Information processing method, information processing device, and program

Abstract

In the present invention, processing for acquiring a support request from a user who uses transportation provided by a transportation company, processing for selecting, on the basis of a supporter movement schedule, a candidate for a supporter who supports the user, and processing for requesting the selected candidate to support the user are performed.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing method, an information processing device, an information processing system, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes an assistant arrangement system that arranges the necessary assistants for an assistant who travels by public transport and requires assistance. In Patent Document 1, the number of staff (the number of assistants that can be arranged) is registered for each combination of station, date, and time period. It also describes that when a request for assistance is received, assistants are arranged to assist the person requiring assistance in boarding or disembarking at the departure station, transfer station, and arrival station. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-296430 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, in order to provide assistance, the assistant must wait near the registered station during the registered time period. Therefore, for example, if the station where assistance is provided is a small to medium-sized station and the station staff performs other tasks such as counter service in addition to the assistance task, the registration of the number of available assistants must be updated every time another task occurs. In addition, if the station where assistance is provided is an unmanned station, the time it takes for the assistant to travel to the unmanned station must be taken into account, which can cause a problem in that it may be difficult to notify the assistant in advance. The reason for this is that the assistants who can provide assistance are registered for each combination of station, date, and time period.

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an information processing method, an information processing device, an information processing system, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium on which a program is stored, which can reduce the burden associated with arranging for supporters. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In a first aspect of the present disclosure, a process is executed to obtain a request for support from a user who uses transportation provided by a transportation service provider, a process to select a candidate supporter to provide support to the user based on the supporter's travel schedule, and a process to request the selected candidate to provide support to the user.

[0007] In addition, in a second aspect of the present disclosure, an information processing device has an acquisition unit that acquires a request for support from a user who uses transportation provided by a transportation service provider, a control unit that selects a supporter candidate to provide support to the user based on the supporter's travel schedule, and a transmission unit that requests the selected candidate to provide support to the user.

[0008] In addition, in a third aspect of the present disclosure, a program is provided that causes an information processing device to execute a process of acquiring a request for support from a user who uses transportation provided by a transportation service provider, a process of selecting a candidate supporter to provide support to the user based on the supporter's travel schedule, and a process of requesting the selected candidate to provide support to the user.

[0009] In addition, a fourth aspect of the present disclosure provides an information processing system including a user terminal, a supporter terminal, and an information processing device. In this system, the user terminal transmits a support request designated by a user using a transportation facility provided by a transportation business operator to the information processing device, and the information processing device has an acquisition unit that acquires the support request from the user using the transportation facility provided by the transportation business operator, a control unit that selects a supporter candidate who will support the user based on the supporter's travel schedule, and a transmission unit that transmits a support request for the user to the supporter terminal of the selected candidate. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to one aspect, the burden of arranging for supporters can be reduced. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a server according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment. [Diagram 3] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of a server, a user terminal, and a supporter terminal according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] 11 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a process when support is provided in the information processing system according to the embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 5] 11 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a process after support is provided by the information processing system according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of information recorded in a user DB according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of information recorded in a supporter DB according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen of a supporter terminal according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen of a user terminal according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen when registering supporter traffic information on the supporter terminal according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. (Embodiment 1) <Configuration> The configuration of a server 10 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the server 10 according to an embodiment. The server 10 has an acquisition unit 11, a control unit 12, and a transmission unit 13. Each of these units may be realized by cooperation between one or more programs installed in the server 10 and hardware such as a processor 101 and a memory 102 of the server 10. The server 10 is an example of an "information processing device."

[0013] The acquisition unit 11 acquires various information from external devices such as the user terminal 20 and the supporter terminal 40. The acquisition unit 11 also acquires various information from an internal storage unit of the server 10. The acquisition unit 11 acquires, for example, a request for support from a user who uses a transportation facility provided by a transportation business operator.

[0014] The control unit 12 matches a supporter to a user based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit 11. The control unit 12 selects a candidate supporter who will support the user based on, for example, the supporter's travel schedule. This makes it possible to reduce, for example, the burden on the supporter regarding travel. Also, it is possible to appropriately match a supporter to a user who desires support.

[0015] The transmission unit 13 transmits various types of information to external devices such as the user terminal 20 and the supporter terminal 40 in accordance with instructions from the control unit 12. The transmission unit 13 transmits (outputs) a request for support for the user to a candidate selected by the control unit 12, for example.

