Information processing device, program, and information providing system

Abstract

The present invention makes it possible to ascertain the relationship between the scent or the taste of an object and an expression for the scent or the taste, and also makes it possible to ascertain what sort of scent or taste a user themselves likes. A display control unit 14, in a single sample display mode: causes the display of a group of expressions relating to an olfactory sensation stimulated by a sample 60 specified by a sample specification unit 11; and when one expression among the displayed group of expressions is selected by a user, causes the display of a relationship image, which is an image indicating the relationship between the selected expression and another sample 60 corresponding to the olfactory sensation relating to the expression. In addition, the display control unit 14, in a multi-sample display mode: causes the display of a group of expressions relating to an olfactory sensation stimulated by each of a plurality of samples 60 specified by the sample specification unit 11, for each of the plurality of samples; and causes the display of an expression common to the plurality of samples 60, from among the group of expressions, so as to be distinguishable from an expression not in common to the plurality of samples 60.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for providing information about the scent or taste of an object. [Background technology]

[0002] It is known that scents have various benefits for humans by influencing the limbic system, which controls human emotions, behavior, and memory. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a method in which subjects who smell a scent are asked questions about the mental events that are recalled by the scent, and the answers are obtained as numerical values. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-180830 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, it is not so easy to accurately describe what a certain scent is, or what scent a user likes, and to convey that information to others. This is thought to be because most people have few opportunities to describe scents, so they lack the vocabulary to describe scents, and they are unable to accurately recognize the relationship between scents and the descriptions of those scents. This is true not only for the scent of an object, but also for the taste of an object.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism that enables a user to understand the relationship between the scent or taste of an object and the expression of that scent or taste, and also enables a user to understand what scents or tastes the user himself or herself prefers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, the present invention provides an information processing device comprising: an identification unit that identifies an object selected by a user from among a plurality of objects that stimulate the user's sense of smell or taste; a display control unit that displays a group of expressions related to the sense of smell or taste stimulated by the identified object; and a switching unit that switches between a first display mode and a second display mode, wherein the display control unit displays the group of expressions for one object identified by the identification unit in the first display mode, and displays the group of expressions for each of a plurality of objects identified by the identification unit in the second display mode, and displays expressions from the group of expressions that are common to the plurality of objects in a manner that makes them distinguishable from expressions that are not common to the plurality of objects.

[0007] In the first display mode, the display control unit may display the group of representations for one object identified by the identification unit, and when any one of the group of displayed representations is selected by a user, a relationship image may be displayed which is an image showing a relationship between the selected representation and another object corresponding to a smell or taste related to the selected representation.

[0008] A plurality of objects corresponding to smell or taste are placed on a user interface device, and the identification unit identifies any one of the plurality of objects when the object is placed at a predetermined position on the user interface device, and the display control unit, in the first display mode, displays the group of representations for one object identified by the identification unit around the predetermined position where the object is placed, and when any one of the group of displayed representations is selected by a user, displays on the user interface device the relationship image, which is an image showing a relationship between the selected representation and another object corresponding to the smell or taste related to the selected representation and corresponds to the position where the other object is placed.

[0009] The present invention also provides a program that causes a computer to realize an identification unit that identifies an object selected by a user from among a plurality of objects that stimulate the user's sense of smell or taste, a display control unit that displays a group of expressions related to the sense of smell or taste stimulated by the identified object, and a switching unit that switches between a first display mode and a second display mode, wherein the display control unit, in the first display mode, displays the group of expressions for one object identified by the identification unit, and, in the second display mode, displays the group of expressions for each of a plurality of objects identified by the identification unit, and displays expressions from the group of expressions that are common to the plurality of objects in a manner that makes them distinguishable from expressions that are not common to the plurality of objects.

[0010] The present invention also provides an information providing system comprising: a user interface device; an identification unit that identifies an object selected by a user from among a plurality of objects that stimulate the user's sense of smell or taste; a display control unit that displays a group of expressions related to the sense of smell or taste stimulated by the identified object; and a switching unit that switches between a first display mode and a second display mode, wherein the display control unit displays the group of expressions for one object identified by the identification unit in the first display mode, and displays the group of expressions for each of a plurality of objects identified by the identification unit in the second display mode, and also displays expressions from the group of expressions that are common to the plurality of objects in a manner that makes them distinguishable from expressions that are not common to the plurality of objects.

