Information presentation methods, programs, and information presentation systems

Abstract

To provide an information presentation method for facilitating improvement of user-friendliness for users.SOLUTION: An information presentation method for presenting a user with a meal proposal selected from a plurality of meal proposals includes: an acquisition step S101 of acquiring user information related to a user; a first determination step S102 of determining condition information associated with the user based on the acquired user information and determining a plurality of intermediate words based on the condition information; a first presentation step S103 of presenting the user with the plurality of intermediate words; a second determination step S104 of determining, of the plurality of meal proposals, a meal proposal corresponding to one or more intermediate words selected by the user; and a second presentation step S105 of presenting the user with the determined meal proposal. Each of the plurality of intermediate words is a word that corresponds to an attribute pertaining to one or more meal proposals among the plurality of meal proposals.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

Technical Field

[0004] ,

[0006] , , ,

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[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to an information presentation method, a program, and an information presentation system. More specifically, it relates to an information presentation method, a program, and an information presentation system for presenting any one of a plurality of presentation information to a user. <000...​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​An information presentation method in one aspect of the present disclosure is a computer-based information presentation method that presents a user with a meal suggestion from among a plurality of meal suggestions, comprising: an acquisition step of acquiring user information related to the user; a first determination step of determining condition information related to the user from the acquired user information and determining a plurality of intermediate words based on the condition information; a first presentation step of presenting the plurality of intermediate words to the user so that the user can select one or more intermediate words from among the plurality of intermediate words; a second determination step of determining a meal suggestion from among the plurality of meal suggestions that corresponds to the one or more intermediate words selected by the user; and a second presentation step of presenting the determined meal suggestion to the user, wherein each of the plurality of intermediate words is a word corresponding to an attribute relating to one or more of the plurality of meal suggestions, and the plurality of intermediate words include an intermediate word indicating the name of an ingredient used in the meal suggestion, and the information presentation method further includes a third presentation step of presenting a method for preserving the ingredient if the user indicates an action of rejecting the consumption of the ingredient in response to a presented intermediate word that includes an intermediate word indicating the name of an ingredient.

[0007] One aspect of the present disclosure is a program that causes a computer to execute the above-described information presentation method.

[0008] An information presentation system in one aspect of the present disclosure is an information presentation system that presents a user with a meal suggestion from among a plurality of meal suggestions, comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires user information related to the user; a first determination unit that determines condition information related to the user from the acquired user information and determines a plurality of intermediate words based on the condition information; a first presentation unit that presents the plurality of intermediate words to the user so that the user can select one or more intermediate words from among the plurality of intermediate words; a second determination unit that determines a meal suggestion from among the plurality of meal suggestions that corresponds to the one or more intermediate words selected by the user; and a second presentation unit that presents the determined meal suggestion to the user, wherein each of the plurality of intermediate words is a word associated with an attribute related to one or more of the plurality of meal suggestions, and the plurality of intermediate words include an intermediate word indicating the name of an ingredient used in the meal suggestion, and the information presentation system further comprises a third presentation unit that presents a method for preserving the ingredient when the user shows an action of rejecting the consumption of an ingredient in response to a presented intermediate word that includes an intermediate word indicating the name of an ingredient. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this disclosure, there is an advantage in that user convenience is easily improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an information presentation system according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a block diagram of the display device in the information display system described above. [Figure 3] Figures 3A to 3C are conceptual diagrams illustrating the group containing multiple users, conditional information, and attributes, respectively, in the information presentation system described above. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the screen transitions in the same presentation device. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of operation in the information presentation system described above. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a modification of the above-described presentation device. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining another modification of the above-described presentation device. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a presentation system according to a specific example of the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of an information presentation system according to a specific example of the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram exemplifying the state of deleting intermediate words according to a specific example of the embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a non-display list according to a specific example of the embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an operation related to deleting intermediate words according to a specific example of the embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram exemplifying the state of updating intermediate words according to a specific example of the embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an operation related to updating intermediate words according to a specific example of the embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram exemplifying intermediate words presented in a manner according to the value of food ingredients according to a specific example of the embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram exemplifying intermediate words presented based on user information according to a specific example of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] (1) Overview Each figure described in the following embodiments is a schematic diagram, and the ratio of the size and thickness of each component in each figure does not necessarily reflect the actual dimensional ratio.

[0012] The information presentation method according to one aspect of the present embodiment is a method of presenting any one of a plurality of presentation information A1 (see FIG. 4) to the user 5. Here, as an example, the "presentation information" includes dietary information related to meals. In particular, the dietary information is assumed to include information related to cooking menus, combinations of cooking menus, and the like. In addition to the cooking menu, the dietary information also includes information related to recipes (cooking methods) and information related to ready-to-eat meals or eating out (store information such as restaurant information). Hereinafter, regardless of the number of menu items (one or more items), the cooking menu and the recipe are collectively referred to simply as "menu", and a proposal regarding the presentation information A1 may be referred to as a "menu proposal".

[0013] The presentation information A1 is not limited to including dietary information related to meals. The presentation information A1 may include information related to music, books, videos, etc. instead of meals. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the information presentation method provides dietary information for, for example, the current day, the next day, or a long period such as one week or one month.

[0014] The information presentation method includes a first determination step, a first presentation step, a second determination step, and a second presentation step.

