Information processing device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To provide an information processing apparatus, an information processing method and a program that can arouse motivation to register personal identification information for a user and can improve a registration rate of the personal identification information.SOLUTION: An information processing apparatus comprises: an information acquisition unit that acquires personal identification information from a user; a condition presentation unit that presents one or more conditions for giving privilege to the user; and a privilege giving unit that gives the privilege to the user when the user achieves any condition. The condition presentation unit presents a condition which is not presented before acquiring the personal identification information, after acquiring the personal identification information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a system that uses a network such as the Internet to provide various services to users is known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a voting system used in public competitions such as horse racing, motorcycle racing, boat racing, or auto racing. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses an online auction system that conducts the sale and purchase of goods by an auction format.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, among the systems that provide the above-described services, some require member registration that requires identity verification in order to use all or part of the functions. For example, in Patent Document 1, since there is an age limit for purchasing a voting ticket in a public competition, it is necessary to verify the identity of the user (especially age verification). Further, in Patent Document 2, in order to ensure the reliability of transactions, it is necessary to verify the identity of the user (especially verification of contact information such as address).

[0005] However, in such systems, verifying a user's identity requires them to register an image of an official identification document containing their personal information, such as a driver's license, passport, or My Number card. As a result, many users find the process of registering their personal information very troublesome, and some may choose to use the service without registering their personal information, or even stop using the service altogether.

[0006] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program that can stimulate users to register their personal identification information and improve the registration rate of personal identification information. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An information processing device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: an information acquisition unit that acquires identity verification information from a user; a condition presentation unit that presents one or more conditions for granting benefits to a user; and a benefit granting unit that grants benefits to a user when the user fulfills any of the conditions, wherein the condition presentation unit presents conditions that were not presented before acquiring the identity verification information after acquiring the identity verification information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to stimulate users' motivation to register their personal identification information and to improve the registration rate of personal identification information. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of a system including an information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a diagram showing an example of a voting screen. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of a screen for submitting identity verification documents. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of a name and date of birth input screen. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing an example of an input content confirmation screen. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing an example of a condition presentation screen. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing an example of a condition presentation screen. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing an example of a condition confirmation screen. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing an example of a privilege granting screen [Figure 10] It is an explanatory diagram of the functions of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of user-related information. [Figure 12] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of vote-related information. [Figure 13] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of competition-related information. [Figure 14] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of condition-related information. [Figure 15] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of privilege-related information. [Figure 16] It is a diagram showing an information processing flow according to the present invention. [Figure 17] It is a diagram showing the flow of condition presentation processing. [Figure 18] It is a diagram showing the flow of privilege granting processing [Figure 19] It is a diagram showing another information processing flow according to the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, the information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are merely examples given to facilitate understanding of the present invention and do not limit the present invention. That is, the present invention can be changed or improved from the embodiments described below without departing from the gist thereof. Naturally, equivalents of the present invention are included therein.

[0011] In addition, the examples of screens described in this specification and the drawings are merely examples, and the screen configuration and design, the content of displayed information, the GUI (Graphical User Interface), etc. can be freely designed according to the system design specifications, user preferences, etc., and can also be changed as appropriate.

[0012] In addition, in this specification, a user refers to a user of the information processing apparatus of the present invention, specifically, a user of the service provided by the information processing apparatus of the present invention. In principle, the user is in individual units, but may also be a group of multiple people, and the unit to which a service use account is assigned may be an individual or a group. Also, users who have mutually approved each other (friends) may play together or form a team.

[0013] <Regarding the service according to this embodiment> The communication system shown in FIG. 1 (hereinafter referred to as information processing system S) is a communication system including an information processing apparatus (hereinafter referred to as server 10) according to an embodiment of the present invention. The information processing system S is a computer system responsible for all management and operation tasks related to the holding of competitions. For example, it provides competition information to users and conducts services such as the sale and refund of voting tickets (hereinafter referred to as competition management services). Specifically, regarding the results of the competition (Results such as the finishing order of the competition target) accepts votes predicted by users, determines the payout based on the results of the competition, and awards the payout to the users.

[0014] The competition refers to, for example, public competitions such as horse racing, boat racing, motorcycle racing, or auto racing actually held by public institutions as gambling. Competitions are regularly held at various stadiums according to the schedule. Among the competitions, there are competitions in which competition targets with high prize money can participate This includes (for example, G1-G3 races, GP races, or SG races), or competitions held at designated venues (hereinafter collectively referred to as "specified competitions"). Users can place bets on these competitions on the betting screen P1 shown in Figure 2 by predicting the outcome of the competition based on the competition information and purchasing betting tickets such as horse racing tickets, boat racing tickets, or bicycle racing tickets using currency or special medals of a predetermined value. If their bet based on that prediction is correct, they can receive a payout (return for a correct bet) in currency or special medals of a predetermined value according to the odds.

[0015] Competition information includes race schedules, odds, expert predictions, race videos, and race results (including payout information). Here, a race schedule is a list of the participants (racers or racehorses, etc.) in each competition, and includes basic information about the participants and information useful for predictions, such as past performance. For example, if the competition is keirin (bicycle racing), approximately 9 to 12 races are held per day at each track, and this includes race schedules that combine information from multiple tracks (e.g., 43 tracks), race schedules for each track, or race schedules for each individual race. The race schedule also includes information on the keirin racers, such as their lane number, bike number, form, characteristics (class and riding style, etc.), and past performance.

