Analysis system, analysis device, and analysis program

Abstract

To improve the technology for analyzing position information.SOLUTION: An analysis system includes: a first device for detecting a position of a person in a space where an object exists; a second device which is different from the first device and detects a position of the object; and an analysis device which analyzes behavior of the person. The analysis device analyzes behavior of the person with respect to the object on the basis of a relationship between the position of the person acquired from the first device and the position of the object acquired from the second device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an analysis system, an analysis device, and an analysis program for analyzing location information. [Background technology]

[0002] Various positioning technologies have been developed to detect positions. For example, the Global Positioning System (GPS) and positioning methods using wireless communication with communication tags such as RFID are available (see, for example, Patent Document 1). An appropriate positioning technology is adopted depending on the purpose and manner of use of the location information. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-267057 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] If the only purpose is to determine the location of people or objects, it is sufficient to adopt only a specific positioning technology that suits the purpose. However, when analyzing the location of people or objects with the purpose of obtaining some kind of information, the inventors recognized that if only location information detected by a specific positioning technology is used, the content and accuracy of the analysis will depend on the characteristics of that positioning technology.

[0005] One exemplary object of certain aspects of the present invention is to improve techniques for analyzing location information. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An analysis system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a first device that detects the position of a person in a space in which an object exists, a second device different from the first device that detects the position of the object, and an analysis device that analyzes the behavior of the person, wherein the analysis device analyzes the behavior of the person relative to the object based on the relationship between the position of the person obtained from the first device and the position of the object obtained from the second device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to an aspect of the present invention, it is possible to improve the technology for analyzing location information. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a retail store that is an analysis target of an analysis system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic functional configuration of an analysis device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] 3(a), (b), and (c) are diagrams showing examples of the relationship between the location of a purchaser and the location of a product. [Figure 4] 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a functional configuration of a display control device according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a display screen displayed on a display device by a display control device. [Figure 6] 6(a) and 6(b) are diagrams showing examples of display screens displayed on a display device by a display control device. [Figure 7] 7(a) and 7(b) are diagrams showing examples of display screens displayed on a display device by a display control device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description, the same elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted where appropriate.

[0010] An overview of this embodiment will be described. The analysis system of this embodiment acquires information indicating the positions of people and objects detected by a plurality of different positioning methods in order to analyze the behavior of people relative to objects present in a space to be analyzed. By integrating and analyzing position information detected by a plurality of positioning methods rather than a single positioning method, information that cannot be detected by one positioning method or that has low detection accuracy can be supplemented by another positioning method, thereby improving the scope and accuracy of the analysis.

[0011] For example, when detecting the location of a person or object by capturing an image of the person or object using an imaging device, it is possible to recognize the state and movement of the person or object, but if the person or object is in a blind spot, it becomes impossible to detect it.Even in such a case, the location of the person or object can be detected by using wireless communication technology such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) to detect the location of a communication tag carried by the person or attached to the object.

[0012] Furthermore, the analysis system of this embodiment can analyze information detected by one positioning method by adding different information detected by another positioning method, thereby obtaining insights that cannot be obtained from information detected by a single positioning method. For example, when a change in the position of the communication tag is detected to have been picked up by a person, the person's movements and facial expressions at that time can be recognized from captured images. When a change in the position of the communication tag is detected to have been picked up by a person, the person's movements and facial expressions before and after that can be recognized from captured images. Therefore, it is possible to analyze a customer's willingness to purchase a product, or the reason why a customer did not purchase a product.

[0013] Here, "things" include not only products but also equipment, machinery, and devices (collectively referred to as "equipment"). Equipment includes "non-moving objects" such as ceilings and pillars in buildings and rooms, and "movable objects" such as fixtures, shelves, and desks placed in rooms. The analysis system of this embodiment can also analyze the situations and relationships between "equipment," such as whether or not there is a "person" near the "equipment," or whether or not there is a "product" near the "equipment."

[0014] In this way, the analysis system of this embodiment not only can analyze human behavior toward objects with higher accuracy than conventional analysis techniques, but also provides groundbreaking analysis technology that makes it possible to obtain insights that could not be obtained with conventional analysis techniques.

[0015] The present embodiment will be described in detail below, taking as an example a case where the behavior of purchasers with respect to merchandise is analyzed in a retail store where merchandise is displayed for sale.

[0016] 1 shows an example of a retail store that is the target of analysis by an analysis system according to an embodiment. The retail store 10 is equipped with a plurality of display shelves 12 for displaying products 11, a register 14 for checking out the products 11 purchased by customers 13, a plurality of positioning devices for detecting the positions of the products 11 or the customers 13, an imaging device 15 for capturing images of customers 13 entering the retail store 10, an identification device 16 for identifying customers 13, and a display control device 100 for integrating information about the positions of the customers 13 detected by the plurality of positioning devices and information about the positions of the products 11 and displaying the integrated information on a display device 19. The positioning devices include, for example, an imaging device 20, a communication tag 21, an access point 22, a locator 23, a GPS device 24, and a mobile terminal 25.

