Information processing systems and programs

Abstract

To provide an information processing system and a program which can increase the convenience.SOLUTION: The information processing system of an embodiment can automatically order items and includes an acquisition unit and a notification unit. The acquisition unit can acquire information on change related to an item in the sending address of the item. The notification unit issues a notification according to the change when the acquisition unit acquires information related to the change.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to an information processing system and a program.

Background Art

[0002] An article ordering system that automatically orders articles used in electrical products has been proposed. By the way, further improvement in convenience is expected for such an information processing system.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an information processing system and a program capable of improving convenience.<H

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The information processing system according to the embodiment is a system capable of automatically ordering articles, and includes an acquisition unit and a notification unit. The acquisition unit can acquire information regarding changes related to the articles at the order destination of the articles. When the notification unit acquires the information regarding the changes by the acquisition unit, the notification unit performs notification according to the changes. When the acquisition unit acquires information regarding a price increase of the item as information relating to a change in the item, it detects whether the price increase of the item exceeds a threshold. When the acquisition unit acquires information regarding a price increase of the item and detects that the price increase of the item exceeds the threshold, the notification unit notifies the price increase of the item and suggests a similar item as a substitute. When the acquisition unit acquires information regarding a price increase of the item and detects that the price increase of the item is below the threshold, the notification unit does not suggest a substitute and instead notifies the price increase of the item.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006] [Figure 1] A diagram showing the overall configuration of the home appliance related system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] A block diagram showing the functional configuration of the server according to the embodiment. [Figure 3]A diagram showing an example of the contents of the order target database in the embodiment. [Figure 4] A diagram showing an example of the contents of the order history database in the embodiment. [Figure 5] A diagram showing an example of the contents of the corresponding settings database for the embodiment. [Figure 6] A block diagram showing the functional configuration of the terminal device of the embodiment. [Figure 7] A diagram illustrating the first notification of the embodiment. [Figure 8] A diagram illustrating the second notification of the embodiment. [Figure 9] A diagram showing an example screen displaying notification information for the embodiment. [Figure 10] A diagram showing an example screen displaying notification information for the embodiment. [Figure 11] A diagram showing an example screen displaying notification information for the embodiment. [Figure 12] A diagram showing an example screen displaying notification information for the embodiment. [Figure 13] A diagram showing an example screen displaying notification information for the embodiment. [Figure 14] A sequence diagram showing the processing flow in the home appliance-related system of the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] The information processing system and program of the embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, components having the same or similar functions will be denoted by the same reference numerals. Duplication of these components may be omitted. In this application, "based on XX" means "based on at least XX," and may also include cases where XX is based on other elements in addition to XX. Furthermore, "based on XX" is not limited to cases where XX is used directly, but may also include cases where XX has been processed or modified. In this application, "XX or YY" is not limited to cases where either XX or YY is used, but may also include cases where both XX and YY are used. This also applies when there are three or more optional elements. XX and YY are arbitrary elements (e.g., arbitrary information). In this application, "acquisition" is not limited to cases where information is actively acquired by sending a transmission request, but may also include cases where information is acquired by passively receiving information transmitted from another device. In the following description, a database will be referred to as "DB."

[0008] <1. Overall Structure> Figure 1 shows the overall configuration of the home appliance-related system 1 of the embodiment. The home appliance-related system 1 includes, for example, a home appliance 100, a server 200, and a terminal device 300. In this embodiment, the server 200 is an example of an "information processing system". Alternatively, an example of an "information processing system" may be realized by the home appliance 100, or by the home appliance management application APP on the terminal device 300, or by any two or more of the home appliance 100, the server 200, and the home appliance management application APP on the terminal device 300. The network NW described later may be, for example, the Internet, a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, LPWA (Low Power Wide Area), WAN (Wide Area Network), LAN (Local Area Network), or other public lines or dedicated lines, depending on the situation.

[0009] The home appliance 100 is an electrical appliance primarily used in the home. The home appliance 100 is located within the dwelling of user U. The home appliance 100 is connected to the network NW via a wireless router WR and modem M installed within the dwelling of user U. The home appliance 100 can communicate with a server 200 or a terminal device 300 via the network NW.

[0010] Home appliances 100 include, but are not limited to, clothing processing equipment 100A, refrigerators 100B, cooking appliances, rice cookers, air conditioners, heaters, or vacuum cleaners. "Clothing processing equipment" broadly refers to any device that performs some kind of processing on clothing (for example, one or more of the following: washing, drying, wrinkle removal, crease strengthening, deodorization, pollen removal, dust removal, or sterilization). "Clothing processing equipment" includes, for example, washing machines, but also closet-type dry cleaning machines.

[0011] The home appliance 100 has a detection unit 101 which is a camera or sensor. The detection unit 101 is capable of detecting information regarding the amount used or remaining quantity of items associated with the home appliance 100. The information detected by the detection unit 101 is transmitted from the home appliance 100 to the server 200. "Items associated with the home appliance" refers to clothing processing agents used in the clothing processing device 100A and food items stored in the refrigerator 100B. "Clothing processing agents" broadly refers to solvents used for processing clothing, such as detergents, fabric softeners, bleaches, deodorizers, or fragrances. "Food items" is not limited to food but also includes beverages. Furthermore, "food items" is not limited to finished food products but also includes ingredients used in cooking and various seasonings.