[0016] (Embodiment 2) Next, the configuration of the information processing system 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the information processing system 1 according to the embodiment. In Fig. 2, the information processing system 1 has a server 10 and a user terminal 20. The information processing system 1 also has a supporter terminal 40A, a supporter terminal 40B, and a supporter terminal 40C (hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between them, they will be simply referred to as "supporter terminals 40"). Note that the numbers of the servers 10, the user terminals 20, and the supporter terminals 40 are not limited to the example in Fig. 2.

[0017] The server 10, the user terminal 20, and the supporter terminal 40 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via a communication line N such as the Internet, a wireless LAN (Local Area Network), or a mobile phone network.

[0018] The user terminal 20 is a terminal carried by a user who desires support (assistance) from a transportation company employee (e.g., a station staff member of a railway company) or a supporter. The user may be, for example, a wheelchair user. The supporter terminal 40 is a terminal carried by a supporter who provides support to a user regarding the user's movement. The supporter may be a volunteer who provides support substantially free of charge. Examples of the user terminal 20 and the supporter terminal 40 include a smartphone, a wearable device, a user terminal (UE: User Equipment), a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA: Personal Digital Assistant), a portable computer, a game device, a music playback device, and the like.

[0019] In the present disclosure, "transportation" includes various types of transportation, such as trains, buses, ships, airplanes, etc. Therefore, for example, in the present disclosure, a "station" includes a place where a user boards and disembarks transportation, such as a train station, a bus station, a ship station, etc.

[0020] The server 10, for example, performs a process of matching a user with a supporter. The server 10 may be a server operated by a transportation business operator that provides transportation to the user, or may be a server operated by a business operator that cooperates with the transportation business operator.

[0021] <Hardware configuration> 3 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the server 10, the user terminal 20, and the supporter terminal 40 according to the embodiment. In the following, the server 10 will be described as an example. Note that the hardware configuration of the user terminal 20 and the supporter terminal 40 may be the same as the hardware configuration of the server 10 in FIG.

[0022] 3, the server 10 (computer 100) includes a processor 101, a memory 102, and a communication interface 103. These components may be connected by a bus or the like. The memory 102 stores at least a part of a program 104. The communication interface 103 includes an interface required for communication with other network elements.

[0023] When the program 104 is executed by the processor 101, memory 102, etc. in cooperation, the computer 100 performs at least some processing of the embodiments of the present disclosure. The memory 102 may be of any type suitable for a local technology network. The memory 102 may be, as a non-limiting example, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The memory 102 may also be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory and removable memory. Although only one memory 102 is shown in the computer 100, several physically different memory modules may be present in the computer 100. The processor 101 may be of any type. The processor 101 may include one or more of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), and a processor based on a multi-core processor architecture, as a non-limiting example. The computer 100 may have multiple processors, such as application-specific integrated circuit chips that are time-slaved to a clock that synchronizes the main processor.

[0024] The embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in hardware or special purpose circuits, software, logic, or any combination thereof. Some aspects may be implemented in hardware, while other aspects may be implemented in firmware or software that may be executed by a controller, microprocessor or other computing device.

[0025] The present disclosure also provides at least one computer program product tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The computer program product includes computer-executable instructions, such as instructions included in program modules, that execute on a target real or virtual processor device to perform the processes or methods of the present disclosure. Program modules include routines, programs, libraries, objects, classes, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The functionality of the program modules may be combined or split between program modules as desired in various embodiments. The machine-executable instructions of the program modules may be executed in local or distributed devices. In a distributed device, the program modules may be located in both local and remote storage media.

[0026] The program codes for carrying out the methods of the present disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. These program codes are provided to a processor or controller of a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus. When the program codes are executed by the processor or controller, the functions / operations in the flowcharts and / or the block diagrams they implement are performed. The program codes are executed entirely on the machine, partly on the machine, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the machine and partly on a remote machine, or entirely on a remote machine or server.

