Community support device

Abstract

To provide means capable of supporting members of a community such as a local community to contribute to solving problems of the community to which they belong and solving problems of other communities.SOLUTION: A community support device 1 according to the present invention comprises: a problem presentation unit 113 capable of presenting problems of an affiliated community to which members belong to the members of each of a plurality of communities; a proposal provision unit 114 capable of providing proposals in respect to solving the problems from the members to other members of the affiliated community; and a first machine learning unit 115 capable of machine-learning correspondence between the problems and the proposals for the plurality of communities. The proposal provision unit 114 is able to provide a machine-generated proposal based on the machine learning of the correspondence. Preferably, the community support device 1 according to the present invention is further provided with a chatbot unit 112 capable of presenting problems of the affiliated community via a dialogue with consultants who belong to one of the plurality of communities.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a community support device.

Background Art

[0002] There is a demand for supporting the solution of various problems in local communities exemplified by local industrial problems and the like.

[0003] Examples of various problems in local communities include population decline and aging. Also, as various problems in local communities related to the above problems, there are problems related to stagnation of corporate activities such as decline in labor force, stagnation of activities of local companies, and decrease in attractive workplaces, outflow of young people, acceleration of the declining birthrate and aging population, and problems related to outflow of human resources such as shortage of providers of educational opportunities for young people, shortage of recurrent education, shortage of career advancement / skill improvement opportunities, and decrease in places where human resources seeking diverse work styles can be active, and problems related to decline in sustainability of the economy such as non-settlement of migrants, shortage of successors, and further decrease in sustainability of the local economy. In addition, various problems in local communities may include problems related to companies and the like corresponding to SDGs.

[0004] By supporting the solution of these various problems, it is possible to enhance the sustainability of the local economy through the solution of local community problems.

[0005] Regarding support for solving problems in local communities, Patent Document 1 discloses an information processing device comprising: a consultation content database that stores consultation content exemplified by consultations on various local problems received from consultants; a consultation content transmission unit that transmits consultation content to a consultation content viewing terminal that has sent a request to view the consultation content stored in the consultation content database; a solution receiving unit that receives information indicating the solution and the person who presented the solution for the consultation content from the consultation content viewing terminal; a solution database that stores the received solutions for each consultation content in association with information indicating the person who presented the solution; a reward content transmission unit that transmits information indicating the content of the reward to the person who presented the solution to a consultation content viewing terminal owned by the person who presented the solution; a solution transmission unit that transmits the solution to a solution viewing terminal that has sent a request to view the solution stored in the solution database; and a reward content receiving unit that receives information indicating the content of the reward transmitted to the consultation content viewing terminal from the solution viewing terminal.

[0006] According to the technology described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to effectively support the generation of ideas for solving problems based on the content of the consultations received. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-99418 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] Incidentally, the challenges facing local communities can include not only challenges specific to the region based on local circumstances, but also challenges that are not specific to the region. In addressing these challenges, particularly those that are not specific to the region, the problems can be solved more reliably and / or effectively by utilizing both the knowledge possessed by members of the local community and the knowledge possessed by those outside the local community.

[0009] However, because the circumstances of a local community are natural to its members, it is not easy for them to distinguish between local circumstances and circumstances that are not limited to that region. Therefore, members of a local community may find it difficult to distinguish between issues specific to their community and issues that are not specific to their community.

[0010] On the other hand, if issues specific to a local community and issues that are not specific to a local community are presented without sufficient distinction, members of the local community may be presented with other issues specific to their local community that they are not likely to contribute to solving, and as a result, they may expend considerable effort to discover issues to which they can contribute.

[0011] The technology described in Patent Document 1 is only capable of effectively supporting the generation of ideas for problem solving based on the consultations received. There is room for further improvement in that it does not distinguish between problems specific to the local community to which the members of multiple local communities belong and problems that are not specific to the local community, and does not support the contribution to solving problems in other local communities.

[0012] This invention was made to solve the problems of the prior art described above, and aims to provide a means that can support members of local communities and other communities in contributing to solving problems within their own communities and problems in other communities. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The inventors of the present invention have diligently studied the problem described above and have found that it is possible to solve the problem by presenting the problems of a community, such as a local community, to the members of that community, providing proposals for solutions from those members, analyzing the correspondence between the problems and proposals for multiple communities, and providing machine-generated proposals based on this analysis. This led to the completion of the present invention. Specifically, the present invention provides the following.

[0014] One aspect of the present invention is a problem presentation unit capable of presenting problems of the community to which each member belongs to a plurality of communities, and a solution to the said problems. The aforementioned community From the aforementioned members The proposal is The system comprises a proposal provision unit that can provide proposals to other members of the aforementioned community, and a first machine learning unit that can machine-learn the correspondence between the aforementioned issues and the aforementioned proposals for the aforementioned multiple communities, wherein the proposal provision unit, Machine-generated proposals, generated based on machine learning of the correspondence between the aforementioned issues and proposals in communities, including the correspondence between the aforementioned issues and proposals in communities other than the aforementioned affiliated community, are provided to the members of the aforementioned affiliated community. We provide community support devices that are available to us.

[0015] When there are multiple communities, members of a community may be able to make suggestions for solving problems specific to their own community and / or problems specific to other communities, but may find it difficult to make suggestions for solving problems specific to other communities. Furthermore, as the number of problems increases, members may spend more effort identifying problems from which they can offer solutions.

[0016] Therefore, in cases where there are multiple communities, if the issues of one's own community and the issues specific to other communities are presented without distinction, members may expend considerable effort trying to identify issues from which they can propose solutions.

[0017] According to the invention relating to the first feature, it is possible to prevent the presentation of issues specific to one's own community and issues specific to other communities without distinction. Therefore, according to the invention relating to the first feature, members of multiple communities can make suggestions for solving issues within their own community without expending a great deal of effort in finding issues for which solutions are possible.

[0018] Also, according to the invention related to the first feature, it is possible to machine-learn the correspondence between problems and proposals for a plurality of communities and provide a machine-generated proposal based on this machine learning. That is, according to the invention related to the first feature, for the problems of each of the plurality of communities, it is possible to provide a machine-generated proposal based on machine learning including the correspondence between similar problems and proposals in other communities.

[0019] Therefore, according to the invention related to the first feature, the members of the community can provide insights on solving problems in other communities without expending the effort of making proposals regarding solving the problems of other communities.

[0020] Thus, according to the invention related to the first feature, it is possible to provide a means capable of assisting members of a community such as a local community in contributing to the solution of problems in their own community and the solution of problems in other communities.

[0021] The invention related to the second feature is the invention related to the first feature, and provides a community support device in which the plurality of communities include local communities having members who participated based on a region.

[0022] Members who participated in the local community based on a region may have more knowledge about the problems of the local community than people in other regions. Thereby, members who participated in the local community can make even better proposals regarding the solution of problems in the local community.

[0023] Therefore, according to the invention related to the second feature, it is possible to provide other members of the local community with even better proposals from members who participated in the local community based on a region regarding the solution of problems in the local community.