[0012] Server 200 is a management server that manages home appliances 100. Server 200 is composed of one or more server devices (such as a cloud server). Server 200 may be referred to as a "server system". Server 200 can communicate with home appliances 100 or terminal device 300 via network NW. Server 200 may include an information processing unit that performs edge computing or fog computing, such as an information processing unit included in a router in network NW. Server 200 is not limited to a cloud server, and may be a computer in user U's residence, or a home router (such as a wireless router WR), etc.

[0013] Terminal device 300 is a terminal device used by user U. Terminal device 300 is, for example, a portable terminal device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal device. However, terminal device 300 is not limited to a portable terminal device, and may be a personal computer or the like. Terminal device 300 has, for example, a display device 301, an input device 302, and a communication unit 303. Display device 301 has a display screen 301a capable of displaying various information. Input device 302 can receive input from user U. Input device 302 is, for example, a touch panel provided overlapping display screen 301a of display device 301. Input device 302 may include a camera, a microphone, etc. provided in terminal device 300. Communication unit 303 is a wireless communication-capable communication module. Communication unit 303 is connected to network NW via wireless router WR and modem M or directly. Communication unit 303 can communicate with home appliances 100 or server 200 via network NW.

[0014] An application program P is installed in terminal device 300, and the functions described below are supported. Application program P is, for example, an application program for managing home appliances 100. In the present embodiment, the application software launched by the execution of application program P is referred to as "home appliance management app APP". Application program P is an example of a "program".

[0015] The external server 800 is an external server from which items can be purchased and is the order destination for items. The external server 800 is, for example, a server that provides an EC (Electronic Commerce) site of a retail store or a web site of a food delivery service. The server 200 can place an order with the external server 800 by communicating with the external server 800. Hereinafter, the web site provided by the external server 800 is referred to as a "sales site". In the present embodiment, the plurality of external servers 800 that each provide a sales site include an external server 800A that provides a sales site A and an external server 800B that provides a sales site B. The server 200 can select one external server 800 from the plurality of external servers 800 and place an order. The external server 800A (or the sales site A) is an example of a "first order destination". The external server 800B (or the sales site B) is an example of a "second order destination".

[0016] <2. Server> Next, the server 200 will be described in detail. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the server 200. The server 200 includes, for example, an information acquisition unit 210, an order target management unit 220, a correspondence setting unit 230, a determination unit 240, a detection unit (acquisition unit) 250, a notification unit 260, an order unit 270, and a storage unit 290.

[0017] The information acquisition unit 210, the order target management unit 220, the corresponding setting unit 230, the determination unit 240, the detection unit 250, the notification unit 260, and the order unit 270 are implemented by one or more hardware processors, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) mounted on the server 200, executing a program. However, some or all of these functional units may be implemented by hardware such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), PLD (Programmable Logic Device), or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or by the cooperation of software and hardware. Also, some or all of the functional units may be provided in the home appliance management application APP of the home appliance 100 or terminal device 300 instead of the server 200. For example, the order target management unit 220 and the corresponding setting unit 230 may be provided in the home appliance management application APP of the terminal device 300.

[0018] <2.1 Information acquisition section> The information acquisition unit 210 acquires information (information indicating the amount used or remaining quantity of the item to be ordered) detected by the detection unit 101 of the home appliance 100 by receiving it from the home appliance 100. The information indicating the amount used or remaining quantity of the item acquired by the information acquisition unit 210 is used by the determination unit 240, which will be described later, to determine the timing of the order.

[0019] <2.2 Order Management Department> The Order Target Management Unit 220 manages the items to be ordered by the Order Unit 270, which will be described later. In this application, "order" is not limited to automatic orders, for example, orders placed without confirmation by User U when the ordering conditions are met, but may also include proposed orders, in which an order is proposed to User U when the ordering conditions are met, and the order is placed after confirmation by User U. In this application, "automatic order" means ordering items specified by User U according to quantity or period. "Order according to quantity" may include ordering when the remaining quantity of an item falls below a threshold, or ordering when the amount of an item used exceeds a threshold. "Order according to period" may include ordering according to a regular date (for example, a predetermined date such as once a week or once a month), or ordering according to the elapsed time since the previous order. The Order Target Management Unit 220 manages the items to be ordered by registering the items to be ordered in the Order Target DB 291 stored in the Storage Unit 290, for example. The order management unit 220 registers the items specified by user U in the order target DB 291 based on user U's operations on the home appliance management application APP of the terminal device 300, which will be described later.

[0020] Figure 3 shows an example of the contents of the Order Target DB291. The Order Target DB291 is a database where items to be ordered are registered. In the Order Target DB291, for example, item ID, product category, brand name, order quantity, primary supplier, and reference price are associated and managed. The item ID is an example of identification information used to identify an item. For each item, if a brand name (product name) is specified, the product category and brand name are registered. On the other hand, if no brand name (product name) is specified, only the product category is registered. The primary supplier is the supplier of the items specified by user U. The reference price may be the price at the time of the previous order, or the average price over a specified period (for example, the period of the past 5 orders).

[0021] Furthermore, the order management unit 220 manages the order history for each item. The order management unit 220 manages the order history, for example, by registering the order details of items that have been ordered in the past in the order history DB 292 stored in the storage unit 290.

