management server 20 depending on the situation, and the like. The former may include virtual products imitating products sold in real stores. The latter may include the above-mentioned electronic coupons. The object information acquisition unit 84 acquires the model data and associated information from the character world management server 20 as needed. Note that the other character information acquisition unit 80, the location information acquisition unit 82, and the object information acquisition unit 84 are not limited to acquiring information from the character world management server 20, and may hold at least a part of the information in an internal storage device.

[0051] Character world image generation unit 86 generates a display image of the character world including an image of the player's character controlled by character control unit 78a. Here, character world image generation unit 86 reflects the information acquired by other character information acquisition unit 80, location information acquisition unit 82, and object information acquisition unit 84 in the character world. That is, an image of the character world is drawn based on location information, and images of other characters are displayed at appropriate positions in the character world according to the model data, position information, and action information of the other characters.

[0052] Based on information related to the object, the image of the object is displayed in the character's world so that the character can handle it. Electronic coupons are also displayed according to the situation so that the user can recognize them and use them in real stores. Specific spots may be highlighted to encourage the user to visit them. In the virtual store, a link to the site of the real store may also be displayed as an object so that other users can easily access the site.

[0053] The position information transmission unit 88 acquires the result of the position measurement of the information processing device 10 by the position acquisition unit 42, and transmits it to the character world management server 20 via the communication unit 68. The position information is used to determine the place to be represented as the character world, to issue electronic coupons, to identify other users in the same place, and so on.

[0054] The coupon and reward management unit 90 manages electronic coupons and rewards acquired by the user. Here, electronic coupons are issued, for example, by a real store near the user. Rewards are given according to, for example, the ability to attract customers to a virtual store in the character world or the performance as an advertising icon. Rewards may be legal tender or corporate currency that the user can use to purchase real products, or may be virtual currency that is valid only in the virtual world, such as the character world.

[0055] The coupon / reward management unit 90 stores data on acquired electronic coupons and rewards in an internal memory, and displays the contents of the coupons and rewards as required by the user. The coupon / reward management unit 90 also increases the amount of coupons and rewards held as they are granted by the character world management server 20 or the store server 52, and decreases the amount of coupons and rewards held as the user uses the coupons. The character world management server 20 may store the same information.

[0056] When an operation is performed on the outside world through the character world, that is, on any of the spaces generated by the store service processing unit 70, the content processing unit 72, or the communication processing unit 74, the external operation relay unit 92 performs a corresponding process. For example, the external operation relay unit 92 starts up the store service processing unit 70 in response to a user operation to point to an object of a link displayed in another character's virtual store. This allows the user to access the store server 52 that sells real products and purchase or consider the real products.

[0057] In the character world, objects for activating the content processing unit 72 and the communication processing unit 74 may also be displayed, and the external operation relay unit 92 may activate the corresponding processing units in response to user operations thereon. The external operation relay unit 92 may also receive requests from the user to sell virtual goods in a virtual store or to have the user's character wear them, and may request the character world management server 20 or the store server 52 to transmit model data of the corresponding goods.

[0058] This allows users to have their characters sell or wear virtual products that are trendy or cutting-edge in the real world, attracting attention in the character world and, in some cases, earning rewards as a poster boy. Note that the right to be a poster boy may be given only to individuals selected by the actual store, depending on the profile and track record of the user or character.

[0059] Furthermore, the external operation relay unit 92 may receive an operation to acquire land in the character world from the user, and request the character world management server 20 to allocate the land. The right to acquire the land may be given to the user who first requested it, or the land may be purchased by the user using virtual currency or the like that the user has acquired up to that point. As described above, this embodiment is based on the principle of representing locations in the real world in the character world. Therefore, it is possible to create a situation in which a virtual store or virtual home is set up in a famous tourist spot or a prime location.

[0060] 5 shows a functional block configuration of the character world management server 20. The character world management server 20 includes a character information transmitting / receiving unit 100 for transmitting and receiving information related to characters to and from the information processing device 10, a real object information acquiring unit 102 for acquiring information related to targets that can be used in the real world, an object information transmitting unit 104 for transmitting information on objects to be displayed in the character world to the information processing device 10, a position information acquiring unit 106 for acquiring position information from the information processing device 10, a place information transmitting unit 108 for transmitting information on places to be displayed as the character world to the information processing device 10, a reward granting unit 109 for granting rewards to users according to their movements in the character world, and a position linking processing unit 118 for carrying out a predetermined action based on the position information.

[0061] The character world management server 20 further includes a user information storage unit 110 that stores information about users who use the information processing device 10, an object information storage unit 112 that stores information about objects to be displayed in the character world, a physical store information storage unit 114 that stores information about physical stores, and a location information storage unit 116 that stores information about locations to be displayed as part of the character world.

[0062] The character information transmitting / receiving unit 100 acquires, from the information processing device 10, character model data created in the information processing device 10 and information on actions determined by user operations, in association with the identification information and the like, as needed. The character model data is stored in the user information storage unit 110 in association with the user identification information. The character information transmitting / receiving unit 100 also transmits to the information processing device 10 model data and action information of other characters present in the same place in the character world.

[0063] The real object information acquisition unit 102 acquires information related to objects that can be used by users in the real world, such as real products and electronic coupons, from the store server 52 or the like. Here, the information related to the real product includes at least any of information that indicates the characteristics of the real product, such as an image of the real product, a product category, a color, a pattern, a shape, etc. The information may be registered in advance by the operator of the real store, or may be transmitted from the store server 52 or the like when a user who accesses the site of the real store selects a real product.