[0027] The program can be stored and provided to the computer using various types of non-transitory computer-readable media. The non-transitory computer-readable media include various types of tangible recording media. Examples of the non-transitory computer-readable media include magnetic recording media, magneto-optical recording media, optical disk media, semiconductor memories, and the like. The magnetic recording media include, for example, flexible disks, magnetic tapes, hard disk drives, and the like. The magneto-optical recording media include, for example, magneto-optical disks, and the like. The optical disk media include, for example, Blu-ray disks, CD (Compact Disc)-ROM (Read Only Memory), CD-R (Recordable), CD-RW (ReWritable), and the like. The semiconductor memory includes, for example, mask ROM, PROM (Programmable ROM), EPROM (Erasable PROM), flash ROM, RAM (random access memory), and the like. The program may also be provided to the computer by various types of temporary computer-readable media. Examples of the temporary computer-readable media include electrical signals, optical signals, and electromagnetic waves. The temporary computer-readable medium can supply the program to the computer via a wired communication path such as an electric wire or an optical fiber, or via a wireless communication path.

[0028] <Processing> An example of the process of the information processing system 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 4 to FIG. 9. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the process when the information processing system 1 according to the embodiment provides support. FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the process after the information processing system 1 according to the embodiment provides support. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of information recorded in the user DB 601 according to the embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of information recorded in the supporter DB 701 according to the embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of the supporter terminal 40 according to the embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of the user terminal 20 according to the embodiment. Note that the user terminal 20 and the supporter terminal 40 may log in to the server 10 using an ID and a password or the like when communicating with the server 10. The user terminal 20 and the supporter terminal 40 may communicate with the server 10 using a session such as HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) generated when logging in. In this case, the user terminal 20 and the supporter terminal 40 may not notify the ID (user ID and supporter ID) when communicating with the server 10.

[0029] <<Process when support is provided>> In step S101, the user terminal 20 accepts an operation to request support from the user. Here, the user terminal 20 may accept an input operation of information indicating the content of the support desired by the user. In this case, the user terminal 20 may accept input of, for example, a boarding station, an alighting station, a departure date and time, etc.

[0030] The user terminal 20 may acquire and display one or more candidates for a meeting place (start point or end point of support) with a supporter for each of the boarding station and the disembarking station from the server 10. The user terminal 20 may then accept an operation from the user to specify a meeting place from among the candidates.

[0031] Alternatively, the user terminal 20 may receive from the user a specification of a meeting place with a supporter or the like for each of the boarding station and the disembarking station. In this case, the user terminal 20 may determine whether or not the user can move to the meeting place specified by the user via a barrier-free route based on the information acquired from the server 10. If the user cannot move to the meeting place via a barrier-free route, the user terminal 20 may notify the user of this fact.

[0032] Furthermore, the user terminal 20 may register the meeting place designated by the user in the server 10 as a favorite or the like. Then, the server 10 may allow the user to specify the meeting place registered as a favorite or the like when requesting support the next time or later.

[0033] Based on the information obtained from the server 10, the user terminal 20 may display candidates for the scheduled boarding date and time based on the time required to travel from the user's current location to the meeting place with the supporter (required time), and the time required from the meeting place to the boarding gate.

[0034] Next, the user terminal 20 transmits a support request to the server 10 (step S102). Here, the support request may include, for example, identification information (user ID) of the user of the user terminal 20 and information designated by the user in the process of step S101.

[0035] Next, the control unit 12 of the server 10 records the desired support content in a user DB (database) 601 (step S103). In the example of Fig. 6, the user DB 601 records user information and the desired support content in association with a user ID.

[0036] The user information is various information related to the user. The user information may include, for example, information such as the user's gender, age, and type of disability. The type of disability may include, for example, information indicating the type of wheelchair used and whether or not the user has a visual impairment. The user information may be registered in advance in the server 10 by the user. The user information may also be input by the user in the process of step S101.

[0037] The support request content is information indicating the content of support desired by the user. The support request content may include, for example, the boarding station, planned boarding date and time, disembarking station, and planned disembarking date and time desired by the user. The support request content may also include the starting point, planned starting date and time, end point, and planned end date and time desired by the user. The support request content may also include, for example, information indicating whether or not the user can receive support from a supporter, the gender of the supporter, whether or not the user needs and can be accompanied from boarding to disembarking (while traveling on public transportation), and the skills (qualifications) of the supporter.

[0038] Next, the control unit 12 of the server 10 refers to the user DB 601 and the supporter DB 701, and selects (matches, determines) one or more supporter candidates who will provide support to the user based on the conditions desired by the user and the supporter's travel schedule, etc. (step S104). In the example of Fig. 7, the supporter DB 701 records supporter information, supporter traffic information, and scores in association with the supporter ID.