[0022] Figure 4 shows an example of the contents of the Order History DB292. The Order History DB292 is a database where past order details are registered. In the Order History DB292, for example, item ID, product category, brand name, order quantity, supplier, purchase price (order price), and purchase date (order date) are associated and managed. By referring to the Order History DB292, it is possible to obtain information showing past orders for the same product category.

[0023] <2.3 Support Settings Section> The response setting unit 230 is a functional unit that receives and sets the user U's intentions regarding what kind of response the notification unit 260 (described later) should take when a change related to an item is detected by the detection unit 250 (described later) (when information regarding a change related to an item is acquired by the acquisition unit). For example, when a price increase of an item is detected, the response setting unit 230 can set the user U's intentions regarding whether or not the notification unit 260 should notify the user of the price increase, or whether or not the notification unit 260 should suggest an alternative product. Also, when a shortage of an item is detected, the response setting unit 230 can set the user U's intentions regarding whether or not the notification unit 260 should notify the user of the shortage, or whether or not the notification unit 260 should suggest an alternative product. Furthermore, when the existence of a new product is detected, the response setting unit 230 can set the user U's intentions regarding whether or not the notification unit 260 should suggest the new product. These responses of the notification unit 260 can be set independently for each item.

[0024] The response setting unit 230 manages the response details of the notification unit 260 by, for example, registering the above response details in the response setting DB 293 stored in the storage unit 290. Based on the user U's operation of the home appliance management application APP on the terminal device 300, the response setting unit 230 registers the response details specified by the user U for each item in the response setting DB 293.

[0025] Figure 5 shows an example of the contents of the correspondence settings DB293. The correspondence settings DB293 is a database in which the above correspondence details are registered for each item. In the order target DB293, for example, the item ID, product category, brand name, and the correspondence details of the notification unit 260 when various changes occur regarding the item are associated and managed.

[0026] <2.4 Judgment part> The determination unit 240 makes a determination regarding the timing of ordering each item subject to ordering. The determination unit 240 may determine the ordering timing based, for example, on the amount of the item used or the remaining amount, or on the number of days elapsed since the last order of the item.

[0027] In this embodiment, the determination unit 240 determines whether or not the pre-processing period has arrived in which the detection unit 250 detects the presence or absence of changes related to the goods (the acquisition unit acquires information regarding changes related to the goods) prior to the ordering unit 270 placing an order. Here, "pre-processing" means processing performed prior to placing an order, and for example, detection by the detection unit 250 described later, or notification by the notification unit 260.

[0028] For example, when the ordering unit 270 determines the ordering time based on the amount of goods used or remaining, it determines that the ordering conditions regarding the amount of goods used or remaining will be met with just one more use of the goods (for example, the amount used exceeds a threshold, or the remaining amount falls below a threshold), and determines that the pre-processing time has arrived. Also, when the determination unit 240 determines the ordering time based on the number of days elapsed since the last order, it determines that the pre-processing time has arrived if it determines that the number of elapsed days will be met with a predetermined number of remaining days (for example, 2 days remaining).

[0029] In addition to the above example, the determination unit 240 may also periodically determine when the pre-processing period has arrived (for example, based on the number of days elapsed since the previous pre-processing period), regardless of the determination of the ordering period. In this case, the determination unit 240 sets the number of days between pre-processing periods to be relatively longer for items with long ordering intervals (items with low ordering frequency), and sets the number of days between pre-processing periods to be relatively shorter for items with short ordering intervals (items with high ordering frequency).

[0030] In a specific example, each item is grouped into several groups (for example, three groups A, B, and C) according to its ordering interval (order frequency). For example, Group A is a collection of items with shorter ordering intervals (more frequently ordered items) compared to Groups B and C. Group B is a collection of items with medium ordering intervals (more frequently ordered items). Group C is a collection of items with longer ordering intervals (less frequently ordered items) compared to Groups A and B. The determination unit 240 then sets different pre-processing intervals for each group to which the item belongs. That is, items belonging to Group A have a short pre-processing interval. As a result, the detection unit 250 and notification unit 260 perform processing at a high frequency. Items belonging to Group B have a medium pre-processing interval. As a result, the detection unit 250 and notification unit 260 perform processing at a medium frequency. Items belonging to Group C have a long pre-processing interval. As a result, the detection unit 250 and the notification unit 260 perform processing at a low frequency.

[0031] <2.5 Detection Unit> The detection unit 250 detects changes related to the item at the supplier of the item when the determination unit 240 determines that the pre-processing period has arrived for each item. Based on the information provided by the external server 800, the detection unit 250 detects changes related to the item at the sales site provided by the external server 800. In this application, "changes related to the item" are not limited to changes in the item itself (e.g., changes in the price or out of stock of the item), but may also include changes in other items similar to the item (e.g., the introduction of a new product).

[0032] The detection unit 250 is an example of an "acquisition unit". The detection unit 250 detecting a change related to an article is an example of "the acquisition unit acquiring information related to a change related to an article". In this application, "acquisition of information related to a change related to an article" may mean that, in addition to the detection unit 250 detecting a change related to an article based on information provided by the external server 800 (i.e., acquiring information related to the change by detecting it itself), information related to a change related to an article (e.g., information that directly indicates the change) is transmitted by the external server 800, and information related to the change related to an article is acquired by receiving such information from the external server 800. For this reason, "detecting XX" in the following description may be read as "acquisition of information related to XX (e.g., information that indicates XX)". "XX" is any element.