[0017] The imaging device 20 is installed on the ceiling, wall, floor, display shelf 12, etc. of the retail store 10. The analysis device 50 acquires the positions of the product 11 and the purchaser 13 from the image captured by the imaging device 20. The analysis device 50 may identify the purchaser 13, recognize the actions and facial expressions of the purchaser 13, and recognize the condition of the product 11, by analyzing the image captured by the imaging device 20. The imaging device 20 may have a distance measurement function. The imaging device 20 may be installed so as to be able to capture an image of at least the upper body of the purchaser 13. The imaging device 20 may be installed in a position and orientation so as to be able to capture an image of the purchasing behavior of the purchaser 13, such as looking at, touching, and picking up the product 11.

[0018] The communication tag 21 is attached to the product 11. The communication tag 21 may be an RFID tag, a beacon, or the like. The communication tag 21 may be provided with sensors capable of detecting various types of information, such as an acceleration sensor, a pressure sensor, or a temperature sensor. In this case, the analysis device 50 can acquire the position of the communication tag 21 as well as the information detected by these sensors. The communication tag 21 may be carried by the purchaser 13.

[0019] The access point 22 is a wireless base station for wireless communication using standards such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark). The access point 22 is installed on the ceiling, wall, floor, or display shelf 12 of the retail store 10. The access point 22 detects the position of the communication tag 21 using a positioning technology based on a Wi-Fi signal. For example, the distance between the communication tag 21 and the access point 22 can be measured by measuring the radio wave strength of the Wi-Fi signal or by measuring the propagation time of the Wi-Fi signal using a time-of-flight (TOF) method. Furthermore, by measuring the distance between the communication tag 21 and multiple access points 22 present around the communication tag 21, the position of the communication tag 21 can be identified based on the principle of triangulation.

[0020] Locator 23 is a device for identifying the location of communication tag 21 using a beacon signal transmitted and received in accordance with a standard such as Bluetooth or Bluetooth low energy (BLE). Locator 23 is installed on the ceiling, wall, floor, or display shelf 12 of retail store 10. Locator 23, for example, measures the angle of arrival (AOA) of a beacon signal transmitted from communication tag 21 and identifies the location of communication tag 21 based on the obtained AOA. Note that locator 23 may transmit a beacon signal, and communication tag 21 may receive the beacon signal to identify its own location. Communication tag 21 may identify its own location based on beacon signals transmitted from multiple locators 23.

[0021] The GPS device 24 receives positioning signals from a satellite positioning system such as a GPS (Global Positioning System) or a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) to identify its own position. The communication tag 21 acquires position information from the GPS device 24 present around the communication tag 21, and determines the position of the GPS device 24 as the position of the communication tag 21 itself. The GPS device 24 may transmit the position information of the communication tag 21 to the analysis device 50. The GPS device 24 may be built into the communication tag 21.

[0022] The mobile terminal 25 is a smartphone, tablet, or the like carried by the purchaser 13. The mobile terminal 25 acquires its own location information using any method. The mobile terminal 25 may identify its location using a Wi-Fi signal transmitted and received between it and the access point 22, may identify its location using a beacon signal transmitted and received between it and the locator 23, or may identify its location using a GPS function. The mobile terminal 25 may measure the angle of arrival (AOA) of the beacon signal transmitted from the communication tag 21, identify the location of the communication tag 21 based on the obtained angle of arrival, and transmit the identified location to the analysis device 50. The mobile terminal 25 may also acquire biometric information detected by a sensor for detecting biometric information of the purchaser 13 and transmit the identified location to the analysis device 50.

[0023] The method for identifying the locations of the product 11 and the purchaser 13 is not limited to the above, and any other method may be used. Also, any positioning device not shown may be used. Also, the locations of the product 11 and the purchaser 13 may be identified by combining multiple methods, and the locations of the product 11 and the purchaser 13 may be identified with high accuracy by comprehensively using location information identified by the above-mentioned method and other methods.

[0024] The imaging device 15 is installed at the entrance 17 of the retail store 10, captures images of the customer 13 entering the retail store 10 through the entrance 17, and transmits the captured images to the analysis device 50. The analysis device 50 uses the image of the customer 13 received from the imaging device 15 to track the customer 13 in the images captured by the imaging device 20.

[0025] The identification device 16 is installed at the entrance 17 of the retail store 10, identifies the purchaser 13 entering the retail store 10 through the entrance 17, and transmits the identification information of the purchaser 13 to the analysis device 50. The identification device 16 may identify the purchaser 13 using authentication technology such as facial recognition or biometric authentication, or may identify the purchaser 13 by communicating with a mobile terminal 25 carried by the purchaser 13 and identifying the mobile terminal 25, or may identify the purchaser 13 by obtaining information for identifying the purchaser 13 from an IC card, point card, membership card, etc. carried by the purchaser 13, or may identify the purchaser 13 using any other technology. The identification device 16 may obtain information about the purchaser 13 from a mobile terminal, IC card, etc. and transmit it to the analysis device 50. The analysis device 50 uses the information of the purchaser 13 received from the identification device 16 for analysis.

[0026] The analysis device 50 acquires the positions of the products 11 and the purchasers 13 detected by multiple positioning devices, and integrates them to analyze the behavior of the purchasers 13 with respect to the products 11. An analysis device 50 may be provided for each retail store 10. Alternatively, the analysis device 50 may comprehensively analyze the purchasing behavior of the purchasers 13 at multiple retail stores 10.

