Information processing system, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To reduce a burden on a customer performing an inquiry about an apparatus more.SOLUTION: An information processing system includes: an information processing terminal including a reading part for reading an information code including identification information of an apparatus and connection destination information, and a communication part for performing a connection to the connection destination on the basis of the connection destination information, and transmitting the identification information to the connection destination; and an information processing server including a transfer part for transferring the connection from the information processing terminal to a response destination, and a transmission part for transmitting the identification information received from the information processing terminal to the response destination.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] In recent years, support services for product breakdowns or defects and management services such as product maintenance have been increasingly conducted online.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a monitoring system that, when an abnormality is detected in an automated transaction device, displays a barcode on the automated transaction device indicating the details of the detected abnormality and the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of a web page where inquiries can be confirmed. According to the monitoring system disclosed in Patent Document 1, a customer can confirm the details of the abnormality and make a call to a call center or the like as an inquiry contact by accessing the web page indicated in the barcode using a mobile terminal or the like.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 below discloses a technology that uses a dedicated application to make anonymous calls to a call center from a customer's mobile terminal. The technology disclosed in Patent Document 2 allows a customer to make a call to a call center without transmitting the identification information of the customer's mobile terminal to the call center. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4893049 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-63252 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The technologies disclosed in the above Patent Documents 1 and 2 automate the process of directing customer inquiries about products to a call center, but do not consider automating the communication of information between the call center operator and the customer. Specifically, after starting a call with the call center, the customer needs to communicate the operation, status, and inquiry of the device to the operator. Therefore, the technologies disclosed in the above Patent Documents 1 and 2 make it difficult to reduce the burden on customers who inquire about device failures or malfunctions.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved information processing system, information processing method, and program that can further reduce the burden on customers who make inquiries about equipment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problem, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for detecting a device including device identification information and connection destination information. Attached to the device Information code Take a picture a reading unit for reading the connection destination information; phone The connection is established and the identification information is transmitted to the connection destination. Using tone signals an information processing terminal including a communication unit for transmitting a The phone an information processing server including a transfer unit that transfers a connection to a response destination, and a transmission unit that transmits the identification information received from the information processing terminal to the response destination.

[0009] In addition, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing system comprising: an information processing terminal including a reading unit that images and reads an information code including device identification information and connection destination information; a communication unit that makes a telephone connection to the connection destination based on the connection destination information and transmits the identification information to the connection destination using a tone signal; and an information processing server including a transfer unit that transfers the telephone connection from the information processing terminal to a response destination and a transmission unit that transmits the identification information received from the information processing terminal to the response destination, wherein the communication unit executes a soft pause after making the telephone connection based on a symbol that causes a soft pause to be executed, which is included in the information code, and then transmits the identification information using the tone signal.

[0010] The information processing system may further include an operator terminal having a server linkage unit that generates an inquiry request to obtain fault information, device information, or operation information of the device based on the identification information received from the information processing server, and a display unit that presents the fault information, device information, or operation information of the device to an operator.

[0011] The information code may be a two-dimensional code.

[0012] At the response destination, information about the device corresponding to the received identification information may be acquired.

[0013] The response destination may be an operator terminal operated by an operator.

[0014] The transfer unit transfers the identification information The operator terminal to which the response is to be made may be determined based on the received message.

[0015] The information processing server may acquire operation information of the device corresponding to the identification information, and the forwarding unit may determine the operator terminal to which the response is to be sent based further on the operation information.

[0016] The information processing server phone The communication device may further include an automatic response unit that automatically responds to a connection.

[0017] The automatic response unit phone Information about the query may be obtained from the connection.

[0018] The forwarding unit may determine the response destination based on information related to the inquiry content.

[0019] The device may be a cash transaction machine or a ticket vending machine.

[0020] In addition, in order to solve the above problem, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method executed by a computer, comprising the steps of: acquiring an image of an information code attached to a device, the image including identification information of the device and connection destination information; making a telephone connection to the connection destination based on the connection destination information and transmitting the identification information to the connection destination using a tone signal; transferring the telephone connection at the connection destination to a response destination; and transmitting the identification information received at the connection destination to the response destination.

[0021] In addition, in order to solve the above problem, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program that causes a computer to function as an acquisition unit that acquires an image of an information code attached to a device, which includes identification information of the device and connection destination information; a communication unit that makes a telephone connection to a connection destination based on the connection destination information and transmits the identification information to the connection destination using a tone signal; a transfer unit that transfers the telephone connection at the connection destination to a response destination; and a transmission unit that transmits the identification information received at the connection destination to the response destination.

[0022] In order to solve the above problem, according to another aspect of the present invention, An information processing method to be performed , device identification information, and information code including connection destination information Captured image and a step of acquiring the connection destination information based on the connection destination information. phone The connection is established and the identification information is transmitted to the connection destination. Using tone signals a step of transmitting the phone a step of transferring the connection to a response destination; and a step of transmitting the identification information received at the connection destination to the response destination. and in transmitting the identification information to the connection destination, a soft pause is executed after the telephone connection is initiated based on a symbol for executing a soft pause included in the information code, and then the identification information is transmitted using the tone signal. A method for processing information is provided.

[0023] Furthermore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to another aspect of the present invention, a computer is provided which stores an information code including device identification information and connection destination information. An acquisition unit for acquiring the captured image, to the destination based on the destination information phone The connection is established and the identification information is transmitted to the connection destination. Using tone signals a communication unit that transmits the phone a transfer unit that transfers the connection to a response destination, and a transmission unit that transmits the identification information received at the connection destination to the response destination. In transmitting the identification information to the destination, a soft pause is executed after the telephone connection is initiated based on a symbol for executing a soft pause included in the information code, and then the identification information is transmitted using the tone signal. A program will be provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to further reduce the burden on customers who make inquiries related to devices. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an overview of an information processing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of the information processing system according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] 3 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing an information code and information included in the information code in the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the operation of the information processing system according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the operation of the information processing system according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an overview of an information processing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of the information processing system according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] 3 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing an information code and information included in the information code in the embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functional configurations are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0027] <1. First embodiment> (1.1. Overview) First, an overview of an information processing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an overview of an information processing system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment includes an automatic transaction device 20, a monitoring server 40, an information processing terminal 10, an information processing server 30, and an operator terminal 50.