[0033] In this application, "acquiring information relating to a change" can refer to both cases: actively seeking out such information (for example, by sending a transmission request to an external server 800) and passively receiving information transmitted actively by another device (for example, an external server 800). Furthermore, in this application, "information relating to a change" is not limited to information that directly indicates a change, but may also include information that, while not indicating a change related to an article on its own, becomes apparent when combined with other information (for example, when compared with previously acquired information).

[0034] (Detection of price changes in goods) In this embodiment, the detection unit 250 detects price changes (price increases or decreases) of an item as one of the changes related to the item. The detection unit 250 can distinguish and detect small price increases of an item that are below a predetermined threshold (e.g., price increases of 5% or less) and large price increases that exceed the threshold (e.g., price increases exceeding 5%). The threshold can be set for each item by a numerical value specified by the user U based on the user U's operation of the home appliance management application APP on the terminal device 300.

[0035] In this embodiment, when a price increase of an item (for example, the large price increase mentioned above) is detected, the detection unit 250 detects the presence of one or more similar items that are similar to the item in question as possible alternatives. Similar items may include items of the same brand (same manufacturer) but at a lower price, or items of a different brand (different manufacturer) but with the same characteristics. The detection of similar items is not limited to the same supplier as the item in question, but may be performed at a different supplier.

[0036] (Detection of missing items) In this embodiment, the detection unit 250 detects the shortage of an item as another type of change related to the item. Furthermore, if a shortage is detected, the detection unit 250 detects the presence of one or more similar items that could be offered as alternatives. Similar items may include items of the same brand (same manufacturer) but at a lower or higher price, or items of a different brand (different manufacturer) but with the same characteristics. The detection of similar items is not limited to the same supplier as the item; it may be performed at a different supplier.

[0037] (Detection of new products) In this embodiment, the detection unit 250 detects the existence of a new product similar to the article as another change related to the article. The new product is, for example, a new product of the same brand as the article previously ordered. The new product is, for example, a product sold as a successor to the article previously ordered.

[0038] (This applies to price changes, stock shortages, and new products.) If the detection unit 250 detects a change related to an item at sales site A (a sales site provided by external server 800A), which is registered as the primary ordering site for the item, among the multiple sales sites provided by the multiple external servers 800, it will detect whether a similar change related to the item has occurred at the remaining sales sites (for example, sales site B, which is different from sales site A). For example, if the detection unit 250 detects a price increase for an item at sales site A, it will detect whether a price increase for the item has occurred at sales site B. Similarly, if the detection unit 250 detects a shortage of an item at sales site A, it will detect whether a shortage of the item has occurred at sales site B.

[0039] Furthermore, if the detection unit 250 detects a change related to an item at sales site A, and then detects a change related to an item at the remaining sales sites among multiple sales sites, it may perform detection only on a subset of sales sites selected based on predetermined conditions, instead of performing detection on all remaining sales sites. The predetermined conditions include low prices for items, high point redemption rates (above a predetermined standard), or the ability to accumulate points common to sales site A. The predetermined conditions can be set for each item based on user U's operation of the home appliance management application APP on the terminal device 300. In addition to / instead of setting the predetermined conditions in advance, the notification unit 260 may, when notification information is displayed on the display screen 301a of the display device 301 of the terminal device 300, guide user U to input selection conditions via pop-up notification or the like, and select sales sites to display based on the input.

[0040] (How to handle situations where there are multiple suppliers) In this embodiment, the detection unit 250 detects the price of each item at each of the multiple sales sites. In this embodiment, even if the price of an item remains unchanged at sales site A, which is registered as the primary supplier, the detection unit 250 detects the price of the item at the remaining sales sites. In other words, even if the price of an item remains unchanged at sales site A, which is the primary supplier, the detection unit 250 detects whether or not the price of the item has decreased at the remaining sales sites.

[0041] (Other detections) In addition to the above, the detection unit 250 may also detect changes related to goods, such as whether or not there are delays in the delivery of goods, or changes in best-selling products.

[0042] <2.5 Hochi Department> The notification unit 260 issues a notification corresponding to the change when the detection unit 250 detects a change related to the item. This will be explained in detail below.

[0043] (Notification based on changes in the price of goods) For example, the notification unit 260 notifies the customer of a price change if the detection unit 250 detects a price change in the goods. Specifically, the notification unit 260 notifies the customer of a price increase if the detection unit 250 detects a price increase in the goods. On the other hand, the notification unit 260 notifies the customer of a price decrease if the detection unit 250 detects a price decrease in the goods.

[0044] In this embodiment, when the notification unit 260 notifies of an increase in the price of an item and certain conditions are met, it proposes a similar item as a substitute. "The predetermined conditions are met" means, for example, when it is determined that the price increase of the item is a large price increase (a price increase exceeding a predetermined threshold). That is, if the price increase of the item is a small price increase, the notification unit 260 only notifies the customer of the price increase. On the other hand, if the price increase of the item is a large price increase, the notification unit 260 notifies the customer of the price increase and also proposes a substitute.