[0064] In either case, the real object information acquisition unit 102 acquires information about the real products to be displayed in the virtual store in the character's world or to be worn by the character. Information about the electronic coupon includes at least one of the coupon name, real store information, preferential treatment such as discounts, and expiration date, and is acquired from the real store that issues the coupon, the store server 52, etc.

[0065] The object information transmission unit 104 reads out model data of objects to be displayed in the character world from the object information storage unit 112, and transmits it to the information processing device 10. Here, the object may include any object other than a character to be displayed in the character world, but particularly includes virtual goods and electronic coupons. If no model data exists, the object information transmission unit 104 generates model data based on the information acquired by the real object information acquisition unit 102 and transmits it. At this time, the object information transmission unit 104 stores the generated model data in the object information storage unit 112 for future use.

[0066] The virtual goods to be worn by the character are associated with the model data of the character stored in the user information storage unit 110. The position information acquisition unit 106 acquires actual position information from the information processing device 10 at any time. The place information transmission unit 108 transmits model data of a virtual place corresponding to the position information to the information processing device 10. This causes the character world to be displayed according to the actual position of the information processing device 10. Here, the place information transmission unit 108 transmits future place information according to the user's movement at any time, thereby linking the movement in the real world with the character world.

[0067] The reward granting unit 109 holds conditions for granting rewards internally and grants rewards to users according to the behavior of the characters, etc. For example, threshold values ​​are set for the time that a character selected as a poster boy wears a virtual product, the number of other characters who visit a virtual store selling the virtual product, the number of users who access the site of a real store via a link set in the store, etc. The reward granting unit 109 constantly monitors these parameters, and when the threshold values ​​are exceeded, it transmits data of the reward to be granted to the information processing device 10 of the corresponding user.

[0068] The position-linked processing unit 118 controls the information processing device 10 to change the character world and other spaces displayed when the information processing device 10, and therefore the user's position, and the associated situation satisfy a predetermined condition. Specifically, it controls the provision of electronic coupons issued by nearby brick-and-mortar stores, the provision of virtual items set in specific spots, the launch of communication spaces and game spaces with other users in the same area, and the like.

[0069] The user information storage unit 110 stores the identification information of the information processing device 10 and the character model data in association with the user's identification information. The user information storage unit 110 may further store, in association with the user's identification information, attributes such as name, nickname, sex, age, address, and occupation, behavioral history such as places visited and events participated in, purchase history at physical stores, content viewing and play history, preferences, rewards and electronic coupons acquired, number of followers on SNS, number of registered friends, and other information.

[0070] Information on the user's behavior history, purchase history, preferences, etc. can be used to calculate the recommendation level of a product in a real store, and to select a virtual store to be displayed by the location information transmission unit 108. Information on the user's purchase history, behavior history, number of followers, number of friends, etc. can be used to select a character to act as a billboard. The selection may be made by the store server 52 by transmitting necessary information to the store server 52, or may be made by the object information transmission unit 104 in response to a request from the store.

[0071] The selection based on the number of followers or the number of friends can be called the selection of an influencer in influencer marketing. That is, the character can be reproduced in the character world as a kind of influencer. Therefore, the selection of the character may be a request from a company such as a client that cultivates influencers.

[0072] The object information storage unit 112 stores model data of objects that are registered in advance or generated by the object information transmission unit 104. Product information such as product name, size, and price is associated with the model data of the virtual product. Information on the corresponding real store is associated with the model data of the virtual product and electronic coupon. The model data of the virtual product may further be associated with model data of an object that represents a link for transitioning to the site of the real store.

[0073] The physical store information storage unit 114 stores information such as addresses and URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) of physical stores in association with identification information of the physical stores. The addresses of the physical stores are used by the object information transmission unit 104 to select electronic coupons to be issued according to the location of the information processing device 10. The URLs are transmitted to the information processing device 10 together with model data of virtual products and links, thereby enabling access to the corresponding store sites in response to user operations. The location information storage unit 116 stores information corresponding to maps in the real world as well as the locations of physical stores and the locations of set spots, and location information corresponding to the location of the information processing device 10 is read out and transmitted by the location information transmission unit 108.

[0074] 6 shows the functional block configuration of the store server 52. The store server 52 includes a real product information storage unit 120, a sales processing unit 122, a wear processing unit 124, a real product information transmission unit 126, a coupon processing unit 128, and an advertisement pillar selection unit 130. The real product information storage unit 120 stores basic information about the real product, such as the product name, size, color, and price, as well as information required for creating model data, such as an image of the real product and external characteristics, together with product identification information.

[0075] The sales processing unit 122 provides information on real products to users who access the site using the information processing device 10, and performs sales-related processing such as payment according to orders. Technology that is put into practical use on general EC sites can be applied to sales-related procedures. The wearing processing unit 124 selects a product to be worn by the character of the user who accesses the site. For example, the wearing processing unit 124 accepts a user operation to select one of the real products.

[0076] Alternatively, the store manager may register products that the user wants to wear, such as sale items or recommended items, in advance, and the wear processing unit 124 may simply read out the registered information. In this case, the wear processing unit 124 may select a wearable item from the registered products based on at least one of information such as the user's attributes, preferences, purchase history, and behavior history. For example, if the user is interested in sneakers, the user may select sneakers from the registered products. If the user is a fan of a certain sports team, the user may select clothing with the logo of the team.