[0027] The display control device 100 integrates information about the positions of the product 11 and the purchaser 13 detected by multiple positioning devices and displays the integrated information on the display device 19. The display control device 100 may superimpose the information detected by the multiple positioning devices and display the superimposed information on the display device 19. In this case, the display control device 100 may directly acquire the information to be displayed on the display device 19 from the multiple positioning devices. The display control device 100 may superimpose the analysis results by the analysis device 50 and the information detected by the multiple positioning devices and display the superimposed information on the display device 19. In this case, the display control device 100 may acquire the information to be displayed on the display device 19 from the analysis device 50.

[0028] The analysis device 50 and the display control device 100 may be integrated into one device, or may be separately implemented by multiple devices, or some functions may be shared. One or both of the analysis device 50 and the display control device 100 may be implemented by a web server or the like, or may be implemented using cloud computing technology or the like.

[0029] 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic functional configuration of an analysis device 50 according to an embodiment. The analysis device 50 includes a communication device 51, a display device 19, an input device 53, a control device 60, and a storage device 80. The analysis device 50 may be a server device, a device such as a personal computer, or a portable terminal such as a mobile phone terminal, a smartphone, or a tablet terminal.

[0030] The communication device 51 communicates with devices and positioning devices installed in the retail store 10. The communication device 51 may transmit and receive data using any wired or wireless communication technology.

[0031] The display device 19 displays a screen generated by the control device 60. The display device 19 may be a liquid crystal display device, an organic EL display device, or the like. The input device 53 transmits instructions input by a user of the analysis device 50 to the control device 60. The input device 53 may be a mouse, a keyboard, a touchpad, or the like. The display device 19 and the input device 53 may be implemented as a touch panel.

[0032] The storage device 80 stores programs, data, etc. used by the control device 60. The storage device 80 may be a semiconductor memory, a hard disk, etc. The storage device 80 includes a purchaser database 81, a spatial information storage unit 82, and a position information storage unit 83.

[0033] The purchaser database 81 stores information about the purchaser 13. The purchaser database 81 stores attribute information such as the name, age, sex, and address of the purchaser 13, preference information, and purchase history of the product 11 at the retail store 10.

[0034] The space information storage unit 82 stores information about the space within the retail store 10. The space information storage unit 82 stores a map of the display shelves 12 within the retail store 10, the type of positioning device, the installation location, and the like.

[0035] The location information storage unit 83 stores the location information of the purchaser 13 and the product 11 acquired from the positioning device. The location information storage unit 83 stores the history of the location information of the purchaser 13 and the product 11, as well as additional information such as acceleration, temperature, and pressure detected by the positioning device.

[0036] The control device 60 includes a first position acquisition unit 61, a second position acquisition unit 62, an image analysis unit 63, a buyer information acquisition unit 64, a behavior analysis unit 65, a purchasing intention calculation unit 66, a best-selling product analysis unit 67, a reason analysis unit 68, an inventory management unit 69, and an analysis result presentation unit 70.

[0037] Each functional block shown in this embodiment can be realized in hardware terms by elements and mechanical devices such as a computer CPU and memory, and in software terms by a computer program, etc. However, here, it is depicted as a functional block realized by the cooperation of these. Therefore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that these functional blocks can be realized in various ways by combining hardware and software.

[0038] The first position acquisition unit 61 acquires the position of the purchaser 13 in the retail store 10. The first position acquisition unit 61 may directly receive information indicating the position of the purchaser 13 from a positioning device installed in the retail store 10. Alternatively, the first position acquisition unit 61 may acquire information indicating the position of the purchaser 13 from a retail store server (not shown) that is installed in the retail store 10 and aggregates information detected by the positioning device.

[0039] The second position acquisition unit 62 acquires the position of the product 11 in the retail store 10. The second position acquisition unit 62 may directly receive information indicating the position of the product 11 from a positioning device installed in the retail store 10. Alternatively, the second position acquisition unit 62 may acquire information indicating the position of the purchaser 13 from a retail store server (not shown).

[0040] The first position acquisition unit 61 or the second position acquisition unit 62 may acquire information such as acceleration, temperature, and pressure detected by a positioning device in addition to the position information of the purchaser 13 or the product 11.

[0041] The captured image analysis unit 63 analyzes the captured image acquired from the imaging device 20 to acquire the position of the product 11 or the purchaser 13. The captured image analysis unit 63 may detect the purchaser 13 from the captured image using an image of the purchaser 13 acquired from the imaging device 15. The captured image analysis unit 63 may detect the product 11 from the captured image using an image of the product 11 stored in advance in the storage device 80. The captured image analysis unit 63 may identify the position of the purchaser 13 or the product 11 included in the captured image using an image of the display shelf 12 in the retail store 10 stored in advance in the storage device 80.

[0042] The captured image analysis unit 63 may monitor the movements of the purchaser 13, excluding people other than the purchaser 13. People other than the purchaser 13 include, for example, employees of the retail store 10 and traders entering and leaving the retail store 10. The captured image analysis unit 63 may use images of the employees and traders of the retail store 10 stored in advance in the storage device 80 to detect the employees and traders from the captured images and exclude them from the analysis. This can improve the accuracy of the analysis.

