Information processing system, information processing method, and program

Abstract

This will enable us to understand the businesses upstream and downstream of the supply chain. [Solution] The information processing system is characterized by comprising a reception unit that receives activity amount related to greenhouse gas emissions and activity amount display information representing the activity amount from a user, an estimation unit that estimates a supplier by providing the activity amount display information representing the activity amount to a learning model that estimates a supplier of a product or service based on target item display information indicating the product or service, and an output unit that outputs information identifying the estimated supplier.

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Estimation of carbon dioxide emissions has been carried out (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-091900 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When calculating emissions related to Scope 3 of the GHG Protocol, it is necessary to understand which entities (suppliers) located upstream or downstream in the supply chain you are working with.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above background, and aims to provide a technique that makes it possible to grasp business entities upstream and downstream in a supply chain. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The main invention of the present invention for solving the above problem is an information processing system comprising: a receiving unit that receives from a user an activity amount related to greenhouse gas emissions and activity amount display information representing the activity amount; an estimation unit that estimates a supplier of a product or service based on target item display information indicating the product or service by providing the activity amount display information representing the activity amount to a learning model that estimates the supplier of the product or service based on target item display information indicating the product or service, thereby estimating the supplier; and an output unit that outputs information identifying the estimated supplier.

[0007] Other problems and solutions disclosed in this application will be made clear in the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention and the drawings. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to grasp the upstream and downstream business entities in the supply chain. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an overall configuration of an information processing system. [Diagram 2] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a management server 2. FIG. [Diagram 3] 2 illustrates an example of the software configuration of a management server 2. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the management server 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] <System Overview> An information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below. When calculating greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons, etc.) emissions, particularly emissions that fall under Scope 3 of the GHG Protocol, the information processing system of this embodiment attempts to identify from which upstream or downstream business entity (hereinafter referred to as a supplier) in the supply chain a product (including a service; the same applies below) has been procured (or a service has been requested). The information processing system will be described below.

[0011] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of an information processing system. The information processing system of this embodiment is configured to include a management server 2. The management server 2 is communicably connected to a user terminal 1 via a communication network. The communication network is, for example, the Internet, and is constructed by a public telephone line network, a mobile phone line network, a wireless communication path, Ethernet (registered trademark), etc.

[0012] The user terminal 1 is a computer operated by a user. The user terminal 1 may be, for example, a smartphone, a tablet computer, or a personal computer.

[0013] The management server 2 may be a general-purpose computer such as a workstation or a personal computer, or may be logically realized by cloud computing.

[0014] <Administration Server> FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the management server 2. Note that the illustrated configuration is an example, and other configurations may be used. The management server 2 includes a CPU 201, a memory 202, a storage device 203, a communication interface 204, an input device 205, and an output device 206. The storage device 203 is, for example, a hard disk drive, a solid state drive, or a flash memory that stores various data and programs. The communication interface 204 is an interface for connecting to a communication network, for example, an adapter for connecting to Ethernet (registered trademark), a modem for connecting to a public telephone line network, a wireless communication device for wireless communication, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector or an RS232C connector for serial communication, etc. The input device 205 is, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, a button, a microphone, etc. that input data. The output device 206 is, for example, a display, a printer, a speaker, etc. that output data. Each functional unit of the management server 2 described below is realized by the CPU 201 reading a program stored in the storage device 203 into the memory 202 and executing it, and each storage unit of the management server 2 is realized as part of the storage area provided by the memory 202 and the storage device 203.

[0015] 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration of the management server 2. The management server 2 includes a learning model storage unit 231, an emission coefficient storage unit 232, an activity amount storage unit 233, a reception unit 211, an estimation unit 212, an emission amount calculation unit 213, and an output unit 214.

[0016] The learning model storage unit 231 stores a learning model (first learning model, hereinafter referred to as a supplier learning model) that estimates a supplier of a product based on information indicating the product (hereinafter referred to as target item display information). The learning model storage unit 231 stores a learning model (second learning model, hereinafter referred to as a product learning model) that estimates a product based on target item display information indicating the product. The target item display information can be, for example, the name of a product provided by a supplier. The target item display information can also be, for example, image data such as a logo or image image of the product. The target item display information can also be video data or audio data related to the product. The learning model can be created by machine learning. The supplier learning model can be created by learning, for example, target item display information such as a name used for the product and information identifying the supplier by machine learning. The product learning model can be created, for example, by learning through machine learning the target item display information, such as the name used for the product, and the name of the product used in this information processing system (which can be the name of the product registered in the emission coefficient memory unit 232 described below, or the name of the product managed in the product master. It can also be a thumbnail image of the product, an image of the product's packaging, a product logo, or video data or audio data registered together with the product).