[0016] In voting, users specify their predicted bet from a different selection of voting options provided for each competition. The voting content refers to the prediction related to the bet, specifically, the prediction regarding the finishing order of the competition. Items for voting options and voting content include, for example, betting type (win, place, exacta, and quinella), betting target (competition target or combination of competition targets), and bet amount (or number of tickets). An example of a vote might be: "Win (betting type) - No. 1" Examples include "(Betting target) - 2000 yen (betting amount)" or "Trifecta (betting type) - 2-3-5 (combination of betting targets) - 1000 special medals (number of bets)".

[0017] Currency, in this embodiment, corresponds to the second value of this invention and refers to what is commonly known as "money," which is used in general society for the exchange of goods and services. The currency in this embodiment may be cash currency such as banknotes or coins, or it may be deposit currency such as ordinary deposits or current deposits. Furthermore, currency also includes virtual currency that can be used with third-party applications such as electronic money (applications that allow payment using barcodes, stacked 2D codes, or matrix 2D codes, etc.). In this embodiment, when voting using currency, registration of identity verification information, as described later, is required, and users cannot vote using currency until their identity verification information has been registered.

[0018] The special medal corresponds to the first value of this invention and has different properties from the currency described above. That is, it cannot be used to exchange for goods or services in general society, but in this embodiment it is treated as a medium with value that can be used for voting. Special medals are also awarded to users as dividends when a vote made using special medals is correct. Furthermore, special medals can be obtained by users by converting currency, and can be accumulated for a predetermined period or indefinitely. In addition, a predetermined number of special medals may be given to users free of charge as a login bonus, etc. In this embodiment, when voting using special medals, registration of identity verification information, as described later, is not required, and users can vote using special medals regardless of whether or not they have registered identity verification information.

[0019] Odds refer to the payout multiplier, a numerical value indicating how many times the value of the bet (currency or special medal) will be returned if the bet is successful. In this embodiment, the odds are determined in accordance with the official odds of publicly run gambling events (odds set by the organizers of public gambling events), and may fluctuate in real time depending on the betting activity of the user or others using currency. The odds are calculated using known payout determination methods such as the parimutuel system or the bookmaker system, but other methods may also be used.

[0020] A payout is the value awarded (refunded) to a user based on the outcome of the competition and the odds for their betting activity. For example, if a user predicts the outcome of a competition and places a bet using currency or special medals, and that bet is correct, the user will be awarded currency or special medals equivalent to the amount (winning amount) or number (number of winning medals) calculated based on the odds as a payout. In principle, currency will be awarded as a payout for bets placed using currency, and special medals will be awarded as a payout for bets placed using special medals. However, when special medals are awarded as a payout, part or all of the payout may be given as points that can be exchanged for other values ​​or used in other games, etc., instead of special medals.

[0021] As described above, in the competition management service provided by the information processing system S of this embodiment, users can predict the outcome of a competition, purchase betting tickets, and receive a payout according to the odds if their prediction is correct. Therefore, while it is acceptable to play the game using dedicated tokens, actually purchasing betting tickets using currency constitutes gambling, and thus it is necessary to restrict use by minors. Furthermore, since currency is involved, measures must be taken to prevent fraud.

[0022] Therefore, in this embodiment, user identity verification is performed, and some functions are restricted for users who have not completed identity verification. Specifically, users who have registered their identity verification information are permitted to place votes using currency (voting using special medals is also possible). Furthermore, users who have registered their identity verification information are permitted to settle (cash out) their winnings. In other words, winnings obtained from successful bets are deposited into a bank account or credit card, etc., specified by the user who has registered their identity verification information, based on the user's instructions.

[0023] Identity verification information refers to information that can verify at least the user's name and age, and is contained in an official identification document such as a driver's license, passport, or My Number card (hereinafter referred to as "identity verification document"), and can be proven by the information contained in that identity verification document.

[0024] Here, with reference to Figures 3 to 5, we will explain an example of the sequence of steps involved in registering personal identification information in this embodiment. First, the user selects and registers the documents to be submitted for identity verification on the identity verification document submission screen P2, as shown in Figure 3. Specifically, the user selects any identity verification document (such as a driver's license, passport, or My Number Card) that contains identity verification information, and registers it by uploading images of the necessary parts of the selected identity verification document. Specifically, if image data of the identity verification document already exists on the user terminal 12, that image is selected. If image data of the identity verification document does not yet exist on the user terminal 12, the user takes a picture of the identity verification document to generate image data, and then taps the [Upload] button (not shown). Next, on the name and date of birth input screen P3 shown in Figure 4, the user accurately enters their name and date of birth exactly as they appear on their registered identification document, and then taps the [Next] button or similar. Then, on the input confirmation screen P4 shown in Figure 5, the user confirms that the information they entered is correct, and then registers their personal information by tapping the [Confirm] button or similar.

[0025] Furthermore, in this embodiment, one or more conditions are presented to the user, and if the user fulfills any of those conditions, the user is granted a benefit set for each condition. The conditions, also known as the mission, include, for example, the following: (a) Register your personal information. (b) Purchase XX voting tickets using special medals. (c) Using currency to purchase a voting ticket worth XX yen. (d) Purchasing a betting ticket for XX yen using currency at a GP race held in Tokyo. (e) Log in for XX consecutive days. (f) Purchasing voting tickets for XX consecutive days. (g) To correctly predict the outcome of a vote for XX consecutive days. (h) The total amount of votes must reach ○○ yen. (i) The total amount of winnings reaches XX yen.