[0045] For example, when the notification unit 260 proposes a substitute product in response to an increase in the price of an item, it proposes at least one of the substitute products as an item whose price is closer to the price of the item before the price increase than the price after the price increase (hereinafter referred to as a "low-priced item" for convenience of explanation). Alternatively / in addition, when the notification unit 260 proposes a substitute product in response to an increase in the price of an item, it proposes at least one of the substitute products as an item whose price is closer to the price of the item after the price increase than the price before the price increase (hereinafter referred to as a "high-priced item" for convenience of explanation). A high-priced item is, for example, an item that can be purchased at a price similar to that of the item after the price increase and has higher functionality than the above-mentioned item. In this embodiment, when proposing a substitute product in response to an increase in the price of an item, both the low-priced item and the high-priced item are proposed as substitute products.

[0046] (Notification in response to shortages of goods) For example, if the detection unit 250 detects that an item is missing, the notification unit 260 will notify the system of the missing item. In this embodiment, when the notification unit 260 notifies the system of an item being missing, it will suggest a similar item as a replacement.

[0047] (Notification regarding new products) The notification unit 260 notifies the existence of a new product similar to the item detected by the detection unit 250. In this embodiment, when the notification unit 260 notifies the existence of a new product, it suggests the new product as a replacement.

[0048] (This applies to price changes, stock shortages, and new products.) The notification unit 260 notifies whether there are any changes related to goods at the remaining sales site (for example, sales site B, which is different from sales site A) if a change related to goods is detected at sales site A (a sales site provided by external server 800A), which is registered as the main ordering site for goods, among the multiple sales sites provided by multiple external servers 800, and if the detection unit 250 detects whether there are any similar changes related to goods at the remaining sales site. For example, if the notification unit 260 detects a price increase for goods at sales site A, it will notify whether there is a price increase for goods at sales site B as well. Similarly, if the detection unit 250 detects a shortage of goods at sales site A, it will notify whether there is a shortage of goods at sales site B as well.

[0049] In this embodiment, when the detection unit 250 detects a change related to an item, the notification unit 260 generates notification information indicating the notification content described above. The notification unit 260 then transmits the notification information to the terminal device 300, causing the notification content described above to be displayed on the display screen 301a of the display device 301 of the terminal device 300. This content will be described in detail later.

[0050] <2.6 Ordering Department> The ordering unit 270 places an order for each item (for example, an automatic order or a suggested order) if the determination unit 240 determines that it is time to place an order for that item. For example, the ordering unit 270 places an order for an item by sending an order request to the external server 800, which includes the name of the item to be ordered, the order quantity, and the delivery address.

[0051] (Special arrangements when the item is food) When the ordering unit 270 detects a price increase for a certain food product at sales site A among multiple sales sites, and there is a sales site B among the multiple sales sites where the food product can be ordered at a lower price than sales site A, the ordering unit 270 places an order for the food product at sales site B while suppressing the notification of the price increase by the notification unit 260 (for example, by not providing notification of the price increase by the notification unit 260).

[0052] (How to handle situations where there are multiple suppliers) In this embodiment, if the detection unit 250 detects a sales site B where goods can be ordered at a lower price than the previous ordering site A, the notification unit 260 will notify the existence of sales site B and suggest ordering goods from sales site B.

[0053] <2.7 Storage section> The memory unit 290 is a storage device that stores various types of information. The memory unit 290 is implemented by a combination of, for example, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, HDD (Hard Disk Drive), or SSD. The memory unit 290 stores, for example, the order target DB 291, the order history DB 292, and the corresponding setting DB 293.

[0054] <3. Terminal Devices> Next, we will describe the terminal device 300. Figure 6 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the terminal device 300. The terminal device 300 includes, for example, an information acquisition unit 310, a display control unit 320, an operation reception unit 330, and a storage unit 390.

[0055] The information acquisition unit 310, the display control unit 320, and the operation reception unit 330 are realized by one or more hardware processors, such as a CPU mounted on the terminal device 300, executing the application program P. In other words, the information acquisition unit 310, the display control unit 320, and the operation reception unit 330 are software functions included in the home appliance management application APP.

[0056] (Information acquisition department) The information acquisition unit 310 acquires various types of information from the server 200 or terminal device 300. For example, the information acquisition unit 310 acquires notification information generated by the notification unit 260 of the server 200 by receiving it from the server 200.

[0057] (Display Control Unit) The display control unit 320 controls the content displayed on the display screen 301a of the display device 301 of the terminal device 300 by controlling the display device 301 of the display device 301. For example, the display control unit 320 displays information acquired by the information acquisition unit 310. In this embodiment, the display control unit 320 displays notification information acquired by the information acquisition unit 310 on the display screen 301a.

[0058] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the first notification N1. In this embodiment, when the terminal device 300 obtains notification information from the server 200 while the home appliance management application APP is not running, it displays the first notification N1, which is a push message, on the home screen of the terminal device 300. The first notification N1 is, for example, a notification that provides an overview of the notification content.

[0059] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the second notification N2. In this embodiment, when the terminal device 300 obtains notification information from the server 200 while the home appliance management application APP is running, it displays the second notification N2, which is a pop-up message, on the screen of the home appliance management application APP on the terminal device 300. The second notification N2 is, for example, a notification that provides an overview of the notification content. Note that the notification information is not limited to push messages or pop-up notifications, and may also be notified by email or other means.