[0024] Thus, according to the invention related to the second feature, it is possible to provide a means capable of assisting members of a community such as a local community in contributing to the solution of problems in their own community and the solution of problems in other communities.

[0025] The invention according to the third feature is the invention according to the first or second feature, and provides a community support device in which the plurality of communities include theme-based communities having members who participated based on objects of interest.

[0026] Members who participated in a theme-based community based on an object of interest may have more knowledge about the object than those in other regions. As a result, members who participated in a theme-based community can make more excellent proposals regarding the solution of the problems of the theme-based community.

[0027] Therefore, according to the invention according to the third feature, more excellent proposals from members who participated in a theme-based community based on an object of interest regarding the solution of the problems of the theme-based community can be provided to other members of the theme-based community.

[0028] Therefore, according to the invention according to the third feature, means capable of assisting members of a community such as a regional community in contributing to the solution of the problems of the community to which they belong and the solution of the problems of other communities can be provided.

[0029] The invention according to the fourth feature is the invention according to any one of the first to third features, and provides a community support device in which the plurality of communities include introduction-based communities having members who participated by introduction of other members.

[0030] Regarding the solution of the problems of a community, members introduced by members belonging to the community may have a stronger interest and / or knowledge in the community than members who participated without being introduced. As a result, members who participated by introduction of other members can make more excellent proposals regarding the solution of the problems of the community to which they belong.

[0031] Therefore, according to the invention relating to the fourth feature, even better suggestions from members who joined through the introduction of other members can be provided to other members of the referral-based community.

[0032] Therefore, according to the invention relating to the fourth feature, it is possible to provide a means that can support members of communities such as local communities in contributing to solving problems within their own communities and to solving problems in other communities.

[0033] The invention relating to the fifth feature is an invention relating to any of the first to fourth features, further comprising a chatbot unit capable of presenting the aforementioned problem through dialogue with a consultant belonging to any of the aforementioned multiple communities, to provide a community support device.

[0034] The community issues exemplified by local communities include not only those that are apparent but also those that are not apparent. These unapparent issues may include those that were not communicated verbally because the person who discovered them had difficulty articulating them.

[0035] According to the invention relating to the fifth feature, even if the person seeking advice has difficulty verbalizing the problem, the problem can be presented through dialogue using the chatbot. Thus, according to the invention relating to the fifth feature, it is possible to support the resolution of problems that have not become apparent because the person seeking advice had difficulty verbalizing the problem.

[0036] Therefore, according to the invention relating to the fifth feature, it is possible to provide a means that can support members of a community, such as a local community, in contributing to solving problems within their own community and to solving problems in other communities.

[0037] The invention relating to the sixth feature is an invention relating to any of the first to fifth features, further comprising a second machine learning unit capable of machine learning the usage status of the plurality of communities, and a community management unit capable of managing the communities based on the machine learning of the usage status, to provide a community support device.

[0038] To better address community challenges, there is a need to manage communities in a way that encourages active participation in addressing community issues and / or proposals for their solutions. However, for community administrators to constantly monitor community usage and manage communities in a way that encourages active participation in addressing community issues and / or proposals for their solutions can require considerable effort.

[0039] According to the invention relating to the sixth feature, communities can be managed based on machine learning of the usage status of multiple communities. Therefore, according to the invention relating to the sixth feature, the effort of community administrators in managing communities to understand their usage status and to encourage active participation in community issues and / or proposals for solving those issues can be reduced.

[0040] Therefore, according to the invention relating to the sixth feature, it is possible to provide a means that can support members of a community, such as a local community, in contributing to solving problems within their own community and to solving problems in other communities. [Effects of the Invention]

[0041] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a means that can support members of communities, such as local communities, in contributing to solving problems within their own communities and to solving problems in other communities. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0042] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware and software configurations of the community support system S according to the embodiment. [Figure 2]Figure 2 shows an example of a member list 121. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an example of community list 122. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an example of correspondence list 123. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a main flowchart showing an example of a preferred flow of community support processing performed by community support device 1. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a preferred flow of the community management process performed in step S1 of Figure 5. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows an example of the chatbot display on terminal 2. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows an example of the display of the problem, proposal, and machine-generated proposal on terminal 2. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows an example of the community usage status displayed on terminal 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0043] <Community Support System S> Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware and software configurations of the community support system S according to this embodiment. Hereinafter, an example of a preferred hardware and software configuration for the community support system S according to this embodiment will be described using Figure 1.

[0044] The community support system S comprises a community support device 1 and one or more terminals 2 that can communicate with the community support device 1 via a network N.

[0045] [Community support device 1] The community support device 1 comprises a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a communication unit 13. The community support device 1 is not particularly limited and may be, for example, various server devices, a cloud server configured using multiple computers that can communicate with each other, etc.

[0046] [Control Unit 11] The control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory), and ROM (Read Only Memory), among other components.

[0047] The control unit 11 can, as needed, cooperate with the storage unit 12 and / or the communication unit 13 to implement the software components of the community support device 1, such as the community management unit 111, the chatbot unit 112, the problem presentation unit 113, the suggestion provision unit 114, the first machine learning unit 115, the second machine learning unit 116, etc.

[0048] [Storage unit 12] The storage unit 12 is a device on which data and / or files are stored, and includes a data storage unit consisting of a hard disk, semiconductor memory, recording medium, and memory card, etc.

[0049] The storage unit 12 may have a mechanism that enables connection to storage devices or storage systems such as NAS (Network Attached Storage), SAN (Storage Area Network), cloud storage, file servers, and / or distributed file systems via the network N.

[0050] The memory unit 12 stores control programs executed by the microcomputer, a member list 121, a community list 122, a correspondence list 123, chatbot scenarios, first machine learning related to the first machine learning unit 115, second machine learning related to the second machine learning unit 116, and the like.

[0051] (Member List 121) Member list 121 stores information (also referred to as "member information") about the members (also referred to as "participants") of each of the multiple communities. Member information is not particularly limited and may include one or more types of information about a member, such as the member's name, the region to which the member belongs, the organization to which the member belongs, the member's areas of interest, the member's credit information, the member's authentication information, the community to which the member belongs, the issues the member has presented, the proposals the member has presented, etc.

[0052] Member information preferably includes the member's name. This allows the community support device 1 to provide the member's name. Therefore, other members and / or administrators can identify the member by name.

[0053] The member information preferably includes the region to which the member belongs. This allows the community support device 1 to determine whether or not a member is eligible to participate in the community based on the region to which they belong. Furthermore, the community support device 1 can show other members the region to which a member belongs.

[0054] The member information preferably includes the members' areas of interest. This allows the community support device 1 to determine whether or not a member is eligible to participate in the community based on their areas of interest. The community support device 1 can also show other members the members' areas of interest.

[0055] The member information preferably includes the member's credit information. This allows the community support device 1 to determine whether or not a member is eligible to participate in the community based on their credit information. The community support device 1 can also show the member's credit information to other members.