[0077] The wearing processing unit 124 may convert the degree of compatibility between the user's attributes, preferences, and behavior history and the actual product into numerical values, and display the corresponding recommendation level on the site screen. Information such as the user's attributes and preferences may be acquired from the character world management server 20 on an ongoing basis, or may be made available to be constantly shared in the service providing system 1. The wearing processing unit 124 may determine, as the product to be worn, the product that the user actually purchased and that was accepted by the sales processing unit 122.

[0078] The real product information transmission unit 126 reads information on the real product selected by the wearing processing unit 124 from the real product information storage unit 120, and transmits it to the character world management server 20. This causes the product to be converted into model data as necessary, and the product is then mapped to the character's model data, resulting in the product being worn. For example, when the player's character is displayed on a store's website screen, the product is worn on the spot. Thereafter, the same wearing state continues in the character's world and other spaces.

[0079] The coupon processing unit 128 transmits coupon information registered by the store manager to the character world management server 20. As a result, an electronic coupon object appears on the information processing device 10 of a user who comes near a physical store. The billboard selection unit 130 selects a user (character) who will act as a billboard and a product for the user to wear, based on at least any of information such as the user's purchase history, movement history, number of followers, number of friends, etc.

[0080] Information such as user attributes and preferences may be acquired from the character world management server 20 on an ongoing basis, or may be made available for constant sharing in the service providing system 1. The billboards are selected from users who have accessed the website of a real store and purchased real products, or from users who have applied to be billboards. Qualitatively, the billboard selection unit 130 selects users who have many followers and who fit the atmosphere of the store and the trends of products sold. The billboard selection unit 130 may use artificial intelligence or deep learning technology to improve the accuracy of the selection.

[0081] The billboard selection unit 130 notifies the real product information transmission unit 126 of the identification information of the selected user and the identification information of the real product to be worn. The real product information transmission unit 126 associates the information of the real product with the identification information of the user and transmits it to the character world management server 20. This makes it possible to realize a state in which the corresponding character is wearing the virtual product in the character world. As described above, the selection of the billboard may be performed by the character world management server 20 instead of the store server 52.

[0082] 7 illustrates an example of the structure of data stored in the user information storage unit 110 of the character world management server 20. The user information 140 stores, for each user, identification information unique to the user (user identification information), identification information of the information processing device used by the user (device identification information), model data of the character corresponding to the user (character model data), user attributes (attribute information), history of places visited and events attended (behavioral history), history of products purchased (purchase history), trends in tastes and interests (preference information), details of electronic coupons and rewards acquired (coupon / reward information), and the number of other users whose comments on SNS are followed (number of followers).

[0083] The user information 140 is used for calculating the suitability of products to be worn by the character, narrowing down the electronic coupons to be issued, determining communication partners and game members from other nearby users, selecting billboards, selecting categories of virtual stores to be displayed in the character's world, etc. At least a part of the user information 140 may be held by another server such as the store server 52, or may be shared by the service providing system 1.

[0084] 8 illustrates an example of the structure of data stored in the object information storage unit 112 of the character world management server 20. The object information 150 includes virtual product information 150a, electronic coupon information 150b, and virtual object information 150c. The virtual product information 150a stores, for each virtual product, identification information of the virtual product (virtual product identification information), model data for drawing on an image in the character world, catalog data (real product information) such as identification information and price of the original real product, and identification information of the real store selling the real product (real store identification information). As described above, the character world management server 20 obtains information on the real product from a real store or the like to create model data, and then stores the virtual product information 150a in the object information storage unit 112.

[0085] The electronic coupon information 150b stores, for each electronic coupon, the identification information of the electronic coupon (electronic coupon identification information), the identification information of the issuing physical store (physical store identification information), the conditions for issuing the electronic coupon (issuance conditions), the benefits offered by the electronic coupon, the expiration date, and the face data for drawing the image in the character world, etc. The issuance conditions here are set by the operator of the physical store, etc., based on the distance between the store facility and the user in the real world, the user's attributes, tendencies of preferences, etc.

[0086] The virtual object information 150c stores, for each object or facility, identification information (virtual object identification information) of objects and facilities other than those mentioned above to be represented in the character world, and model data for drawing them in an image of the character world. Here, a facility is a house or virtual store built in the character world in response to a user operation, or an object that imitates buildings and various facilities that exist in the real world. For example, as the latter, a facility of a tourist attraction is determined in advance, and registered as model data.

[0087] FIG. 9 illustrates an example of the structure of data stored in the physical store information storage unit 114 of the character world management server 20. The physical store information 160 stores, for each physical store, the identification information of the physical store (physical store identification information), the address, the URL of the website, and the identification information of the corresponding virtual store (virtual store identification information). Physical stores that are only online stores do not need to have an "Address" entry. Physical stores that do not have a website do not need to have a "URL" entry. By associating such information with virtual products in the character world, the display can be shifted to the site of the seller's store, or the user can visit the displayed address to purchase the physical product.

[0088] 10 illustrates an example of the structure of data stored in location information storage unit 116 of character world management server 20. Location information 170 includes virtual area information 170a, virtual facility information 170b, and spot information 170c. Virtual area information 170a stores, for each area into which the character world is divided, area identification information (virtual area identification information), data on a map of the virtual area (map data), a list of identification information for virtual facilities within the virtual area (virtual facility list), a list of identification information for spots set within the virtual area (spot list), and rules regarding the community to be formed (community rules).