[0060] In this embodiment, the notification unit 260 may display different notification modes on the display device 301 of the terminal device 300 depending on the magnitude of the price fluctuation of the goods. For example, if a small price increase (e.g., a price increase of 5% or less) is detected, the notification unit 260 will display the notification information in a first mode. The first mode is, for example, not to display the first notification N1 or second notification N2 (push message or pop-up notification) described above, but to display a notification indicating the price increase in the notification display area of ​​the home appliance management app. On the other hand, if a large price increase (e.g., a price increase exceeding 5%) is detected, the notification unit 260 will display a second mode that is more easily seen by the user U than the first mode. The second mode is, for example, to display the first notification N1 or second notification N2, and also to display a notification indicating the price increase in the notification display area of ​​the home appliance management app.

[0061] (Operation reception desk) The operation reception unit 330 can receive operations from user U performed on the input device 302 in relation to the home appliance management application APP. For example, the operation reception unit 330 can receive operations from user U to specify the item to be ordered. The operation reception unit 330 can also receive operations from user U to specify the response setting set by the response setting unit 230. In other words, the operation reception unit 330 can receive operations from user U to set what kind of response is desired from the ordering unit 270 or the notification unit 260 when a change related to an item is detected.

[0062] (Storage part) The memory unit 390 is a storage device that stores various types of information. The memory unit 390 can be implemented, for example, by a combination of RAM, ROM, EEPROM, or SSD. The memory unit 390 stores, for example, an application program P.

[0063] <4. Example Display> Next, an example of the display of notification information will be described. The notification information described below is generated by the notification unit 260, for example, and displayed by the display control unit 320.

[0064] Figure 9 shows screen D1 when a price increase for an item is detected. Screen D1 includes a display C1 that notifies the user of a change related to the item (e.g., a price increase) and a display C2 that suggests one or more items that could be used as substitutes. Display C2, for example, when suggesting substitutes in response to a price increase, includes a display C2a that suggests the lower-priced item and a display C2b that suggests the higher-priced item. Screen D1 also includes an operation unit B1 for displaying the order history and an operation unit B2 for canceling the order for the originally planned item and switching to an order for a substitute item.

[0065] Figure 10 shows screen D2, which is displayed when the operation unit B1 for displaying the order history is operated on screen D1. On screen D2, display C3 is shown, which includes a list of past order histories for the same product category as the item that was originally planned to be ordered. Display C3 includes an operation unit B3 for canceling the order for the originally planned item and switching to ordering an item included in the past order history.

[0066] Figure 11 shows screen D3, which is displayed when operation unit B2 is operated on screen D1, or when operation unit B3 is operated on screen D3. Screen D3 is for canceling the order for the originally planned item and switching to an order for a different item. Screen D3 includes operation unit B4 (e.g., checkboxes) for selecting whether the alternative order to be switched to after canceling the originally planned order is a temporary order (e.g., a one-time order) or an order that will be used continuously in the future, and operation unit B5 for confirming the order.

[0067] Figure 12 shows screen D4 when an item shortage is detected. Screen D4 includes a display C4 that indicates the item shortage and a display C5 that suggests one or more alternative items. Screen D4 also includes an operation unit B1 for displaying the order history and an operation unit B2 for canceling the originally planned order for the item and switching to ordering an alternative item.

[0068] Figure 13 shows screen D5 when a new product is detected. Screen D5 includes a display C6 that indicates the existence of a new product and a display C7 that shows details of the item currently in use for comparison with the new product. Screen D5 also includes an operation unit B6 for canceling the order of the item currently in use and switching to ordering the new product, and an operation unit B1 for displaying the order history. When operation unit B6 is operated, the same screen as screen D3, which was explained with reference to Figure 11, is displayed.

[0069] <5. Processing Flow> Next, we will explain the processing flow in the home appliance-related system 1. Figure 14 is a sequence diagram showing the processing flow in the home appliance system 1. First, the determination unit 240 determines whether or not the pre-processing period has arrived based on the information detected by the detection unit 101 of the home appliance 100, or the number of days elapsed since the previous order date (S101). If the determination unit 240 determines that the pre-processing period has not yet arrived (S101: NO), it returns to before S101 and repeats the process. On the other hand, if the determination unit 240 determines that the pre-processing period has arrived (S101: YES), it outputs a pre-processing period arrival signal to the detection unit 250 to indicate that the pre-processing period has arrived.

[0070] When a pre-processing timing detection signal is input, the detection unit 250 determines whether there are any changes related to the goods at multiple sales sites, including sales site A which is registered as the main ordering site for the goods (S102). If the detection unit 250 determines that there are no changes related to the goods at any of the sales sites (S102: NO), it sends a signal to the ordering unit 270 indicating that there are no changes. In this case, the ordering unit 270 places an order for the goods at sales site A (S103). In this case, the series of flows is completed.

[0071] On the other hand, if the detection unit 250 determines that there is a change related to an item at sales site A (or another sales site) (S102: YES), it transmits information indicating the nature of the change to the notification unit 260. In this case, the notification unit 260 generates notification information indicating a notification corresponding to the change based on the information indicating the nature of the change input from the detection unit 250, and transmits the generated notification information to the terminal device 300 (S104). In this case, the notification information is displayed on the display screen 301a of the display device 301 by the display control unit 320 of the terminal device 300, thereby notifying the user U that there is a change related to an item (S105).