[0026] Rewards may include, for example, special medals that can be used for voting, as well as food and beverages, plants, miscellaneous goods, clothing, daily necessities, electrical appliances, or handicrafts. They may also represent the right to receive specific services, such as meal vouchers, travel vouchers, accommodation vouchers, or facility usage vouchers. Furthermore, they may include financial products, land, or information.

[0027] In this embodiment, the content of the reward is determined by lottery from among multiple rewards. Specifically, a group contains multiple rewards, each with its own set probability of being drawn, as candidates for the lottery. When a user fulfills the conditions and performs the action to receive the reward, the lottery is executed, and the reward to be awarded is determined from among the multiple rewards included in that group. At this time, the content of the reward, that is, the types of rewards included in the group, may be set uniformly for all conditions, or different rewards may be included for each condition. Furthermore, different lottery probabilities (e.g., 99:1) may be set for each type of reward, or the same lottery probability (e.g., 50:50) may be set. Moreover, these lottery probabilities may change each time.

[0028] The content of the rewards may be determined based on the type of voting value (currency or special medals) or the amount of voting value (amount or number of votes cast). For example, the probability of winning a high-value reward may be set so that users who cast large votes using currency are more likely to win them. Alternatively, the content of the rewards may be determined based on the user's voting history or winning history. For example, past voting history may be stored, and the more the cumulative amount of currency votes, regardless of whether the result was a win or a loss, the more likely the user is to win a high-value reward. Conversely, the more wins a user has, the more likely they are to win a high-value reward, or vice versa.

[0029] Furthermore, the content of the benefits can also be linked to each competition. If benefits are linked to each competition, the special benefits associated with that particular competition may be granted on the condition that a vote of XX yen or more is made for that specific competition, as in condition (d) above. For example, the benefits may be set based on information or attributes of the competition, such as the type of competition, the organizer or the venue, and each may have its own unique benefits (such as local specialties, limited edition items or services related to each region).

[0030] In particular, in this embodiment, users who register their identity verification information are presented with conditions that were not presented before the registration of their identity verification information. For example, conditions (a) and (b) are presented to all users before the registration of their identity verification information, while conditions (c) and (d) are presented to users after the registration of their identity verification information. In this case, if conditions (c) and (d), which are presented after the registration of identity verification information, are presented in addition to conditions (a) and (b), which were presented before the registration of identity verification information, then users will be presented with a larger number of conditions after registering their identity verification information, and will have the opportunity to receive more benefits. Alternatively, if conditions (c) and (d) are presented in place of conditions (a) and (b), then users will be presented with different conditions (new conditions) after registering their identity verification information, regardless of the number of conditions presented, and will consequently have the opportunity to receive more benefits. It should be noted that even if the conditions are of the same type, the content of the conditions may be updated after the registration of identity verification information. For example, condition (b) includes cases where the number of voting tickets purchased is updated from 1,000 to 5,000.

[0031] Here, with reference to Figures 6 to 9, an example of the sequence of events from the presentation of conditions to the granting of benefits in this embodiment will be explained. In this embodiment, the benefit is takoyaki. Let's explain using an example where you win a coupon for one serving of takoyaki (more precisely, a coupon for one serving of takoyaki).

[0032] As shown in Figure 6, the condition presentation screen P5 displayed on the user terminal 12 of the user before registering identity verification information presents, for example, two of the above conditions, condition (a) and condition (b). Each condition includes a description of the condition and the reward that will be given if the condition is met. According to this, even a user who has not registered identity verification information and is simply playing the game as a game rather than gambling (for example, a minor user) will have the opportunity to receive takoyaki as a reward by meeting condition (b).

[0033] On the other hand, once a user registers their identity verification information, as shown in Figure 7, the conditions presentation screen P6 displayed on the user terminal 12 of the user who has registered their identity verification information will show two additional conditions, conditions (c) and (d), in addition to the two conditions (a) and (b) that were previously displayed. At this point, since the user has already registered their identity verification information, condition (a) has already been met, and a mark is displayed that clearly indicates that the condition has been met, i.e., that the user is in a state where they can receive the benefit.

[0034] When a user wishes to receive a reward corresponding to a completed condition (a), they tap condition (a). After the user taps condition (a), a condition confirmation screen P7 (dialog box) as shown in Figure 8 is displayed on the user's terminal 12. Then, when the user applies for the reward by tapping the [Receive] button on the condition confirmation screen P7, the lottery for the reward begins at this point.

[0035] If the user wins takoyaki as a prize in the lottery, a prize award screen P8, as shown in Figure 9, will be displayed on the user terminal 12. When the user taps on "[Receive Takoyaki Gift]," which has a URL link, an electronic coupon (such as a matrix-type 2D code) that can be exchanged for one serving of takoyaki at a physical store will be issued using conventionally known technology and displayed on the screen of the user terminal 12. In this embodiment, the probability of winning takoyaki is set to 99%, and the remaining 1% will receive a special medal (for example, 10 medals) as a losing prize. The number of special medals given as a losing prize should be such that the user perceives it to be of relatively lower value than one serving of takoyaki.

[0036] As described above, in this embodiment, under the premise that users will be granted benefits when they meet certain conditions, users who register their identity verification information are presented with conditions that were not presented before they registered their identity verification information. Therefore, it is possible to encourage many users to register their identity verification information and improve the registration rate of identity verification information. Furthermore, by improving the registration rate of identity verification information, it is also possible to improve the retention rate of the competition management service.

[0037] <Configuration of the information processing device and user terminal according to this embodiment> Next, the configuration of the information processing device and user terminal 12 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. The information processing device according to this embodiment is composed of a computer for game control, more precisely a server computer (hereinafter referred to as server 10). Server 10 is an example of a computer and, as shown in Figure 1, is connected to the user terminal 12 via a network 14 so as to be able to communicate, and together with the user terminal 12, it constructs an information processing system S.