[0039] The supporter ID is identification information of the supporter. The supporter information is various information related to the supporter. The supporter information may include, for example, information indicating the gender, age, and nursing qualifications held by the supporter (for example, a care assistant). The supporter information may also include, for example, information indicating the station or area where support can be provided, the time period during which support can be provided, and whether current location information using a Global Positioning System (GPS) or the like can be provided. The supporter information may be registered in advance in the server 10 by the supporter.

[0040] The score is information indicating an evaluation (suitability) of the support provided by the supporter. For example, the server 10 may determine the score based on the evaluation result from the user regarding the support provided by the supporter. An initial value of the score may be set by an operator of the server 10, for example. In this case, for example, if the supporter is an off-duty station staff member, a relatively high score may be set. The score value may be a value of a predetermined number of stages. In this case, the score value may be, for example, any integer from 0 to 99 indicating a value on a scale of 100. The score value may also be, for example, any one of A to C indicating a value on a scale of three stages.

[0041] The supporter traffic information is information about the movement planned by the supporter. The supporter traffic information may include, for example, information indicating the planned time of the supporter's movement, the boarding station (departure station), and the disembarking station (arrival station). The planned time of the supporter's movement may include, for example, information on the time period during which the supporter wishes to board at the boarding station and the time period during which the supporter wishes to disembark at the disembarking station. In this case, the supporter traffic information includes, for example, information indicating that the supporter wishes to board at Station A between 7:30 and 8:15 and disembark at Station C between 8:30 and 9:15. The supporter traffic information may be registered in advance in the supporter DB 701 based on information specified by the supporter on a display screen 1001 of FIG. 10 described later or the like.

[0042] In the process of step S104, the server 10 may preferentially select as a candidate a supporter who has a relatively small difference between the time required for the supporter's planned travel and the time required for the supporter to travel when supporting the user. As a result, a supporter whose desired boarding station and disembarking station are included on the route of the planned travel is preferentially selected as a candidate.

[0043] Furthermore, the server 10 may not select a supporter as a candidate if the difference between the time required for the supporter's planned travel and the time required for the supporter to support the user is equal to or greater than a threshold (e.g., 30 minutes). In this case, the server 10 may record the threshold value for each supporter designated for each supporter in the supporter information.

[0044] In addition, if the difference between the scheduled date and time of boarding or disembarking desired by the user and the current date and time is within a threshold value (e.g., 20 minutes), the server 10 may preferentially select as a candidate a supporter whose current location obtained by the supporter terminal 40 is within a specified range of the station where the user wishes to receive support.

[0045] The server 10 may also preferentially select as candidates supporters who have purchased (owned) a commuter pass that includes the transportation from the boarding station to the disembarking station that the user wishes to use. This makes it possible to match supporters who are familiar with the transportation from the boarding station to the disembarking station that the user wishes to use, for example. In this case, if the first supporter has purchased the commuter pass and the second supporter has not purchased the commuter pass, the server 10 selects the first supporter as a candidate.

[0046] Next, the transmitting unit 13 of the server 10 transmits a support request to each of the supporter terminals 40 of the one or more determined supporter candidates (step S105). Next, the supporter terminal 40 accepts a support acceptance operation from the supporter (step S106). Here, the supporter terminal 40 may display a display screen 801 shown in FIG. 8 based on the support request received from the server 10. In the example of FIG. 8, user details 811, support start point 812, boarding station and scheduled boarding time 813, disembarking station and scheduled disembarking time 814, support end point 815, and support benefit 816 are displayed. When the user details 811 is pressed, the supporter terminal 40 acquires at least a part of the user information recorded in the user DB 601 from the server 10 and displays it.

[0047] When the support start point 812 is pressed, the supporter terminal 40 acquires from the server 10 or the like a map screen showing the support start point specified by the user, and displays it. When the boarding station and scheduled boarding time 813 are pressed, the supporter terminal 40 acquires from the server 10 or the like a map screen showing the boarding station specified by the user, and displays it. When the disembarking station and scheduled disembarking time 814 are pressed, the supporter terminal 40 acquires from the server 10 or the like a map screen showing the disembarking station specified by the user, and displays it. When the support end point 815 is pressed, the supporter terminal 40 acquires from the server 10 or the like a map screen showing the support end point specified by the user, and displays it. When the support benefit 816 is pressed, the supporter terminal 40 acquires from the server 10 information showing the content of the benefit given to the supporter by the server 10 for this support, and displays it. In the example of FIG. 8, a "Available for both boarding and disembarking" button 817, a "Available only for boarding" button 818 and a "Available only for disembarking" button 819 are displayed.