[0015] In the first determination step, a plurality of intermediate words B1 are determined based on the condition information C1 (see FIG. 3B) related to the user 5 (see FIG. 1). Here, a case where the information presentation method is used by focusing on the family of a certain house 200 will be described as an example. That is, the information presentation method is used in units of a group G1 (one household) including a plurality of users 5 (mother 50, father 53, child 51, and grandfather 52). However, the number of users 5 is not particularly limited, and the information presentation method can be used in units of one user or in units of an organization or group.

[0016] The "condition information" referred to here is information (acquired information) relating to at least one of the following: user status, inventory status, and environmental status. This information is used to determine whether or not a predetermined condition is met. Information relating to user status includes, for example, information relating to user 5's current location and information relating to user 5's health status. Information relating to inventory status includes, for example, information relating to the types of food stored in the house 200 (including its freezers and refrigerators) and their expiration dates (specifically, expiration dates or best-before dates). Information relating to environmental status includes, for example, information relating to the surrounding environment of house 200 or the temperature, humidity, or season surrounding user 5.

[0017] In the first presentation step, multiple intermediate words B1 are presented to the user 5 so that the user 5 can select one or more intermediate words B1 from among the multiple intermediate words B1. In this embodiment, the output unit 25 of the presentation device 2, which corresponds to an information terminal owned (e.g., carried) by the user 5, is made to output (present) multiple intermediate words B1.

[0018] The term "information terminal" here refers to, for example, a smartphone or a tablet device. "Presentation" is assumed to be performed by screen output from a display unit 25A (see Figure 4), which includes, for example, a touch-panel liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display. However, the presentation device 2 is not limited to a portable terminal, but may also be, for example, a stationary personal computer. Furthermore, "presentation" is not limited to screen output, but may also be performed by audio output instead of or in addition to screen output. For example, the presentation device 2 may be a smart speaker that applies artificial intelligence (AI) technology, a so-called AI speaker. The presentation device 2 may also be a smart television. If the presentation device 2 is not a portable terminal, it may be installed in a kitchen or other location within a house 200.

[0019] In the second decision step, the system determines which of the multiple pieces of information A1 corresponds to one or more intermediate words B1 selected by user 5. In the second presentation step, the determined information A1 is presented to user 5. In the second presentation step, the determined information A1 is presented from the same presentation device 2 that presented the multiple intermediate words B1 in the first presentation step. As an example of information A1 (food information), information A1 may include information (text information and image information) about a cooking menu called "blanched komatsuna" (see Figure 4). Information A1 may also include information (text information and image information) about a recipe (cooking method) for "blanched komatsuna".

[0020] The destinations for presentation in the first presentation step and the second presentation step may differ. For example, the presentation in the first presentation step may be made to a smartphone owned by user 5, and the presentation in the second presentation step may be made to a smart TV owned by user 5. Also, the presentation information A1 presented in the second presentation step is not limited to one item, but may be multiple items.

[0021] Here, each of the multiple intermediate words B1 is a word associated with one or more of the attributes D1 (see Figure 3C) related to the multiple presented information A1. Presented information A1 (meal information) may include multiple attributes D1 such as "ingredients" needed for the cooking menu, "cooking time" for the cooking menu, "temperature" for the cooking menu, and "season (time of year)" in which the cooking menu is made. For example, if attribute D1 is ingredients, intermediate word B1 will include a word indicating the name of the ingredient, such as "komatsuna" (Japanese mustard spinach). Also, if attribute D1 is cooking time, intermediate word B1 will include a word associated with cooking time, such as "quick" (can be made quickly). Note that here, the "temperature" information of attribute D1 has been explained as the temperature of the cooked menu itself, but the "temperature" information may also be the outside temperature suitable for the cooking menu. For example, the attribute "temperature" of the "hot pot" cooking menu can also be set to an outside temperature condition that causes a sudden drop in temperature (e.g., when the outside temperature is 13 degrees or lower, and the temperature has been -5 degrees or higher since that day or the previous day).

[0022] According to the information presentation method of this embodiment, multiple intermediate words B1 are determined and presented to the user 5 (see Figure 1) based on conditional information C1 related to the user. Therefore, the user 5 only needs to select the intermediate word B1 of interest from the multiple intermediate words B1, and the presented information A1 will be displayed. In other words, unlike Patent Document 1, the user 5 does not have to go through the trouble of thinking of and entering search words that correspond to the intermediate words B1. As a result, the convenience for the user 5 is improved, and the user 5's intentions are more easily reflected.

[0023] An information presentation system 100 according to another embodiment presents one of the presentation information A1s to the user.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, the information presentation system 100 includes a first decision unit 11, a first presentation unit 13, a second decision unit 12, and a second presentation unit 14.

[0025] The first decision unit 11 determines multiple intermediate words B1 based on condition information C1. The first presentation unit 13 presents multiple intermediate words B1 to the user 5 so that the user 5 can select one or more intermediate words B1 from among the multiple intermediate words B1. The second decision unit 12 determines the presentation information A1 that corresponds to the one or more intermediate words B1 selected by the user 5 from among the multiple presentation information A1. The second presentation unit 14 presents the determined presentation information A1 to the user 5.

[0026] This information presentation system 100 also has the advantage of improving user convenience while making it easier for user 5's intentions to be reflected.