[0043] The purchaser information acquisition unit 64 acquires information about the purchaser 13. The purchaser information acquisition unit 64 acquires the identification information of the purchaser 13 from the identification device 16, and refers to the purchaser database 81 to acquire information such as the attributes and purchase history of the purchaser 13. The purchaser information acquisition unit 64 may acquire information about the purchaser 13 from the identification device 16 or the mobile terminal 25.

[0044] The behavior analysis unit 65 analyzes the behavior of the purchaser 13 with respect to the product 11 based on the relationship between the location of the purchaser 13 acquired by the first location acquisition unit 61 and the location of the product 11 acquired by the second location acquisition unit 62. The behavior of the purchaser 13 includes, for example, becoming interested in the product 11, looking at the product 11, touching the product 11, picking up the product 11, considering purchasing the product 11, returning the product 11 to the display shelf 12, taking the product 11 to the register 14, purchasing the product 11, etc.

[0045] The purchasing willingness calculation unit 66 calculates an evaluation value that quantifies the purchasing willingness of the buyer 13 for the product 11 based on the purchasing behavior of the buyer 13 analyzed by the behavior analysis unit 65 by correlating the location of the product 11 with the location of the buyer 13. The purchasing willingness calculation unit 66 increases the evaluation value of the product 11 when the buyer 13 becomes interested in the product 11, considers purchasing the product 11, looks at the product 11, picks it up, or purchases it. The purchasing willingness calculation unit 66 may increase the evaluation value of the product 11 the more times or for how long the buyer 13 looks at or picks up the product 11. The purchasing willingness calculation unit 66 may decrease the evaluation value of the product 11 the longer the buyer 13 does not become interested in, look at, or pick up the product 11. The purchasing willingness calculation unit 66 may calculate the evaluation value of the buyer 13's purchasing willingness for the product 11 based on biometric information of the buyer 13 when the buyer 13 looks at, picks up, or purchases the product 11. For example, if the pulse rate, body temperature, blood pressure, etc. of the purchaser 13 increases when the purchaser 13 looks at, picks up, or purchases the product 11, the evaluation value of the product 11 may be increased.

[0046] The best-selling product analysis unit 67 analyzes best-selling products 11 among the products 11 displayed in the retail store 10 based on the purchasing behavior of the buyers 13 analyzed by the behavior analysis unit 65 and the evaluation value of the purchasing willingness of the products 11 calculated by the purchasing willingness calculation unit 66. The best-selling product analysis unit 67 may determine as best-selling products products that are picked up by the buyers 13 and purchased without being returned to the display shelves 12. The best-selling product analysis unit 67 may determine as best-selling products products that take less time than a predetermined value from when the buyers 13 picked up the product to when the product is moved to the register 14. The best-selling product analysis unit 67 may determine as niche products products that are picked up less frequently by the buyers 13. The best-selling product analysis unit 67 may determine as best-selling products products that are picked up by the buyers 13 and returned to the display shelves 12 more often than not. Analyzing best-selling products makes it possible to improve the purchasing and display positioning of the products 11. Furthermore, by feeding back the analyzed information on best-selling products to the manufacturer of the product 11, it can be utilized in the development and sales strategy of the product 11.

[0047] The reason analysis unit 68 analyzes the reason why the purchaser 13 did not purchase the product 11 based on the purchasing behavior of the purchaser 13 analyzed by the behavior analysis unit 65. The reason analysis unit 68 may analyze the reason why the purchaser 13 did not purchase the product 11 by analyzing the behavior of the purchaser 13 before and after the purchaser 13 looked at or picked up the product 11. For example, if the purchaser 13 returned the product 11 to the display shelf 12 after looking at a tag such as a price tag attached to the product 11, the reason analysis unit 68 may infer that the reason was that the price, material, brand, etc. of the product 11 did not match the preferences of the purchaser 13. If the purchaser 13 returned the product 11 to the display shelf 12 after touching the product 11, the reason analysis unit 68 may infer that the reason was that the feel of the fabric of the product 11 did not match the preferences of the purchaser 13. If the purchaser 13 returns the product 11 to the display shelf 12 after unfolding the folded product 11, the reason analysis unit 68 may infer that the reason is that the design, size, etc. of the product 11 did not suit the preferences of the purchaser 13. By analyzing the reasons why the purchaser 13 did not purchase the product 11, it is possible to improve the procurement and display position of the product 11. In addition, by feeding back the analyzed reasons to the manufacturer of the product 11, it is possible to utilize them in the development and sales strategy of the product 11.

[0048] The analysis by the behavior analysis unit 65, the purchase intention calculation unit 66, the best-selling product analysis unit 67, or the reason analysis unit 68 may be performed in units of attributes of the purchaser 13. For example, the analysis may be performed in units of the gender, age, place of residence, etc. of the purchaser 13. This makes it possible to analyze what kind of purchaser segments are interested in what kind of products, what kind of products they have picked up, etc.

[0049] The inventory management unit 69 manages inventory in the retail store 10. The inventory management unit 69 manages the inventory quantity and display position of the products 11 based on the location information of the products 11 acquired by the second location acquisition unit 62, the purchasing behavior of the purchaser 13 analyzed by the behavior analysis unit 65, and the like. The inventory management unit 69 may automatically order the products 11 whose inventory quantity has decreased after being purchased by the purchaser 13. The inventory management unit 69 may increase or decrease the order quantity of the products 11 or change the display position of the products 11 based on the analysis results of the best-selling product analysis unit 67 or the reason analysis unit 68.