[0011] The present invention may also include an object tag that is provided on each of the objects and stores identification information, and a tray tag that is provided on a tray on which the objects are placed and stores identification information, wherein the identification unit reads the object tag provided on the object when any of the multiple objects is placed at a predetermined position on the user interface device, and identifies the object, and the switching unit reads the tray tag provided on the tray when the tray is placed at a predetermined position on the user interface device, and switches between the first display mode and the second display mode. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to understand the relationship between the scent or taste of an object and the expression of that scent or taste, and it is also possible for the user to understand what scents or tastes he or she prefers. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the overall configuration of an information providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a structure of the information providing system. [Diagram 3] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an expression DB stored in an information processing device. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of an information processing device. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of the information processing device. [Figure 7] 1 is a plan view illustrating an example of a user interface surface of a user interface device as viewed from above when the information providing system is in use; [Figure 8]1 is a plan view illustrating an example of a user interface surface of a user interface device as viewed from above when the information providing system is in use; [Figure 9] 1 is a plan view illustrating an example of a user interface surface of a user interface device as viewed from above when the information providing system is in use; [Figure 10] 1 is a plan view illustrating an example of a user interface surface of a user interface device as viewed from above when the information providing system is in use; [Figure 11] 1 is a plan view illustrating an example of a user interface surface of a user interface device as viewed from above when the information providing system is in use; [Figure 12] 1 is a plan view illustrating an example of a user interface surface of a user interface device as viewed from above when the information providing system is in use; [Figure 13] 1 is a plan view illustrating an example of a user interface surface of a user interface device as viewed from above when the information providing system is in use; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] [composition] First, the overall configuration of an information providing system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The information providing system 1 is a system that provides information to enable a user to visually grasp the relationship between the scent of an object and the expression of that scent, and to grasp what kind of scent the user himself / herself likes. As shown in FIG. 1, the information providing system 1 includes an information processing device 10, a display device 20, a sensor device 40, a first tray 50a, a second tray 50b, and a plurality of samples 60. The information processing device 10, the display device 20, and the sensor device 40 are communicatively connected. The information processing device 10 is an example of an information processing device according to the present invention, and is a device that performs central control in the information providing system 1. The display device 20 is an example of a display device that displays information to a user. The sensor device 40 is an example of an operation device that accepts user operations. The display device 20 and the sensor device 40 constitute a user interface device 30 that provides information to a user and accepts instructions from the user.

[0015] Each of the multiple samples 60 is an object that emits a scent that stimulates the user's sense of smell. For example, the sample 60 may be a natural object that emits a scent (for example, the lavender plant itself), or an artificial product that contains the scent (for example, a volatile liquid from which the scent of lavender has been extracted, or a sheet impregnated with the liquid). In this embodiment, a cylindrical lidded vial containing a liquid called aroma oil that contains a scent extracted from a natural object that emits a scent is used as the sample 60. Each sample 60 is attached with a sticker or tag with the name or ID of the sample (for example, the name of the plant "lavender" or the number "1"). The user can visually identify each sample by referring to the name or ID.

[0016] The first tray 50a and the second tray 50b function as operating tools for switching the display mode of the display device 20. The first tray 50a and the second tray 50b are both sized and shaped so that a sample 60 can be placed thereon. In addition, the first tray 50a and the second tray 50b are both sized and shaped so that they can be stacked one on top of the other.

[0017] 2 is a side view illustrating the structure of the information providing system 1, and more specifically, a diagram illustrating the positional relationship of the display device 20, the sensor device 40, the first tray 50a, and the sample 60 when viewed from the horizontal direction. The display device 20 is, for example, in the form of a thin rectangular plate, and its upper surface is a horizontal display surface. The sensor device 40 is built into a part of the display device 20. The first tray 50a and the second tray 50b are provided with tags 51a (first tray tag) and 51b (second tray tag), which are storage media that store identification information (called tray ID) that identifies each tray. As illustrated in FIG. 2, when the first tray 50a is placed on the display surface of the display device 20 in an area where the sensor device 40 can sense (i.e., the user interface surface corresponding to a predetermined position of the user interface device 30, hereinafter referred to as the sensing surface), the sensor device 40 identifies that the first tray 50a has been placed by reading the tray ID stored in the tag 51a of the first tray 50a using, for example, a short-range wireless communication standard called NFC (Near Field Communication). In this case, the display mode of the display device 20 is switched to a first display mode called a "single sample display mode". The single sample display mode is a display mode that assumes that only one sample 60 is placed on the sensing surface. It is also possible to stack the second tray 50b on the first tray 50a. When the first tray 50a and the second tray 50b are placed on the sensing surface, the sensor device 40 identifies that the first tray 50a and the second tray 50b have been placed by reading two tray IDs stored in the tag 51a of the first tray 50a and the tag 51b of the second tray 50b. In this case, the display mode of the display device 20 is switched to a second display mode called a "multiple sample display mode." The multiple sample display mode is a display mode that assumes that multiple samples 60 are placed on the sensing surface.