[0029] The automated teller machine 20 is, for example, a cash transaction machine that provides financial transaction services such as deposits, withdrawals, or balance inquiries to the customer US based on operations by the customer US. The automated teller machine 20 may also be, for example, a ticket vending machine that issues tickets based on operations by the customer US. The automated teller machine 20 is installed in a store BK such as a bank, convenience store, or retail store.

[0030] In the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment, an information code 25 containing identification information unique to each automated transaction apparatus 20 and connection destination information for inquiries related to the automated transaction apparatus 20 is attached to the automated transaction apparatus 20 in a position visible to the customer US. The information code 25 is an image in which data is coded as a one-dimensional or two-dimensional pattern, such as a barcode or a QR code (registered trademark).

[0031] The identification information unique to each automated teller machine 20 is information for identifying the automated teller machine 20. As an example, the identification information may be the identification number of the store BK where the automated teller machine 20 is installed, and the identification number of the automated teller machine 20 in the store BK. As another example, the identification information may be the serial number of the automated teller machine 20.

[0032] The connection destination information for inquiries related to the automated transaction device 20 is information indicating a connection destination to which the customer US connects using the information processing terminal 10 in order to make an inquiry about a failure or malfunction of the automated transaction device 20 or an inquiry related to its operation. The connection destination information may be, for example, the telephone number of a call center of a company that manages the automated transaction device 20.

[0033] The monitoring server 40 stores various types of information about each of the automated transaction devices 20 to be monitored in a device information database 42. The various types of information about the automated transaction devices 20 stored in the device information database 42 include, for example, device information or fault information about the automated transaction devices 20. The monitoring server 40 can acquire various types of information about each of the automated transaction devices 20 by connecting to each of the automated transaction devices 20 via a network N1 such as a WAN (Wide Area Network) line network. The monitoring server 40 also provides the various types of information stored in the device information database 42 upon request. The monitoring server 40 is installed, for example, in a building of a monitoring center that monitors the operating status of the automated transaction devices 20, or in a dedicated data center.

[0034] The information processing terminal 10 includes an imaging device capable of reading the information code 25 and a communication device capable of making a telephone connection to a destination for inquiries. For example, the information processing terminal 10 may be a smartphone, mobile phone, or tablet terminal owned by the customer US. The information processing terminal 10 can make a telephone connection for inquiries to the information processing server 30, which is the destination, via a network N2 such as a telephone line network.

[0035] For example, if a breakdown or malfunction occurs in the automated transaction apparatus 20, the customer US reads the information code 25 attached to the automated transaction apparatus 20 with the information processing terminal 10. The customer US can then make an inquiry about the breakdown or malfunction that has occurred in the automated transaction apparatus 20 by making a telephone connection to the connection number included in the read information code 25.

[0036] The information processing server 30 has various functions for responding to inquiries made by telephone from the customer US. Specifically, the information processing server 30 automatically responds to telephone connections from the customer US and transfers the telephone connection from the customer US to the operator terminal 50 that is the response destination. The information processing server 30 is installed, for example, in a call center building of a company that manages the automated transaction device 20.

[0037] Furthermore, the information processing server 30 receives the identification information of the automated teller machine 20 transmitted from the information processing terminal 10 when a telephone connection is made from the customer US. The identification information received by the information processing server 30 is identification information unique to each automated teller machine 20 and included in the information code 25. The identification information of the automated teller machine 20 is transmitted to the information processing server 30 together with the telephone connection from the information processing terminal 10 that read the information code 25. By transmitting the received identification information of the automated teller machine 20 to the operator terminal 50, the information processing server 30 can convey in advance the information of the automated teller machine 20 being inquired about to the operator OP that responds to the telephone connection from the customer US. Note that the identification information of the automated teller machine 20 may be transmitted from the information processing server 30 to the operator terminal 50 via a communication network (not shown).

[0038] The operator terminal 50 is a terminal operated by an operator OP who responds to a telephone connection from a customer US. The operator OP can start a conversation with the customer US by receiving a telephone connection from the customer US that has been transferred from the information processing server 30 to the operator terminal 50. The operator terminal 50 can also display various information that the operator OP refers to when responding to a telephone connection from the customer US. The operator terminal 50 is installed, for example, in a call center of a company that manages the automated transaction device 20.

[0039] Specifically, the operator terminal 50 transmits the identification information of the automated transaction apparatus 20 received from the information processing server 30 to the monitoring server 40, thereby obtaining various pieces of information about the automated transaction apparatus 20 stored in the equipment information database 42. By checking the various pieces of information about the automated transaction apparatus 20 in advance on the operator terminal 50, the operator OP can save the trouble of asking the customer US for various pieces of information about the automated transaction apparatus 20, and can therefore respond more smoothly to the customer US.

[0040] According to the information processing system 1 of this embodiment, the customer US can connect to the information processing server 30 by telephone and transmit identification information of the automated transaction apparatus 20 by reading the information code 25 attached to the automated transaction apparatus 20 with the information processing terminal 10. This allows the information processing server 30 to transmit the identification information of the automated transaction apparatus 20 to the operator terminal 50 to which the telephone connection from the customer US is forwarded, allowing the operator OP to check various information of the automated transaction apparatus 20 in advance. Therefore, the operator OP can smoothly respond to inquiries without having to ask the customer US for various information about the automated transaction apparatus 20, thereby reducing the burden on the customer US regarding inquiries.

[0041] (1.2. Detailed configuration) Next, a detailed configuration of the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 2, the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment includes an automated transaction device 20, a monitoring server 40, an information processing terminal 10, an information processing server 30, and an operator terminal 50.