[0048] Next, the supporter terminal 40 transmits an acceptance response to the server 10 (step S107). Here, for example, when the "Available for both boarding and disembarking" button 817, the "Available for boarding only" button 818, or the "Available for disembarking only" button 819 in Fig. 8 is pressed, the supporter terminal 40 transmits the acceptance response. The acceptance response may include, for example, a supporter ID and information indicating the support content accepted by the supporter.

[0049] Next, the transmitting unit 13 of the server 10 provides the user and the supporter with a guide regarding support (step S108). Note that, when the server 10 receives acceptance responses from a plurality of candidates, it may, for example, match only the candidate who first transmitted the acceptance response, and transmit a cancellation notice of the support request to the supporter terminals 40 of the other candidates. Also, when the server 10 receives acceptance responses from one or more other candidates within a predetermined time (for example, within 5 minutes) after receiving the first acceptance response, it may, for example, match only a predetermined number of candidates (for example, 2 candidates) in descending order of score. Then, the server 10 may transmit a cancellation notice of the support request to the supporter terminals 40 of the other candidates.

[0050] Furthermore, if the server 10 receives acceptance responses from one or more other candidates within a predetermined time (e.g., within five minutes) after receiving the first acceptance response, the server 10 may transmit, for example, information on each candidate who accepted the support to the user terminal 20. Then, the server 10 may match only the candidate designated by the user from among the candidates, and transmit a cancellation notice of the support request to the supporter terminals 40 of the other candidates.

[0051] In the process of step S112, the server 10 may transmit, for example, information based on the support request contents recorded in the user DB 601 to the user terminal 20 and the supporter terminal 40.

[0052] 9, the user terminal 20 displays the current location 911 of the user terminal 20 and a meeting place 912 with a supporter on a display screen 901 of an interior guide map of the boarding station based on data acquired from the server 10. The user terminal 20 also displays a barrier-free route 913 from the current location 911 to the meeting place 912, and the time required 914 for the route 913, etc.

[0053] The server may receive a notification from the supporter terminal 40 or the user terminal 20 (hereinafter, simply referred to as "terminal" as appropriate) indicating that the user and supporter have met up. Then, the server 10 may cause the terminal to display a barrier-free route from the current location of the terminal to the boarding point and the location of equipment (e.g., a ramp) for boarding in a wheelchair. The server 10 may also transmit information for unlocking the electronic lock of the equipment to the supporter terminal 40. In this case, the information for unlocking the electronic lock of the equipment may include, for example, a two-dimensional code, key data to be transmitted from the supporter terminal 40 to the electronic lock by non-contact communication, or a one-time password to be input to the electronic lock.

[0054] In addition, the server 10 may perform facial authentication based on a facial image of the supporter captured by the camera of the electronic lock of the device and a facial image of the supporter registered in the supporter DB 701, and if the authentication is successful, may unlock the electronic lock of the device.

[0055] Furthermore, when a supporter selected as a candidate provides support to a user and a transfer of transportation occurs, the server 10 may transmit information enabling the user to pass through a ticket gate at a transfer station. This allows the supporter to pass through the ticket gate without paying a fee when transferring from the line on which the supporter is scheduled to travel to another line in order to support the user, and when transferring (returning) to the line on which the supporter is scheduled to travel again after the support ends. In this case, if the ticket gate at the transfer station has a face recognition function, the server 10 may register the face image of the supporter registered in the supporter DB 701 in a server that performs face recognition at the ticket gate. In addition, if the ticket gate at the transfer station has a payment function using a two-dimensional code or the like, the server 10 may transmit a two-dimensional code or the like to the supporter terminal 40 so that the supporter can pass through the ticket gate without paying an admission fee or the like.

[0056] <<Processing after support is provided>> The following describes the process after the support by the supporter is completed. In step S201, the user terminal 20 accepts an input operation of an evaluation of the supporter from the user. Then, the user terminal 20 transmits information indicating the evaluation result to the server 10 (step S202). Then, the server 10 updates the score of the supporter based on the received evaluation result (step S203).