[0050] The analysis result presentation unit 70 displays the analysis results obtained by the behavior analysis unit 65 , the purchase intention calculation unit 66 , the hot selling product analysis unit 67 , or the reason analysis unit 68 on the display device 19 .

[0051] A specific example of the analysis of the purchasing behavior of the purchaser 13 by the behavior analysis unit 65 will be described.

[0052] The behavior analysis unit 65 analyzes the behavior of the purchaser 13 with respect to the product 11 based on the relationship between the location of the purchaser 13 and the location of the product 11. FIGS. 3(a), (b), and (c) show examples of the relationship between the location of the purchaser 13 and the location of the product 11. The behavior analysis unit 65 may determine that the purchaser 13 is interested in the product 11 when the purchaser 13 and the product 11 are in a predetermined positional relationship. For example, as shown in FIG. 3(a), the behavior analysis unit 65 may determine that the purchaser 13 is interested in the product 11 when the purchaser 13 is located within a predetermined range from the product 11 in an aisle facing the display shelf 12 on which the product 11 is displayed. Even if the purchaser 13 is located within a predetermined range from the product 11, as shown in FIG. 3(b), if the purchaser 13 is located in a position that is not in an aisle facing the display shelf 12, the product 11 is not visible to the purchaser 13, and therefore the behavior analysis unit 65 does not need to determine that the purchaser 13 is interested in the product 11. If the line of sight of the purchaser 13 can be obtained from the captured image of the purchaser 13, as shown in Figure 3(c), if the product 11 is within the field of view of the purchaser 13, it may be determined that the purchaser 13 is interested in the product 11. The behavior analysis unit 65 may analyze the purchasing behavior of the purchaser 13 by referring to a map of the retail store 10 stored in the spatial information storage unit 72.

[0053] The behavior analysis unit 65 may analyze the purchasing behavior of the buyer 13 based on changes in the location of the buyer 13 or the product 11 over time. The change in location over time may be, for example, the location of the buyer 13 or the product 11 at a given time, the amount of movement, number of movements, or movement route of the buyer 13 or the product 11, the location, length of stay, or number of stays of the buyer 13, or the time the product 11 is displayed on the display shelf 12. The behavior analysis unit 65 may determine that the greater the amount of movement or number of movements of the product 11, the more likely the buyer 13 is to pick up the product 11. The behavior analysis unit 65 may determine that the longer the product 11 is displayed on the display shelf 12, the less interested the buyer 13 is in the product 11. The behavior analysis unit 65 may determine that the longer the time or number of times the buyer 13 stays near the product 11, the more interested the buyer 13 is in the product 11.

[0054] The behavior analysis unit 65 may analyze the purchasing behavior of the buyer 13 based on the relative distance between the location of the buyer 13 and the location of the product 11. The behavior analysis unit 65 may calculate the distance between the location of the buyer 13 and the location of the product 11, and determine that the buyer 13 is interested in a product 11 that is within a predetermined range from the location of the buyer 13 that the buyer 13 can reach.

[0055] The behavior analysis unit 65 may analyze the purchasing behavior of the buyer 13 based on a change in the relative distance between the position of the buyer 13 and the position of the product 11 between a predetermined time and a time different from the predetermined time. The behavior analysis unit 65 may determine that the buyer 13 picked up the product 11 when the distance between the buyer 13 and the product 11 decreases. The behavior analysis unit 65 may determine that the buyer 13 returned the product 11 to the display shelf 12 when the distance between the buyer 13 and the product 11 increases. The behavior analysis unit 65 may analyze the purchasing behavior of the buyer 13 based on the speed of change in the relative distance between the position of the buyer 13 and the position of the product 11. If the buyer 13 picked up the product 11 quickly, the behavior analysis unit 65 may determine that the buyer 13 had a stronger interest in the product 11. If the buyer 13 returned the product 11 to the display shelf 12 quickly, the behavior analysis unit 65 may determine that the buyer 13 had a lower level of interest in the product 11.

[0056] The behavior analysis unit 65 may analyze the purchasing behavior of the purchaser 13 based on changes in the height of the product 11 detected within a certain range around the purchaser 13. When the height of the product 11 within the reach of the purchaser 13 changes, the behavior analysis unit 65 may determine that the product 11 has been picked up by the purchaser 13.

[0057] The behavior analysis unit 65 may analyze the purchasing behavior of the purchaser 13 based on information indicating that the purchaser 13 has touched or held the product 11. The fact that the purchaser 13 has touched or held the product 11 can be detected, for example, by analyzing an image captured by the imaging device 20. In addition, by providing an acceleration sensor, a contact sensor, a pressure sensor, or the like in the communication tag 21 attached to the product 11, it can be detected that the purchaser 13 has touched or held the product 11.

[0058] 4 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the functional configuration of a display control device 100 according to an embodiment. The display control device 100 includes a communication device 151, a display device 19, an input device 153, a control device 160, and a storage device 180. The display control device 100 may be a server device, a device such as a personal computer, or a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone terminal, a smartphone, or a tablet terminal.

[0059] The communication device 151 communicates with devices such as a positioning device installed in the retail store 10 and the analysis device 50. The communication device 151 may transmit and receive data using any wired or wireless communication technology.