[0089] Here, the region may typically be a place or area that exists in the real world, but may also include fictitious places. In the former case, the map data may be an actual map, and in the latter case, the map data is created in advance. The virtual facilities set in the virtual facility list may be either actual facilities or fictitious facilities. It may also include a virtual store that the user has built on land acquired by the user.

[0090] The spots set in the spot list are displayed identifiably on a map of the character world to guide users and provide entertainment such as a stamp rally. The community rules set the conditions for forming a community and the content of the games to be realized in the community when multiple users in the area communicate with each other and play games. For example, users can be divided into teams based on attributes, and characters can fight in the character world. Alternatively, the users can simply converse on the screen, or the game can be realized through the conversation.

[0091] The virtual facility information 170b is information in which the category, location, and community rules of a virtual facility are associated with virtual facility identification information displayed in a virtual facility list in the virtual area information 170a. The virtual facility identification information may be part of the virtual object identification information shown in Fig. 8. The category indicates the classification of the virtual facility, such as a house, a store, a school, a theater, a park, etc. The location indicates the location on the map of the character's world. The community rules set community rules for users in that facility.

[0092] The virtual facility information 170b may further be associated with identification information of virtual goods sold there (virtual goods identification information in FIG. 8), identification information of objects to be placed indoors and outdoors (virtual object identification information in FIG. 8), and their placement information. The user identification information in FIG. 7 may also be associated with land acquired by the user and facilities built there. Furthermore, when switching the category of virtual stores to be displayed based on the user's preferences, multiple virtual stores are set in the same location, and switching conditions are associated with the virtual facility information 170b for each of them.

[0093] The spot information 170c is information in which the category, location, and visiting rules of the spot are associated with the spot identification information displayed in a list in the spot list of the virtual area information 170a. Here, the category indicates the theme of the spot setting, such as stamp rally, item collection, photo spot, etc., and allows the display target to be narrowed down by a user operation. The location indicates the location on the map of the character's world. The visiting rules set rules such as rewards given for visiting the spot. Note that the data structures described in Figs. 7 to 10 are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present embodiment. For example, the community rules and visiting rules in Fig. 10 may be set only when necessary.

[0094] Next, the operation of the service providing system 1 realized by the above-mentioned configuration will be described. Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure related to displaying the character world and transitioning to the site of a real store. First, the information processing device 10 accepts a character creation operation by the user (S10). As described above, the user may create a character by combining parts or incorporating a photographed image of the user, or may select from candidates for characters that have already been created.

[0095] Once the character has been created, the information processing device 10 transmits the model data to the character world management server 20. The character world management server 20 then registers the model data by storing it in the user information storage unit 110 in association with identification information of the user and the information processing device 10 (S12). On the other hand, when the user performs a character world display operation on the information processing device 10, the information processing device 10 starts transmitting position information of its own device (S14).

[0096] The character world management server 20 acquires the position information, reads out the corresponding location information from the location information storage unit 116, and transmits map data of the corresponding area, model data of the object to be displayed, and the like to the information processing device 10 (S16). As a result, the information processing device 10 starts displaying the character world corresponding to the location of the device itself, and ultimately the user (S18). Note that when a fictional character world is to be displayed, a data request specifying the location of the display target instead of the position information can be made in S14.

[0097] When linking the player's character in the character world with the user's movement, the character world management server 20 may predict, based on a predetermined rule, that the user will leave an area for which data has already been transmitted, and may speculatively transmit data for the next area. The character world management server 20 also transmits model data and movement data of other characters in the same area as needed. This makes it possible to display a character world in which the player's character is in an area where other characters exist.

[0098] Furthermore, the character world management server 20 transmits information such as the URL of the real store to the information processing device 10 in association with the virtual store or virtual product to be displayed. When the character purchases a virtual product in the character world or points to an object indicating a link provided in the virtual store, the information processing device 10 accepts the action as an operation to transition to the site of the real store (S20). As a result, the information processing device 10 starts up the store service processing unit 70 and establishes communication with the corresponding store server 52.

[0099] In response, the store server 52 transmits screen data of the site specified by the URL to the information processing device 10 (S22). The transmitted data may be website screen data in a general format such as HTML, and as part of the transmitted data, a description for displaying a character on the destination information processing device 10 is embedded. This causes the information processing device 10 to display the user's own character together with the site screen (S24). In other words, it is possible to create a state in which the user's own character appears to have moved from the character world displayed in S18 to the space of the website of the actual store.

[0100] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for having a character wear a virtual product corresponding to a real product. This processing is started in a state where the site screen of a real store is displayed on the information processing device 10 as shown in FIG. 11. First, the store server 52 determines the product to be worn by the character of the user who is accessing the site (S30). As described above, the wearer may select the wearer, or the real store may set the wearer. The wearer may also be determined by calculating the degree of compatibility with the product based on user information. Furthermore, the wearer may determine and display whether or not the selected product should be worn and the degree of recommendation based on the user information. The store server 52 similarly determines the wearer's product for users who wish to be advertising icons.

[0101] The store server 52 transmits information related to the determined real product to the character world management server 20. If the data of the real product is not stored in the object information storage unit 112, the character world management server 20 creates model data and stores it as virtual product information (S32). Furthermore, the character world management server 20 updates the character model data in the user information of the user to a state in which the virtual product is worn by the user (S34). In practice, this process is realized by changing the texture data mapped to the character, etc.