[0027] In this embodiment, the functions of the first decision unit 11, the first presentation unit 13, the second decision unit 12, and the second presentation unit 14 are all integrated into a server 1 capable of communicating with one or more presentation devices 2. However, at least some of these functions may be integrated into a device other than the server 1. Furthermore, while the server 1 is assumed to consist of a single server device, it may consist of multiple server devices, or such server devices may form, for example, a cloud (cloud computing).

[0028] The information presentation system 100 of this embodiment manages historical information regarding intermediate words B1 selected by user 5 on a daily basis, and uses machine learning to determine multiple intermediate words B1 that are more suitable for user 5's lifestyle patterns (habits, daily rhythm) and preferences.

[0029] (2) Details The configuration of the information presentation system 100 according to this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 5.

[0030] (2.1) Overall structure The information presentation system 100 is configured to present one of several pieces of presentation information A1 to the user 5. Here, the information presentation system 100 is configured to perform a suggestion process that proposes a "menu" in response to a request from the user 5. The information presentation system 100 comprises one or more presentation devices 2 and a server 1. As described above, the focus here is on multiple users 5 (families) living in a certain house 200, and the information presentation system 100 further comprises a (microwave) range device 4, which is one of the cooking appliances installed in the house, and a router 6 installed in the house. However, the information presentation system 100 is not limited to families living in the house 200, as long as the user requires the provision of meal information (presentation information A1) related to meals.

[0031] Here, the family living in house 200 consists of four users 5: mother 50, father 53, child 51, and grandfather 52. As an example, let's assume that mother 50 prepares the daily meals for the entire family. Therefore, mother 50 (cook X1) is primarily the one who requests support regarding daily menus (provision of presented information A1) from the information presentation system 100. Of course, it is also possible that another family member (for example, father 53) may temporarily act as cook X1 on behalf of mother 50.

[0032] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, each family member (multiple users 5) owns (carries) one display device 2. The mother 50 owns display device 2A, the child 51 owns display device 2B, the grandfather 52 owns display device 2C, and the father 53 owns display device 2D.

[0033] Each display device 2, as described above, is assumed to be a portable information terminal such as a smartphone. When the user 5 carrying the display device 2 is inside the house 200, each display device 2 is connected to a router 6 installed inside the house. Each display device 2 communicates with the router 6 wirelessly, for example, in accordance with a standard such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark). The router 6 can also be connected to various electronic devices inside the house. In this embodiment, the microwave oven 4 corresponds to one of the electronic devices that can communicate with the router 6. Each display device 2 can communicate wirelessly with the microwave oven 4 via the router 6. Other electronic devices that can communicate with the router 6 include refrigerators and freezers, ovens, rice cookers, and other cooking appliances. If a HEMS (Home Energy Management System) is installed in the house 200, the HEMS controller is also connected to the router 6. The router 6 is connected to a network NT1 (see Figure 1), such as the internet. Each display device 2 and the various electronic devices can communicate with a server 1 outside the house 200 via the router 6. Server 1 will be explained in detail in the next section.

[0034] As shown in Figure 2, each display device 2 includes a communication unit 21, a control unit 22, a storage unit 23, an input unit 24, an output unit 25, and a detection unit 26. Each display device 2 has pre-installed dedicated application software (hereinafter simply referred to as the "cooking app") for communicating with the microwave device 4 and server 1, etc., to display a GUI (Graphical User Interface) related to meals.

[0035] The communication unit 21 is a communication interface for communicating with the range device 4 and the server 1, etc. Each display device 2 transmits and receives data with the range device 4 and the server 1, etc. via the communication unit 21.

[0036] The control unit 22 is configured to control the entire presentation device 2, namely the communication unit 21, the control unit 22, the storage unit 23, the input unit 24, the output unit 25, and the detection unit 26. The control unit 22 can be implemented, for example, by a computer system including one or more processors (microprocessors) and one or more memories. In other words, one or more processors function as the control unit 22 by executing one or more programs (applications) stored in one or more memories. The programs are pre-recorded in the memory of the control unit 22 here, but they may also be provided via telecommunication lines such as the Internet, or recorded on non-temporary recording media such as memory cards.

[0037] The storage unit 23 is composed of read-write memory. For example, the storage unit 23 is flash memory. The storage unit 23 is located outside the control unit 22, but may also be located inside the control unit 22. That is, the storage unit 23 may be the built-in memory of the control unit 22. The storage unit 23 stores various types of data.

[0038] The input unit 24 is a user interface that accepts input operations from the user 5, and in this case, the touch panel display (display unit 25A) attached to the presentation device 2 also functions as the input unit 24. In short, user input is accepted by the user 5's operation (tap operation, etc.) on the display screen 250 of the display unit 25A with their fingertips, etc. The microphone attached to the presentation device 2 may also function as the input unit 24 (voice input). The input unit 24 accepts user input related to the cooking application. In particular, the input unit 24 accepts input for the user 5 to select the intermediate word B1 or the presented information A1 that interests them from among the "multiple intermediate words B1 presented" or "presented information A1" mentioned above.

[0039] The output unit 25 is a user interface that outputs (presents) various information to the user 5. Here, the touch panel display unit 25A attached to the presentation device 2 also functions as the output unit 25. The speaker attached to the presentation device 2 may also function as the output unit 25. The output unit 25 outputs information related to the cooking application to the user 5. In particular, the output unit 25 performs the "presentation" by outputting the tag (object image) of the intermediate word B1 and image data and string data related to the presentation information A1 from the display unit 25A, and by outputting audio data related to the intermediate word B1 and the presentation information A1 from the speaker.