[0060] The input device 153 transmits instructions input by the user of the display control device 100 to the control device 160. The input device 153 may be a mouse, a keyboard, a touchpad, etc. The display device 19 and the input device 153 may be implemented as a touch panel.

[0061] The storage device 180 stores programs, data, etc. used by the control device 160. The storage device 180 may be a semiconductor memory, a hard disk, etc. The storage device 180 includes a purchaser database 181, a space information storage unit 182, and a display information storage unit 183.

[0062] The purchaser database 181 stores information about the purchaser 13. The purchaser database 181 stores attribute information such as the name, age, sex, and address of the purchaser 13, preference information, and purchase history of the product 11 at the retail store 10.

[0063] The space information storage unit 182 stores information about the space within the retail store 10. The space information storage unit 182 stores a map of the display shelves 12 within the retail store 10, the type, installation location, layout, etc. of positioning devices.

[0064] The display information storage unit 183 stores information to be displayed on the display device 19, such as the location information of the purchaser 13 and the product 11 acquired from the positioning device, and the analysis results by the analysis device 50. The display information storage unit 183 stores the history of the location information of the purchaser 13 and the product 11, additional information such as acceleration, temperature, and pressure detected by the positioning device, and the analysis results acquired from the analysis device 50.

[0065] The control device 160 includes a first position acquisition unit 161, a second position acquisition unit 162, an analysis result acquisition unit 163, a spatial information acquisition unit 164, a display position adjustment unit 165, a display range adjustment unit 166, a superimposed display control unit 167, and a display switching unit 168. These functional blocks can also be realized in various ways by combining hardware and software.

[0066] The first position acquisition unit 161 acquires the position of the purchaser 13 in the retail store 10. The first position acquisition unit 161 may directly receive information indicating the position of the purchaser 13 from a positioning device installed in the retail store 10. Alternatively, the first position acquisition unit 161 may acquire information indicating the position of the purchaser 13 from a retail store server (not shown) that is installed in the retail store 10 and aggregates information detected by the positioning device, an analysis device 50, or the like.

[0067] The second position acquisition unit 162 acquires the position of the product 11 in the retail store 10. The second position acquisition unit 62 may directly receive information indicating the position of the product 11 from a positioning device installed in the retail store 10. Alternatively, the second position acquisition unit 62 may acquire information indicating the position of the purchaser 13 from a retail store server or an analysis device 50 (not shown).

[0068] The first position acquisition unit 161 or the second position acquisition unit 162 may acquire information such as acceleration, temperature, and pressure detected by a positioning device in addition to the position information of the purchaser 13 or the product 11.

[0069] The analysis result acquisition unit 163 acquires the analysis results from the analysis device 50 .

[0070] The display information displayed on the display device 19 by the display control device 100 integrates information regarding changes in the location of the customer 13 between a predetermined time and a time other than the predetermined time, and information regarding changes in the location of the product 11 between a predetermined time and a time other than the predetermined time. The display information may also integrate information regarding changes in the relative distance between the location of the customer 13 and the location of the product 11 between a predetermined time and a time other than the predetermined time. More specifically, the display information may be the customer's 13's movement amount, number of movements, movement speed, stay time, or number of stays, or the customer's 13's movement amount, number of movements, movement speed, or time the product 11 is present. The stay time or number of stays may be the time or number of stays the customer 13 spends near the product 11, the time or number of stays the customer 13 spends in the retail store 10, or the stay time or number of stays the customer 13 spends in each area of ​​the retail store 10.

[0071] The display information may further include the state, attributes, or behavior of the purchaser 13. The display information may include, for example, the physical state, mental state, facial expressions, gestures, and purchasing behavior of the purchaser 13 analyzed by the analysis device 50. The display information may be an integration of the coordinates, map, or layout of the retail store 10, information regarding changes in the location of the purchaser 13, and information regarding changes in the location of the product 11. The display information may further include information regarding the space of the retail store 10. The information regarding the space may be, for example, information regarding air conditioning equipment, lighting equipment, sound equipment, entrances and exits, etc. installed in the retail store 10, or information regarding the temperature, humidity, brightness, etc. within the retail store 10.

[0072] The spatial information acquisition unit 164 acquires information about the space within the retail store 10. The spatial information acquisition unit 164 may acquire the spatial information from a retail store server or the analysis device 50 (not shown), or may acquire the spatial information via the input device 153.

[0073] The display position adjustment unit 165 adjusts the display position of each piece of display information, such as information detected by multiple positioning devices, in order to superimpose and display the pieces of display information. The display range adjustment unit 166 adjusts the display range, scale, etc. of each piece of display information, such as information detected by multiple positioning devices, in order to superimpose and display the pieces of display information. The superimposed display control unit 167 superimposes and displays the display information adjusted by the display position adjustment unit 165 and the display range adjustment unit 166 on the display device 19.

[0074] The display switching unit 168 can switch between ON, which displays at least one of the multiple pieces of information superimposed on the display device 19, and OFF, which does not display the information. The display switching unit 168 may simultaneously superimpose changes in all of the obtained information and display them on the display device 19. The display switching unit 168 may display some of the obtained pieces of information and not display the rest. The display switching unit 168 may switch the content and display layout of the display information displayed on the display device 19.