[0043] (Automatic transaction device 20) The automated transaction device 20 executes transactions with the customer US based on operations by the customer US. The automated transaction device 20 includes an input unit 21, a display unit 22, a transaction processing unit 23, and a communication unit 24. An information code 25 is attached to the housing of the automated transaction device 20.

[0044] The input unit 21 includes an input device for the customer US to input operations, and may include an input device such as a mouse, a keyboard, a touch panel, a button, a microphone, a switch, or a lever.

[0045] The display unit 22 includes a display device for displaying transaction information of various transactions. The display unit 22 may include a display device such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) display device, a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) device, or a lamp.

[0046] The transaction processing unit 23 processes various transactions executed by the automated transaction device 20. Specifically, the transaction processing unit 23 may process various transactions by executing a program using an arithmetic processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

[0047] The communication unit 24 includes a communication device capable of transmitting data to the monitoring server 40. The communication unit 24 may transmit to the monitoring server 40, for example, fault information relating to a fault that has occurred in the automated transaction device 20, device information relating to the equipment of the automated transaction device 20, or operation information relating to the operation of the automated transaction device 20.

[0048] (Monitoring Server 40) The monitoring server 40 manages various types of information about each of the monitored automated transaction devices 20. The monitoring server 40 includes a communication unit 41, a device information database 42, a control unit 43, and an operator terminal linkage unit 44.

[0049] The communication unit 41 includes a communication device that receives various information notified from the monitored automated teller machine 20. The communication unit 41 may receive, for example, fault information related to a fault that has occurred in the automated teller machine 20, device information related to the equipment of the automated teller machine 20, or operation information related to the operation of the automated teller machine 20.

[0050] The communication unit 41 also includes a communication device capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from the operator terminal 50. The communication unit 41 may receive an inquiry request from the operator terminal 50 and may also transmit a response to the received inquiry request to the operator terminal 50.

[0051] The device information database 42 is a database that stores various pieces of information received from the automated transaction apparatus 20. The device information database 42 is constructed in a storage unit such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) device, and can store various pieces of information received from the automated transaction apparatus 20.

[0052] The control unit 43 controls the device information database 42. Specifically, the control unit 43 controls the storage of various types of information in the device information database 42 or the search for various types of information stored in the device information database 42. The control unit 43 may be configured, for example, by an arithmetic processing unit such as a CPU.

[0053] The operator terminal linking unit 44 generates a response to the inquiry request by processing the inquiry request received from the operator terminal 50. The generated response to the inquiry request is transmitted to the operator terminal 50 via the communication unit 41.

[0054] For example, the inquiry request is a request for an inquiry about information relating to the automated teller machine 20 corresponding to the identification information transmitted from the information processing terminal 10 to the information processing server 30. The inquiry request includes the identification information of the automated teller machine 20 transmitted from the information processing server 30 to the operator terminal 50, as well as the identification information of the automated teller machine 20 transmitted from the information processing server 30 to the operator terminal 50. The operator terminal linkage unit 44 uses the identification information of the automated teller machine 20 included in the inquiry request to obtain fault information, device information, or operation information of the corresponding automated teller machine 20 from the device information database 42. Thereafter, the operator terminal linkage unit 44 generates a response to the inquiry request using the fault information, device information, or operation information of the automated teller machine 20 corresponding to the identification information.

[0055] In the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment, the identification information of the automated teller machine 20 included in the information code 25 is transmitted to the information processing server 30 and the operator terminal 50. Therefore, the operator terminal 50 can receive, from the monitoring server 40, the fault information, device information, or operation information of the automated teller machine 20 to which the information code 25 is attached, using the transmitted identification information of the automated teller machine 20.

[0056] (Information processing terminal 10) The information processing terminal 10 is, for example, a smartphone, a mobile phone, or a tablet terminal owned by the customer US. The information processing terminal 10 includes an input unit 11, a display unit 12, a reading unit 13, and a communication unit 14.

[0057] The input unit 11 includes an input device for the customer US to input operations. The input unit 11 may include, for example, an input device such as a touch panel, a button, or a microphone.

[0058] The display unit 12 includes a display device for displaying application images (not shown), etc. The display unit 12 may include a display device such as a liquid crystal display device or an OLED device, for example.

[0059] The communication unit 14 includes a communication device that makes a call to the information processing server 30. The communication unit 14 may connect to the information processing server 30 by telephone and may also transmit identification information of the automated transaction apparatus 20 to the information processing server 30 by tone signals.

[0060] The reading unit 13 includes a reading device that reads the information code 25 attached to the housing of the automated transaction apparatus 20. The reading unit 13 may acquire information included in the information code 25, for example, by capturing an image of the information code 25 with an imaging device.

[0061] As described above, the information code 25 includes identification information of the automatic transaction device 20 and connection information for inquiries related to the automatic transaction device 20. The information code 25 is an image in which data is coded as a one-dimensional or two-dimensional pattern.

[0062] For example, the information code 25 may be an image in which a two-dimensional pattern is formed in black and white as shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the information code 25 and the information included in the information code 25.

[0063] For example, the information code 25 may be a QR code (registered trademark). The information code 25 may include the telephone number of a call center that serves as a support desk for the automatic transaction device 20, as connection information for inquiries related to the automatic transaction device 20. The information code 25 may also include, as identification information for the automatic transaction device 20, the number of the store BK where the automatic transaction device 20 is installed (i.e., the store number) and the number of the automatic transaction device 20 in the store BK (i.e., the machine number).

[0064] Specifically, the information code 25 may include data in a format in which the telephone number of the call center is written after the identifier "TEL:" indicating the telephone number, and the branch number of the store BK where the automated teller machine 20 is installed and the machine number of the automated teller machine 20 in the store BK are written, separated by a comma symbol, after the telephone number. The comma symbol causes the information processing terminal 10 that reads the information code 25 to execute a soft pause (a two-second pause). The information processing terminal 10 that reads such an information code 25 can automatically call the telephone number of the call center and simultaneously initiate a soft pause, and automatically transmit the branch number and machine number by tone signals after the soft pause. The branch number and machine number transmitted by the tone signals are the branch number of the store BK where the automated teller machine 20 is installed and the machine number of the automated teller machine 20 in the store BK, and are identification information for identifying the automated teller machine 20. As a result, by reading the information code 25, the information processing terminal 10 can automatically connect to the information processing server 30 by telephone and transmit identification information of the automated teller machine 20.