[0038] Server 10 may consist of a single computer or multiple computers in a parallel, distributed configuration. Furthermore, Server 10 may be a server computer for ASP (Application Service Provider), SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), or IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). In this case, a series of steps in the information processing flow described later (excluding information input and display) are performed by the server computer, so the user terminal 12 only needs to input information to be handed over to the server computer and display information distributed from the server computer.

[0039] As hardware, the server 10 includes a processor 21, memory 22, communication interface 23, and storage 24, as shown in Figure 1, and these devices are electrically connected via a bus 25. The server 10 also has an operating system (OS) and a dedicated program for processing game-related information installed as software. These programs correspond to the "program" of the present invention. The processor 21 operates according to the above program, allowing the server 10 to function as an information processing device of the present invention and execute a series of processes related to the game. The program of the present invention may be obtained by reading it from a computer-readable recording medium, or by obtaining it (downloading) it via a network such as the Internet or an intranet.

[0040] The processor 21 may consist of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), an MCU (Micro Controller Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), a TPU (Tensor Processing Unit), or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), etc.

[0041] The memory 22 may be composed of semiconductor memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory).

[0042] The communication interface 23 may be configured, for example, by a network interface card or a communication interface board. The data communication standard using the communication interface 23 is not particularly limited and may include communication via Wi-Fi®-based wireless LAN, communication via 3G to 5G or later generations of mobile communication systems, or communication based on LTE (Long Term Evolution).

[0043] Storage 24 includes flash memory, HDD (Hard Disc Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), FD (Flexible Disc), MO disk (Magneto-Optical disc), and CD. The storage device may consist of a Compact Disc, DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), SD card (Secure Digital card), or USB memory (Universal Serial Bus memory), etc. Furthermore, the storage device 24 may be built into the server 10 or attached to the server body as an external device. Additionally, the storage device 24 may consist of an external computer (e.g., a database server) connected to the server body in a communicative manner. As a technology for recording various types of data, distributed ledger technology such as blockchain may be used to prevent unauthorized data tampering.

[0044] Server 10 distributes information necessary for voting to each user and collects and stores information from each user in order to manage the competition. The information stored by Server 10 includes user-related information, voting-related information, competition-related information, condition-related information, and reward-related information. Server 10 also performs various information processing related to the progress of the competition management service, including processes that control the competition management service.

[0045] On the other hand, user terminals 12 are client terminals operated by users, and are used by users to participate in games, predict the results of competitions, and cast votes. Specifically, user terminals 12 consist of personal computers, smartphones, mobile phones, tablet devices, game consoles, television receivers capable of inputting information, and wearable devices, etc. Although only three user terminals 12 are shown in Figure 1 for illustrative purposes, naturally, in reality, there are as many user terminals 12 as there are users.

[0046] The user terminal 12 outputs information distributed from the server 10 (display and playback, etc.) and inputs information to be sent to the server 10. Specifically, the user terminal 12 has dedicated application software (hereinafter referred to as "app") installed for participating in the game, and this app is used to send and receive data and input and output information with the server 10. For example, it expands the data received from the server 10 and displays various information on the display of the user terminal 12. It also sends information indicating the voting content entered by the user to the server 10. It is preferable that the user terminal 12 be equipped with a camera function.

[0047] <Functions of an information processing device according to the present invention> The configuration of the server 10, which is an information processing device according to this embodiment, will now be explained again in terms of its functions. As shown in Figure 10, the server 10 has a storage unit 31, an information acquisition unit 32, a condition presentation unit 33, a reward application acceptance unit 34, a reward granting unit 35, a lottery unit 36, a competition information generation unit 37, a competition information distribution unit 38, a voting acceptance unit 39, and a payout granting unit 40. Of these functional units, the storage unit 31 is realized by memory 22 or storage 24, and the other functional units are realized by the cooperation of hardware devices constituting the server 10 and programs installed on the server 10. If the server 10 is composed of multiple computers, the above functions may be distributed so that each of the multiple computers performs different functions from each other. The following sections will provide a detailed explanation of each functional component.

[0048] [Storage] The memory unit 31 stores various types of information, including information related to each user and information related to the progress of the game. The information stored by the memory unit 31 includes user-related information, voting-related information, competition-related information, condition-related information, and reward-related information, as shown in Figure 10.

[0049] User-related information is information about the user and is stored for each user. As shown in Figure 11, user-related information includes information such as user ID, name, profile, identity verification information, currency balance, medal balance, voting history, condition history, and reward history. Profile information is information about the user's attributes (category), such as gender, age, and occupation. Identity verification information is the type and number of identity verification documents registered by the user for identity verification. Currency balance is the amount of currency (money) that the user has deposited and is the amount of secondary value that can be used for voting. Also, if a vote using currency is successful, the currency paid out as a dividend is added to the currency balance. Medals balance is the amount of special medals (number) that the user possesses and is the amount of primary value that can be used for voting. Also, if a vote using special medals is successful, the special medals paid out as a dividend are added to the medal balance. Voting history is information about the votes the user has made so far and is linked to the voting-related information described later by the voting ID. Condition history is information about the conditions that the user has achieved so far and is linked to the condition-related information described later by the condition ID. The reward history contains information about the rewards a user has received so far, and is linked to the reward-related information described later by the reward ID.