[0040] The detection unit 26 is configured to detect the user status of user 5 carrying the device (presentation device 2). The detection unit 26 acquires the current location information of the device using a satellite positioning system such as GPS (Global Positioning System), and based on that location information, detects the current location (user status) of user 5 carrying the presentation device 2. The control unit 22 transmits the information regarding user 5's current location detected by the detection unit 26 to the server 1 via the communication unit 21. The user status detected by the detection unit 26 is not limited to user 5's current location (coordinates). The detection unit 26 also has a thermometer / hygrometer function, detects the ambient temperature, and transmits information regarding the temperature (environmental conditions) to the server 1 via the communication unit 21.

[0041] The detection unit 26 has the function of a pedometer, and the user status may be the user's step count, calories burned, walking time, and walking speed. The detection unit 26 may also have the function of extracting feature quantities from subjects in images captured by the imaging unit (camera) attached to the display device 2, and the user status may be feature quantities from the image.

[0042] The function of the detection unit 26 is not limited to being provided on the presentation device 2, but may also be provided on an external device of the presentation device 2. In this case, it is preferable that the external device can communicate with the presentation device 2 or the server 1 via the router 6. For example, a blood pressure monitor installed in the home may detect the blood pressure value (user status) of user 5 and transmit the detection result to the presentation device 2 or the server 1.

[0043] User 5 launches the cooking application on the display device 2 and enters the user ID and password, which have been pre-assigned by the provider of the cooking application, on the login screen. This allows User 5 to receive various services related to meal information linked to the user ID.

[0044] When user 5 launches the cooking app at any time on the presentation device 2 and inputs commands to request menu suggestions, the presentation device 2 sends a menu request signal, including the user ID, to the server 1. Upon receiving the menu request signal from the presentation device 2, the server 1 triggers a personalized menu suggestion process using AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology to suggest a menu suitable for user 5 with that user ID.

[0045] (2.2) Server Server 1 is located outside the residence 200. Server 1 may be operated by a service provider who provides meal information (presented information A1) to user 5. As described above, Server 1 consists of one server device as an example.

[0046] Server 1 collects and manages various information from multiple users 5 who receive services related to the presented information A1, via the presentation device 2, etc. Focusing on a family in house 200 (four users 5), Server 1 manages the personal information of the four family members (user ID, name, address, telephone number, and email address information, etc.). Server 1 also manages group information indicating that the four family members (four user IDs) are composed of one group G1 (see Figure 3A), the identification information of the presentation device 2 for the four family members, user IDs, and passwords. Furthermore, Server 1 manages location information of house 200 and identification information of cooking appliances (range appliance 4) inside house 200, etc.

[0047] The information regarding the family of residence 200, as described above, is managed by server 1 as user data M3 (see Figure 1). Server 1 also provides the information A1 service to other users 5 (e.g., other residences) other than the family of residence 200, and collects information on other users 5 as well, managing it as user data M3.

[0048] As shown in Figure 1, Server 1 comprises a communication unit 10, a processing unit P1, and a storage unit 17.

[0049] The communication unit 10 is a communication interface for bidirectional communication with each user 5's display device 2 and cooking appliances such as the microwave oven 4 via the network NT1.

[0050] The storage unit 17 is composed of read-write memory. The storage unit 17 is, for example, flash memory. The storage unit 17 is located outside the processing unit P1, but it may also be located inside the processing unit P1. That is, the storage unit 17 may be the built-in memory of the processing unit P1. The storage unit 17 stores various types of data. In particular, as shown in Figure 1, the storage unit 17 stores (stores) context data M1, food and beverage data M2, and user data M3.

[0051] The processing unit P1 is configured to perform overall control processing for server 1. The processing unit P1 can be implemented, for example, by a computer system including one or more processors (microprocessors) and one or more memories. In other words, the processing unit P1 functions by one or more processors executing one or more programs (applications) stored in one or more memories. The programs are pre-recorded in the memory of the processing unit P1 here, but they may also be provided via telecommunication lines such as the Internet, or recorded on non-temporary recording media such as memory cards.

[0052] Here, as shown in Figure 1, the processing unit P1 has a first determination unit 11 and a second determination unit 12. In other words, the processing unit P1 has the function of a first determination unit 11 and the function of a second determination unit 12. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the processing unit P1 also has a first presentation unit 13, a second presentation unit 14, a third presentation unit 15, and a setting unit 16. In other words, the processing unit P1 has the function of a first presentation unit 13, a second presentation unit 14, a third presentation unit 15, and a setting unit 16.

[0053] The first decision unit 11 is configured to determine a plurality of intermediate words B1 based on condition information C1 related to the user 5 (first decision step). When the first decision unit 11 receives a menu request signal from the presentation device 2, it determines a plurality of intermediate words B1 based on the user ID included in the menu request signal.

[0054] Here, we will explain the intermediate word B1. The intermediate word B1 is a word associated with one or more of the attributes D1 (see Figure 3C) of the multiple presented information A1s. Figure 3C is a conceptual diagram of attribute group D0, which consists of multiple attributes D1. The master information for each presented information A1 within Server 1 is stored in the food and beverage data M2 of the storage unit 17, associated with information about multiple attributes D1 of attribute group D0.