[0065] The information code 25 may include information other than the above. For example, in a telephone connection between the information processing terminal 10 and the information processing server 30, it is possible to transmit numeric string information using tone signals. Therefore, the information processing terminal 10 can transmit various information other than the branch number and machine number to the information processing server 30 as long as the information is a numeric string. Furthermore, even if the identification information of the automated transaction apparatus 20 is expressed in characters such as the alphabet, the information processing terminal 10 can transmit the identification information of the automated transaction apparatus 20 to the information processing server 30 by encoding the information into a numeric string in advance.

[0066] Furthermore, multiple types of information codes 25 may be attached to the housing of the automated transaction apparatus 20. In such a case, each of the information codes 25 may be set so that the information contained therein and the connection destination when read are different from each other. For example, each of the information codes 25 may be attached to a different location on the housing of the automated transaction apparatus 20 according to the attribute of the customer US who reads the information code 25 with the information processing terminal 10 (e.g., general consumer, employee of store BK, maintenance worker, etc.). In this way, the information processing system 1 can assign the connection destination of the information processing terminal 10 according to the attribute of the customer US by assigning the information code 25 corresponding to the customer US to be read with the information processing terminal 10.

[0067] In the above, the information code 25 may be affixed to a location on the housing of the automated teller machine 20 where it can be read only by customers US with certain attributes. For example, if the information code 25 is affixed inside the housing of the automated teller machine 20, which is difficult to open without a key, the attributes of the customers US who can read the information code 25 can be limited to maintenance personnel of the automated teller machine 20. In this way, when multiple types of information codes 25 are affixed corresponding to the attributes of the customers US, the information processing system 1 can reduce the possibility that the customer US will read an information code 25 that does not correspond to their own attributes. Therefore, the information processing system 1 can reduce the number of times the customer US will make a call to a destination that does not correspond to their own attributes.

[0068] (Information processing server 30) The information processing server 30 responds to inquiries from the customer US via telephone connection. The information processing server 30 includes a communication unit 31, an automatic response unit 32, and a transfer unit 33.

[0069] The communication unit 31 includes a communication device capable of making a telephone connection with the information processing terminal 10. The communication unit 31 can receive calls from the information processing terminal 10 and can also receive identification information of the automated transaction apparatus 20 transmitted by tone signals.

[0070] The communication unit 31 also includes a communication device capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from the operator terminal 50. The communication unit 31 may transmit the identification information of the automated transaction device 20 received from the information processing terminal 10 to the operator terminal 50.

[0071] The automatic response unit 32 automatically responds to a call from the information processing terminal 10 by playing a voice guidance. For example, the automatic response unit 32 may play the voice guidance until the telephone connection from the information processing terminal 10 is transferred to the operator terminal 50. Furthermore, the automatic response unit 32 may play a voice guidance for confirming the content of the inquiry, thereby causing the customer US to respond to the content of the inquiry with a tone signal.

[0072] The forwarding unit 33 forwards a telephone connection from the information processing terminal 10 to the operator terminal 50. Specifically, the forwarding unit 33 may set an operator terminal 50 as a response destination to which an inquiry from the information processing terminal 10 is forwarded based on information acquired from the information processing terminal 10, and forward the telephone connection to the set operator terminal 50.

[0073] As an example, the forwarding unit 33 may determine the installation location of the automatic transaction device 20 based on the identification information of the automatic transaction device 20, and set the operator terminal 50 corresponding to the area where the automatic transaction device 20 is installed as the destination to respond to the inquiry.

[0074] As another example, the forwarding unit 33 may set the operator terminal 50 to which the inquiry is to be responded based on the operation information of the automated transaction apparatus 20 corresponding to the received identification information. Specifically, the information processing server 30 includes an acquisition unit (not shown) that acquires the operation information of the automated transaction apparatus 20 from the device information database 42 of the monitoring server 40 via a communication network. The acquisition unit may acquire the operation information of the automated transaction apparatus 20 corresponding to the identification information by transmitting the identification information received from the information processing terminal 10 to the monitoring server 40. In this manner, the forwarding unit 33 can set the operator terminal 50 to which the inquiry is to be responded based on the operation information of the automated transaction apparatus 20 corresponding to the identification information. For example, the forwarding unit 33 may set the operator terminal 50 to which the inquiry is to be responded based on whether the automated transaction apparatus 20 corresponding to the identification information is in operation, experiencing a failure, or is stopped.

[0075] As yet another example, the forwarding unit 33 may set the operator terminal 50 to which the inquiry is to be responded based on the content of the inquiry acquired through the voice guidance by the automatic response unit 32. For example, the forwarding unit 33 may set the operator terminal 50 to which the inquiry is to be responded depending on whether the content of the inquiry is about a fault or malfunction, about an operation, or about something that requires expertise.

[0076] (Operator terminal 50) The operator terminal 50 is operated by an operator OP who responds to inquiries from a customer US via telephone connection. The operator terminal 50 includes an input unit 51, a display unit 52, a communication unit 53, a call unit 54, and a server link unit 55.

[0077] The input unit 51 includes an input device for the operator OP to input information, and may include an input device such as a mouse, a keyboard, a touch panel, a button, a microphone, a switch, or a lever.

[0078] The display unit 52 includes a display device for displaying various information used when responding to an inquiry. The display unit 52 may include a display device such as a CRT display device, a liquid crystal display device, an OLED device, or a lamp. For example, the display unit 52 may display an incoming call pop-up window image indicating that a telephone connection from the information processing terminal 10 has been transferred, a monitoring image of the automated transaction apparatus 20, or an image of a response to an inquiry request (described later).