[0056] Credit information is not particularly limited and includes one or more types of credit information concerning a member, such as the person who introduced the member, the results of a credit check on the member, information on the contract the member has with the operator who operates the community support device 1, and the history of various activities the member has carried out through the community support device 1.

[0057] Credit information preferably includes the member's referrer. By including the member's referrer in the credit information, the community support device 1 can determine whether or not a member is eligible to join the community based on the referrer. A member who joins through a referral may have similar interests and / or knowledge to that of the referrer. Therefore, if the community support device 1 uses the member's referrer to determine whether or not a member is eligible to join the same community as the referrer, it can expect to include a member who has a greater interest in and / or knowledge required by the community.

[0058] Preferably, the credit information includes information about contracts that members have with the operator (for example, information that they have a free account without a paid usage contract, information that they have a business account with a paid usage contract, information that they have a corporate account with a paid usage contract, etc.). By including contracts in the credit information, the community support device 1 can determine whether or not a member is eligible to participate in the community based on the contract information. Members who have a contract with the operator are expected to engage in community activities, exemplified by the provision of tasks and / or proposals, more actively. Therefore, when determining eligibility to participate in the community using contract information, the community support device 1 can expect to include members who will engage in community activities more actively. This effect is especially likely to be seen with members who have a paid contract with the operator (also referred to as "paid members").

[0059] Preferably, the credit information includes a history of various activities performed by the member through the community support device 1. This allows the community support device 1 to determine whether a member is eligible to participate in the community, even if that member does not have credit information based on an introducer, credit information based on a contract, etc., based on their activity history. Furthermore, by providing such credit information to other members, the community support device 1 can determine whether to engage in exchanges with that member regarding problem-solving, etc., based on the credit information including the activity history.

[0060] It is preferable that credit information be controllable by blockchain. This can prevent tampering with credit information. Therefore, community support device 1 can determine whether or not a person is eligible to participate in the community without being affected by tampering. In addition, other members who receive credit information from community support device 1 can determine through blockchain that the credit information has not been tampered with. As a result, other members can decide whether or not to interact with a member regarding problem-solving, etc., based on the credit information, without worrying about the risk of the credit information being tampered with.

[0061] Therefore, because credit information can be controlled by blockchain, interaction among members can be promoted. This allows community support device 1 to digitize and support the development of interpersonal relationships among members (also referred to as "social capital" or "human capital").

[0062] Member information preferably includes the communities to which the members belong. This allows the community support device 1 to provide tasks and / or suggestions according to the communities to which the members belong. In addition, the community support device 1 can show other members the communities to which they belong.

[0063] There is no particular limit to the number of communities a member can belong to. It is preferable that a member can belong to multiple communities. This allows a member to belong to multiple communities based on region, areas of interest, etc., and to present issues in each of those communities. Furthermore, a member can offer suggestions for solving those issues in each of those communities.

[0064] Member information preferably includes tasks provided by the members. This allows the community support device 1 and / or administrator to evaluate members using the tasks provided by the members and use this information for community management, etc.

[0065] Member information preferably includes suggestions provided by the members. This allows the community support device 1 and / or administrator to evaluate members using the tasks provided by the members and use this information for community management, etc.

[0066] It is preferable that member information is stored in association with a member ID that can identify the member. This allows the community support device 1 to store and retrieve member information using the member ID.

[0067] Figure 2 shows an example of a member list 121. The member list 121 shown in Figure 2 has member information including the following information associated with member ID "M0001": The member's "name" is "Hanako Tanaka," The "region" to which the members belong is "Ito City," The members' "areas of interest" include "regional revitalization," The members have entered into a "business account" agreement with the operator, which is equivalent to a paid membership. The members belong to the communities "Ito City Entrepreneurship" and "Divers Liaison Conference". The members provided a challenge related to "collecting trash underwater," The members offered suggestions regarding "new souvenirs."

[0068] The member list 121 shown in Figure 2 contains the aforementioned member information associated with member ID "M0001," allowing the community support device 1 to provide the aforementioned information to other members and / or community administrators. Furthermore, the community support device 1 can manage the community using the aforementioned information. In addition, the community support device 1 can use the aforementioned information to perform machine learning for community management and other related tasks.

[0069] (Community List 122) Community List 122 stores information (also referred to as "community information") about multiple communities (each community also referred to as a "group"). Community information is not particularly limited and may include one or more types of information about a community, such as the community's name, the region the community is located in, the community's areas of interest, the community's participation requirements, the members belonging to the community, and the community's issues and proposals.

[0070] The community information preferably includes the community administrator. This allows the community support device 1 to manage the community through the community administrator.

[0071] Community information preferably includes the region related to the community. This allows the community support device 1 to provide the region related to the community to its users. Therefore, users can participate in the community based on the region.

[0072] Community information preferably includes topics of interest related to the community. This allows the community support device 1 to provide its users with topics of interest related to the community. Therefore, users can participate in the community based on their interests.

[0073] The community information preferably includes the conditions for joining the community. This allows the community support device 1 to determine whether or not a person is eligible to join the community based on the conditions. This allows the community support device 1 to manage the community so that it has members selected according to the conditions for joining.

[0074] The conditions for participation are not limited to any particular type. These conditions include open participation, where the only requirement is that the person is a prospective participant; approval-based participation, where the prospective participant is permitted by the community administrator; and invitation-based participation, where the prospective participant is invited by a member of the community.

[0075] By including open participation conditions in the participation requirements, administrators can manage the community with open participation conditions that can increase community membership without expending effort such as approving prospective members.

[0076] By including an approval-based participation requirement, administrators can manage the community to include members who have been approved based on the community's geographical location, areas of interest, and other operational policies.

[0077] Regarding solving community issues, members introduced by existing members of the community are expected to have a stronger interest in and / or knowledge of the community than members who joined without an introduction. This allows members who join through an introduction from another member to make better suggestions regarding the resolution of their community's issues.

[0078] By including an invitation-only participation requirement, administrators can manage the community to include members who have joined through referrals from other members. This allows administrators to manage the community to provide other members of the referral-only community with better suggestions from members who have joined through referrals from other members.

[0079] The community information preferably includes the members of the community. This allows the community support device 1 to manage the community using the members of the community.

[0080] The community information preferably includes issues and suggestions related to the community. This allows the community support device 1 to provide community issues and suggestions to the members of the community. Furthermore, the community support device 1 can manage the community using the issues and suggestions related to the community.

[0081] It is preferable that community information be stored in association with a community ID that can identify the community. This allows the community support device 1 to store and retrieve community information using the community ID.

[0082] Figure 3 shows an example of community list 122. Community list 122 shown in Figure 3 has community information including the following information associated with community ID "G0001": The community's "name" is "Founded in Ito City," The "region" in relation to the community is "Ito City". The "area of ​​interest" regarding the community is "starting a business," The "participation requirements" for the community are "approval-based" participation requirements. The community's "participants" include "Hanako Tanaka," etc. Regarding the community, issues such as "new souvenirs..." have been raised. Regarding the community, suggestions such as "What are some new souvenirs...?" have been provided.