[0050] Voting-related information is information about the votes a user has made, and is stored for each vote. As shown in Figure 12, voting-related information includes the vote ID, date and time of the vote, the user ID of the user who made the vote, the competition ID of the competition to which the vote pertains, the content of the vote, the odds, whether the prediction was correct or not, and the payout (amount of winnings or number of winning tokens), etc. The content of the vote is a prediction of the outcome of the competition, and includes information such as the type of bet, the target of the bet, the value of the vote (currency or special tokens), and the amount of the value of the vote (amount of vote or number of votes).

[0051] Competition-related information is information about the competition and is stored for each competition. As shown in Figure 13, competition-related information includes the competition ID, competition name, competition grade, date and time, venue, competitors (participants), voting candidates, competition results (finishing order and payouts, etc.), and the reward ID of any benefits associated with the competition. Voting candidates are information about the candidates (options) that users can select when voting, and include the candidate ID, candidate details (betting type and target), and odds.

[0052] Condition-related information is information about the conditions and is stored for each condition. As shown in Figure 14, condition-related information includes the condition ID, condition name, condition details, presentation requirements, and the benefit ID of the associated benefit. Presentation requirements include information such as whether to present the information before or after registering identity verification information.

[0053] Reward-related information is information about the reward and is stored for each reward. As shown in Figure 15, reward-related information includes the reward ID, reward name, reward details, draw probability, condition ID of related conditions, and competition ID of related competitions. The condition ID indicates the conditions for receiving the reward (conditions associated with the reward). The competition ID indicates the competition (e.g., a specific competition) if there is a competition associated with the reward.

[0054] [Information acquisition department] The information acquisition unit 32 acquires information (data) based on the user's identity verification information registration operation performed on the user terminal 12 by communicating with the user terminal 12. Specifically, it acquires image data of identity verification documents uploaded by the user, and identity verification information data such as name and date of birth entered by the user.

[0055] [Condition presentation section] The condition presentation unit 33 generates (including updates) condition-related information, that is, information (data) regarding the conditions that the user must achieve to obtain a benefit, and communicates with the user terminal 12 to distribute this condition-related information to the user terminal 12, causing the user terminal 12 to display condition presentation screens P5, P6 and condition confirmation screen P7, etc., as shown in Figures 6 to 8. At this time, after obtaining identity verification information, the condition presentation unit 33 presents the user with conditions that were not presented before obtaining identity verification information. The conditions presented after obtaining identity verification information may be presented in addition to the conditions presented before obtaining identity verification information, or they may be presented in place of the conditions presented before obtaining identity verification information. In the former case, the number of conditions presented increases, and in the latter case, the content of the conditions presented changes. The information regarding the conditions presented to the user includes information indicating the content of the conditions and the content of the benefits that will be granted if the conditions are achieved, as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

[0056] [Application Department for Special Benefits] The benefit application acceptance unit 34 receives information based on the benefit application operation performed by the user on the user terminal 12. The data is obtained by communicating with the user terminal 12. Specifically, by communicating with the user terminal 12, the system obtains information from users who have fulfilled the conditions presented by the condition presentation unit 33, which is information indicating an application for receiving a benefit, i.e., information generated when the user taps the [Receive] button on the condition confirmation screen P7 as shown in Figure 8.

[0057] [Benefit Distribution Department] The reward granting unit 35 grants rewards to users who have met the conditions presented by the condition presentation unit 33 and who have applied for a reward, with the rewards being awarded by the lottery unit 36, which will be described later. Specifically, by communicating with the user terminal 12, it distributes information about the reward to be granted to the user terminal 12 and displays a reward granting screen P8, as shown in Figure 9, on the user terminal 12. It also updates the user-related information of the recipient user (specifically, the condition history and reward history) and records that the reward has been granted. The reward granting unit 35 may be controlled to grant a reward only when it determines that the conditions have been met and the vote was correct.

[0058] [Lottery Section] The lottery unit 36 ​​determines the content of the reward to be given to the user by drawing lots from among multiple rewards. Specifically, each of the multiple types of rewards (including special medals) prepared as candidates in a group has a set lottery probability, and when a user who has met the conditions performs the operation to receive a reward, the lottery is executed and the reward to be given to the user is determined from among the multiple rewards included in that group. The lottery probability set for each reward may be different for each reward or may be the same. Furthermore, the lottery probability can be changed as appropriate and may fluctuate each time the lottery is executed. For example, for a certain reward, the lottery probability may be changed depending on the value of the vote used, such as having a higher lottery probability when voting with currency than when voting with special medals. In addition, rewards may be associated with each competition, and the content of the candidate rewards or the lottery probability of the rewards may be changed in accordance with the competition voted for.

[0059] [Competition information generation department] The competition information generation unit 37 generates (including updates) various types of information (data) necessary for the progress of the competition management service and stores the generated information in the storage unit 31. The various types of information include, for example, the above-mentioned competition-related information, as well as program schedules (startlists) with predictions from experts and other sources, and competition video footage.

[0060] [Competition Information Distribution Department] The competition information distribution unit 38 communicates with the user terminal 12 to distribute information (data) necessary for the progress of the competition management service to the user terminal 12, and displays a screen on the user terminal 12 that reflects the results of information processing by the competition information generation unit 37, etc., such as the voting screen P1 shown in Figure 2. The information necessary for the progress of the competition management service includes competition-related information and competition videos generated by the competition information generation unit 37.

[0061] [Voting Department] The voting reception unit 39 obtains information (data) based on voting operations (operations specifying voting content) performed by the user on the user terminal 12 by communicating with the user terminal 12. Specifically, it obtains information based on voting operations performed within the reception period set for each competition. The information based on voting operations includes the voting-related information mentioned above. At this time, the voting reception unit 39 does not accept votes using currency as the voting value from users who have not registered their identity verification information, but accepts votes using either currency or special medals as the voting value from users who have registered their identity verification information.