[0102] The character world management server 20 then transmits the updated model data to the information processing device 10. As a result, on the information processing device 10 side, the displayed own character changes to a state in which the character is wearing the product determined in S30 (S36). Note that the character world management server 20 also transmits model data change information to other information processing devices 10 in which the character is displayed, so that the appearance of the character changes in common.

[0103] When an operation is performed to end the display of the site screen of the actual store and return the display to the character world, the information processing device 10 accepts this and requests display data from the character world management server 20, for example by transmitting position information again (S38). In response, the character world management server 20 starts transmitting information on the corresponding location, object information, information on other characters, and the like (S40). This causes the information processing device 10 to resume displaying the character world (S42).

[0104] The character world management server 20 transmits information about the product worn by the character, such as the URL and address of the actual store of the seller, together with the model data of the virtual product, so that the information can be viewed on each information processing device 10 (S44). This allows a variety of users to see the information, improving the effectiveness of advertising.

[0105] 13 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for cooperation between a virtual store and a real store in the character world. This processing is started after a user of the information processing device 10a acquires land in the character world and builds a virtual store. Information about the virtual store is acquired by the character world management server 20 and reflected as location information, thereby being shared by the multiple information processing devices 10a and 10b. First, the information processing device 10a accepts a request for virtual goods to be displayed in the virtual store from the user (S50).

[0106] The user may select the category or brand of the product to be displayed and the actual store selling the product from candidates displayed on the information processing device 10, or at least some of them may be determined by the character world management server 20 or the store server 52. The information processing device 10a then starts the store service processing unit 70 and establishes communication with the store server 52 of the seller. Next, when the user determines the target product by selecting it from the screen of the store site displayed on the information processing device 10a, the store server 52 transmits information related to the actual product to the character world management server 20 (S52).

[0107] The target product may be selected by the user or may be determined by the store server 52. In this case, a product with a high degree of suitability may be selected based on user information, as in S30 of FIG. 12. Alternatively, the store server 52 may select users who are permitted to display products based on preset conditions. If the data of the real product is not stored in the object information storage unit 112, the character world management server 20 creates model data and stores it as virtual product information (S54). The character world management server 20 then transmits the model data of the virtual product to the information processing device 10a.

[0108] The requesting information processing device 10a then receives an operation from the user to display the virtual products for which the model data has been transmitted in the user's own character's virtual store (S56). As a result, the virtual store is in a state in which products that imitate actually existing products are being sold. The virtual store is also displayed by another information processing device 10b. When a user operation is performed in this information processing device 10b to cause the user's own character to visit the virtual store, the information processing device 10b receives the operation and performs a corresponding display (S58).

[0109] Furthermore, when a predetermined operation for spatial transition, such as pointing to a displayed virtual product, is performed, the information processing device 10b accepts it (S60) and starts up the store service processing unit 70 to establish communication with the corresponding store server 52. In response, the store server 52 transmits screen data of the site specified by the URL (S62), similar to S22 in Fig. 11. As a result, the information processing device 10b is in a state where the site screen of the actual store is displayed (S64).

[0110] Information about such access is notified from the store server 22 to the character world management server 20. As a result, the character world management server 20 detects that the conditions for providing a reward to the user who built the virtual store have been met, based on the number of times other users have accessed the actual store site (S66). The character world management server 20 then transmits the reward content associated with the met condition to the information processing device 10a of the user who built the virtual store (S68).

[0111] The processes for providing rewards in S66 and S68 may be performed not only for users who sell virtual goods in a virtual store, but also for users corresponding to characters wearing virtual goods, as shown in Fig. 12. The operator of the virtual store shown in Fig. 13 may be not only a general user but also the operator of a real store. In this case, a user can promote sales by setting up a virtual store in the character world that imitates his or her real store.

[0112] Fig. 14 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure for granting electronic coupons and items based on the user's location information. It is assumed that electronic coupons to be issued and items to appear in the character world are registered in the character world management server 20. The registered contents of the electronic coupons are as shown in electronic coupon information 150b in Fig. 8. The items to appear are associated with locations and visiting rules in spot information 170c of place information 170 in Fig. 10.

[0113] 11, position information is transmitted from the information processing device 10 to the character world management server 20 at any time, and the corresponding location in the character world is displayed on the information processing device 10 side. First, the character world management server 20 detects that the position of the information processing device 10 in the real world has come within a predetermined range of a physical store that is registered to issue electronic coupons (S72). As described above, the conditions for issuing an electronic coupon are not limited to distance, and it is also possible to determine whether or not to issue an electronic coupon and switch the type of electronic coupon to be issued depending on the attributes and preferences of the user.

[0114] The character world management server 20 then transmits various information related to the electronic coupon to the information processing device 10 of the user who satisfied the issuance conditions (S74). In response, the information processing device 10 makes the electronic coupon appear in the character world (S76). This process is actually realized by mapping a texture representing the transmitted information onto a shape model of the electronic coupon having a prescribed movement.

[0115] Meanwhile, the character world management server 20 detects that the position of the information processing device 10 in the real world satisfies the condition for acquiring an item (S78). For example, the item corresponding to the user's visit to one location set as a spot is granted on the condition that the user has visited that location. Alternatively, the item may be granted on the condition that the user has visited a predetermined number of locations set as spots, such as a stamp rally. The item may also be granted on the condition that the user has played a game with another user at the visited locations and won.