[0083] As shown in Figure 3, the community list 122 contains the aforementioned community information associated with the community ID "G0001," allowing the community support device 1 to provide this information to other members and / or the community administrator. Furthermore, the community support device 1 can manage the community using this information. In addition, the community support device 1 can use this information to perform machine learning for community management and other related tasks.

[0084] (Correspondence list 123) Correspondence list 123 stores "correspondences" (also called "threads") that associate community issues with proposals for solving those issues. Issues are not particularly limited as long as they relate to the community. Proposals are not particularly limited as long as they relate to solving the corresponding issue. There is no particular limit to the number of proposals that correspond to each issue.

[0085] If the community belongs to a local community whose members have joined based on their location, it is preferable that the issues include issues related to the local community of that region. In this way, the community support device 1 can provide the community members with issues related to the local community and solicit proposals for solving those issues.

[0086] If a community belongs to a thematic community whose members have joined based on their interests, it is preferable that the issues include issues related to those interests. This allows the community support device 1 to provide issues related to the interests to the community members and solicit proposals for solving those issues.

[0087] The problem preferably includes information about the member who provided the problem. This allows community members to consider proposals for solving the problem, including not only the problem itself but also information about the member who provided it.

[0088] The proposal should preferably include information about the member who submitted it. This allows community members to consider the submitted proposal in addition to the issue, including information about the member who submitted it.

[0089] A proposal may include other issues related to that proposal. This allows the community support device 1 to solicit not only proposals for solving the issues, but also proposals for solving other issues associated with those proposals.

[0090] Preferably, the responses are stored in association with a response ID that can identify the response. This allows the community support device 1 to store and retrieve responses using the response ID.

[0091] Figure 4 shows an example of correspondence list 123. Correspondence list 123 shown in Figure 4 has community information including the following information associated with correspondence ID "T0001": Regarding the community, there are "challenges" related to "underwater litter cleanup". As "proposals" for solving the above-mentioned problems, "improvements to the container" and "fundraising through crowdfunding" have been offered.

[0092] As shown in Figure 4, the correspondence list 123 has the aforementioned correspondence associated with the correspondence ID "T0001," allowing the community support device 1 to provide the aforementioned issues and suggestions to other members and / or community administrators. Furthermore, the community support device 1 can manage the community using the aforementioned issues and suggestions. In addition, the community support device 1 can use machine learning to acquire the aforementioned correspondences.

[0093] (First Machine Learning) The first machine learning is information capable of generating machine-generated proposals based on machine learning in the first machine learning unit 115. The first machine learning is not particularly limited and may include one or more of the following: decision trees, correlation rules, various neural networks, Bayesian networks, etc.

[0094] The first machine learning is preferably information that has been pre-trained through supervised learning regarding the correspondence between the problem and the proposal. This allows the community support device 1 to generate more appropriate machine-generated proposals using the first machine learning.

[0095] (Second Machine Learning) The second machine learning is information that can generate information related to community management based on machine learning in the second machine learning unit 116. The second machine learning is not particularly limited and may include one or more of the following: decision trees, correlation rules, various neural networks, Bayesian networks, etc.

[0096] The second machine learning model preferably consists of information that has been pre-trained through supervised learning regarding community management. This allows the community support device 1 to manage the community more appropriately using the second machine learning model.

[0097] [Communications Section 13] The communication unit 13 is not particularly limited as long as it connects the community support device 1 to the network N and enables communication with terminals 2, etc. Examples include a wireless device compatible with a mobile phone network, a Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) compatible device compliant with IEEE 802.11, a short-range wireless device compatible with the Bluetooth® standard, and a network card compatible with the Ethernet standard.

[0098] [Terminal 2] Terminal 2 is used by community members and / or community administrators and is configured to communicate with community support device 1 via network N. Terminal 2 is not particularly limited and may be various types of terminals, such as mobile terminals like smartphones and tablet terminals, or stationary terminals like personal computers.

[0099] Terminal 2 is configured to transmit community issues and / or suggestions for solving those issues to community support device 1. Terminal 2 is also configured to display suggestions for solving community issues and / or machine-generated suggestions for solving those issues that it has received from community support device 1.

[0100] Terminal 2, used by the administrator, is configured to transmit instructions regarding community management to the community support device 1. Furthermore, Terminal 2 is configured to display information regarding community usage and / or community management received from the community support device 1.

[0101] Users of Terminal 2 preferably include one or more types of community members, more preferably two or more types, and even more preferably three or more types. By including a wider variety of community members among the users of Terminal 2, it is possible to obtain proposals that include a broader range of insights regarding the resolution of the problem.

[0102] It is preferable that users of terminal 2 include a coordinator who can introduce communities and / or members capable of making suggestions for solving the problem. This would allow for even more suggestions for solving the problem to be made.

[0103] It is preferable that users of terminal 2 include bank employees. This would allow for more suggestions regarding the resolution of financial challenges.

[0104] Users of Terminal 2 should preferably include managers, executives, and employees of local infrastructure companies. This would allow for more suggestions regarding solutions to infrastructure-related issues.

[0105] It is preferable that users of terminal 2 include personnel from educational institutions such as schools. This will allow for more proposals to be made that reflect the broad and / or specialized knowledge possessed by personnel from educational institutions regarding the resolution of the problem.

[0106] It is preferable that users of terminal 2 include local government officials. This would allow for more proposals to be made regarding the resolution of issues related to public-private partnerships.

[0107] [Network N] The type of network N is not particularly limited as long as it enables communication between the community support device 1 and the terminal 2. Examples include personal area networks, local area networks, intranets, extranets, the Internet, Wi-Fi networks, mobile phone networks, or networks that combine multiple of these networks.

[0108] [Main flowchart for community support processing] Figure 5 is a main flowchart showing an example of a preferred flow of community support processing performed by the community support device 1. The following explanation will use Figure 5 to describe an example of a preferred flow of community support processing performed by the community support device 1.

[0109] To better address community challenges, there is a need to manage communities in a way that encourages active participation in addressing community issues and / or proposals for their solutions. However, for community administrators to constantly monitor community usage and manage communities in a way that encourages active participation in addressing community issues and / or proposals for their solutions can require considerable effort.

[0110] Preferably, the community support device 1 is capable of performing a community management step (step S1) that manages communities based on machine learning of the usage status of multiple communities. This allows the community support device 1 to understand the usage status of communities and reduce the effort required of community administrators in managing communities to encourage active participation in community issues and / or proposals for solving those issues.

[0111] [Step S1: Community Management Process] The control unit 11, in cooperation with the storage unit 12 and the communication unit 13, executes the community management unit 111 and performs community management processing to manage the communities based on machine learning of the usage status of multiple communities (step S1, community management step). The control unit 11 then moves the processing to step S2.

[0112] Although not a mandatory configuration, it is preferable that the community support device 1 is capable of executing chatbot steps (steps S2 to S3) that can present issues through dialogue with a consultant belonging to one of several communities.