[0062] [Dividend Distribution Department] The payout distribution unit 40 determines whether each bet is correct based on the competition results and distributes payouts to users whose bets were correct. The type of payout (currency or special medals) is determined based on the type of betting value used, and the amount of the payout (amount or number of medals) is determined (calculated) based on the amount of betting value (betting amount or number of medals) and the odds. Information regarding the currency or special medals distributed as a payout is overwritten in the user-related information of the user to whom the payout was distributed.

[0063] The configurations of server 10 and user terminal 12 have been described above. While server 10 and user terminal 12 generally possess various other functions, only the characteristic functions that contribute to the effectiveness of the information processing system S in this invention will be described here. Other known functions will not be illustrated or described.

[0064] <Information processing flow related to one embodiment of the present invention> Next, with reference to Figures 16 to 19, the flow of information processing performed in the information processing system S having the above configuration (hereinafter referred to as the information processing flow) will be described. The information processing flow employs the information processing method of the present invention and is realized by using the information processing system S, which functions as a computer system. In other words, each step in the information processing flow corresponds to a component of the information processing method of the present invention. The information processing flow described below is merely an example, and unnecessary steps may be deleted, new steps added, or the order of steps rearranged, without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0065] [Information Processing Flow] First, let's explain the information processing flow from the presentation of conditions to the granting of benefits. This information processing flow is the process of granting benefits to a user when they meet the presented conditions, and proceeds, for example, according to the flow shown in Figure 16.

[0066] As shown in Figure 16, first, the server 10, which is a computer, performs a condition presentation process (S101) to the user's user terminal 12 via the network 14. Details of the condition presentation process (S101) will be described later. Then, the server 10 determines whether the presented conditions have been met by the user (S102). If it determines that the conditions have been met (S102:YES), it then determines whether it has received the benefit application from the user's user terminal 12 via the network 14 (S103). If it determines that the benefit application has been received, that is, if the user taps the [Receive] button on the condition confirmation screen P7 as shown in Figure 8, (S103:YES), the reward granting process (S104) is executed. Details of the reward granting process (S104) will be described later. If it is determined that the conditions have not been met (S102:NO), or if it is determined that the application for the benefit has not been accepted (S103:NO), the process will be terminated. The above is an example of the information processing flow of the present invention.

[0067] [Conditional processing] Next, an example of the condition presentation process will be explained based on Figure 17. The condition presentation process is a process executed on server 10 (mainly the information acquisition unit 32 and the condition presentation unit 33, etc.) and is performed in step S101 of the above information processing flow. Specifically, it is a process that presents conditions to the user based on whether or not they have registered their personal identification information.

[0068] First, the server 10 determines whether or not it has obtained identity verification information from the user (S201). If it determines that it has obtained identity verification information based on the user's identity verification information registration operation (S201:YES), specifically, if identity verification information is registered in the user-related information stored in the storage unit 31, it presents the conditions corresponding to the acquisition of identity verification information, i.e., conditions not presented before the acquisition of identity verification information, to the user terminal 12 via the network 14 (S202), and then terminates processing. On the other hand, if the server 10 determines that it has not yet obtained identity verification information (S201:NO), specifically, if identity verification information is not registered in the user-related information stored in the storage unit 31, it presents the conditions corresponding to the acquisition of identity verification information, which are different from the conditions corresponding to the acquisition of identity verification information, to the user terminal 12 via the network 14 (S203), and then terminates processing. The above is an example of a condition presentation process.

[0069] [Benefit Granting Process] Next, an example of the reward granting process will be explained based on Figure 18. The reward granting process is a process executed on server 10 (mainly the reward granting unit 35 and the lottery unit 36, etc.) and is performed in step S104 of the above information processing flow. Specifically, it is the process of granting rewards to users who have met the conditions and whose reward application has been accepted.

[0070] First, the server 10 draws a prize from among several prizes, each with a set probability of being drawn, to determine which prize to give to the user (S301). Then, the server 10 distributes information about the drawn prize to the user's user terminal 12 via the network 14 (S302), updates the user-related information (condition history and prize history) stored in the memory unit 31 (S303), grants the prize to the user, and terminates the process. The above is an example of a reward granting process.

[0071] [Other information processing flows] Next, we will explain the information processing flow from vote acceptance to payout distribution (hereinafter referred to as "other information processing flow"). The other information processing flow is the process of accepting votes from users for the competition and distributing payouts to users if their votes are correct, and it is the core information processing flow for running the competition management service. The other information processing flow proceeds, for example, according to the flow shown in Figure 19.

[0072] As shown in Figure 19, first, the computer server 10 determines whether or not it has obtained identity verification information from the user (S401). If it determines that it has obtained identity verification information based on the user's identity verification information registration operation (S401: YES), specifically, if identity verification information is registered in the user-related information stored in the storage unit 31, it accepts votes from the user's user terminal 12 via the network 14 using currency or special medals as the voting value (S402). Specifically, it obtains data indicating the voting details (betting type, target of betting, and voting amount or number of votes) specified by the user's voting operation. On the other hand, if the server 10 determines that it has not yet obtained identity verification information (S401: NO), specifically, if identity verification information is not registered in the user-related information stored in the storage unit 31, it accepts votes from the user's user terminal 12 via the network 14 using special medals as the voting value (S403). Specifically, it obtains data indicating the voting details (betting type, target of betting, and number of votes) specified by the user's voting operation.