[0017] The emission coefficient storage unit 232 stores emission coefficients for calculating greenhouse gas emissions. The emission coefficient storage unit 232 stores emission coefficients in association with suppliers and products or services. In this embodiment, the emission coefficient storage unit 232 stores information on emission coefficients (hereinafter referred to as emission coefficient information). The emission coefficient information can include the name of a product, the classification of the product, a business entity ID that identifies a supplier that provides the product, and an emission coefficient (primary data) for calculating the emission amount by the supplier that provides the product. Note that, for a combination of a supplier and a product for which an emission coefficient of primary data is not available, the emission coefficient storage unit 232 can include the name of the product and / or the classification of the product, and an emission coefficient of secondary data (data other than primary data, for example, data standardized (statistically processed) from the emissions of multiple companies that provide the same type of product) in the emission coefficient information.

[0018] The activity amount storage unit 233 stores information on the amount of activity (hereinafter referred to as activity amount information). The activity amount information can include information for identifying the user (user ID), a business entity ID indicating the business entity to which the user belongs, information indicating the amount of activity input by the user (hereinafter referred to as activity amount display information), the amount of activity, target item display information of the product corresponding to the input activity amount display information, the classification of the product, and a business entity ID for identifying the supplier providing the product. The activity amount information can include a scope of the amount of activity. For Scope 3, the activity amount information can include a category. The activity amount display information can be, for example, the name of the product used by the user. The activity amount display information can also be, for example, image data such as a logo or image of the product. The activity amount display information can also be, for example, video data or audio data related to the product.

[0019] The receiving unit 211 receives the activity amount related to greenhouse gas emissions and activity amount display information indicating the activity amount. The receiving unit 211 can receive the activity amount and the activity amount display information from the user terminal 1. The receiving unit 211 may receive the activity amount from, for example, an accounting system. For example, when the input data is accounting data, the account title and summary related to the journal entry may be set as the activity amount display information, and the amount may be set as the activity amount. The receiving unit 211 may create activity amount information including the received activity amount and activity amount display information, and register the activity amount in the activity amount storage unit 233.

[0020] The estimation unit 212 estimates a supplier corresponding to the activity amount display information representing the activity amount. The estimation unit 212 can also estimate a product corresponding to the activity amount display information representing the activity amount. The estimation unit 212 can estimate a supplier by providing the activity amount display information representing the activity amount to a supplier learning model. The estimation unit 212 can estimate a product by providing the activity amount display information representing the activity amount to a product learning model.

[0021] The emission calculation unit 213 calculates the amount of greenhouse gas emissions. The emission calculation unit 213 can calculate the amount of emissions by acquiring an emission coefficient corresponding to the supplier estimated by the estimation unit 212 and the product estimated by the estimation unit 212 from the emission coefficient storage unit 232, and multiplying the acquired emission coefficient by the amount of activity received by the reception unit 211. If an emission coefficient corresponding to the supplier estimated by the estimation unit 212 and the product estimated by the estimation unit 212 is not registered in the emission coefficient storage unit 232, the emission amount may be calculated using an emission coefficient (secondary data) corresponding to the estimated product or its category.

[0022] The output unit 214 outputs information identifying the estimated supplier. The output unit 214 may be configured to output information identifying the estimated product. The output unit 214 can also output the calculated emissions. The output unit 214 can also output the emissions for each scope (and category for Scope 3), for example. The output unit 214 can also output the emissions in various report formats, for example.

[0023] <Operation> FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the management server 2. As shown in FIG.

[0024] The management server 2 receives an activity amount and its display information from the user terminal 1 (S301), estimates a supplier from the received activity amount display information (S302), estimates a product from the received activity amount display information (S303), acquires an emission coefficient corresponding to the estimated supplier and product (S304), and calculates an emission amount by multiplying the acquired emission coefficient by the activity amount (S305). The management server 2 can output the estimated supplier, estimated product, and / or emission amount to the user terminal 1 (S306).

[0025] As described above, the information processing system of this embodiment can estimate which supplier's and which product the activity amount received from the user relates to. Also, the emission amount can be calculated using the emission coefficient of the primary data corresponding to the supplier and the product.

[0026] Although the present embodiment has been described above, the above embodiment is intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and equivalents thereof are also included in the present invention.

[0027] <Variation 1> For example, in this embodiment, the estimated supplier and product are used as is, but confirmation may be obtained from the user. In this case, the output unit 214 may output the supplier and / or product estimated by the estimation unit 212 to the user terminal 1 before calculating the emission amount, and may receive input from the user as to whether the estimated supplier and / or product is correct or not. Here, if the estimation is incorrect, the estimated supplier and / or product may not be used. If the estimation is incorrect, input of the correct supplier and / or product may be received from the user, and the received supplier and / or product may be used.

[0028] <Variation 2> In this embodiment, the learning model is provided in the management server 2, but a learning model managed by an external system (not shown) may be used. For example, the learning model may be a large-scale language model, and an API provided by the external system may be called to query the large-scale language model and generate an output. In this case, the estimation unit 212 can cause the learning model to output information identifying a supplier by providing the learning model with a prompt including the received activity amount display information and a question inquiring about a supplier that provides a product or service corresponding to the activity amount display information.