[0116] The character world management server 20 then transmits information such as model data of the corresponding item to the information processing device 10 of the user who has satisfied the acquisition conditions (S80). In response to this, the information processing device 10 makes the item appear in the character world (S82). The item may be an object that the character can pick up, or may be displayed in a list as additional data. The acquired item may also be reflected in an electronic game or the like realized by the content processing unit 72, or may be an object that can be used in the virtual world or transferred to the character of another user. Alternatively, by showing an image of the acquired item, a souvenir, coupon, or the like may be given at a facility in the real world.

[0117] Fig. 15 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for realizing a game or communication based on the user's position information. As a premise, as shown in S14 to S18 of Fig. 11, position information is transmitted from the information processing device 10 to the character world management server 20 at any time, and the corresponding place in the character world is displayed on the information processing device 10 side. First, the character world management server 20 detects that the position of the information processing device 10 in the real world satisfies the conditions for participating in the community (S90).

[0118] For example, if there are a predetermined number of users carrying information processing devices 10 and displaying the character world within a predetermined area or facility, it is determined that the conditions are met. If a community with more than the predetermined number of users has already been formed, it is determined that the new user meets the participation conditions. The character world management server 20 then notifies the information processing device 10 that the user is eligible to participate in the community. When the user of the information processing device 10 performs an operation to confirm participation, the information processing device 10 accepts it (S92).

[0119] As a result, the information processing device 10 activates a corresponding processing unit, such as the content processing unit 72 or the communication processing unit 74, and establishes communication with a corresponding server, such as the content server 54 or the communication server 56. The user's location, the conditions for forming the community, the type of processing unit (communication means) to be activated, and the like are set in the community rules in the location information 170 in Fig. 10. A plurality of communication means available for participation may be displayed so that the user can select one.

[0120] In response to this, the content server 54 or the communication server 56 transmits data of an electronic game screen or a communication screen in which only members of the formed community can participate to the information processing device 10 (S94). As a result, the information processing device 10 displays the screen and accepts user operations thereon (S96, S98).

[0121] The electronic game screen and communication screen may be independent of the character world that was displayed up until that point, or games and communication may be performed in the character world. In either case, a seamless transition can be achieved by having the same characters that are in the character world appear on the community screen. Although not shown in the figure, if an operation is performed to close the community screen or the user leaves the community, the display may be returned to the original character world.

[0122] 16 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for acquiring land in the character world. First, the information processing device 10a accepts an operation for acquiring land in the character world (S100). For example, when a user inputs a shape to surround a vacant lot that the user wants to acquire on a map of the displayed character world, the information processing device 10a accepts this as a land acquisition operation. In the case of a character world that imitates the real world, even if a building actually exists, the vacant lot is displayed in the character world so that the character can build a house or a virtual store.

[0123] When the information processing device 10a notifies the character world management server 20 that the land acquisition operation has been performed, the character world management server 20 performs approval processing in accordance with a predetermined rule (S102). For example, the character world management server 20 checks whether the specified land is set as vacant land, and whether another user has previously requested acquisition. The character world management server 20 may also determine whether to acquire the land based on user information. When the character world management server 20 approves the land acquisition, the information processing device 10a displays the completion of the land acquisition so that the user can recognize (S104).

[0124] The information processing device 10a then accepts an operation from the user to build a building such as a home or a virtual store on the acquired land (S106). As in S10 of FIG. 11, the user may create a building by combining parts or incorporating some captured image, or the user may select a building from those created in advance. Once the building is built, the information processing device 10 transmits its model data, position information, and the like to the character world management server 20.

[0125] The character world management server 20 then stores the model data in the object information storage unit 112 and updates the location information by registering it in the virtual facility list in the location information storage unit 116 (S108). The character world management server 20 transmits the updated contents to another information processing device 10b that displays the same area, and the character world is updated in information processing device 10b so that it appears as if a new building has been constructed (S110).

[0126] Fig. 17 shows an example of the character world displayed on the display device 16 in this embodiment. (a) is a screen showing the outdoors in the character world, depicting a place where the player's character 200 and other characters 202 can walk around. As described above, the place may be a representation of a place where the user is in the real world, in which case the player's character 200 moves in the same way as the user walks. However, this is not intended to limit this embodiment, and the player's character 200 may move in a fictitious place in response to a user operation via an input device.

[0127] In the character world, buildings such as a virtual store 204 and items 206 indicating set spots are displayed. For example, when the player's character 200 moves to the location of the item 206, the user can acquire the item 206. (b) is a screen showing the inside of the virtual store that is displayed when the player's character enters the virtual store 204. In this example, T-shirts are displayed as virtual goods 208 in the virtual store. For example, when the player's character 200 approaches the virtual goods 208 and an operation is performed to select one of the goods, the information processing device 10 starts the store service processing unit 70 and shifts the display to the site of the real store that sells the corresponding real goods.

[0128] As described above, even if virtual stores 204 are located at the same position in the character world, the store categories and items for sale may be different depending on the user's preferences, behavioral history, purchase history, etc. In other words, for a user who likes T-shirts, a virtual store selling T-shirts may be displayed as shown in the figure, but depending on the user, the virtual store may be switched to sell products in a category that is more likely to lead to real product purchases.

[0129] FIG. 18 shows an example of a site screen of a real store that is displayed when the store service processing unit 70 is started. (a) shows an example of the screen immediately after switching from the character world to the site screen of the real store. However, the site screen may be a part of the character world. In this example, the site of a store called "QQ Sports" is assumed, and product information such as images and prices of T-shirts that are displayed on general store sites is displayed. Naturally, the images shown here are of real products. Furthermore, the player's character 200a is also displayed on the same screen.