[0073] After the competition ends and the results are finalized, the server 10 determines whether the bet was successful or not (S404). If it determines that the bet was successful (S404:YES), it calculates the payout amount (winning amount or number of winning tokens) based on the amount of value invested in the bet (betting amount or number of tokens) and the odds (S405). It then notifies the user of the payout by distributing information regarding the calculated payout to the user's user terminal 12 via the network 14 (S406). It updates the user-related information (currency holdings or number of medals holdings) stored in the memory unit 31 (S407), grants the payout to the user, and terminates the process. If currency was used as the betting value, the payout is granted in currency; if special tokens were used as the betting value, the payout is granted in special tokens. On the other hand, if it determines that the bet was unsuccessful (S404:NO), the process terminates. The above is an example of another information processing flow of the present invention.

[0074] <Other Embodiments> To date, the information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program of the present invention have been described with specific examples. However, the above embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments; other embodiments are also conceivable.

[0075] In the above embodiment, a competition management service, which provides competition information and performs services such as the sale and refund of betting tickets, was described as an example of a service provided by the information processing system S. However, the services provided by the information processing system S are not limited to this, as long as they require the registration of personal identification information. For example, it could be a game (including online games) in which players fight enemy characters to clear stages, or it could be applied to internet shopping, internet auctions, internet banking, social networking services (SNS), or video or music distribution services, etc.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the server computer (i.e., server 10) functions as the information processing device of the present invention, but the invention is not limited to this, and some of the functions of server 10 may be provided on the user terminal 12. For example, functions such as the condition presentation unit 33 or the benefit granting unit 35 may be provided on the user terminal 12.

[0077] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, user-related information is stored and held on the server computer (i.e., server 10), but it is also possible to provide a separate database server (not shown) and store the information collectively on that database server, or to store it on the user terminal 12 side.

[0078] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the server computer (i.e., server 10) also performs processes such as providing competition-related information, calculating odds, accepting votes, and processing payouts. However, all or part of the above processes may be performed by a server computer managed by the organization that holds the public sports competition (public sports competition server). Specifically, server 10 may send and receive data and information with the public sports competition server, receive data including competition-related information from the public sports competition server, and send data including user voting-related information to the public sports competition server. In this case, the public sports competition server will indirectly perform vote acceptance and payouts for each user.

[0079] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, users predict and vote for the results of the competition themselves, but they may also vote by referring to the predictions of other users and piggybacking on those predictions. For example, a prediction support video may be distributed to users as a video related to voting based on predictions of the results of a competition, and intended to support user voting. In the prediction support video, at least one performer appears and, during the video shoot, predicts the results of the competition before it takes place, actually casts a vote, or checks whether their prediction was correct while watching the competition on TV or elsewhere. Users can watch the prediction support video and use it as a reference when they cast their own votes.

[0080] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a public sports betting event was described as an example of a competition. However, the content of the competition is not limited to this, and any competition in which users can predict the outcome and place bets is acceptable. For example, it may involve predicting the outcome or content of matches in sports such as track and field, swimming, baseball, soccer, rugby, basketball, and combat sports such as boxing. It may also involve predicting the outcome of game tournaments such as so-called e-sports.

[0081] <Summary> The main features of the information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program according to the embodiment described above are as follows.

[0082] [1] The information processing device according to this embodiment includes an information acquisition unit that acquires identity verification information from a user, a condition presentation unit that presents one or more conditions for granting benefits to a user, and a benefit granting unit that grants benefits to a user when the user fulfills any of the conditions, wherein the condition presentation unit presents conditions that were not presented before acquiring the identity verification information after acquiring the identity verification information. According to the information processing device described above, users who register their identity verification information are presented with conditions for obtaining benefits that were not offered before registration. This encourages users to register their identity verification information, thereby improving the identity verification registration rate. Furthermore, an improved identity verification registration rate can lead to an improved retention rate of the competition management service.

[0083] [2] The above-mentioned information processing device further includes a lottery unit that draws the contents of the benefits, and a benefit granting unit that grants the benefit determined by lottery from among multiple benefits. This means that the content of the reward awarded upon fulfilling the conditions is determined by lottery from among multiple rewards, giving users a sense of anticipation as to what reward they will win. This further stimulates their motivation to register their identity verification information, and can further improve the registration rate of identity verification information.

[0084] [3] In the above information processing device, multiple benefits include value that can be used for voting on the outcome of the competition. This means that the rewards given upon fulfilling the conditions include value that can be used for voting on predictions of the competition's outcome, thereby increasing user motivation to vote and further encouraging them to register their personal information, thus further improving the registration rate of personal information. [4] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the condition presentation unit presents the condition that the identity verification information be registered before obtaining the identity verification information. This allows users who have not yet registered their identity verification information to be encouraged to do so, further stimulating their motivation to register their identity verification information and thus improving the registration rate.

[0085] [5] The above-mentioned information processing device further includes a voting reception unit that accepts votes from users predicting the outcome of a competition, and a payout distribution unit that, if the vote is correct, distributes a payout calculated based on the odds to the user, and an information acquisition unit that acquires identity verification information necessary for accepting votes or distributing payouts. This requires users to register their identity verification information in order to vote or receive dividends, thereby increasing their motivation to vote and further encouraging them to register their identity verification information, thus further improving the registration rate.