[0057] Next, the server 10 grants a benefit to the supporter (step S204). Here, the server 10 may grant, for example, points that can be used in a payment service provided by the transportation business operator as the benefit. In this case, the server 10 may grant points with a set expiration date (for example, valid only within one month after being granted). This can promote the use of various services provided by the transportation business operator.

[0058] In addition, when the supporter supports either boarding or disembarking, the server 10 may grant the supporter points for the station admission ticket that the supporter paid to the transportation company when providing the support. In addition, when the supporter accompanies and supports the user from boarding to disembarking, the server 10 may grant the supporter points for the transportation cost from the boarding station to the disembarking station.

[0059] The server 10 may also determine the benefit to be given to the supporter based on the difference between the time required for the supporter to travel along the planned route from the boarding station to the disembarking station when supporting the user and the time required for the route from the boarding station to the disembarking station when supporting the user. In this case, the server 10 may, for example, make the benefit larger (more expensive) as the absolute value of the difference becomes larger. This can reduce the cost of the benefit given to the supporter while reducing the occurrence of a situation in which support cannot be provided to the user. For example, it is assumed that the time required for the supporter to travel along the planned route from the boarding station to the disembarking station when supporting the user is 60 minutes, and the time required for supporting the user is 80 minutes due to transfers, turnarounds, etc. In this case, the server 10 may give the benefit in the amount of points and coupons (discount vouchers) corresponding to the additional 20 minutes of time required for support.

[0060] The server 10 may determine the reward based on the degree of difficulty regarding matching or support, for example. This makes it possible to reduce the cost of rewards given to supporters while reducing the occurrence of a situation in which support cannot be provided to a user, for example.

[0061] The information indicating the degree of difficulty regarding matching or support may include, for example, the number of candidates selected in the matching process of step S104. In this case, the server 10 may increase the benefits, for example, as the number of candidates selected in the matching process of step S104 decreases. This can increase the possibility that the candidates will accept support, for example, when the number of supporters that can be selected as candidates is small (for example, only one).

[0062] Furthermore, the information indicating the degree of difficulty regarding matching or support may include, for example, the time remaining until the date and time when support is scheduled to be provided to the user. In this case, the server 10 may increase the benefit, for example, the shorter the time remaining until the date and time when support is scheduled to be provided to the user. This can increase the possibility that the candidate will accept support, for example, when the time remaining until the scheduled boarding time is short (for example, 30 minutes or less).

[0063] Furthermore, the information indicating the degree of difficulty regarding matching or support may include, for example, the number of supporters among the candidates who have accepted support. In this case, the server 10 may increase the benefits, for example, as the number of supporters among the candidates who have accepted support decreases. This can reduce the possibility that a supporter who has accepted support will cancel the acceptance due to an urgent matter, for example, when the number of supporters among the candidates who have accepted support is small (for example, one person).

[0064] The information indicating the degree of difficulty regarding matching or support may include, for example, the difference between the date and time when support is scheduled to be provided to the user and the date and time when the support is provided to the user. In this case, the server 10 may increase the benefit, for example, the greater the difference between the date and time when support is scheduled to be provided to the user and the date and time when the support is provided to the user. This can reduce the possibility that a supporter who has accepted support will cancel the acceptance, for example, when the time to get off the vehicle is significantly delayed due to an accident on a public transport system.

[0065] (Regarding supporter traffic information registration) Next, referring to FIG. 10, an example of a display screen on the supporter terminal 40 when registering supporter traffic information in the supporter DB 701 of FIG. 7 will be described. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen when registering supporter traffic information on the supporter terminal 40 according to the embodiment. In the example of FIG. 10, the supporter terminal 40 displays, on a display screen 1001, an input field 1002 for the period of the planned travel, an input field 1003 for the boarding station, an input field 1004 for the time period when the supporter wishes to board at the boarding station, an input field 1005 for the disembarking station, and an input field 1006 for the time period when the supporter wishes to disembark at the disembarking station. In addition, an input field 1007 for whether the user has purchased (owned) a commuter pass including the transportation from the boarding station to the disembarking station that the user wishes to use, a "Register" button 1008, and a "Continue to register other travel plans for the same period" button 1009 are displayed. When the “Register” button 1008 is pressed, the supporter terminal 40 transmits the information entered in each entry field to the server 10.