[0130] Furthermore, depending on the settings made in advance at the actual store, products that are recommended for the character to wear are displayed with a recommendation phrase 210 such as "Would you like to try on this product?" When the user performs an operation to select a product for the character to wear, the display changes to show the user's own character 200b wearing the corresponding virtual product, as shown in (b). The selection may be made from products recommended by the store or from other products. It may also be an item that the user has purchased. Depending on the settings made at the actual store, the products that the character is permitted to wear may be limited. The products that can be worn may be changed depending on user information.

[0131] In the example shown in (b), the recommendation level 212 based on the degree of compatibility between the user and the corresponding real product is shown as a percentage along with the user's own character 200b wearing the virtual product. As described above, the degree of compatibility is calculated by converting various parameters of the real product, such as color, shape, size, pattern, etc., into points based on the user's taste trends and adding up the points. If the user likes the user's own character 200b wearing the virtual product, the user can continue to wear the same product in various spaces, including the character world, until the user stops wearing the product or the wearing period expires.

[0132] Fig. 19 shows an example of a screen when an electronic coupon appears in the character world. First, assume that the character world in which the user's character 200 exists is displayed as shown in Fig. 17(a). Here, when a predetermined condition is satisfied in the real world, such as the user approaching a real store, an electronic coupon is issued to the information processing device 10. In the example shown in the figure, an object 220 resembling the electronic coupon is expressed as falling from the sky.

[0133] By using the character world in this way to produce a visual effect, it is possible to increase entertainment value and customer attraction. However, the display form of the electronic coupon is not limited to this, and it is also possible to simply superimpose the coupon image on the character world. Furthermore, the issuer of the electronic coupon is not limited to a physical store having a store server 52, but may be any physical store that has registered in advance. The user may receive the special offer by showing the screen of the electronic coupon at the physical store that issued the coupon, or may receive the special offer at an online store by transmitting the data of the electronic coupon from the information processing device 10 to the store server 52.

[0134] FIG. 20 illustrates a game screen using spots set in the character world. In this example, a stamp rally is assumed in which a plurality of spots are set according to a specific theme, such as tourist spots in the real world and places that appear in video works such as animations and dramas, and the user is guided to these spots. In the figure, this is shown as a "sacred place pilgrimage mode." As shown in FIG. 17(a), the character world in which the player's character 200 exists is displayed on this screen. Also, items 206a, 206b, etc., indicating the set spots are displayed.

[0135] When a user moves around carrying the information processing device 10, the character on the screen moves in tandem. This allows the user to recognize the direction of a spot and move towards it. When the user arrives at a spot, the information processing device 10 causes the character to acquire corresponding items 206a, 206b in the character's world, which are displayed in the item display field 230. In the illustrated example, the item display field 230 indicates the number of spots that have been reached and the number of spots that have not yet been reached by the acquired items and dashed circles, respectively. When the user has visited all the spots, all of the dashed circles are replaced with acquired items.

[0136] Users who complete a pilgrimage are presented with a commemorative gift, points, and the like. For example, the user may visit the pilgrimage management office and show the screen to receive the commemorative gift, or may apply online to the character world management server 20, etc., so that the commemorative gift will be delivered at a later date. In this embodiment, the character world and the real world in which the user exists are linked, so that individual management targeting a relatively small area such as a specific village or region is possible. This makes it easy to set up spots that are not generally known and to give the commemorative gift a regional character.

[0137] According to the embodiment described above, the character world in which the character corresponding to the user exists is bidirectionally associated with the real world. Specifically, products sold in the real world are digitized so that the characters can wear them or sell them in the character world. Furthermore, the characters appear not only in the character world but also in a variety of other spaces such as store sites. This allows the characters to exist in close proximity to the daily actions of the user using the information processing device, deepening the attachment to the characters and also functioning as product advertisements.

[0138] When an advertising effect occurs due to a common character that appears in various scenes, a system of giving a reward to the user can stimulate both sales activities in real stores and activities in virtual spaces such as the character world. Also, by expressing a character world that imitates a place in the real space where the user is, the user's own actions in the real space that are not directly related to the character world can be used as a trigger to bring about changes in the character world.

[0139] For example, it is possible to make electronic coupons for nearby stores appear depending on the destination, or to guide the user to the location where a virtual item is set. Furthermore, it is possible to form a community with other users nearby, play games, and communicate with them. These things can increase the entertainment value for users and attract more customers to stores and tourist spots. Also, by blending part of the virtual world on the screen with the real world, it is possible to expand the worldview in which virtual characters exist into various fields.

[0140] The present invention has been described above based on the embodiments. The above embodiments are merely examples, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible in the combination of each component and each treatment process, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0141] 1 service providing system, 8 network, 10 information processing device, 14 input device, 16 display device, 20 character world management server, 23 CPU, 26 main memory, 32 communication unit, 42 position acquisition unit, 52 store server, 54 content server, 56 communication server, 60 input information acquisition unit, 62 character world processing unit, 64 character creation unit, 66 character information storage unit, 68 communication unit, 70 store service processing unit, 72 content processing unit, 74 communication processing unit, 76 output unit, 78a character control unit, 80 other character information acquisition unit, 82 location information acquisition unit, 84 object information acquisition unit, 86 character world image generation unit, 88 position information transmission unit, 90 coupon / reward management unit, 92 external operation relay unit, 100 character information transmission / reception unit, 102 Real object information acquisition unit, 104 object information transmission unit, 106 position information acquisition unit, 108 place information transmission unit, 109 reward granting unit, 110 user information storage unit, 112 object information storage unit, 114 physical store information storage unit, 116 place information storage unit, 118 position linkage processing unit, 120 real product information storage unit, 122 sales processing unit, 124 wearing processing unit, 126 real product information transmission unit, 128 coupon processing unit, 130 billboard selection unit.