[0075] 5 schematically shows an example of a display screen displayed on the display device 19 by the display control device 100. The superimposed display control unit 167 displays, for example, display information such as information detected by a first positioning device and analysis results obtained by analyzing the information detected by the first positioning device on layer 1, displays display information such as information detected by a second positioning device and analysis results obtained by analyzing the information detected by the second positioning device on layer 2, and displays display information such as information detected by a third positioning device and analysis results obtained by analyzing the information detected by the third positioning device on layer 3. The display switching unit 168 receives an instruction to turn each layer on or off via the input device 153 and switches each layer on or off in response to the instruction.

[0076] 6(a) and 6(b) show examples of a display screen displayed on the display device 19 by the display control device 100. In the example shown in FIG. 6(a), a graph 190 that summarizes the movement of purchasers 13 and products 11 by area is superimposed on a map of the retail store 10. In addition, a graph 191 that summarizes the movement of purchasers 13 and products 11 by month, a graph 192 that shows the gender and age composition of purchasers 13, and a graph 193 that summarizes the ratio of the movement of multiple products 11 included in each product 11 category are displayed. By referring to the display screen shown in FIG. 6(a), an analyst can analyze best-selling products by attributes of purchasers 13, consider the layout of the retail store 10, and consider inventory and purchasing situations.

[0077] In the example shown in Fig. 6(b), a graph 191 that summarizes the movement amounts of purchasers 13 and products 11 by month is displayed enlarged, and a graph 190 that summarizes the movement amounts of purchasers 13 and products 11 by area is displayed in a reduced size. The display switching unit 168 switches the content and display layout of the display information displayed on the display screen in response to instructions from the analyst. This makes it possible to appropriately support the analyst's analysis.

[0078] 7(a) and 7(b) show examples of display screens displayed on the display device 19 by the display control device 100. In the example shown in FIG. 7(a), a movement trajectory 194 of the purchaser 13 is superimposed on a map of the retail store 10. In addition, a user interface 195 is displayed for switching on and off the display of information detected by multiple positioning devices and analysis results. The analyst can switch on and off the display for each positioning device via the user interface 195.

[0079] In the example shown in Fig. 7(b), an analysis result 196 that compiles the movement amount of the purchaser 13 and the product 11 by area and an image 197 captured at a position specified by the analyst are further superimposed on the display screen shown in Fig. 7(a). The analyst can arbitrarily switch between the information detected by multiple positioning devices and the analysis results and display them superimposed, allowing the analyst to analyze this information from multiple angles and gain new insights.

[0080] As an example of the content displayed on the display screen, value-added information such as event information for tastings, discount sales, etc. may be superimposed on the display screen, allowing analysts to perform various analyses related to purchasers and products.

[0081] The above example describes the superimposition of information about changes in a person's location and information about changes in an object's location. However, superimposing information about changes in a person's location with other information about changes in a person's location, or superimposing information about changes in an object's location with information about changes in another object's location, can also provide unprecedented analytical value. For example, superimposing the location information and movement volume of similar products A and B makes it possible to analyze the correlation between product placement and product activation. More specifically, it is possible to analyze whether placing an expensive product next to a cheaper product makes the more expensive product more likely to be selected, or whether placing products in the same price range adjacent to each other increases the amount of movement due to a synergistic effect. Furthermore, superimposing the location information and movement volume of not only products but also equipment and products can be applied to optimizing store layouts. More specifically, it is possible to analyze whether products near a full-length mirror are more likely to be activated, or the difference in movement volume between product A hanging on a clothes rack and product B on a shelf.

[0082] The present invention has been described above based on examples. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and that various design changes and modifications are possible, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present invention.

[0083] While the above-described embodiment illustrates an example of analyzing the purchasing behavior of a purchaser 13 at a retail store 10, the technology of this embodiment can also be used to analyze the packaging work of workers in a warehouse or the work of employees in a factory. For example, in the packing and shipping process of a production line in a product manufacturing factory, information such as the amount of worker movement and product production volume obtained from images captured by an imaging device can be superimposed on information such as the location of products and equipment and the contents of packages obtained from communication tags attached to products and equipment. This makes it possible to manage the production volume and production quality of products and analyze the cause of a decline in production volume or production quality. If the amount of worker movement in the packing and shipping process is increased when the production volume or production quality is declining, it is presumed that the cause is a malfunction of the equipment or facility, etc., and if the amount of worker movement is reduced, it is presumed that the cause is poor physical condition of the worker, etc. Further analysis of information obtained from sensors for detecting the worker's body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, etc., and information such as the worker's work movements captured by an imaging device, etc., allows for a more detailed cause analysis.