[0066] On the other hand, when the "Continue to register other travel plans for the same period" button 1009 is pressed, a display screen for inputting other travel plans for the period specified in the travel plan period input field 1002 is displayed. This makes it easier to input travel plans for going to work and going home, for example, when the supporter's travel plans are for commuting to work, etc.

[0067] <Advantages of this disclosure> Some transportation operators are moving towards unmanned and labor-saving stations. On the other hand, it is believed that the number of users requesting support (assistance) is on the rise due to aging and other factors. As a result, it is possible that station staff alone will not be able to adequately meet requests for support. As described above, in the present disclosure, supporter candidates who will provide support to users are selected based on the supporter's travel plans. This can reduce the burden of arranging supporters. Also, it is possible to appropriately match supporters to users who request support.

[0068] <Modification> In the above example, the server 10 is an information processing device included in one housing, but the server 10 of the present disclosure is not limited to this. Each unit of the server 10 (e.g., the control unit 12) may be realized by cloud computing configured with one or more computers. In addition, at least a part of the processing of each functional unit of the server 10 (e.g., the control unit 12) may be executed by at least one of the user terminal 20 and the supporter terminal 40. Such a server 10 is also included in the example of the "information processing device" of the present disclosure.

[0069] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0070] A part or all of the above-described embodiments can be described as, but is not limited to, the following supplementary notes. (Appendix 1) A process of receiving a request for support from a user who uses a transportation facility provided by a transportation operator; A process of selecting candidates for supporters who will provide support to the user based on the supporter's movement schedule; and requesting the selected candidate to provide support to the user. (Appendix 2) In the selection process, Selecting the candidates based on the supporter's planned travel time, boarding station, and alighting station; 2. An information processing method as described in Appendix 1. (Appendix 3) In the selection process, selecting the candidate based on a difference between a time required for a supporter to travel and a time required for the supporter to support the user; 3. An information processing method according to claim 1 or 2. (Appendix 4) In the selection process, If a first supporter has purchased a commuter pass for the transportation facility used by the user and a second supporter has not purchased the commuter pass, the first supporter is selected as the candidate. 4. An information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3. (Appendix 5) When the supporter selected as the candidate needs to transfer between transportation means in order to provide support to the user, transmitting information enabling the supporter to pass through a ticket gate at a transfer station; 5. An information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4. (Appendix 6) execute a process for determining a benefit to be granted to a supporter who has provided support to the user, based on a difference between a time required for the supporter to travel along a planned route from the boarding station to the disembarking station and a time required for the supporter to travel along a route from the boarding station to the disembarking station when supporting the user; 6. An information processing method according to any one of appendix 1 to 5. (Appendix 7) execute a process for determining a benefit to be granted to a supporter who has provided support to the user, based on at least one of the number of candidates selected in the selection process, the remaining time until the date and time when support is scheduled to be provided to the user, the number of supporters among the candidates who have accepted the support, and the difference between the date and time when support is scheduled to be provided to the user and the date and time when the support is provided to the user; 7. An information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 6. (Appendix 8) An acquisition means for acquiring a request for support from a user who uses a transportation facility provided by a transportation business operator; A control means for selecting candidates of supporters who will provide support to the user based on the movement schedule of the supporters; and a transmission means for requesting the selected candidate to provide support to the user. (Appendix 9) The control means Selecting the candidates based on the supporter's planned travel time, boarding station, and alighting station; 9. The information processing device according to claim 8. (Appendix 10) In the information processing device, A process of receiving a request for support from a user who uses a transportation facility provided by a transportation operator; A process of selecting candidates for supporters who will provide support to the user based on the supporter's movement schedule; A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for causing the selected candidate to perform a process of requesting support for the user. (Appendix 11) A user terminal, a supporter terminal, and an information processing device are included, The user terminal, Transmitting a request for support designated by a user who uses a transportation facility provided by a transportation business operator to the information processing device; The information processing device includes: An acquisition means for acquiring a request for support from a user who uses a transportation facility provided by a transportation business operator; A control means for selecting candidates of supporters who will provide support to the user based on the movement schedule of the supporters; A transmitting means for transmitting a request for support for the user to the supporter terminal of the selected candidate. Information processing system. (Appendix 12) The control means Selecting the candidates based on the supporter's planned travel time, boarding station, and alighting station; 12. The information processing system according to claim 11.