[0018] The sample 60 is provided with a tag 61 (object tag), which is a storage medium that stores identification information (called a sample ID) for identifying each sample. When the sample 60 is placed on the sensing surface, the sensor device 40 reads the sample ID stored in the tag 61 of the sample 60 to identify the placed sample 60.

[0019] The display device 20 also functions as a so-called touch screen, and when the display surface is touched by, for example, a user's finger or a predetermined operator, the display device 20 detects the touched position on the display surface. The position touched by the user is expressed as X and Y coordinates in a two-dimensional coordinate plane with a certain position on the display surface as the origin.

[0020] 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the information processing device 10. The information processing device 10 is a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 102, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 103, an auxiliary storage device 104, and a communication IF (Interface) 105.

[0021] The CPU 101 is a processor that performs various calculations. The ROM 102 is a non-volatile memory that stores programs and data used to start the information processing device 10, for example. The RAM 103 is a volatile memory that functions as a work area when the CPU 101 executes a program. The auxiliary storage device 104 is a non-volatile storage device, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD), and stores programs and data used in the information processing device 10. The CPU 101 executes this program to realize functions described below and to execute operations described below. The communication IF 105 is an interface for performing communication according to a predetermined communication standard. This communication standard may be a standard for wired communication or a standard for wireless communication. In addition to the configuration illustrated in FIG. 3, the information processing device 10 may include other configurations, such as a display device such as a liquid crystal display and an operation device such as a keyboard.

[0022] The auxiliary storage device 104 stores an expression database (hereinafter, the database is referred to as DB) as shown in FIG. 4. In this expression DB, each sample ID is associated with one or more expressions related to the sense of smell stimulated by the sample 60 corresponding to the sample ID (i.e., one or more expressions expressing the scent of the sample 60 in words). In other words, this expression is used as a means for a user to convey the scent of the sample 60 to others when the user smells the scent of the sample 60. This expression may be an expression using any part of speech, such as a noun or an adjective, and also includes direct and indirect expressions of the scent. A direct expression here is an expression that is commonly used to evoke an image of a scent, such as "sweet" or "fruity," and an indirect expression is an expression that is not commonly used to express a scent, such as "spring," "morning," or "walk," compared to the above direct expressions. An indirect expression is a secondary expression that is evoked from a direct expression based on that direct expression, and can be said to be an expression that represents the scent more abstractly than a direct expression.

[0023] Furthermore, the expression DB includes a display mode for each expression, which may include, for example, a position at which the expression is displayed, a color at which the expression is displayed, a size at which the expression is displayed, a font at which the expression is displayed, a decoration at which the expression is displayed, a time at which the expression is displayed, a timing at which the expression is displayed, a movement of the expression (including a spatial or temporal change of the expression), or a language used in the expression.

[0024] This display mode changes according to the relationship between the sample 60 and the expression. The relationship between the sample 60 and the expression is the intensity or amount of the scent expressed by the expression in the sample 60 (more precisely, the components contained in the scent of the sample), or the abstractness of the expression with respect to the scent. For example, the expression "sweet" is displayed near the sample 60 having a strong scent of "sweet", the expression "sweet" is displayed large or in a conspicuous color for the sample 60 having a strong scent of "sweet", or the expression "sweet" is displayed conspicuously by vibrating for the sample 60 having a strong scent of "sweet". Another example of the display mode changes according to the relationship between the sample 60 and the expression is to display the expression "sweet" near the sample having a strong scent of "sweet" and a weak scent of "fruity", and to display the expression "fruity" far from the sample. Also, when a direct expression and an indirect expression correspond to a certain sample, the direct expression is displayed near the sample and the indirect expression is displayed far away from the sample, changing the distance between the sample 60 and the expression according to the abstraction of the expression is also an example of a display mode that changes according to the relationship between the sample 60 and the expression. In short, the expression is displayed in a display mode that allows the content of the relationship between the sample 60 and the expression (specifically, the strength of the relationship and the manner of the relationship) to be visually recognized.

[0025] In the example of Fig. 4, for sample 60 with sample ID "ID001", "sweet" is set as expression 1, "fresh" as expression 2, "flower" as expression 3, etc. Among these expressions, the display mode of expression 1 "sweet" is such that the position (X, Y coordinates) at which the expression is displayed is "X1, Y1", the color of the characters is "red", the font of the characters is "Gothic", the size (size) of the characters is "25 points", and the movement is "blinking". Note that the expression modes shown in Fig. 4 are merely examples, and this expression mode can be arbitrarily determined by the system designer.