[0113] The community issues exemplified by local communities include not only those that are apparent but also those that are not apparent. These unapparent issues may include those that were not communicated verbally because the person who discovered them had difficulty articulating them.

[0114] Because the community support device 1 can execute chatbot steps, even if the person seeking advice has difficulty verbalizing the issue, they can present the issue through a chatbot-based dialogue. This allows the community support device 1 to help resolve issues that have not become apparent because the person seeking advice had difficulty verbalizing the issue.

[0115] [Step S2: Determine if interaction with the chatbot is required] The control unit 11, in cooperation with the memory unit 12 and the communication unit 13, executes the chatbot unit 112 and performs a process to determine whether a dialogue with the chatbot has been requested (step S2). If it is determined that a dialogue has been requested, the control unit 11 moves the process to step S3. If it is not determined that a dialogue has been requested, the control unit 11 moves the process to step S4.

[0116] The process for determining whether a conversation with the chatbot has been requested is not particularly limited. For example, this process could be one in which a request for a conversation with the chatbot is received from one of the terminals used by the user, and the system determines that a conversation with the chatbot has been requested.

[0117] Preferably, the process for determining whether a user has requested to interact with the chatbot includes a process for determining if a user has requested to interact with the chatbot when it is determined that the user is a member of one of the communities managed by the community support device 1. This allows the community support device 1 to limit the users of the chatbot to members.

[0118] [Step S3: Present the issue via chatbot] The control unit 11, in cooperation with the memory unit 12 and the communication unit 13, executes the chatbot unit 112 and performs processing to present a problem through a chat with the client who requested a dialogue with the chatbot in step S2 (step S3). The control unit 11 then moves the processing to step S4.

[0119] The process of presenting a task through dialogue in a chatbot is not particularly limited. For example, the process may include one or more of the following: a process of presenting a task through dialogue based on a chatbot scenario that includes presenting tasks according to the content of the dialogue; a process of referring to the correspondence list 123 based on the content of the dialogue and obtaining and presenting tasks similar to the content of the dialogue; a process of presenting a task based on machine learning relating the content of the dialogue and the task; a process of presenting a task based on first machine learning; and so on.

[0120] The process of presenting issues through dialogue in a chatbot preferably includes the process of presenting issues through dialogue based on a chatbot scenario that includes the presentation of issues. This allows the operator to construct a chatbot scenario that presents anticipated issues and have the community support device 1 present the issues through the chatbot scenario. In particular, by constructing the chatbot scenario to present issues that are more frequently provided, such as issues that are not specific to the region, the effectiveness of presenting issues relative to the construction costs can be further enhanced.

[0121] The community support device 1 executes a problem presentation step (steps S4 to S5) that allows it to present the issues of the community to which each member belongs to.

[0122] When there are multiple communities, members of a community may be able to make suggestions for solving problems specific to their own community and / or problems specific to other communities, but may find it difficult to make suggestions for solving problems specific to other communities. Furthermore, as the number of problems increases, members may spend more effort identifying problems from which they can offer solutions.

[0123] Therefore, in cases where there are multiple communities, if the issues of one's own community and the issues specific to other communities are presented without distinction, members may expend considerable effort trying to identify issues from which they can propose solutions.

[0124] By having the community support device 1 perform the problem presentation step, it can prevent the presentation of problems specific to one's own community and problems specific to other communities without distinction. Therefore, by having the community support device 1 perform the problem presentation step, members of multiple communities can avoid expending a great deal of effort to find problems for which they can offer solutions.

[0125] [Step S4: Determine if a member has provided a task] The control unit 11, in cooperation with the storage unit 12 and the communication unit 13, executes the task presentation unit 113 and performs a process to determine whether a task has been provided by a member (step S5). If it is determined that a task has been provided, the control unit 11 moves the process to step S5. If it is not determined that a task has been provided, the control unit 11 moves the process to step S6.

[0126] The process for determining whether a task has been submitted by a member is not particularly limited. For example, this process could be one in which a member determines that a task has been submitted when they receive a task from one of the terminals 2 used by the member.

[0127] The process for determining whether a member has submitted a task includes, if a task has been submitted, the process of storing the task in the correspondence list 123 and the community list 122.

[0128] [Step S5: Present a task to members of your community] The control unit 11, in cooperation with the storage unit 12 and the communication unit 13, executes the task presentation unit 113 and performs the process of presenting the task provided in step S4 to the members of the community to which the member who provided the task in step S4 belongs (step S5). The control unit 11 then moves the process to step S6.

[0129] The process of presenting an assignment to a member of the affiliated community is not particularly limited and may include one or more processes such as changing the distribution status of the assignment so that the member can view it via terminal 2, or sending the assignment to terminal 2 used by the member.

[0130] The process of presenting tasks to members of the affiliated community includes the process of providing machine-generated proposals based on the first machine learning stored in the memory unit 12 to members of the affiliated community and / or the administrator of the affiliated community.

[0131] By providing machine-generated proposals to members of its affiliated community, the community support device 1 can provide machine-generated proposals based on first-stage machine learning that correspond to issues and proposals related to multiple communities. In other words, the community support device 1 can provide machine-generated proposals based on first-stage machine learning for each of the issues of multiple communities, including correspondences with similar issues and proposals in other communities.

[0132] By providing machine-generated suggestions to the administrators of their communities, administrators can manage their communities based on machine-generated suggestions derived from first-machine learning that address issues and suggestions across multiple communities. In other words, administrators can manage their communities based on machine-generated suggestions derived from first-machine learning that include correspondences with similar issues and suggestions in other communities, without incurring the cost of reviewing issues and / or suggestions in other communities.

[0133] The preferred content of a solution to a problem can vary depending on the problem provider who submitted the problem in order to receive proposals for solving it. The preferred content of a solution can also vary depending on the relationship between the proposer and the problem provider.

[0134] The process of presenting a problem to members of the affiliated community preferably includes a process of presenting information that can identify the problem provider who provided the problem in step S4. This allows members to consider providing suggestions for solving the problem using the information that can identify the problem provider.

[0135] The preferred content of a proposal to solve a problem can change depending on when the problem is presented. For example, if the problem concerns seasonal issues such as fishing, the preferred content of a proposal to solve the problem can change because the period during which a proposal can be implemented changes depending on when the problem is presented and when that season arrives.

[0136] The process of presenting a task to members of the affiliated community preferably includes a process in step S4 that indicates when the task was provided. This allows members to consider providing suggestions for solving the task using the timing of when the task was provided.

[0137] Next, the community support device 1 performs a suggestion provision step (steps S6 to S7) in which it can provide suggestions from members regarding the resolution of the problem to other members of the community to which it belongs.

[0138] When the community support device 1 performs the proposal provision step, members of each of the multiple communities can make proposals regarding the resolution of issues within their respective communities.

[0139] [Step S6: Determine if a proposal has been submitted by a member] The control unit 11, in cooperation with the storage unit 12 and the communication unit 13, executes the proposal provision unit 114 and performs a process to determine whether a proposal for solving the problem presented in step S5 has been provided by a member (step S6). If it is determined that a proposal has been provided, the control unit 11 moves the process to step S7. If it is not determined that a proposal has been provided, the control unit 11 moves the process to step S9.