[0086] [6] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the voting acceptance unit accepts votes using either the first value, which is usable regardless of whether or not identity verification information is registered, or the second value, which is usable after identity verification information is registered. This means that users will use either primary or secondary values ​​when voting, depending on whether or not they have registered their identity verification information. This increases user motivation to vote and further encourages them to register their identity verification information, thereby further improving the registration rate.

[0087] [7] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the reward granting unit grants a reward when it receives a vote using a predetermined amount or more of value. This allows users to earn rewards when they vote using a certain amount of value or more, thereby increasing their motivation to vote and further encouraging them to register their personal information, thus improving the registration rate of personal information.

[0088] [8] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the reward granting unit grants rewards when it receives votes using a predetermined amount or more of value for a specific competition that is conducted by a predetermined athlete or held at a predetermined location within the competition. This allows users to receive rewards when they vote for a specific competition conducted by a designated competitor or held at a designated location, thereby increasing their motivation to vote and further encouraging them to register their personal information, thus further improving the registration rate of personal information.

[0089] [9] In the above-mentioned information processing device, a reward is associated with each specific sport, and the reward granting unit grants the reward associated with the specific sport when it receives a vote using a predetermined amount or more of value for that sport. This allows users to receive rewards associated with a specific sport if they spend a certain amount of value or more on that sport. This increases user motivation to vote, further encourages them to register their personal information, and can lead to an even higher registration rate for personal information.

[0090]

[10] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the reward granting unit grants rewards determined based on the amount of value used for voting. This allows users to receive rewards determined based on the amount of value they spend on voting, thereby increasing their motivation to vote and further encouraging them to register their identity verification information, thus improving the registration rate of identity verification information.

[0091]

[11] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the reward granting unit grants the reward after obtaining the identity verification information. This allows users to receive benefits after obtaining their identity verification information, further motivating them to register their identity verification information and thus increasing the registration rate.

[0092]

[12] Furthermore, according to the information processing method of this embodiment, the computer obtains identity verification information from the user, the computer presents one or more conditions for granting a benefit to the user, the computer grants a benefit to the user if the user fulfills any of the conditions, and the computer presents conditions after obtaining the identity verification information that were not presented before obtaining the identity verification information. According to the above information processing method, it is possible to encourage users to register their personal identification information and improve the registration rate of such information.

[0093]

[13] Furthermore, according to the program of this embodiment, the computer is instructed to obtain identity verification information from the user, to present one or more conditions for granting a benefit to the user, to grant a benefit to the user if the user fulfills any of the conditions, and to present conditions that were not presented before obtaining the identity verification information after obtaining the identity verification information. According to the program described above, it is possible to encourage users to register their personal identification information and improve the registration rate of such information. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0094] 10 servers 12 User terminals 14 Networks 21 processors 22 memory 23 Communication Interfaces 24 storage 25 buses 31 Storage section 32 Information Acquisition Department 33 Condition presentation part 34. Special Offer Application Department 35. Special Offer Section 36. Lottery Department 37 Competition Information Generation Department 38 Competition Information Distribution Department 39. Voting Department 40 Dividend Distribution Department P1 voting screen P2 Identity Verification Document Submission Screen P3 Name and Date of Birth Input Screen P4 Input Confirmation Screen P5 Condition presentation screen P6 Condition presentation screen P7 Condition confirmation screen P8 Bonus Grant Screen S Information Processing System

Claims

1. The processor comprises, Before registering the user's identity verification information, a first screen containing one or more conditions for granting benefits to the user is displayed on the user's device. If the user fulfills any of the conditions, information indicating the benefits to be granted to the user will be displayed on the user's terminal on the first screen. After the registration of the aforementioned identity verification information, the system will be able to accept votes from the user using cash or currency. If a vote placed by the user predicting the outcome of a competition is correct, the user will be awarded a payout calculated based on the odds. After the registration of the aforementioned identity verification information, the first screen will display conditions that were not presented before the registration of the aforementioned identity verification information. Information processing device.

2. Before registering the user's identity verification information, the processor displays a first screen on the user's terminal that includes one or more conditions for granting benefits to the user. The processor causes the user's terminal to display information on the first screen indicating the benefits to be granted to the user if the user fulfills any of the conditions. The processor, after the registration of the identity verification information, enables the user to submit votes using cash or currency. If the processor receives a vote from the user predicting the outcome of the competition and the vote is correct, it awards the user a payout calculated based on the odds. The processor, after the registration of the identity verification information, displays conditions on the first screen that were not presented before the registration of the identity verification information. Information processing methods.

3. A computer, Before registering the user's identity verification information, a first screen containing one or more conditions for granting benefits to the user is displayed on the screen. If the user fulfills any of the conditions, information indicating the benefits to be granted to the user will be displayed on the first screen on the display. After the registration of the aforementioned identity verification information, the system will be able to accept votes from the user using cash or currency. If a vote placed by the user predicting the outcome of a competition is correct, the user will be awarded a payout calculated based on the odds. After the registration of the aforementioned identity verification information, the first screen will display conditions that were not presented before the registration of the aforementioned identity verification information. A program that executes a process.

4. Equipped with a server and a terminal, The aforementioned server, Before registering the user's identity verification information, a first screen containing one or more conditions for granting benefits to the user is displayed on the user's device. If the user fulfills any of the conditions, information indicating the benefits to be granted to the user will be displayed on the user's terminal on the first screen. After the registration of the aforementioned identity verification information, the system will be able to accept votes from the user using cash or currency. If a vote placed by the user predicting the outcome of a competition is correct, the user will be awarded a payout calculated based on the odds. After the registration of the aforementioned identity verification information, the first screen will display conditions that were not presented before the registration of the aforementioned identity verification information. system.

Images