[0026] 5 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the information processing device 10. The information processing device 10 realizes the functions of a sample specifying unit 11, a switching unit 12, an expression DB storage unit 13, and a display control unit .

[0027] When a sample 60 selected by a user is placed on the sensing surface of the sensor device 40, the sample identification unit 11 identifies which sample 60 has been placed on the sensing surface based on the reading result of the sample ID stored in the tag 61 of that sample 60.

[0028] When the first tray 50a or the second tray 50b is placed on the sensing surface of the sensor device 40, the switching unit 12 switches between the single sample display mode and the multiple sample display mode based on the reading result of the tray ID stored in the tag 51a of the first tray 50a or the tag 51b of the second tray 50b.

[0029] In the single sample display mode and the multiple sample display mode, the display control unit 14 controls the display device 20 to display a group of expressions relating to the sense of smell stimulated by the sample 60 identified by the sample identification unit 11 in a display area corresponding to the periphery of the position where the sample 60 is placed (i.e., the sensing surface) in the user interface device 30. At this time, the display control unit 14 displays in a display mode corresponding to the sample 60 identified by the sample identification unit 11 in the expression DB ( FIG. 4 ) stored in the expression DB storage unit 13. The display area corresponding to the periphery of the position where the sample 60 is placed is, for example, a circular area within a radius of 30 cm centered on the sensing surface where the sample 60 is placed.

[0030] In the single sample display mode, when a user selects one of the displayed expressions, the display control unit 14 displays a relation image which is an image showing a relation between the selected expression and other samples 60 corresponding to the olfactory sense related to the expression. In the multiple sample display mode, the display control unit 14 displays, for each of the multiple samples 60 identified by the sample identification unit 11, an expression related to the olfactory sense stimulated by each sample 60, and displays an expression common to the multiple samples 60 in the expression group so as to be distinguishable from an expression not common to the multiple samples 60. Such display control by the display control unit 14 will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 7 to 13.

[0031] [Operation] Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the user interface surface of the user interface device 30 as viewed from above. At each of a plurality of predetermined positions on the user interface surface, one sample 60 (nine samples 30a to 60i in FIG. 7) is placed. It is determined in advance which sample 60 is to be placed at which position, and an image (e.g., an image showing the same ID as the ID of the sample 60) showing the position where each sample 60 should be placed is displayed on the user interface surface (i.e., the display surface). The user places each sample 60a to 60i at the position shown by the image. It is assumed that the correspondence between each sample 60 and the position where the sample 60 is to be placed is stored in the expression DB storage unit 13 in advance.

[0032] 7, when the first tray 50a is placed on the sensing surface SA, the switching unit 12 of the information processing device 10 determines that the first tray 50a has been placed based on the tray ID read by the sensor device 40 (step S11), and switches the display mode to the single sample display mode (step S12). Note that the position, shape, and size of the sensing surface by the sensor device 40 can be determined arbitrarily, but the user should know in advance where the sensing surface is on the user interface device 30, or the user should be informed by a method such as a display or audio guidance.

[0033] The user selects any of the samples 60a-60i, smells the aroma, and places the sample 60 with the aroma he or she likes on the first tray 50a on the sensing surface SA. The sample identification unit 11 of the information processing device 10 identifies which sample 60 has been placed on the sensing surface (step S13) based on the result of reading the sample ID by the sensor device 40 (step S11).

[0034] The display control unit 14 searches the expression DB for an expression corresponding to the identified sample ID using the identified sample ID as a key (step S14). Then, the display control unit 14 determines the display mode, whether the display mode is the single sample display mode or the multiple sample display mode, and the display manner corresponding to each of the searched expressions by referring to the expression DB (step S15). Then, the display control unit 14 controls the display device 20 to display the expressions searched in step S14 in the display area around the sensing surface SA in the display manner determined in step S15 (step S16).

[0035] For example, if the sample 60a is placed on the first tray 50a, as shown in FIG. 8, the expression related to the scent of the sample 60a is displayed inside a sector of any size centered on the sensing surface (i.e., the position where the sample 60a is placed). The display mode of each expression at this time is a display mode according to the relationship between the expression and the sample 60g. The user can learn how to express the scent of the sample 60a while looking at these expressions. At the same time, the user can also learn the relationship between the scent of the sample 60g and each expression by referring to the display mode of each expression. For example, in the example of FIG. 8, the user can recognize that the scent of the sample 60a is a scent that is typically expressed as "sweet" and "relaxing", but also contains scent components that are expressed as "bright", "flower", and "fruit", and furthermore, that these scents are associated with abstract phenomena such as "spring".