[0079] The communication unit 53 includes a communication device capable of establishing a telephone connection with the information processing terminal 10. The communication unit 53 can establish a telephone connection with the information processing terminal 10 by a call transferred from the information processing server 30.

[0080] The communication unit 53 also includes a communication device capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from the monitoring server 40. The communication unit 53 may transmit an inquiry request to the monitoring server 40 and receive a response to the inquiry request from the monitoring server 40.

[0081] The server linking unit 55 generates an inquiry request requesting information about the automated transaction apparatus 20 from the monitoring server 40. The generated inquiry request is transmitted to the monitoring server 40 via the communication unit 53.

[0082] For example, the inquiry request is a request to inquire about information relating to the automated teller machine 20 corresponding to the identification information transmitted from the information processing terminal 10 to the information processing server 30. The server linking unit 55 may use the identification information of the automated teller machine 20 received from the information processing server 30 to generate an inquiry request that requests, from the monitoring server 40, fault information, device information, or operation information of the automated teller machine 20 corresponding to the identification information.

[0083] The call unit 54 includes a voice output device and a voice input device for making a call with the information processing terminal 10. The call unit 54 may include, for example, a speaker that outputs the voice of the customer US picked up by the information processing terminal 10, and a microphone that picks up the voice of the operator OP responding to an inquiry from the customer US.

[0084] According to the information processing system 1 of this embodiment, the customer US can connect to the information processing server 30 by telephone and transmit the identification information of the automated transaction apparatus 20 by reading the information code 25 attached to the automated transaction apparatus 20 with the information processing terminal 10. This allows the information processing server 30 to transmit the identification information of the automated transaction apparatus 20 in advance to the operator terminal 50 to which the telephone connection from the customer US is transferred. Therefore, the operator OP can respond to inquiries after checking various information of the automated transaction apparatus 20 in advance, thereby reducing the burden on the customer US.

[0085] Furthermore, according to the information processing system 1, it is not necessary to install a dedicated communication device for inquiries (so-called autophone or handset) in each automated transaction device 20, thereby reducing the installation costs of the automated transaction device 20. Furthermore, it is not necessary to install a communication device that may be touched by an unspecified number of customers US, thereby improving the hygienic environment.

[0086] (1.3. Example of operation) Next, an example of the operation of the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 are sequence diagrams showing an example of the operation of the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0087] 4, first, assume that a failure occurs while a customer US is performing a transaction operation at the automated teller machine 20 (AC). At this time, the automated teller machine 20 in which the failure occurred automatically notifies the monitoring server 40 of failure information relating to the failure (S100). The monitoring server 40, having received the failure information, associates the notified failure information with the automated teller machine 20 and registers it in the device information database 42 (S101).

[0088] After a failure occurs, the customer US reads the information code 25 attached to the housing or the like of the automated transaction apparatus 20 with the information processing terminal 10 in order to inquire about the failure of the automated transaction apparatus 20 (S110). The information code 25 includes telephone number information of the connection destination for the inquiry and identification information (e.g., branch number and machine number) of the automated transaction apparatus 20. As a result, the information processing terminal 10 that reads the information code 25 can make a call to the connection destination telephone number included in the information code 25 and transmit the identification information of the automated transaction apparatus 20 to the connection destination information processing server 30 by a tone signal (S111).

[0089] The information processing server 30, which has received a telephone connection from the information processing terminal 10, first acquires the identification information of the automated transaction apparatus 20 transmitted by a tone signal (S112). Thereafter, the information processing server 30 confirms the content of the inquiry by playing an automatic response using voice guidance (S113). For example, the information processing server 30 may confirm the content of the inquiry with the customer US by playing voice guidance such as "Press 1 for equipment failures, or 2 for operation inquiries."

[0090] Based on the voice guidance, the customer US operates the dial buttons of the information processing terminal 10 to input the content of the inquiry (S115). The content of the input operation to the information processing terminal 10 is notified to the information processing server 30 (S116), and the information processing server 30 acquires the content of the inquiry (S117). As a result, the information processing server 30 can, for example, set an operator OP that will respond to the inquiry depending on the content of the inquiry, and allocate the call received from the customer US to the set operator OP (S118). Thereafter, the information processing server 30 transfers the telephone connection from the customer US to the operator terminal 50 of the set operator OP, and notifies the operator terminal 50 of the identification information of the automated transaction apparatus 20 (S119).

[0091] 5, the operator terminal 50 to which the telephone connection from the customer US has been transferred notifies the operator OP of the incoming call using an incoming call pop-up window image or the like (S120). The incoming call pop-up window image may display, for example, the identification information of the automated transaction device 20 and the content of the inquiry, which were sent from the information processing server 30 simultaneously with the transfer of the telephone connection. The operator OP responds to the incoming call after checking the incoming call pop-up window image including the identification information of the automated transaction device 20 and the content of the inquiry (S121). This allows the operator OP to communicate with the customer US and perform support operations related to the automated transaction device 20 (S122).

[0092] Meanwhile, the operator terminal 50 uses the identification information of the automated teller machine 20 received from the information processing server 30 to send an inquiry request to the monitoring server 40 inquiring about fault information (S130). Having received the inquiry request, the monitoring server 40 searches the device information database 42 to obtain fault information of the automated teller machine 20 corresponding to the identification information (S131). Thereafter, the monitoring server 40 sends the fault information of the automated teller machine 20 to the operator terminal 50 as a response to the inquiry request (S132).

[0093] As a result, the operator terminal 50 can present the fault information of the automated transaction device 20 received from the monitoring server 40 to the operator OP (S133). The operator OP can continue to provide smoother support to the customer US by checking the fault information of the automated transaction device 20 presented to the operator terminal 50 (S134) (S135).

[0094] The order of execution of the series of operations from steps S130 to S135 and the series of operations from steps S120 to S122 is not particularly limited. The series of operations from steps S130 to S135 may be performed before, in parallel with, or after the series of operations from steps S120 to S122.