[0055] Specifically, for example, the master data for the cooking menu item "Yosenabe" (presented information A1) is associated with the attribute D1 "Ingredients" as "Tofu," "Chinese cabbage," "Salmon," "Carrots," and "Shirataki noodles." The master data for "Yosenabe" is also associated with the attribute D1 "Cooking time," for example, "40 minutes." Furthermore, the master data for "Yosenabe" is associated with the attribute D1 "Temperature," for example, "80 degrees." Finally, the master data for "Yosenabe" is associated with the attribute D1 "Season," for example, "Winter." And, regarding "Yosenabe," the intermediate word B1 is a word associated with the ingredients of "Yosenabe" (tofu, Chinese cabbage, salmon, carrots, shirataki noodles), cooking time (40 minutes), temperature (80 degrees), and season (winter). Intermediate word B1 can be a word that includes the name of the ingredient itself, a word associated with the cooking time (40 minutes) such as "quick," or a word associated with the temperature (80 degrees) or season (winter) such as "warm" or "hot pot" (seasonal). As a result, the cooking menu "yosenabe" is associated with multiple intermediate words B1 such as "tofu," "quick," "warm," and "hot pot."

[0056] Server 1 analyzes data obtained from external servers or data posted by individuals regarding meals, and periodically updates information regarding the type of attribute D1, as well as specific cooking times and temperatures.

[0057] Next, let's explain the condition information C1. Condition information C1 is acquired information that is obtained in advance or automatically in real time from the user 5's presentation device 2, etc. In other words, condition information C1 is information that user 5 does not need to input themselves when requesting menu suggestions. However, condition information C1 may include some information that user 5 inputs themselves on the spot. For example, if user 5 wants to limit the number of intermediate words B1 that are presented (e.g., five or fewer), information specifying the number of intermediate words may be input on the spot as condition information C1.

[0058] Conditional information C1 includes contextual information such as user status, inventory status, and environmental status, as shown in Figure 3B and Table 1 below. In other words, conditional information C1 is information related to user 5 that may change from day to day.

[0059] [Table 1]

[0060] [User Status] User information may include time information, location information, and health information, as shown in Table 1, for example. Note that the context conditions and intermediate word examples shown in Table 1 are merely examples and are not limited to these. Furthermore, in the information presentation system 100, the intermediate word B1 corresponding to the condition examples may be changed daily to better suit individual preferences, etc., based on the items selected by user 5 (history information). "History information" will be explained in detail in the next section.

[0061] The time information is information about when user 5 requested a menu suggestion, and is included in the menu request signal and transmitted from the presentation device 2. Here, the time information includes information about the year, month, day, time, and day of the week, but it may also be information about the time only, for example. The time information may also be based on time measured by the server 1's timer, or it may be information about when the menu request signal was received. The time information is used to determine whether predetermined context conditions are met. Examples of predetermined context conditions for time information are, as shown in Table 1, "after 7 PM" and "weekends and holidays". If the first decision unit 11 finds that the time information satisfies at least one of the context conditions "after 7 PM" and "weekends and holidays", it may determine the intermediate word B1 to be a word such as "time-saving", "eating out", or "takeout".

[0062] Location information refers to the current location (position) of user 5. Here, location information refers to the current location of user 5 as detected by the detection unit 26. The location information of user 5 who requested a menu suggestion is included in the menu request signal and transmitted from the presentation device 2. The location information includes not only the current location of user 5 who requested the menu suggestion, but also the current location information of other users 5 in the family, which is transmitted from each other user 5's presentation device 2. For example, when the server 1 receives a menu request signal, it sends a signal to the presentation devices 2 of other users 5 in the family requesting them to send location information. The location information is then used to determine whether predetermined contextual conditions are met. Examples of predetermined contextual conditions for location information are, as shown in Table 1, "outside the home," "more than 5 km from home," and "on the move (e.g., on the way home)." The first decision unit 11 can determine a word such as "eating out," "eating in," or "relaxation" as the intermediate word B1 if the location information satisfies at least one contextual condition: "outside home," "more than 5km from home," and "on the move."

[0063] Health information is information about user 5's current health status and is managed in advance by server 1, for example. User 5 can register, change, and delete health information at any time by, for example, launching a cooking application on the display device 2. Health information includes, for example, age, height, weight, vision, hearing, blood pressure, blood glucose level, and the name of any pre-existing conditions, and this information is transmitted from the display device 2 to server 1. Some of the health information may be transmitted directly to server 1 from an external device (for example, a blood pressure monitor), as described above. Server 1 stores and manages this information as user data M3 in the storage unit 17. Of course, if user 5 does not wish to register information about their health status, input of this information is not required. The health information is then used to determine whether predetermined contextual conditions are met. Examples of predetermined contextual conditions for health information are, as shown in Table 1, "higher than standard BMI (Body mass index)" and "higher than standard blood glucose level," etc. The first determination unit 11 determines whether the health information If at least one of the contextual conditions, "higher than standard BMI" and "higher than standard blood glucose level," is met, then words such as "diet," "blood glucose level," or "low calorie" can be determined as the intermediate word B1.