[0036] Furthermore, if the user finds an expression for a scent that interests the user among the displayed expressions, the user selects the expression by performing an operation of touching the expression. When such a touch operation is performed, the display control unit 14 identifies the expression selected by the user based on the position where the touch operation was performed and the display position of each expression. At this time, the expression may be surrounded by some kind of graphic image, the background of the expression may be displayed in a specific color, or the expression may be displayed in inverted so that the user can know which expression has been selected.

[0037] Then, the display control unit 14 searches the expression DB for a sample ID associated with the selected expression. If the search results in a sample ID associated with the selected expression, the display unit 20 is controlled to display a related image (step S16). This related image is, for example, an image showing the relationship between the expression selected by the user on the user interface surface and another sample 60 corresponding to the searched sample ID, and is an image according to the position where the sample 60 is placed.

[0038] For example, as shown in Fig. 9, when the expression "sweet" is selected by the user, a circular image surrounding the expression "sweet" is displayed, and a circular image surrounding the positions of other samples represented by the expression "sweet" (here, samples 60b, 60d, and 60g) is displayed. By displaying such a circular image (relation image), the user can know that, in addition to sample 60a, samples 60b, 60d, and 60g also have aromas represented as "sweet."

[0039] The display mode of the related image, such as color, thickness, size, movement, etc., may correspond to the relationship between the expression selected by the user and other samples represented by that expression. For example, if the relationship between the expression selected by the user and other samples represented by that expression is strong, the display mode of the related image, such as color, thickness, size, movement, etc., will be such that the related image stands out more, and if the relationship is weak, the display mode will be the opposite.

[0040] If the user wishes to know about yet another expression, the user touches that expression, and the above process is then performed for that expression.

[0041] 9, the user removes sample 60a from the first tray 50a, smells the aromas of other samples related to "sweet," and places, for example, sample 60b on the first tray 50a on the sensing surface SA as a sample with a scent that the user likes. Based on the result of reading the sample ID by the sensor device 40 (step S11), the sample identification unit 11 identifies that sample 60b has been placed on the sensing surface (step S13).

[0042] As a result, as shown in FIG. 10, expressions relating to the scent of sample 60b are displayed inside a sector shape centered on the sensing surface (step S16). The user can learn how to express the scent of sample 60b by looking at these expressions. Furthermore, when the user touches "fruit" as an expression of a scent that interests him / her among the displayed expressions, a ring image is displayed surrounding the expression "fruit" as shown in FIG. 11, and a ring image is displayed surrounding the positions of other samples (here, samples 60g and 60i) represented by the expression "fruit". The user can learn that, in addition to sample 60b, samples 60g and 60i also have scents represented as "fruit". Note that in FIG. 11, a ring image is not displayed surrounding the position of sample 60a, which is a sample represented by the expression "fruit". In this regard, the display control unit 14 may store samples 60 previously placed on the sensing surface during a series of operations, and may be configured not to display a ring image for the samples 60 previously placed, as illustrated in FIG. 11, or may be configured to display a ring image for the samples 60 previously placed.

[0043] 11, the user removes sample 60b from the first tray, smells the aromas of other samples related to "fruit", and places, for example, sample 60g on the first tray 50a of the sensing surface SA as a sample with a scent that the user likes. Based on the result of reading the sample ID by the sensor device 40 (step S11), the sample identification unit 11 of the information processing device 10 identifies that sample 60g has been placed on the sensing surface (step S13).

[0044] As a result, as shown in Fig. 12, expressions relating to the scent of sample 60g are displayed inside a sector shape centered on the sensing surface (step S16). The user can learn how to express the scent of sample 60g by looking at these expressions. By going through the display process in the single sample display mode multiple times as described above, the user can learn that samples 60a, 60b, and 60g are samples of scents that the user likes.

[0045] Next, the user places the second tray 50b on top of the first tray 50a on the sensing surface SA. The switching unit 12 of the information processing device 10 determines that the first tray 50a and the second tray 50b have been placed based on the tray ID read by the sensor device 40 (step S11), and switches the display mode to the multiple sample display mode (step S12).

[0046] Next, the user places the samples 60a, 60b, 60g selected as the scent samples that the user likes in the single sample display mode on the first tray 50a and the second tray 50b on the sensing surface SA. Based on the result of reading the sample ID by the sensor device 40 (step S11), the sample identification unit 11 of the information processing device 10 identifies that the samples 60a, 60b, 60g have been placed on the sensing surface (step S13).