[0095] According to the above operation, the information processing system 1 can have the operator OP, who has confirmed the fault information, etc. of the automated transaction apparatus 20, respond to the inquiry from the customer US by transmitting the contents of the inquiry, including the identification information of the automated transaction apparatus 20, to the operator OP. Therefore, the information processing system 1 can have the operator OP respond smoothly, thereby reducing the burden on the customer US regarding the inquiry.

[0096] Of the above series of operations, the operations related to information processing (for example, all operations excluding steps S110, S115, S121, S122, S134, and S135) can be realized by executing a corresponding program on a processing unit such as a CPU. Also, a computer-readable recording medium on which the program is recorded can be provided.

[0097] 2. Second embodiment (2.1. Overview) Next, an overview of an information processing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an overview of an information processing system 2 according to this embodiment.

[0098] As shown in Fig. 6, the information processing system 2 according to this embodiment includes a monitored device 60, a monitoring server 40, an information processing terminal 10, and a chatbot device 70. The information processing system 2 according to the second embodiment is a system that responds to inquiries from customers US by automatic responses using the chatbot device 70, instead of the information processing server 30 and the operator terminal 50. The monitoring server 40 and the information processing terminal 10 are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described here.

[0099] The monitored device 60 is a product that requires support when a failure occurs or when maintenance or inspection is required. For example, the monitored device 60 may be office equipment such as a printer or a multifunction peripheral, a home appliance such as a television, a refrigerator, a washing machine, or a vacuum cleaner, or factory equipment such as a boiler or a switchboard. An information code 65 containing identification information of the monitored device 60 and connection information for inquiries related to the monitored device 60 is attached to the housing of the monitored device 60.

[0100] Here, the identification information of the monitored device 60 is unique information for identifying the monitored device 60, such as the serial number of the monitored device 60. The connection destination information for inquiries is information indicating a connection destination where chatting is performed by the chatbot device 70. As an example, the connection destination information for inquiries may be uniform resource locator (URL) information of a webpage such as a bulletin board, microblog, or social networking service (SNS) where text chatting is performed by the chatbot device 70. As another example, the connection destination information for inquiries may be user information of the SNS where chatting is performed by the chatbot device 70. In such a case, the customer US can read the information code 65 using a dedicated application and perform text chatting with the chatbot device 70 as a user of the SNS.

[0101] Furthermore, the monitored device 60 is connected to the monitoring server 40 via a network N1 such as a WAN network. Equipment information or fault information of the monitored device 60 is transmitted as needed to the monitoring server 40 via the network N1 and stored in the equipment information database 42 of the monitoring server 40. The equipment information database 42 of the monitoring server 40 stores identification information of the monitored device 60 and information about the customer US who uses the monitored device 60, in association with each other. The information about the customer US may be obtained, for example, by user registration when purchasing the monitored device 60.

[0102] The information processing terminal 10 can connect to a connection destination where a chat will be conducted by the chatbot device 70 by reading an information code 65 attached to the housing or the like of the monitored device 60. Furthermore, when the information processing terminal 10 connects to the connection destination, the identification information of the monitored device 60 included in the information code 65 is transmitted to the chatbot device 70. This allows the customer US to transmit information about the monitored device 60 to the chatbot device 70 without having to input information about the monitored device 60 that is the subject of an inquiry into the connection destination. Therefore, the chatbot device 70 can reduce the burden on the customer US in response to inquiries about the monitored device 60.

[0103] The chatbot device 70 automatically responds to an inquiry sent from the information processing terminal 10. Specifically, the chatbot device 70 automatically sends a response back to the information processing terminal 10 that has accessed a web page or the like where a chat is to take place. The response by the chatbot device 70 may be generated by a learning model constructed by machine learning.

[0104] According to the information processing system 2 of this embodiment, inquiries related to the monitored device 60 can be responded to using the chatbot device 70 without the intervention of an operator OP, thereby reducing the cost of support work for the monitored device 60.

[0105] (2.2. Detailed Configuration) Next, a detailed configuration of the information processing system 2 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a functional block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of the information processing system 2 according to this embodiment.

[0106] 7, the information processing system 2 according to this embodiment includes a monitored device 60, a monitoring server 40, an information processing terminal 10, and a chatbot device 70. Note that the information processing terminal 10 is substantially the same as that in the first embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0107] (Monitored device 60) The monitored device 60 is a product for which support inquiries are required when a failure occurs or when maintenance or inspection is performed. The monitored device 60 includes a functional unit 63 and a communication unit 64. An information code 65 is attached to the housing of the monitored device 60.

[0108] The functional unit 63 realizes the main functions of the monitored device 60 .

[0109] The communication unit 64 includes a communication device capable of transmitting data to the monitoring server 40. The communication unit 64 may transmit to the monitoring server 40, for example, fault information relating to a fault that has occurred in the monitored device 60, device information relating to the equipment of the monitored device 60, or operation information relating to the operation of the monitored device 60.

[0110] As described above, the information code 65 includes identification information of the monitored device 60 and connection information for inquiries related to the monitored device 60. The information code 65 is an image in which data is coded as a one-dimensional or two-dimensional pattern.

[0111] For example, the information code 65 may be an image in which a two-dimensional pattern is formed in black and white as shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the information code 65 and the information included in the information code 65.

[0112] For example, the information code 65 may be a QR code (registered trademark). The information code 65 may include URL information of a web page for a support desk for the monitored device 60 as connection information for inquiries related to the monitored device 60. The information code 65 may also include the serial number and model name of the monitored device 60 as identification information of the monitored device 60.

[0113] Specifically, the information code 65 may include data in a format in which the URL of the web page where the chatbot device 70 will chat is written after the identifier "URL:" indicating the URL information, and the serial number and model name of the monitored device 60 are written after the URL. In this way, by reading the information code 65, the information processing terminal 10 can automatically connect to the web page where the chatbot device 70 will chat, and can also transmit identification information of the monitored device 60 to the chatbot device 70.