[0064] [Stock Status] The inventory status may include inventory information about food ingredients, as shown in Table 1, for example. In other words, the inventory information is information about food ingredients that user 5 has purchased (or received) and is storing in the refrigerator, etc., of the house 200. Here, the inventory information includes information about the name of the food ingredient, type (category such as meat, seafood, beans, grains, fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, mushrooms, etc.), storage location, remaining quantity (quantity, weight, etc.), purchase date, and expiration date. The expiration date is assumed to be, for example, the use-by date or best-before date, but it may also be an expiration date arbitrarily set by user 5 (for example, an expiration date set earlier than the use-by date). User 5 can register, change, and delete inventory information at any time by, for example, launching a cooking application on the display device 2. This information is transmitted from the display device 2 to the server 1. The server 1 stores and manages this information as user data M3 in the storage unit 17. Of course, if user 5 does not wish to register inventory information, it is not necessary to input this information. Furthermore, if the packaging materials used to wrap the purchased food items are marked with a one-dimensional or two-dimensional code, the display device 2 may read the code with its imaging unit and transmit inventory information, including the expiration date, to the server 1.

[0065] Server 1 manages the inventory information of ingredients stored by User 5. When User 5 inputs information into Presentation Device 2 indicating that they have actually cooked the suggested information A1 received from Information Presentation System 100, Presentation Device 2 sends a feedback signal containing that information to Server 1. Also, if User 5 cooks using Microwave Device 4, Microwave Device 4 sends a feedback signal to Server 1 containing information about the cooking menu. From these feedback signals, Server 1 estimates the type and quantity (quantity, weight, etc.) of ingredients used and updates the inventory information in User Data M3 (decreasing by the amount used). Of course, the inventory information in User Data M3 may also be updated by Presentation Device 2 directly receiving input from User 5 indicating the amount of ingredients actually used.

[0066] The inventory information is then used to determine whether or not predetermined contextual conditions are met. An example of predetermined contextual conditions for inventory information is, as shown in Table 1, "there are ingredients with an expiration date of one day or less." If the first decision unit 11 finds that there are ingredients in the inventory information that satisfy the contextual condition "there are ingredients with an expiration date of one day or less," it may determine an intermediate word B1 that includes the name of that ingredient, for example, "komatsuna expiration date." In other words, "komatsuna expiration date" is the intermediate word B1 that corresponds to the fact that the komatsuna currently stored by user 5 has an expiration date of one day or less.

[0067] Thus, the first decision unit 11 includes a function to determine the intermediate word B1 based on the expiration date of the food ingredients. In other words, the first decision step includes a decision based on the expiration date of the food ingredients.

[0068] [Environmental conditions] Environmental conditions may include temperature information, as shown in Table 1, for example. The temperature information is the temperature of the area where the residence 200, which is the residence of user 5, is located (for example, City AA). Server 1 identifies the temperature information for the location area from the location information of residence 200 stored in the storage unit 17. For example, Server 1 obtains the temperature information for City AA at the time it receives the menu request signal from an external server (a server that manages weather data). The temperature information may not be the temperature information for the location area of ​​residence 200, but also the temperature information for the current location of user 5 detected by the detection unit 26. The temperature information is then used to determine whether or not predetermined contextual conditions are met. An example of predetermined contextual conditions for temperature information is, as shown in Table 1, "4 degrees or more lower than the previous day's temperature". If the temperature information meets this contextual condition, the first decision unit 11 may determine a word such as "warm" or "hot pot" as the intermediate word B1.

[0069] In this embodiment, the master information relating to the context conditions and intermediate word examples described above is stored in the storage unit 17 as context data M1, as shown in Figure 1. The context conditions and intermediate word examples are stored in a "many-to-many" correspondence with each other. Server 1 analyzes the context data M1, including data obtained from external servers or data posted by individuals, to collect the latest words (trendy words, etc.) and updates it daily (enhancing the context data M1).

[0070] The first presentation unit 13 is configured to present multiple intermediate words B1 to the user 5 so that the user can select one or more intermediate words B1 from among multiple intermediate words B1 (first presentation step). Specifically, the first presentation unit 13 generates a signal (context selection signal) containing information about the multiple intermediate words B1 determined by the first determination unit 11 and transmits it via the communication unit 10 to the presentation device 2, which is the source of the menu request signal. For example, if a menu request signal is transmitted from the mother 50's presentation device 2A, the first presentation unit 13 transmits the context selection signal to the presentation device 2A, causing it to be output from the output unit 25 of the presentation device 2A. In other words, as an example, the mother 50, who owns the presentation device 2A, is given the right to select one or more intermediate words B1 from among multiple intermediate words B1.

[0071] When the communication unit 21 of each presentation device 2 (in this case, the mother's 50 presentation device 2A) receives a context selection signal, the control unit 22 displays a plurality of intermediate words B1 on the display screen 250 of the display unit 25A, which functions as an output unit 25, as shown in Figure 4. In the example in Figure 4, three intermediate words B1 are presented: "time-saving," "relaxation," and "komatsuna expiration date." In the example in Figure 4, the three intermediate words B1 are displayed as circular or elliptical tags. The first tag B11 indicates the intermediate word B1 "time-saving." The second tag B12 indicates the intermediate word B1 "komatsuna expiration date." The third tag B13 indicates the intermediate word B1 "relaxation." Each of the first to third tags B11 can be selected by tapping with the user's fingertip or the like.

[0072] The presentation device 2 preferably outputs a message (string data or audio data) from the output unit 25 prompting the user to select one or more of the three intermediate words B1.