[0047] The display control unit 14 searches the expression DB for an expression corresponding to the sample ID of the identified samples 60a, 60b, and 60g using the sample ID of the sample 60a, 60b, and 60g as a key (step S14). Furthermore, the display control unit 14 determines the display mode, whether the display mode is a single sample display mode or a multiple sample display mode, and the display mode corresponding to each of the searched expressions by referring to the expression DB (step S15). Then, the display control unit 14 controls the display device 20 to display the expressions searched for in step S14 for each of the samples 60a, 60b, and 60g in the display area around the sensing surface SA in the display mode determined in step S15 (step S16). Furthermore, at this time, the display control unit 14 controls the display device 20 to display the expressions common to the samples 60a, 60b, and 60g in a manner distinguishable from the expressions not common to the samples 60a, 60b, and 60g. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 13, if the expression "fruit" is a common expression in the samples 60a, 60b, and 60g, a triple ring image surrounding the expression "fruit" is displayed. Also, if the expressions "sweet," "flower," and "relax" are all common expressions in the samples 60a and 60b, a double ring image surrounding the expressions "sweet," "flower," and "relax." And, since the other expressions "fresh," "ocean," "pink," "refreshing," "gorgeous," "transparent," "ocean," "vacation," "spring," "summer," and "grassland" are not common expressions in any two or more of the samples 60a, 60b, and 60g, such ring images are not displayed. By checking the expressions common to the multiple samples 60 selected by the user, it is possible to more clearly understand what kind of scent the user himself / herself prefers.

[0048] According to the embodiment described above, the user can visually grasp the relationship between the scent of an object and the expression of that scent. Furthermore, the user can visually grasp what scents the user himself / herself prefers.

[0049] [Variations] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. The above-described embodiment may be modified as follows. In addition, two or more of the following modifications may be combined and implemented.

[0050] [Variation 1] The present invention is not limited to applications targeting the sense of smell, but can also be applied to applications targeting the sense of taste (for example, wine, sake, spices, seasonings, etc.). In other words, the present invention may be implemented by replacing "aroma" in the embodiments with "taste."

[0051] [Variation 2] The display mode when each expression is displayed may be according to the relationship between the expression and the user who sees the display of that expression. The relationship between the expression and the user includes, for example, the degree of agreement between the scent of the scent represented by the expression and the user's scent-related preferences, and the history of the user using the expression as a scent-related expression. For example, for a user who likes the scent "sweet," the expression "sweet" may be displayed near the sample 60 placed on the sensing surface of the sensor device 40, or the expression "sweet" may be displayed large or in a conspicuous color, or the expression "sweet" may be displayed conspicuously by vibrating. In this case, the user's scent-related preferences are collected and compiled into a database in advance and stored in the auxiliary storage device 104 or the like, and the display control unit 14 refers to the database.

[0052] Also, for example, for a user who has often used the expression "sweet" in the past, the expression "sweet" may be displayed near the sample 60 placed on the sensing surface of the sensor device 40, or may be displayed large or in a conspicuous color, or may be displayed conspicuously by vibrating. In this case, the history of expressions used by the user for scents is collected and compiled into a database in advance and stored in the auxiliary storage device 104 or the like, and the display control unit 14 refers to this.

[0053] [Variation 3] The display mode when each expression is displayed may be according to the attribute of the scent represented by the expression. The attributes of the scent include, for example, whether the scent is a top note, a middle note, or a last note, the strength / weakness of the scent's stimulation, the allure, uniqueness, and rarity of the scent. The top note, middle note, and last note are the scent that is recognized first in time, the scent that is recognized next, and the scent that is recognized after that, as the scent changes. For example, an example is conceivable in which expressions corresponding to the top note, middle note, and last note are displayed in order from close to the sample 60 placed on the sensing surface of the sensor device 40 to far from it, or an example is conceivable in which the display of expressions corresponding to the top note, middle note, and last note is switched in chronological order. In addition, an example is conceivable in which expressions related to strong stimulation scents or rare scents are displayed using a specific color, font, or movement.

[0054] [Variation 4] The display mode when displaying each expression may be in accordance with the attributes of the expression. The attributes of an expression include, for example, the image given by the expression, the part of speech of the expression, the type of characters used in the expression (hiragana, katakana, kanji, alphabet, etc.), the number of characters / words constituting the expression, etc. For example, the expression "sweet" may be displayed in a warm color.