[0084] In the above-described embodiment, the various functions provided by the analysis device 50 and the relationships between the various functions are described using exemplary functional blocks. The boundaries of the above-described functional blocks are arbitrarily determined for the convenience of explanation, and boundaries other than the above-described functional blocks may be determined as long as the various functions and the relationships between the various functions are appropriately realized. Furthermore, the various functions provided by the analysis device 50 may be realized by a single server device or by multiple server devices working together. Therefore, the statement that a specific server provides a specific function includes cases where the specific function is realized by a single server device and cases where the specific function is realized by multiple server devices, and does not necessarily mean that the specific function must be realized only by a specific server device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 10...Retail store, 11...Product, 12...Display shelf, 13...Purchaser, 14...Cash register, 15...Imaging device, 16...Identification device, 17...Entrance, 19...Display device, 20...Imaging device, 21...Communication tag, 22...Access point, 23...Locator, 24...GPS device, 25...Mobile terminal, 50...Analysis device, 51...Communication device, 52...Display device, 53...Input device, 60...Control device, 61...First position acquisition unit, 62...Second position acquisition unit, 63...Captured image analysis unit, 64...Purchaser information acquisition unit, 65...Behavior analysis unit, 66...Purchasing intention calculation unit, 67...Best-selling product analysis unit, 68...Reason analysis unit, 69...Inventory Inventory management unit, 70...analysis result presentation unit, 72...spatial information retention unit, 80...storage device, 81...purchaser database, 82...spatial information retention unit, 83...position information retention unit, 100...display control device, 151...communication device, 153...input device, 160...control device, 161...first position acquisition unit, 162...second position acquisition unit, 163...analysis result acquisition unit, 164...spatial information acquisition unit, 165...display position adjustment unit, 166...display range adjustment unit, 167...superimposed display control unit, 168...display switching unit, 180...storage device, 181...purchaser database, 182...spatial information retention unit, 183...display information retention unit.

Claims

1. a first device for detecting a position of a person in a space where an object is present; a second device, different from the first device, for detecting the position of the object; an analysis device for analyzing the human behavior; Equipped with The analysis device When a relative distance from the position of the person acquired from the first device to the position of the object acquired from the second device decreases between a first time point and a second time point, it is determined that the person has picked up the object, and when a relative distance from the position of the person acquired from the first device to the position of the object acquired from the second device increases between the first time point and a second time point, it is determined that the person has put back the object. Analysis system.

2. The analysis system according to claim 1 , wherein the analysis device analyzes the behavior of the person relative to the object further based on a change in the position of the person or the object over time.

3. The analysis system of claim 2, wherein the change in the position of the person or object over time includes the position of the person or object at a specified time, the amount of movement, number of movements, or movement route of the person or object, the location, length of stay, or number of stays of the person, or the time the object is present.

4. The analysis system according to claim 1 , wherein the analysis device analyzes the behavior of the person relative to the object further based on the relative distance between the position of the person and the position of the object.

5. The analysis system of claim 4 , wherein the analysis device analyzes the person's behavior relative to the object further based on changes in the relative distance between the person's position and the object's position at a predetermined time and another time different from the predetermined time.

6. An analysis system described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the analysis device analyzes the purchase behavior of the buyer regarding the product further based on changes in the height of the product detected by the second device within a certain range around the location of the first device.

7. The analysis system described in claim 6, wherein the analysis device calculates an evaluation value that quantifies the buyer's purchasing willingness for a product based on the buyer's purchasing behavior analyzed in association with the first device and the second device.

8. The analysis system described in claim 6 or 7, wherein the analysis device analyzes the buyer's behavior toward the product based further on information indicating that the buyer has touched or held the product, obtained based on the results detected by the first device and the second device.

9. The analysis system according to claim 6 , wherein the second device includes a communication device that communicates with a plurality of communication tags attached to a plurality of products, respectively.

10. The analysis system according to claim 6 , wherein the first device includes an imaging device that captures an image of the purchaser.

11. The analysis system described in claim 10, wherein the analysis device further analyzes the behavior of the buyer regarding the product based on the distance relationship between the buyer's location information obtained from the first device and the product's location information obtained from the second device, based on the image of the buyer captured by the imaging device.

12. 12. The analysis system according to claim 6, wherein the analysis device further acquires information indicating attributes of the purchaser, and analyzes the behavior of the purchaser with respect to the product in units of the purchaser attributes.

13. The analysis system according to any one of claims 6 to 12, wherein the analysis device performs a best-selling analysis of the purchased product, an analysis of the reasons why the product did not sell, or inventory management of the product based on the purchasing behavior of the purchaser.

14. The analysis system according to claim 6 , wherein the analysis device monitors the movement of the purchaser, excluding people other than the purchaser.

15. The analysis system according to claim 1 , wherein the object is a facility.

16. a first position acquisition unit that acquires a position of a person from a first device that detects a position of the person in a space where an object exists; a second position acquisition unit that acquires the position of the object from a second device that detects the position of the object; a behavior analysis unit that determines that the person has picked up the object when the relative distance from the position of the person acquired by the first position acquisition unit to the position of the object acquired by the second position acquisition unit decreases between a first time point and a second time point, and that the person has put the object back when the relative distance from the position of the person acquired from the first device to the position of the object acquired from the second device increases between the first time point and the second time point; An analytical device comprising:

17. Computer, a first position acquisition unit that acquires a position of a person from a first device that detects a position of the person in a space where an object exists; a second position acquisition unit that acquires the position of the object from a second device that detects the position of the object; a behavior analysis unit that determines that the person has picked up the object when the relative distance from the position of the person acquired by the first position acquisition unit to the position of the object acquired by the second position acquisition unit decreases between a first time point and a second time point, and that the person has put the object back when the relative distance from the position of the person acquired from the first device to the position of the object acquired from the second device increases between the first time point and the second time point; Analysis program to function as.

Images