Claims

1. an information processing device that displays an image of a character world in which a character corresponding to a user exists; a character world management server that acquires information on any of real products sold at a store site accessed by the information processing device via a network in response to an operation by the user, generates object model data of a virtual product representing the real product, and transmits the object model data to the information processing device, thereby displaying the virtual product as a part of the character world; Equipped with the character world management server grants a reward to the user selected according to the store in accordance with a time period during which the character corresponding to the user wears the virtual product of the store; Service delivery system.

2. 2. The service providing system according to claim 1, wherein the information processing device displays an image in which the character wears the virtual product to which the object model data has been transmitted.

3. 3. The service providing system according to claim 1, wherein the information processing device displays a character identical to the character in the character world on a site screen of the store.

4. 4. The service providing system according to claim 1, wherein the information processing device displays, in the character world, an image of a virtual store displaying virtual goods for which object model data has been transmitted.

5. the character world management server transmits information about the store together with the object model data; 5. The service providing system according to claim 1, wherein the information processing device displays information about the store together with an image of the virtual product in the character world.

6. The service providing system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a store server which transmits data of the store's site screen to the information processing device, and which selects real products for which information is to be transmitted to the character world management server based on predetermined rules.

7. 7. The service providing system according to claim 6, wherein the store server selects a real product purchased by the user using the information processing device as a target for transmitting information about the real product to the character world management server.

8. The service provision system described in claim 6, characterized in that the store server selects real products for which information is to be sent to the character world management server based on user information at least one of the attributes, behavioral history, purchasing history, and preferences of the user using the information processing device.

9. The service provision system described in claim 8, characterized in that the store server determines the degree of compatibility between the user and the actual product whose information is to be sent to the character world management server based on the user information, and displays the corresponding product recommendation degree on the store's website screen.

10. The service providing system according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the store server selects users who are permitted to have the character wear the virtual product based on at least one of user information such as purchase history, behavioral history, number of followers on a social networking service (SNS), and number of registered friends.

11. The service providing system described in claim 10, characterized in that the information processing device obtains data relating to other characters that move in response to user operations on other information processing devices from the character world management server, and displays images of the other characters in the character world.

12. the information processing device acquires data relating to another character that moves in response to a user's operation on the other information processing device from the character world management server, and displays an image of the other character in the character world; A service provision system as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the character world management server awards a reward to the user who has displayed the virtual product in accordance with the action of the other character toward the virtual product displayed as part of the character world or a virtual store displaying the virtual product.

13. The service providing system described in any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the character world management server acquires the user's location information from the information processing device carried by the user, and when the relationship between the location information and the location of a physical store existing in the real world satisfies a predetermined condition, transmits data of an electronic coupon issued by the physical store to the information processing device, thereby displaying the electronic coupon as part of the character world.

14. the character world management server acquires location information of the user from the information processing device carried by the user, and transmits to the information processing device information on an area corresponding to the location information and location information of spots set in the area; The service providing system according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the information processing device displays the character world modeled after the area and guides the user to the spots by identifiably representing the spots.

15. the character world management server forms a community of a plurality of users within a predetermined range by acquiring location information of the users from the information processing device carried by the users, and transmits the information to the information processing device; 15. The service providing system according to claim 1, wherein the information processing device displays an electronic game screen or a communication screen on which characters corresponding to members of the community appear.

16. The service providing system described in any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the information processing device displays the character world that mimics the real world, accepts an operation to acquire any of the land from a user, and, after receiving approval from the character world management server, further accepts a user operation to build a virtual facility on the land.

17. A service providing system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the character world management server changes the category of virtual store displayed in the character world based on information of a user using the information processing device.

18. A store server that selects users who are permitted to wear the virtual product on the character based on at least one of user information including a purchase history, a behavioral history, the number of followers on a social networking service (SNS), and the number of registered friends; The service providing system according to claim 1 .

19. The service providing system described in Claim 18, characterized in that the information processing device obtains data relating to other characters that move in response to user operations on other information processing devices from the character world management server, and displays images of the other characters in the character world.

20. A step of displaying an image of a character world in which a character corresponding to a user exists by the information processing device; a character world management server acquiring information on any of real products sold at a store site accessed by the information processing device via a network in response to an operation by the user, generating object model data of a virtual product representing the real product, and transmitting the object model data to the information processing device, thereby displaying the virtual product as a part of the character world; having the character world management server grants a reward to the user selected according to the store in accordance with a time period during which the character corresponding to the user wears the virtual product of the store; How we provide services.

21. In the information processing device, A function for displaying an image of a character world in which a character corresponding to the user exists; On the character world management server, a function of acquiring information on any of real products sold at a store site accessed by the information processing device via a network in response to an operation by the user, generating object model data of a virtual product representing the real product, and transmitting the object model data to the information processing device, thereby displaying the virtual product as a part of the character world; A program for achieving the above, the character world management server grants a reward to the user selected according to the store in accordance with a time period during which the character corresponding to the user wears the virtual product of the store; Computer program.

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