[0055] [Variation 5] When displaying the related image described above (see FIG. 9), the display control unit 14 may display the related image in a display manner according to the user's preference regarding the scent represented by the expression selected by the user. For example, in a related image that emphasizes the expression "sweet" selected by the user and other samples represented by the expression, the display manner such as color, thickness, size, movement, etc. is changed according to the user's preference for the "sweet" scent. Specifically, when the user likes the "sweet" scent, an example is considered in which the display manner is such that the related image is more noticeable in color, thickness, size, movement, etc. In this case, the user's preferences regarding scents are collected and databased in advance and stored in the auxiliary storage device 104 or the like, and the display control unit 14 refers to it. Note that the related image is not limited to the image exemplified in FIG. 9, and may be any image that shows that the expression selected by the user and the sample represented by the expression are related to each other.

[0056] [Variation 6] When displaying the expressions for each of the multiple samples 60, the display control unit 14 may display the expressions that are compatible with each other in a display manner that allows them to be distinguished from each other by color, movement, or the like. For example, for a sample 60 corresponding to the expression "sweet" and a sample 60 corresponding to the expression "mellow", it is assumed that "sweet" and "mellow" are compatible with each other, and an example is conceivable in which the expressions "sweet" and "mellow" are displayed in the same color, and expressions that are not compatible with each other are displayed in different colors. Similarly, the display control unit 14 may display expressions that are not compatible with each other in a display manner that allows them to be distinguished from each other by color or movement. For example, for a sample 60 corresponding to the expression "sweet" and a sample 60 corresponding to the expression "bitter", it is assumed that "sweet" and "bitter" are incompatible with each other, and an example is conceivable in which the expressions "sweet" and "bitter" are displayed in the same intense movement, and expressions that are not compatible with each other are displayed without movement. In this way, the display control unit 14 may display, among the expressions relating to the first object and the expressions relating to the second object, those that have a predetermined relationship in a display mode that allows them to be distinguished from expressions that do not have the predetermined relationship. In addition to the above-mentioned relationship of good / bad compatibility, examples of expressions that have a predetermined relationship include those that match / do not match the user's preferences, or those that belong / do not belong to a group of expressions of similar scents. In this case, the user's preferences regarding scents and the group of expressions of similar scents are collected and compiled into a database in advance and stored in the auxiliary storage device 104 or the like, and the display control unit 14 refers to them.

[0057] [Variation 7] In the above embodiment, the switching unit 12 switches to the "single sample display mode" when the first tray 50a is placed on the sensing surface, and switches to the "multiple sample display mode" when the first tray 50a and the second tray 50b are placed on the sensing surface. The method of using the tray as an operating tool for switching the display mode in this manner is not limited to the example of the above embodiment. For example, only one tray provided with a tag storing a tray ID may be prepared, and the switching unit 12 may switch to the "single sample display mode" when the tray is not placed on the sensing surface, and switch to the "multiple sample display mode" when the tray is placed on the sensing surface. Conversely, the switching unit 12 may switch to the "single sample display mode" when the tray is placed on the sensing surface, and switch to the "multiple sample display mode" when the tray is not placed on the sensing surface. As described above, when the tray is placed at a predetermined position on the user interface device 30, the switching unit 12 may read the tag provided on the tray and switch between the first display mode called the single sample display mode and the second display mode called the multiple sample display mode.

[0058] [Variation 8] The display device and the operation device are not limited to the display device 20 and the sensor device 40 illustrated in FIG. 1. For example, the display device may be one that projects an image onto a certain display surface. The display device may also be one that displays an image on a wall surface (including the case where an image is projected onto a wall surface or the wall surface itself is a display device). The display device may also be a display device that realizes so-called augmented reality. Specifically, when a sample 60 is captured by an imaging device of a smartphone, tablet, or glass-type wearable device, a corresponding group of expressions may be displayed around the sample 60 in the captured image. The operation device may also be a device that detects a user's operation by image recognition technology.

[0059] [Variation 9] In the embodiment, when the sample 60 is placed on the sensing surface of the sensor device 40, an expression relating to the sample 60 is displayed, but when the user opens the lid of a small bottle with a lid that contains aroma oil corresponding to the sample 60, an expression relating to the sample 60 may be displayed. Similarly, for example, a natural object itself may be placed on a plate and covered with a transparent cover, and when the user removes the transparent cover, an expression relating to the scent of the natural object may be displayed. Such user actions can be detected using, for example, well-known image recognition technology.

[0060] [Variation 10] The display form of the expression may be a two-dimensional display or a three-dimensional display. Furthermore, the displayed "expression" is not limited to characters, but may be colors, abstract paintings, or images of people / scenery, etc.

[0061] The present invention may be provided as an information processing method including processing steps performed in the information processing device 10. The present invention may also be provided as a program executed in the information processing device 10. Such a program may be provided in a form recorded on a recording medium such as an optical disk, or in a form in which the program is downloaded to a computer via a network such as the Internet and installed to make it available.