[0071] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-054798, filed on March 29, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 1. Information Processing Systems 10 Server 11 Acquisition Department 12 Control section 13 Transmitter 20 User terminal 40 Supporter terminal

Claims

1. An information processing device comprising: A process of receiving a request for support from a user who uses a transportation facility provided by a transportation operator; A process of selecting candidates for supporters who will provide support to the user based on the supporter's movement schedule; A process of requesting the selected candidate to provide support to the user; A process for determining a benefit to be given to a supporter who has provided support to the user based on a difference between a time required for the supporter to travel along a planned route from the boarding station to the disembarking station and a time required for the supporter to travel along a route from the boarding station to the disembarking station when supporting the user; An information processing method.

2. An information processing device comprising: A process of receiving a request for support from a user who uses a transportation facility provided by a transportation operator; A process of selecting candidates for supporters who will provide support to the user based on the supporter's movement schedule; A process of requesting the selected candidate to provide support to the user; a process of determining a privilege to be granted to a supporter who has provided support to the user based on at least one of the number of the candidates selected in the selection process, the remaining time until the date and time when support is scheduled to be provided to the user, the number of supporters among the candidates who have accepted the support, and the difference between the date and time when support is scheduled to be provided to the user and the date and time when support is provided to the user; An information processing method.

3. In the selection process, Selecting the candidates based on the supporter's planned travel time, boarding station, and alighting station; 3. The information processing method according to claim 1.

4. In the selection process, selecting the candidate based on a difference between a time required for a supporter to travel and a time required for the supporter to support the user; The information processing method according to claim 1 .

5. In the selection process, If a first supporter has purchased a commuter pass for the transportation facility used by the user and a second supporter has not purchased the commuter pass, the first supporter is selected as the candidate. The information processing method according to claim 1 .

6. An information processing device comprising: When the supporter selected as the candidate needs to transfer between transportation means in order to provide support to the user, transmitting information enabling the supporter to pass through a ticket gate at a transfer station; The information processing method according to claim 1 .

7. An acquisition means for acquiring a request for support from a user who uses a transportation facility provided by a transportation business operator; A control means for selecting candidates of supporters who will provide support to the user based on the movement schedule of the supporters; A sending means for requesting the selected candidate to provide support to the user; A means for determining a benefit to be given to a supporter who has provided support to the user, based on a difference between a time required for the supporter to travel along a planned route from the boarding station to the disembarking station and a time required for the route from the boarding station to the disembarking station when supporting the user; An information processing device having the above configuration.

8. An acquisition means for acquiring a request for support from a user who uses a transportation facility provided by a transportation business operator; A control means for selecting candidates of supporters who will provide support to the user based on the movement schedule of the supporters; A sending means for requesting the selected candidate to provide support to the user; A means for determining a reward to be given to a supporter who has provided support to the user, based on at least one of the number of selected candidates, the remaining time until the date and time when support is scheduled to be provided to the user, the number of supporters among the candidates who have accepted the support, and the difference between the date and time when support is scheduled to be provided to the user and the date and time when support is provided to the user; An information processing device having the above configuration.

9. In the information processing device, A process of receiving a request for support from a user who uses a transportation facility provided by a transportation operator; A process of selecting candidates for supporters who will provide support to the user based on the supporter's movement schedule; A process of requesting the selected candidate to provide support to the user; A process for determining a benefit to be given to a supporter who has provided support to the user based on a difference between a time required for the supporter to travel along a planned route from the boarding station to the disembarking station and a time required for the supporter to travel along a route from the boarding station to the disembarking station when supporting the user; A program that executes the following.

10. An information processing device comprising: A process of receiving a request for support from a user who uses a transportation facility provided by a transportation operator; A process of selecting candidates for supporters who will provide support to the user based on the supporter's movement schedule; A process of requesting the selected candidate to provide support to the user; A process of determining a reward to be given to a supporter who has provided support to the user based on at least one of the number of selected candidates, the remaining time until the date and time when support is scheduled to be provided to the user, the number of supporters among the candidates who have accepted the support, and the difference between the date and time when support is scheduled to be provided to the user and the date and time when support is provided to the user; A program that executes the following.

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