[0029] <Disclosures> The present disclosure also includes the following configurations. [Item 1] a receiving unit that receives an activity amount related to greenhouse gas emissions and activity amount display information representing the activity amount from a user; an estimation unit that estimates a supplier of a product or service based on target item display information indicating the product or service by providing activity amount display information representing the activity amount to a learning model that estimates the supplier of the product or service; an output unit that outputs information identifying the estimated supplier; An information processing system comprising: [Item 2] The information processing system according to item 1, The learning model is created by learning the names used for the products or services and the information identifying the suppliers through machine learning; An information processing system comprising: [Item 3] Item 2. An information processing system according to the present invention, the training model is a large-scale language model; the estimation unit causes the learning model to output information identifying the supplier by providing the learning model with a prompt including the name and a question inquiring about the supplier that provides the product or service corresponding to the name; An information processing system comprising: [Item 4] The information processing system according to item 1, The learning model is created by learning images used as the goods or services and information identifying the supplier through machine learning; An information processing system comprising: [Item 5] The information processing system according to item 1, an emission coefficient storage unit that stores an emission coefficient for calculating the greenhouse gas emission amount in association with the supplier and the product or service; The estimation unit estimates the supplier by providing the activity amount display information representing the activity amount to a first learning model that estimates the supplier of the product or service based on the target item display information indicating the product or service, and estimates the product or service by providing the activity amount display information representing the activity amount to a second learning model that estimates the product or service based on the target item display information indicating the product or service; an emission calculation unit that calculates the emission amount by multiplying the emission coefficient stored in the emission coefficient storage unit corresponding to the estimated supplier and the estimated product or service; An information processing system comprising: [Item 6] receiving, from a user, an activity amount related to greenhouse gas emissions and activity amount display information representing the activity amount; an estimation unit that estimates a supplier of a product or service based on target item display information indicating the product or service by providing activity amount display information representing the activity amount to a learning model that estimates the supplier of the product or service; an output unit that outputs information identifying the estimated supplier; An information processing method characterized by being executed by a computer. [Item 7] receiving, from a user, an activity amount related to greenhouse gas emissions and activity amount display information representing the activity amount; an estimation unit that estimates a supplier of a product or service based on target item display information indicating the product or service by providing activity amount display information representing the activity amount to a learning model that estimates the supplier of the product or service; an output unit that outputs information identifying the estimated supplier; A program for causing a computer to execute the following. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 1 User terminal 2 Management Server

Claims

1. a receiving unit that receives an activity amount related to greenhouse gas emissions and activity amount display information representing the activity amount from a user; an estimation unit that estimates a supplier of a product or service based on target item display information indicating the product or service by providing activity amount display information representing the activity amount to a learning model that estimates the supplier of the product or service; an output unit that outputs information identifying the estimated supplier; An information processing system comprising:

2. 2. The information processing system according to claim 1, The learning model is created by learning the names used for the products or services and the information identifying the suppliers through machine learning; An information processing system comprising:

3. 3. The information processing system according to claim 2, the training model is a large-scale language model; the estimation unit causes the learning model to output information identifying the supplier by providing the learning model with a prompt including the name and a question inquiring about the supplier that provides the product or service corresponding to the name; An information processing system comprising:

4. 2. The information processing system according to claim 1, The learning model is created by learning images used as the goods or services and information identifying the supplier through machine learning; An information processing system comprising:

5. 2. The information processing system according to claim 1, an emission coefficient storage unit that stores an emission coefficient for calculating the greenhouse gas emission amount in association with the supplier and the product or service; The estimation unit estimates the supplier by providing the activity amount display information representing the activity amount to a first learning model that estimates the supplier of the product or service based on the target item display information indicating the product or service, and estimates the product or service by providing the activity amount display information representing the activity amount to a second learning model that estimates the product or service based on the target item display information indicating the product or service; an emission calculation unit that calculates the emission amount by multiplying the emission coefficient stored in the emission coefficient storage unit corresponding to the estimated supplier and the estimated product or service; An information processing system comprising:

6. receiving, from a user, an activity amount related to greenhouse gas emissions and activity amount display information representing the activity amount; an estimation unit that estimates a supplier of a product or service based on target item display information indicating the product or service by providing activity amount display information representing the activity amount to a learning model that estimates the supplier of the product or service; an output unit that outputs information identifying the estimated supplier; An information processing method characterized by being executed by a computer.

7. receiving, from a user, an activity amount related to greenhouse gas emissions and activity amount display information representing the activity amount; an estimation unit that estimates a supplier of a product or service based on target item display information indicating the product or service by providing activity amount display information representing the activity amount to a learning model that estimates the supplier of the product or service; an output unit that outputs information identifying the estimated supplier; A program for causing a computer to execute the following.

Images