[0072] Next, user U, if necessary, performs an operation to input a change of supplier or a change to a substitute product to the operation reception unit 330 of the terminal device 300. In this case, the operation reception unit 330 accepts the operation by user U (S106). Information indicating the content of the operation by user U accepted by the operation reception unit 330 is transmitted from the operation reception unit 330 of the terminal device 300 to the server 200 (S107). The ordering unit 270 of the server 200 places an order for the goods or substitute product based on the information received from the terminal device 300 (S108). This completes the series of steps.

[0073] <6. Advantages> As a comparative example, consider an ordering system that automatically places orders without any special detection or notification. In such an automated ordering system, for example, orders are placed and goods are delivered to the customer's home even if the price of the goods changes.

[0074] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the server 200 includes an acquisition unit (e.g., a detection unit 250) that acquires information regarding changes related to goods at the supplier of the goods, and a notification unit 260 that provides notification in accordance with the changes when information regarding changes is acquired by the acquisition unit. With this configuration, when there are changes related to goods, user U can decide whether to continue automatic ordering or to postpone automatic ordering, taking that into consideration. This allows user U to make better choices. This improves the convenience of user U.

[0075] In this embodiment, the acquisition unit can acquire information regarding price increases of goods as information related to changes in goods. When the acquisition unit acquires information regarding price increases of goods, the notification unit 260 notifies the user of the price increase. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent orders from being placed at prices unintended by the user U. This further enhances the convenience of the user U.

[0076] In this embodiment, when the notification unit 260 notifies of an increase in the price of an item and certain conditions are met, it suggests a similar item as a substitute. With this configuration, user U can easily learn of other options when there is an increase in the price of an item. This further enhances the convenience of user U.

[0077] In this embodiment, the notification unit 260 proposes an alternative product whose price is closer to the price of the original product than the price of the product after the price increase. With this configuration, user U, who wants to minimize the impact of the price increase, can order a lower-priced alternative product. This further enhances the convenience of user U.

[0078] In this embodiment, the notification unit 260 proposes an alternative product whose price is closer to the price of the product before the price increase than the price after the price increase. With this configuration, if a more functional product exists in the same price range as the product after the price increase, the user can easily find out about such a product. This further enhances the convenience of the user U.

[0079] In this embodiment, the acquisition unit can acquire information regarding the shortage of an item as information relating to changes in the item. When the acquisition unit acquires information regarding the shortage of an item, the notification unit 260 notifies the user of the shortage. With this configuration, the user U can easily find out about the shortage of an item. This further enhances the convenience of the user U.

[0080] In this embodiment, when the notification unit 260 notifies that an item is out of stock, it suggests a similar item as a substitute. With this configuration, user U can easily learn of other options when an item is out of stock. This further enhances the convenience of user U.

[0081] In this embodiment, the acquisition unit can acquire information about new products similar to the article as information related to changes in the article. When the acquisition unit acquires information about new products, the notification unit 260 notifies the user of the existence of the new products. With this configuration, the user U can easily learn of the existence of new products. This further enhances the convenience of the user U.

[0082] In this embodiment, when the notification unit 260 notifies the user of the existence of a new product, it proposes the new product as a replacement. With this configuration, user U can easily consider ordering the new product as a replacement. This further enhances the convenience of user U.

[0083] In this embodiment, if there are multiple suppliers from which goods can be ordered, the notification unit 260, when it detects a change in goods at the first supplier among the multiple suppliers, notifies not only of the change in goods at the first supplier, but also of the status of goods at the second supplier included in the multiple suppliers. With this configuration, user U can easily find out whether the change detected at the first supplier is unique to that supplier or whether a similar trend exists at multiple suppliers. This further enhances the convenience for user U.

[0084] In this embodiment, when the goods are food products, if the ordering unit 270 detects a price increase at the first supplier among multiple suppliers, and there is a second supplier among the multiple suppliers that can order the goods at a lower price than the first supplier, the notification unit 260 suppresses the notification of the price increase and places an order with the second supplier. With this configuration, for goods whose prices fluctuate greatly, such as food products, it is possible to place an order with a different supplier while suppressing the burden on the user U by having to confirm with the user U each time. This further enhances the convenience of the user U.

[0085] In this embodiment, the corresponding setting unit 230 can set the user U's preference regarding whether or not they wish to be notified by the notification unit 260 of alternative products when an item is out of stock. With this configuration, it is possible to suppress notifications regarding out-of-stock items for user U who has no plans to purchase any other items. This further enhances the convenience of user U.

[0086] In this embodiment, the response setting unit 230 can set the user U's intentions regarding what kind of response the ordering unit 270 or notification unit 260 should take when a change in goods is detected. With this configuration, unnecessary notifications to the user U can be suppressed, and necessary orders can be continued. This further enhances the convenience of the user U.

[0087] In this embodiment, the acquisition unit can acquire information regarding price reductions of goods as information related to changes in goods. When the acquisition unit acquires information regarding price reductions of goods, the notification unit 260 notifies the user of the price reduction. With this configuration, the user U can easily learn about price reductions of goods. This further enhances the convenience of the user U.

[0088] In this embodiment, the acquisition unit acquires information regarding the price of goods from each of the multiple suppliers. The notification unit 260 notifies the user of the existence of a second supplier if the acquisition unit acquires information about a second supplier from which goods can be ordered at a lower price than the first supplier from the previous order. With this configuration, user U can easily find out about the existence of a supplier from which goods can be ordered at a lower price. This further enhances the convenience of user U.