[0140] The process for determining whether a proposal has been submitted by a member is not particularly limited. For example, this process could be one in which a member determines that a proposal has been submitted when a proposal is received from one of the terminals 2 used by the member.

[0141] The process of determining whether a member has submitted a proposal includes updating the correspondence list 123 so that, if a proposal for solving the problem presented in step S5 is submitted, the correspondence between the problem and the proposal is stored in the correspondence list 123.

[0142] The process of determining whether a member has submitted a proposal includes storing the proposal in the community list 122 if a proposal relating to the solution of the issue presented in step S5 has been submitted.

[0143] [Step S7: Offer your proposal to members of your community] The control unit 11, in cooperation with the storage unit 12 and the communication unit 13, executes the proposal provision unit 114 and performs the process of providing the proposal to the members of the community to which the member who provided the proposal in step S6 belongs (step S6). The control unit 11 then moves the process to step S8.

[0144] The process of providing a proposal to a member of the affiliated community is not particularly limited and may include one or more processes such as, for example, changing the distribution status of the proposal so that the member can view the proposal via terminal 2, or sending the proposal to terminal 2 used by the member.

[0145] The response to a proposal may vary depending on the proposer. The response may also vary depending on the relationship between the proposer and the member to whom the proposal is received.

[0146] The process of providing a proposal to members of the affiliated community preferably includes a process of presenting information that identifies the proposal provider who provided the proposal in step S6. This allows members to consider how to respond to the proposal using the information that identifies the proposal provider.

[0147] The response to a proposal may vary depending on when it is submitted. The process of providing a proposal to members of the community preferably includes a process in step S6 that indicates when the proposal was submitted. This allows members to consider their response to the proposal based on the timing of its submission.

[0148] [Step S8: Machine learning to address issues and proposed solutions] The control unit 11 works in cooperation with the memory unit 12 to execute the first machine learning unit 115 and performs machine learning on the correspondence between the issues and proposals stored in the correspondence list 123 in step S6 (step S8, first machine learning step). The control unit 11 then moves the process to step S9.

[0149] The process of machine learning the correspondence between the problem and the proposal includes updating the first machine learning model stored in the memory unit 12 based on the machine learning model of the correspondence between the problem and the proposal.

[0150] By executing a machine learning step, the community support device 1 can learn the correspondence between issues and proposals for multiple communities and provide machine-generated proposals based on this machine learning. In other words, for each issue of multiple communities, the community support device 1 can provide machine-generated proposals based on first machine learning, including the correspondence between similar issues and proposals in other communities.

[0151] The machine learning process for determining the correspondence between the problem and the proposal is not particularly limited and includes one or more methods such as decision tree learning, correlation rule learning, neural network training using backpropagation, and Bayesian network training.

[0152] The process of learning the correspondence between issues and proposals preferably includes the process of learning chatbot scenarios. This allows the chatbot unit 112 to present issues based on the machine learning of the correspondence between issues and proposals.

[0153] If the community support device 1 is capable of performing the community management process of step S1, it is preferable that the community support device 1 is capable of performing the second machine learning step (step S9).

[0154] To better address community challenges, there is a need to manage communities in a way that encourages active participation in addressing community issues and / or proposals for their solutions. However, for community administrators to constantly monitor community usage and manage communities in a way that encourages active participation in addressing community issues and / or proposals for their solutions can require considerable effort.

[0155] By executing the second machine learning step, the community support device 1 can manage communities based on machine learning of the usage status of multiple communities. Therefore, the community support device 1 can reduce the effort of community administrators in managing communities to understand their usage status and to encourage active participation in community issues and / or proposals for solving those issues.

[0156] [Step S9: Machine learning to analyze usage] The control unit 11 works in cooperation with the memory unit 12 to execute the second machine learning unit 116 and performs machine learning on the usage status of the communities stored in the community list 122 (step S9, second machine learning step). The control unit 11 then moves the process to step S1 and repeats the process from step S1 to step S9.

[0157] The process of learning usage patterns using machine learning includes updating the second machine learning model stored in the memory unit 12 based on the machine learning data of usage patterns.

[0158] The process of learning usage patterns using machine learning is not particularly limited and includes one or more methods such as decision tree learning, correlation rule learning, neural network training using backpropagation, and Bayesian network training.

[0159] [Summary of the effects of community support processing] When there are multiple communities, members of a community may be able to make suggestions for solving problems specific to their own community and / or problems specific to other communities, but may find it difficult to make suggestions for solving problems specific to other communities. Furthermore, as the number of problems increases, members may spend more effort identifying problems from which they can offer solutions.

[0160] Therefore, in cases where there are multiple communities, if the issues of one's own community and the issues specific to other communities are presented without distinction, members may expend considerable effort trying to identify issues from which they can propose solutions.

[0161] The community support device 1 executes the community support processing from step S1 to step S9, which prevents the presentation of issues specific to one's own community and issues specific to other communities without distinction. Therefore, members of multiple communities can make suggestions for solving issues within their own community without expending a great deal of effort to find issues for which they can offer solutions.

[0162] Furthermore, by having the community support device 1 execute the community support processes from step S1 to step S9, members of each of the multiple communities can connect with other members they do not know in the real world through the presentation of problems and / or proposals for solutions. This makes it possible to solve problems that would be difficult to solve in real-world communities. In addition, it is possible to obtain information that transcends region and industry from other members they do not know in the real world.

[0163] When the community support device 1 performs the community support processing from step S1 to step S9, if the community includes members who possess knowledge and / or expertise in a particular field, the members can receive suggestions for solutions from the members who possess knowledge and / or expertise. Based on such suggestions, the members can contribute to solving problems in their own community and in solving problems in other communities.

[0164] Furthermore, by executing the community support processing from step S1 to step S9, the community support device 1 can machine learn the correspondence between issues and proposals for multiple communities and provide machine-generated proposals based on this machine learning. In other words, the community support device 1, which executes the community support processing, can provide machine-generated proposals based on machine learning for each of the issues in multiple communities, including the correspondence between similar issues and proposals in other communities.

[0165] Therefore, by having the community support device 1 execute the community support process from step S1 to step S9, members of the community can provide insights into solving problems in other communities without expending effort to make suggestions on solving problems in other communities.

[0166] Therefore, the community support device 1, which performs community support processing, can provide a means to support members of communities such as local communities in contributing to solving problems within their own communities and to solving problems in other communities.

[0167] [Flowchart for Community Management Process] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a preferred flow of the community management process performed in step S1 of Figure 5. Below, we will explain an example of a preferred flow of the community management process performed in step S1 of Figure 5 using Figure 6.

[0168] [Community registration process] It is preferable that the community support device 1 is capable of performing a community registration process (not shown) to register a community in the community list 122. This allows community administrators to register new communities in the community list 122 without having to trouble the operator of the community support device 1 each time.