[0062] Although the present invention has been described in detail above, it is clear to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described in this specification. The present invention can be implemented in modified and altered forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. Therefore, the description in this specification is intended to be illustrative and does not have any limiting meaning on the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1...information providing system, 20...display device, 30...user interface device, 40...sensor device, 50a...first tray, 51a...tag, 50b...second tray, 51b...tag, 60, 60a to 60i...samples, 61...tag, 101...CPU, 102...ROM, 103...RAM, 104...auxiliary storage device, 105...communication IF, 11...sample identification unit, 12...switching unit, 13...expression DB storage unit, 14...display control unit.

Claims

1. A storage unit that stores a database in which each of a plurality of objects that stimulates a user's sense of smell or taste is associated with a group of expressions related to the sense of smell or taste; a sensor unit having a sensing surface for reading identification information of an object; an identification unit that identifies an object selected by a user from the plurality of objects and placed on the sensing surface; a display control unit that displays on a display surface a group of expressions related to the sense of smell or the sense of taste that are associated with the specified object in the database; a switching unit that switches from a first display mode to a second display mode when a plurality of objects are placed on the sensing surface; The display control unit is In the first display mode, the representation group is displayed for one object identified by the identification unit; In the second display mode, the group of expressions is displayed for each of the plurality of objects identified by the identification unit, and an expression in the group of expressions that is common to the plurality of objects is displayed in a manner that can be distinguished from an expression that is not common to the plurality of objects.

23. An information processing apparatus comprising:

2. The display control unit is In the first display mode, the representation group is displayed for one object identified by the identification unit; When an image showing the positions of the plurality of objects is displayed on the display screen, when any one of the displayed expressions is selected by a user, a relation image showing a relationship between the selected expression and another object which is shown in the database to correspond to an olfactory sense or a taste related to the selected expression is displayed at a position corresponding to the image showing the position.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

3. The display control unit: In the first display mode, the representation group for one object identified by the identification unit is displayed around an image indicating the position corresponding to the object; When any one of the displayed expressions is selected by the user, a related image is displayed on the display surface, the related image being an image showing a relationship between the selected expression and another object corresponding to an olfactory sense or a taste sense related to the selected expression, the related image being an image corresponding to the position corresponding to the other object.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2.

4. On the computer, A storage unit that stores a database in which each of a plurality of objects that stimulates a user's sense of smell or taste is associated with a group of expressions related to the sense of smell or taste; a sensor unit having a sensing surface for reading identification information of an object; an identification unit that identifies an object selected by a user from the plurality of objects and placed on the sensing surface; a display control unit that displays on a display surface a group of expressions related to the sense of smell or the sense of taste that are associated with the specified object in the database; a switching unit that switches from a first display mode to a second display mode when a plurality of objects are placed on the sensing surface; A program for achieving the above, The display control unit is In the first display mode, the representation group is displayed for one object identified by the identification unit; In the second display mode, the group of expressions is displayed for each of the plurality of objects identified by the identification unit, and an expression in the group of expressions that is common to the plurality of objects is displayed in a manner that can be distinguished from an expression that is not common to the plurality of objects. program.

5. A user interface device; Information processing device having The user interface device, a sensor unit having a sensing surface for reading identification information of an object; A display surface that displays information having The information processing device, A storage unit that stores a database in which each of a plurality of objects that stimulates a user's sense of smell or taste is associated with a group of expressions related to the sense of smell or taste; an identification unit that identifies an object selected by a user from the plurality of objects and placed on the sensing surface; a display control unit that displays on the display surface a group of expressions related to the sense of smell or the sense of taste that are associated with the specified object in the database; a switching unit that switches from a first display mode to a second display mode when a plurality of objects are placed on the sensing surface; Equipped with The display control unit, in the first display mode, causes the group of expressions to be displayed for one object identified by the identification unit, and in the second display mode, causes the group of expressions to be displayed for each of a plurality of objects identified by the identification unit, and also causes an expression in the group of expressions that is common to the plurality of objects to be displayed in a manner that makes it possible to distinguish it from an expression that is not common to the plurality of objects. An information providing system comprising:

6. An object tag that is provided on each of the objects and stores identification information; a tray tag that is provided on a tray on which the object is placed and stores identification information; the identification unit, when any one of the plurality of objects is placed on the sensing surface of the user interface device, identifies the object by reading the object tag provided on the object; The switching unit switches from the first display mode to the second display mode when the tray is placed at a predetermined position on the user interface device and the tray tag provided on the tray detects that a plurality of objects have been placed on the sensing surface.

6. The information providing system according to claim 5.

Images