[0089] One embodiment has been described above. However, the embodiment is not limited to the example above. For example, in the embodiment described above, it is determined whether or not the pre-processing period has arrived a little earlier than the scheduled order date, and if it is determined that the pre-processing period has arrived, the detection unit 250 and the notification unit 260 perform their operations. However, the timing of the operations of the detection unit 250 and the notification unit 260 is not limited to the example above. For example, the operations of the detection unit 250 and the notification unit 260 may be performed immediately before the order is placed by the order unit 270 when it is determined that the order period has arrived.

[0090] According to at least one embodiment described above, the information processing system includes an acquisition unit that acquires information relating to changes in goods at the supplier of goods, and a notification unit that, when information relating to changes is acquired by the acquisition unit, provides notification in accordance with the changes. Such a configuration can improve convenience.

[0091] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be carried out in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 1...Home appliance-related systems, 100...Home appliance equipment, 101...Detection unit, 200...Server, 250...Detection unit (acquisition unit), 260...Notification unit, 270...Ordering unit, 300...Terminal device, 320...Display control unit, 330...Operation reception unit.

Claims

1. A system that enables automatic ordering of goods, An acquisition unit capable of acquiring information regarding changes related to the said goods at the supplier of the said goods, When the acquisition unit acquires information regarding the change, the notification unit provides notification in accordance with the change. Equipped with, When the acquisition unit acquires information regarding a price increase of the article as information relating to a change in the article, it detects whether the price increase of the article exceeds a threshold. The aforementioned notification department, If the acquisition unit acquires information regarding a price increase of the item, and it is detected that the price increase of the item exceeds the threshold, the price increase of the item will be notified, and a similar item similar to the item will be suggested as a substitute. If the acquisition unit acquires information regarding a price increase of the item, and it is detected that the price increase of the item is below the threshold, the unit will not suggest a substitute product and will instead notify the user of the price increase of the item. Information processing system.

2. The notification unit proposes, as a substitute, an item whose price is closer to the price of the item before the price increase than the price after the price increase. The information processing system according to claim 1.

3. The notification unit proposes, as a substitute, an item whose price is closer to the price of the item after the price increase than the price before the price increase. The information processing system according to claim 1.

4. The acquisition unit is capable of acquiring information relating to changes in the article, including information regarding the shortage of the article. The notification unit shall, when information regarding the shortage of the item is obtained by the acquisition unit, notify that the item is out of stock. The information processing system according to claim 1.

5. When the notification unit notifies that the item is out of stock, it proposes a similar item as a substitute. The information processing system according to claim 4.

6. The acquisition unit is capable of acquiring information relating to changes in the article, including information relating to new products similar to the article. The notification unit shall, when information regarding the new product is acquired by the acquisition unit, notify the existence of the new product. The information processing system according to claim 1.

7. When the notification unit notifies of the existence of the new product, it proposes the new product as a substitute. The information processing system according to claim 6.

8. If there are multiple suppliers from whom the aforementioned goods can be ordered, When the notification unit obtains information regarding changes related to the goods at the first of the multiple suppliers, it notifies not only of the changes related to the goods at the first supplier, but also of whether or not there are any changes related to the goods at the second supplier included in the multiple suppliers. The information processing system according to claim 1.

9. If there are multiple suppliers from whom the aforementioned goods can be ordered, and the goods are food products, and information regarding a price increase for the goods is obtained from the first supplier among the multiple suppliers, and there is a second supplier among the multiple suppliers from whom the goods can be ordered at a lower price than the first supplier, the system further includes an ordering unit that places an order for the goods with the second supplier while the notification of the price increase by the notification unit is suppressed. The information processing system according to claim 1.

10. The system further includes a response setting unit that allows the user to set whether or not they wish to receive a suggestion for a substitute product from the notification unit when the aforementioned item is out of stock. The information processing system according to claim 1.

11. The system further includes a response setting unit that allows the user to set their preferences regarding what kind of response they would like the notification unit to take when information regarding the aforementioned change is obtained. The information processing system according to claim 1.

12. The acquisition unit is capable of acquiring information relating to a decrease in the price of the article, as information relating to a change in the article. The notification unit, when information regarding a price decrease of the item is obtained by the acquisition unit, notifies the price decrease of the item. The information processing system according to claim 1.

13. If there are multiple suppliers from whom the aforementioned goods can be ordered, The acquisition unit acquires information regarding the price of the goods at each of the multiple suppliers. The notification unit shall notify the existence of a second supplier if the acquisition unit obtains information regarding a second supplier that can order the goods at a lower price than the first supplier to whom the previous order was placed. The information processing system according to claim 1.

14. A computer, An acquisition unit capable of acquiring information regarding changes related to the said goods at the supplier of the goods, When the acquisition unit acquires information regarding the change, the notification unit provides notification in accordance with the change. This is a program to achieve this. When the acquisition unit acquires information regarding a price increase of the article as information relating to a change in the article, it detects whether the price increase of the article exceeds a threshold. The aforementioned notification department, If the acquisition unit acquires information regarding a price increase of the item, and it is detected that the price increase of the item exceeds the threshold, the price increase of the item will be notified, and a similar item similar to the item will be suggested as a substitute. If the acquisition unit acquires information regarding a price increase of the item, and it is detected that the price increase of the item is below the threshold, the unit will not suggest a substitute product and will instead notify the user of the price increase of the item. program.

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