[0169] [Step S11: Determine if there are people who wish to join the community] The control unit 11, in cooperation with the storage unit 12 and the communication unit 13, executes the community management unit 111 and performs a process to determine if there are any people who wish to join the community stored in the community list 122 (step S11). If it is determined that there are people who wish to join, the control unit 11 moves the process to step S12. If it is not determined that there are people who wish to join, the control unit 11 moves the process to step S14.

[0170] The process for determining whether there are people who wish to join the community is not particularly limited. For example, the process for determining whether there are people who wish to join the community may include determining that there are people who wish to join the community when a request to join the community is received from terminal 2 used by the person who wishes to join.

[0171] [Step S12: Determine if the applicant meets the participation requirements] The control unit 11, in cooperation with the memory unit 12, executes the community management unit 111 and performs a process to determine whether the applicant in step S11 meets the participation conditions of the desired community that they wish to join in step S11 (step S12). If it is determined that the participation conditions are met, the control unit 11 moves the process to step S13. If it is determined that the participation conditions are not met, the control unit 11 moves the process to step S14.

[0172] The process for determining whether a prospective participant meets the participation requirements preferably includes a step to determine if the prospective participant meets the participation requirements if they are a member stored in the member list 121. This allows the community support device 1 to allow prospective participants to join the community based on whether they are users of the community support device 1 included in the member list 121.

[0173] If the desired community's participation requirements include an approval-based participation requirement, the process for determining whether an applicant meets the requirements should preferably include a procedure that determines whether an applicant meets the requirements if the administrator of the desired community approves the applicant's participation. This allows the administrator to manage the community to include members who have been approved based on the community's geographical location, areas of interest, and other operational policies.

[0174] If the desired community's participation requirements include an invitation-only system, the process for determining whether an applicant meets the requirements preferably includes a step to determine if the applicant meets the requirements if they were invited by a member of the desired community. This allows administrators to manage the community to include members who joined through referrals from other members.

[0175] The process for determining whether a prospective participant meets the participation requirements preferably includes a procedure for determining whether the prospective participant meets the requirements based on the prospective participant's credit information. Examples of such credit information include the history of various activities performed by the prospective participant through the community support device 1. This allows the community support device 1 to determine whether a prospective participant meets the participation requirements based on the prospective participant's credit information without having to determine whether an invitation has been sent, and without requiring the community administrator to expend effort deciding whether to approve participation.

[0176] When credit information is controlled by blockchain, the process of determining whether an applicant meets the participation requirements based on their credit information preferably includes a procedure to determine whether the credit information has been tampered with or otherwise altered based on the blockchain. This allows the community support device 1 to determine that an applicant does not meet the participation requirements if the credit information has been tampered with or otherwise altered.

[0177] [Step S13: Register with the community for prospective participants] The control unit 11, in cooperation with the memory unit 12, executes the community management unit 111 and registers the participants from step S11 to the desired community they wished to join in step S11 (step S13). The control unit 11 then moves the process to step S14.

[0178] The process of registering a prospective participant to a community includes updating the member list 121 so that the communities to which the members corresponding to the prospective participant stored in the member list 121 belong include the prospective participant's community.

[0179] The process of registering prospective participants to a community preferably includes updating the community list 122 so that the members of the desired community stored in the community list 122 include the prospective participants. This prevents inconsistencies in the information of the communities to which members belong between the community list 122 and the member list 121.

[0180] [Step S14: Determine if you were asked to provide information on usage.] The control unit 11, in cooperation with the storage unit 12 and the communication unit 13, executes the community management unit 111 and performs a process to determine whether a request has been made to present the usage status of a target community, which is one of the communities stored in the community list 122 (step S14). If it is determined that a request has been made to present the usage status, the control unit 11 moves the process to step S15. If it is not determined that a request has been made to present the usage status, the control unit 11 moves the process to step S16.

[0181] The process for determining whether a request for disclosure of usage status has been made is not particularly limited. For example, the process for determining whether a request for disclosure of usage status has been made may include determining that a request for disclosure of usage status has been made when a request for disclosure of usage status is received from terminal 2 used by the administrator who manages the community to be disclosed.

[0182] [Step S15: Present your usage status] The control unit 11, in cooperation with the storage unit 12 and the communication unit 13, executes the community management unit 111 and performs processing to present the usage status of the target community that was requested to be presented in step S14 (step S15). The control unit 11 then moves the processing to step S16.

[0183] The process of presenting usage status is not particularly limited. The process of presenting usage status may include, for example, sending usage status based on the information of the target community stored in the community list 122 to the administrator who requested the presentation in step S14. By presenting the usage status to the administrator, the administrator can manage the community using the presented usage status.

[0184] The usage data preferably includes statistical information based on the information of the target communities stored in the community list 122. This allows administrators to manage communities using this statistical information without having to calculate it individually.

[0185] The statistical information included in usage data is not particularly limited. The statistical information included in usage data may include one or more of the following types of statistical information, for example: the number of community members, the change in the number of community members over a specified period, the number of members to whom community-related issues and / or suggestions were provided, the ratio of the number of members to the total number of members, the number of times community-related issues and / or suggestions were provided, the number of members who provided community-related issues and / or suggestions, the number of members who provided suggestions to the total number of members, and the number of community-related issues and / or suggestions provided.

[0186] The usage data should preferably include statistics on events held within the community. This would allow administrators to use this statistical information to manage past and / or upcoming events.

[0187] The usage data preferably includes graphs and / or tables showing the time-series changes in various statistical information. This allows administrators to intuitively grasp the time-series changes in various statistical information. Therefore, administrators can perform management using various statistical information more easily.

[0188] [Step S16: Determine if assistance with management was requested] The control unit 11, in cooperation with the storage unit 12 and the communication unit 13, executes the community management unit 111 and performs a process to determine whether a supported community, which is one of the communities stored in the community list 122, has requested assistance in managing the supported community (step S16). If it is determined that assistance in management has been requested, the control unit 11 moves the process to step S17. If it is not determined that assistance in management has been requested, the control unit 11 moves the process to step S2 (Figure 5).

[0189] The process for determining whether assistance with management has been requested is not particularly limited. The process for determining whether information on usage has been requested may include, for example, a process that determines that assistance with management has been requested when an assistance request for management is received from terminal 2 used by the administrator managing the target community.

[0190] [Step S17: Support Management] The control unit 11, in cooperation with the memory unit 12 and the communication unit 13, executes the community management unit 111 and performs processing to support the management of the community to be supported, which was requested for support in step S14, based on the second machine learning stored in the memory unit 12 (step S17). The control unit 11 then moves the processing to step S2.

[0191] The processes that support management are not particularly limited, as long as they include processes based on second-order machine learning. For example, the processes that support management include one or more of the following: advising the administrator based on second-order machine learning so that statistical information based on usage changes in a direction favorable to the administrator; and providing the administrator with machine-generated proposals based on second-order machine learning that can solve community issues presented to the community support device 1 so that they are not provided to other members.