[0114] The information code 65 may include information other than the above. For example, an information code 65 including URL information can transmit numeric strings or character strings as URL parameters to the chatbot device 70. Therefore, by embedding various pieces of information as URL parameters in the information code 65, the information processing terminal 10 can transmit various pieces of information to the chatbot device 70.

[0115] Furthermore, multiple types of information codes 65 may be affixed to the housing of the monitored device 60. In such a case, each information code 65 may be set so that the information contained therein and the connection destination when read are different. For example, each information code 65 may be affixed to a different location on the housing of the monitored device 60 depending on the attribute (e.g., general consumer, employee, or maintenance worker) of the customer US who reads the information code 65 with the information processing terminal 10. In this way, the information processing system 2 can assign the connection destination of the information processing terminal 10 according to the attribute of the customer US by assigning the information code 25 corresponding to the customer US's attribute to be read by the information processing terminal 10.

[0116] In the above, the information code 65 may be affixed to a location on the housing of the monitored device 60 that can be read only by customer USs with certain attributes. For example, if the information code 65 is affixed inside the housing of the monitored device 60, which is difficult to open without a key, the attributes of the customer USs that can read the information code 65 can be limited to the maintenance personnel of the monitored device 60. In this way, when multiple types of information codes 65 are affixed corresponding to the attributes of the customer USs, the information processing system 2 can reduce the possibility that the customer US will read an information code 65 that does not correspond to his or her own attributes. Therefore, the information processing system 2 can reduce the number of times that the customer US makes a call to a destination that does not correspond to his or her own attributes.

[0117] (Monitoring Server 40) The monitoring server 40 manages various types of information about each monitored device 60 that is the monitoring target. The monitoring server 40 includes a communication unit 41, a device information database 42, a control unit 43, and a linking unit 45.

[0118] The communication unit 41 includes a communication device that receives various information notified from the monitored device 60, which is the monitoring target. The communication unit 41 may receive, for example, fault information regarding a fault that has occurred in the monitored device 60, device information regarding the equipment of the monitored device 60, or operation information regarding the operation of the monitored device 60.

[0119] The communication unit 41 also includes a communication device capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from the chatbot device 70. The communication unit 41 may receive an information inquiry from the chatbot device 70 and may also transmit a response to the received information inquiry to the chatbot device 70.

[0120] The device information database 42 is a database that stores various types of information received from the monitored device 60. The device information database 42 is constructed in a storage unit such as an HDD device, and can store various types of information received from the monitored device 60.

[0121] The control unit 43 controls the device information database 42. Specifically, the control unit 43 controls the storage of various types of information in the device information database 42 or the search for various types of information stored in the device information database 42. The control unit 43 may be configured, for example, by an arithmetic processing unit such as a CPU.

[0122] The linking unit 45 generates a response to the inquiry request by processing the inquiry request received from the chatbot device 70. The generated response to the inquiry request is sent to the chatbot device 70 via the communication unit 41.

[0123] For example, the inquiry request is a request for inquiry of various information of the monitored device 60 corresponding to the identification information received from the information processing terminal 10. The collaborating unit 45 uses the identification information of the monitored device 60 included in the inquiry request to acquire fault information, device information, or operation information of the corresponding monitored device 60 from the device information database 42. Thereafter, the collaborating unit 45 generates a response to the inquiry request using the fault information, device information, or operation information of the monitored device 60 corresponding to the identification information.

[0124] (Chatbot device 70) The chatbot device 70 automatically responds to an inquiry sent from the information processing terminal 10. The chatbot device 70 includes a communication unit 71, a display control unit 72, and a chatbot unit 73.

[0125] The communication unit 71 includes a communication device capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from the information processing terminal 10. The communication unit 71 may receive identification information of the monitored device 60 from the information processing terminal 10, and may also transmit and receive chat response information to and from the information processing terminal 10.

[0126] The communication unit 71 also includes a communication device capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from the monitoring server 40. The communication unit 71 may transmit an inquiry request to the monitoring server 40 and receive a response to the inquiry request from the monitoring server 40. For example, the chatbot device 70 may use the identification information of the monitored device 60 received from the information processing terminal 10 to generate an inquiry request that requests the monitoring server 40 for fault information, equipment information, or operation information of the monitored device 60 corresponding to the identification information.

[0127] The chatbot unit 73 generates a response corresponding to the inquiry content input from the information processing terminal 10 to the web page where the chat is performed. For example, the chatbot unit 73 generates a response to text input from the information processing terminal 10 to the web page. As one example, the chatbot unit 73 may extract keywords included in the text of the inquiry content input from the information processing terminal 10 and generate a response corresponding to the extracted keywords. As another example, the chatbot unit 73 may generate a response corresponding to the text of the inquiry content input from the information processing terminal 10 based on a learning model constructed by machine learning.

[0128] The display control unit 72 controls images displayed on the display unit 12 of the information processing terminal 10. For example, the display control unit 72 may cause the display unit 12 to display responses from the customer US and the chatbot unit 73 as images in speech bubbles. Specifically, the display control unit 72 may cause the display unit 12 to display an image in which text input from the information processing terminal 10 is displayed as a speech bubble from one side and text generated by the chatbot unit 73 is displayed as a speech bubble from the other side.

[0129] According to the information processing system 2 of this embodiment, the customer US can connect to a connection destination that automatically responds to questions from the customer US by reading an information code 65 attached to the housing or the like of the monitored device 60 with the information processing terminal 10. Furthermore, the information processing terminal 10 that reads the information code 65 can automatically transmit the identification information of the monitored device 60 to the connection destination. This allows the chatbot device 70 to obtain various information about the monitored device 60 from the monitoring server 40 using the transmitted identification information of the monitored device 60, thereby eliminating the need for the customer US to input various information about the monitored device 60. Therefore, the information processing system 2 of this embodiment can reduce the burden on the customer US in responding to inquiries.