[0073] Incidentally, the area sizes of the first tag B11 to the third tag B13 displayed on the display screen 250 are all different from each other. In the example in Figure 4, the area size of the second tag B12 is the largest, followed by the area size of the first tag B11, and the area size of the third tag B13 is the smallest. The information presentation system 100 of this embodiment is set so that the area size of the corresponding tag becomes larger for intermediate words B1 that are estimated to be of higher interest to the user 5, who is the source of the menu request signal.

[0074] Specifically, the first decision unit 11 determines an index called "recommendation level" for each of the multiple intermediate words B1 that it has decided on, and the first presentation unit 13 transmits the result related to that index along with the context selection signal. The "recommendation level" may be an absolute index for each intermediate word B1, or a relative index among multiple intermediate words B1. The "recommendation level" is determined by mutually judging, for example, the degree to which user 5's condition information C1 matches the context conditions, and the history information of user 5's past selections in user data M3 in the storage unit 17. If user 5 has set a limit on the number of multiple intermediate words B1 to be presented, for example, to five or fewer, and the number of relevant intermediate words B1 is six or more, the first presentation unit 13 will present only the top five intermediate words B1 with the highest "recommendation level".

[0075] The control unit 22 of the presentation device 2 determines the area size of each tag based on the "recommendation level" included in the context selection signal and displays it on the display screen 250. Changing the area size of the tags according to the "recommendation level" is not mandatory; the area sizes of the first tag B11 to the third tag B13 may all be the same.

[0076] When user 5 finds an intermediate word B1 of interest from among the multiple intermediate words B1 displayed on the display screen 250, they tap the tag corresponding to that intermediate word B1 with their fingertip or the like. In the example in Figure 4, the first tag B11 and the second tag B12 are tapped and selected (see the dot hatching on the presentation device 2 in the center of Figure 4), but the number of selected items can be just one or all of them. If user 5 cannot find a word of interest among the multiple intermediate words B1 displayed on the display screen 250, they tap the object area (not shown in Figure 4) for requesting a re-presentation of the intermediate word. The information presentation system 100 then accepts the re-presentation request. When server 1 receives a signal regarding the re-presentation request from presentation device 2, the first decision unit 11 extracts an intermediate word B1 that is different from the multiple intermediate words B1 previously presented.

[0077] When user 5 selects one or more intermediate words B1 from among a plurality of intermediate words B1, the control unit 22 of the presentation device 2 generates a signal (food and drink request signal) indicating the selected intermediate word B1 and transmits it to server 1 via communication unit 21. Upon receiving the food and drink request signal, server 1 determines the presentation information A1 using the second determination unit 12, which will be described later. Processing unit P1 stores user 5's selection results (including requests for re-presentation), that is, the intermediate words B1 that user 5 showed interest in (selected) and the intermediate words B1 that user 5 did not show interest in (did not select), as history information (user data M3) in storage unit 17. Processing unit P1 then reflects user 5's selection results in determining intermediate words B1 in subsequent instances.

[0078] The second decision unit 12 is configured to determine the presentation information A1 corresponding to one or more intermediate words B1 selected by the user 5 from among a plurality of presentation information A1 (second decision step). Specifically, when the second decision unit 12 receives a food and beverage request signal indicating the intermediate word B1 selected by the user from the presentation device 2 via the communication unit 10, it refers to master information called food and beverage data M2 in the storage unit 17 and extracts the presentation information A1 corresponding to that intermediate word B1. As shown in Table 2 below, the food and beverage data M2 is stored in the storage unit 17 in a "many-to-many" manner, where the names of the cooking menus and the corresponding intermediate words B1 are associated. In addition, in the food and beverage data M2, each menu name is stored in association with the necessary ingredients, including the quantity. Although not explained here, in the food and beverage data M2, each menu name is also stored in association with the recipe (cooking method). In other words, the meal information in this embodiment includes information about the cooking menu. The food and beverage data M2 is also associated with the cooking appliances necessary to prepare each menu item; for example, one of the cooking appliances corresponds to the microwave oven 4. The microwave oven 4 also manages information related to the food and beverage data M2, and when user 5 uses the microwave oven 4 to cook a certain menu item, that information is sent directly from the microwave oven 4 to the server 1.

[0079] [Table 2]

[0080] The second decision unit 12 extracts presentation information A1 (menu) from the food and beverage data M2 in the storage unit 17, which includes menu names corresponding to one or more intermediate words B1 selected by user 5. Here, because user 5 selected two intermediate words B1, "time-saving" and "komatsuna expiration date," on the presentation device 2, one or more menu names that correspond to both of these intermediate words B1 may be selected.

[0081] Specifically, the intermediate word B1, "time-saving," is associated in the food and beverage data M2 not only with "komatsuna expiration date" but also with other cooked dishes such as "salmon porridge," "egg omelet sandwich," and "oyakodon." Furthermore, the intermediate word B1, "komatsuna expiration date," is associated in the food and beverage data M2 not only with "komatsuna ohitashi" but also with other cooked dishes such as "komatsuna garlic stir-fry." In this case, the second decision unit 12 will select "komatsuna ohitashi," which is associated with both "time-saving" and "komatsuna expiration date." Thus, the second decision unit 12 includes a function to determine a cooked dish based on the expiration date of the ingredients. In other words, the second decision step includes a decision based on the expiration date of the ingredients.

[0082] Similarly, in the example in Table 2, if user 5 selects two intermediate words B1, "warm" and "hot pot," on the presentation device 2, then a menu name (such as "yosenabe") that is associated with both of these intermediate words B1 may be selected.