[0192] [Message relay processing] The community management process preferably includes a message relay process (not shown) that can relay messages between community members and community members and / or administrators. This allows members to present community issues that may contain information they do not want to disclose to other members. Members and / or administrators who receive messages from such members can then make suggestions for resolving the issues. This can lead to more active community discussions and / or suggestions for resolving issues.

[0193] [Summary of the effects of community management processes] To better address community challenges, there is a need to manage communities in a way that encourages active participation in addressing community issues and / or proposals for their solutions. However, for community administrators to constantly monitor community usage and manage communities in a way that encourages active participation in addressing community issues and / or proposals for their solutions can require considerable effort.

[0194] Because the community support device 1 can execute the community management processes from steps S11 to S17, administrators can manage communities based on machine learning of the usage status of multiple communities. Therefore, the community support device 1 can reduce the effort required of community administrators to understand the usage status of communities and manage communities in a way that encourages active participation in community issues and / or proposals for solving those issues.

[0195] Furthermore, as community issues and / or proposals for solving those issues become more actively discussed, it is expected that the issues faced by each member of the community will be better articulated. Therefore, the community support device 1 can help community members make their community issues apparent by advancing the articulation of those issues, and contribute to solving the issues of their own community and the issues of other communities.

[0196] <Usage example> Next, we will describe an example of how to use the community support system S in this embodiment.

[0197] [Register for the community] The community administrator registers the community to community list 122 via terminal 2 with the desired participation conditions.

[0198] [Participation in the community] Those wishing to join the community send their request to the community support device 1 via terminal 2. The community support device 1 determines whether the applicant meets the participation requirements and, if so, allows the applicant to join the community.

[0199] [Interact with a chatbot] A member of the community requests a chatbot interaction from the community support device 1 via terminal 2. The community support device 1 provides the member with an interaction with the chatbot. Through the interaction with the member, the chatbot identifies and presents any potential issues the member may have.

[0200] Figure 7 shows an example of the chatbot display on terminal 2. In the chatbot display example shown in Figure 7, the chatbot, which interacts with members through speech bubbles emerging from the character "コ", is having a conversation in chat display area C with a member who expresses a vague concern, "We're worried because our community isn't thriving." Through this conversation with the member, the chatbot presents "the challenge of revitalizing the shopping district of XX town" and then suggests a community suitable for solving this challenge.

[0201] This allows potential community issues to become apparent as "issues to revitalize the shopping district of XX town," and proposals for solving these issues can be made.

[0202] [Provision of tasks] Members of the community provide issues related to their community to the community support device 1 via terminal 2. The community support device 1 makes these issues available to other members via terminal 2. Furthermore, if the community support device 1 can generate machine-generated proposals related to these issues, it makes the generated machine-generated proposals available to other members via terminal 2.

[0203] [Acquiring assignments] Members of the community obtain issues and / or machine-generated proposals related to their community from the community support device 1 via terminal 2.

[0204] [Proposal Submission] Community members provide the community support device 1 with suggestions for solving problems obtained via terminal 2. The community support device 1 makes these suggestions available to other members via terminal 2. The community support device 1 also uses machine learning to recognize the correspondence between problems and solutions.

[0205] [Acquiring proposals] Members of the community receive suggestions for resolving issues related to their community from the community support device 1 via terminal 2.

[0206] Figure 8 shows an example of the display of the problem, proposal, and machine-generated proposal on terminal 2. In the example shown in Figure 8, the problem I concerning "underwater litter collection" presented by member "Hanako Tanaka," the machine-generated proposal M for solving the problem, and two proposals P are displayed.

[0207] In the example shown in Figure 8, regarding Problem I concerning "procurement of containers" for "underwater litter cleanup," presented by member "Hanako Tanaka," proposals such as "cost reduction through regular ordering," "use of commercially available PET bottles," and "use of crowdfunding" are provided. Therefore, regarding Problem I concerning "procurement of containers" for "underwater litter cleanup," which is a problem faced by the community to which member "Hanako Tanaka" belongs, machine-generated proposals M and various proposals P for solving Problem I are made, and Problem I can be solved.

[0208] [Acquiring usage data] The community administrator sends a request to the community support device 1 via terminal 2 for information on the usage status of the community managed by the administrator. The community support device 1 sends the usage status to terminal 2 used by the administrator.

[0209] [Usage status display] The community administrator sends a request to the community support device 1 via terminal 2 to retrieve the usage status of the community managed by the administrator. The community support device 1 sends the usage status to terminal 2, which is used by the administrator. Terminal 2 displays the received usage status.

[0210] Figure 9 shows an example of community usage status displayed on terminal 2. In the example shown in Figure 9, usage status such as the number of community members, the increase in members last month, the number of viewers last month, the number of views last month, the user rate last month, the number of issue / proposal providers last month, the issue / proposal provision rate last month, and the number of issues / proposals provided last month are displayed in the usage status display area U of terminal 2.

[0211] This allows community administrators to manage the community using this usage data. For example, they can manage the community to increase one or more of the following statistics based on usage statistics such as the number of members added last month or the user rate last month.

[0212] [Support for management] The community administrator sends a request for assistance in managing the community they manage to the community support device 1 via terminal 2. The community support device 1 sends advice and / or machine-generated suggestions regarding management to terminal 2 used by the administrator. Terminal 2 displays the received machine-generated suggestions.

[0213] Furthermore, within the scope of the concept of the present invention, those skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications and alterations, and it is understood that such modifications and alterations also fall within the scope of the present invention. For example, any addition, deletion, or design change of components, or addition, omission, or modification of processes, made by a person skilled in the art to the above-described embodiments, is also included within the scope of the present invention, as long as it retains the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0214] S Community Support System 1. Community support device 11 Control Unit 111 Community Management Department 112 Chatbot Department 113 Assignment presentation section 114 Proposal Department 115 First Machine Learning Department 116 Second Machine Learning Department 12 Storage section 121 Member List 122 Community List 123 Correspondence List 13 Communications Department 2 terminals C Chat display area I. Challenges M machine generation proposal N Network P suggestion U Usage status display area

Claims

1. A problem presentation unit capable of presenting issues related to the community to which each member belongs to multiple communities, A proposal provision unit that can provide proposals from the members of the said community regarding the solution of the said problem to other members of the said community, Regarding the aforementioned multiple communities, a first machine learning unit capable of machine learning the correspondence between the aforementioned issues and the aforementioned proposals, Equipped with, The aforementioned proposal provision unit can provide members of the aforementioned community with machine-generated proposals that are generated based on machine learning of the correspondence between the aforementioned issues and the aforementioned proposals in communities other than the aforementioned community to which it belongs. Community support device.

2. The community support device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of communities include local communities having members who have joined based on their location.

3. The community support device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of communities include theme-based communities having members who have joined based on their areas of interest.

4. The community support device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of communities include a referral-based community having members who have joined through referrals from other members.

5. The community support device according to claim 1, further comprising a chatbot unit capable of presenting the aforementioned issues through dialogue with a consultant belonging to one of the aforementioned multiple communities.

Images