[0130] Furthermore, according to the information processing system 2 of this embodiment, inquiries can be responded to by the chatbot device 70 without the intervention of an operator OP, thereby reducing the cost of support operations for the monitored device 60.

[0131] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to these examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains can conceive of various modifications and alterations within the scope of the technical ideas set forth in the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0132] In the above-described first embodiment, the automated teller machine 20 is exemplified as a device to which the information code 25 is affixed, but the present invention is not limited to such an example. The device to which the information code 25 is affixed may be the monitored device 60 of the second embodiment. Furthermore, in the above-described second embodiment, the monitored device 60 is exemplified as a device to which the information code 65 is affixed, but the present invention is not limited to such an example. The device to which the information code 65 is affixed may be the automated teller machine 20 of the first embodiment.

[0133] In the above-described first embodiment, an example was shown in which information was transmitted to the information processing server 30 by telephone connection and tone signals, but it is also possible to transmit information to the information processing server 30 using text chat as exemplified in the second embodiment. Also, in the above-described second embodiment, an unmanned automatic response by the chatbot device 70 was exemplified, but it is also possible for an operator OP to respond to chats in a human manner via a chat server or the like.

[0134] In the second embodiment described above, the monitored device 60 transmits various pieces of information to the monitoring server 40 via the network N1, but the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, in the case of a monitored device 60 such as some home appliances that are not always connected to the network N1, monitoring via the network N1 is not always performed. In such a case, the chatbot device 70 may obtain various pieces of information from a product management server other than the monitoring server 40 (for example, a server that manages device information including device identification information, user registration information, etc.). [Explanation of symbols]

[0135] 1,2 Information Processing Systems 10 Information processing terminal 13 Reading unit 20 Automatic transaction equipment 25,65 Information Code 30 Information Processing Server 32 Automatic response unit 33 Transfer Unit 40 Monitoring Server 42 Equipment Information Database 44 Operator terminal linkage unit 45 Collaboration Department 50 Operator Terminal 55 Server Linkage Department 60 Monitored equipment 70 Chatbot Device 72 Display control unit 73 Chatbot Club US customer OP Operator

Claims

1. a reading unit that captures and reads an information code attached to the device, the information code including the device's identification information and connection destination information; a communication unit that establishes a telephone connection to the destination based on the destination information and transmits the identification information to the destination using a tone signal; an information processing terminal comprising: a transfer unit that transfers the telephone connection from the information processing terminal to a response destination; a transmitting unit that transmits the identification information received from the information processing terminal to the response destination; an information processing server comprising: An information processing system including:

2. A reading unit that captures and reads an information code including device identification information and connection destination information; a communication unit that establishes a telephone connection to the destination based on the destination information and transmits the identification information to the destination using a tone signal; an information processing terminal comprising: a transfer unit that transfers the telephone connection from the information processing terminal to a response destination; a transmitting unit that transmits the identification information received from the information processing terminal to the response destination; an information processing server comprising: Equipped with The communication unit executes a soft pause after the telephone connection is initiated based on a symbol for executing a soft pause included in the information code, and then transmits the identification information using the tone signal.

3. A server collaboration unit that generates an inquiry request to acquire fault information, device information, or operation information of the device based on the identification information received from the information processing server; a display unit that presents fault information, equipment information, or operation information of the equipment to an operator; an operator terminal comprising: The information processing system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

4. The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the information code is a two-dimensional code.

5. The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the response destination acquires information about the device corresponding to the received identification information.

6. 3. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the response destination is an operator terminal operated by an operator.

7. The information processing system according to claim 6 , wherein the forwarding unit determines the operator terminal as the response destination based on the identification information.

8. the information processing server acquires operation information of the device corresponding to the identification information; The information processing system according to claim 7 , wherein the forwarding unit determines the operator terminal as the response destination further based on the operation information.

9. 3. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the information processing server further comprises an automatic response unit that automatically responds to the telephone connection.

10. The information processing system according to claim 9 , wherein the automatic response unit acquires information relating to the content of the inquiry from the telephone connection.

11. The information processing system according to claim 10 , wherein the forwarding unit determines the response destination based on information related to the inquiry content.

12. 12. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the device is a cash transaction device or an automatic ticket vending machine.

13. 1. A computer-implemented information processing method, comprising: acquiring a captured image of an information code attached to the device, the information code including device identification information and connection destination information; making a telephone connection to the destination based on the destination information and transmitting the identification information to the destination using a tone signal; forwarding the telephone connection at the destination to a response destination; transmitting the identification information received at the connection destination to the response destination; An information processing method, including:

14. Computer, an acquisition unit that acquires a captured image of an information code attached to the device, the information code including device identification information and connection destination information; a communication unit that establishes a telephone connection to the destination based on the destination information and transmits the identification information to the destination using a tone signal; a transfer unit at the destination of the connection that transfers the telephone connection to a destination; a transmitting unit that transmits the identification information received at the connection destination to the response destination; A program that functions as a

15. An information processing method implemented by a computer, comprising: acquiring a captured image of an information code including device identification information and connection destination information; making a telephone connection to the destination based on the destination information and transmitting the identification information to the destination using a tone signal; forwarding the telephone connection at the destination to a response destination; transmitting the identification information received at the connection destination to the response destination; Including, An information processing method in which, in transmitting the identification information to the connection destination, a soft pause is executed after the telephone connection is initiated based on a symbol that causes a soft pause to be executed, which is included in the information code, and then the identification information is transmitted using the tone signal.

16. A computer, an acquisition unit that acquires a captured image of an information code including device identification information and connection destination information; a communication unit that establishes a telephone connection to the destination based on the destination information and transmits the identification information to the destination using a tone signal; a transfer unit at the destination of the connection that transfers the telephone connection to a destination; a transmitting unit that transmits the identification information received at the connection destination to the response destination; It functions as The program, when transmitting the identification information to the destination, executes a soft pause after the telephone connection is initiated based on a symbol for executing a soft pause included in the information code, and then transmits the identification information using the tone signal.

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