[0083] The second presentation unit 14 is configured to present the determined presentation information A1 to the user 5 (second presentation step). Specifically, the second presentation unit 14 generates a signal (menu presentation signal) that includes information about the one or more presentation information A1 determined by the second determination unit 12 (in this case, the menu name "Komatsuna Ohitashi", necessary ingredients, recipe, and an image of the cooking menu, etc.). The second presentation unit 14 then transmits the menu presentation signal to the presentation device 2, which is the source of the food and drink request signal, via the communication unit 10. For example, if a food and drink request signal is transmitted from the mother 50's presentation device 2A, the second presentation unit 14 transmits the menu presentation signal to the presentation device 2A, causing it to be output from the output unit 25 of the presentation device 2A. The image of the cooking menu may be an image prepared in advance by the provider operating the server 1, or it may be a menu image created by an individual and posted to the server 1.

[0084] When the communication unit 21 of each presentation device 2 (in this case, the mother's 50 presentation device 2A) receives a menu presentation signal, the control unit 22 displays the presentation information A1 on the display screen 250 of the display unit 25A, as shown in the presentation device 2 at the far right of Figure 4. In the example in Figure 4, the presentation information A1 displayed on the screen includes the menu name "Komatsuna Ohitashi" (string data), an image of the menu (image data), and information about the necessary ingredients (string data). By tapping the display field showing the necessary ingredients, the user can transition to a screen displaying more detailed information (recipe, etc.). In the example in Figure 4, only one piece of presentation information A1 is displayed ("Komatsuna Ohitashi"), but there may be multiple pieces. Furthermore, the presentation information A1 may also include information about the salt content, calories, nutritional components of the cooking menu, and the cooking appliance to be used (e.g., microwave oven 4).

[0085] In this embodiment, the information presentation system 100 accepts a selection of the presented information A1 when, for example, the user 5 taps with their fingertip or the like within a predetermined area on the display screen 250 where one or more pieces of presented information A1 are displayed. In other words, if there is a menu item of interest to the user 5 (for example, a menu item they would like to cook) among the one or more presented menu items, the user 5 selects that menu item. Upon this selection, the information presentation system 100 accepts that the user 5 will now proceed with cooking that menu item (final selection of presented information A1).

[0086] The presentation device 2 transmits a signal (feedback signal) containing the selection result to the server 1. When the processing unit P1 of the server 1 receives the feedback signal from the presentation device 2 via the communication unit 10, it assumes that user 5 has actually cooked the menu based on the selection result. Then, the processing unit P1 estimates the types and quantities (quantity, weight, etc.) of ingredients that may be used in that menu and updates the inventory information in user data M3 (decreasing by the amount that may be used). The processing unit P1 also stores the selection results of user 5, that is, the presentation information A1 that user 5 showed interest in (selected) and the presentation information A1 that user 5 did not show interest in (did not select), as history information (user data M3) in the storage unit 17. In other words, similar to the selection result for intermediate word B1, the processing unit P1 also reflects the selection result for presentation information A1 in the determination of intermediate word B1 in subsequent instances.

[0087] It is preferable that the authority to make the "final selection" for the presented information A1 is granted only to the cook X1 (e.g., mother 50) who actually performs the cooking. Therefore, in the information presentation system 100, the user data M3 in the storage unit 17 allows setting a cook flag for a user ID to indicate that the user is cook X1. The processing unit P1 of the server 1 determines whether or not the cook flag is attached to the user ID that sent the feedback signal, and only if the cook flag is attached does it consider that user 5 actually cooked the menu. If the feedback signal is sent from a user ID that does not have the cook flag attached, the server 1 notifies the server 1 of this fact via the presentation device 2.

[0088] The third presentation unit 15 is configured to present a method for preserving a specific ingredient (third presentation step) if user 5 indicates an action that rejects the consumption of that ingredient. For example, in the example described above, suppose that the expiration date of the komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach) among the ingredients stored by user 5 is one day or less, and the first presentation unit 13 presents the intermediate word B1 "komatsuna expiration date" among several intermediate words B1. However, if user 5 does not select "komatsuna expiration date" and selects another intermediate word B1, the second presentation unit 14 is more likely to present a cooking menu that does not use komatsuna (presentation information A1). As a result, even though the expiration date of the komatsuna is approaching, it is more likely that a cooking menu that does not use komatsuna will be the final choice of cook X1 (for example, mother 50).

[0089] Furthermore, if user 5 selects an intermediate word B1 such as "eating out" or "eating prepared food," the likelihood of them eating out or buying prepared food (such as side dishes) from outside, despite the komatsuna's expiration date being approaching, increases. As a result, despite the komatsuna's expiration date being approaching, the likelihood of taking actions that negate the consumption of the komatsuna (eating out, eating prepared food) increases.

[0090] The third presentation unit 15 presents a method for preserving the food item (specific food item) in this state. Specifically, it presents information to the user 5's presentation device 2, such as washing and finely chopping komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach) that is nearing its expiration date and then freezing it. The timing of presenting the preservation method is not particularly limited, but for example, it may be presented after the user 5 has made a final selection regarding the presented information A1. The information on the preservation method is stored in the storage unit 17 as food and beverage data M2, associated with each food item. The information presentation system 100 also encourages preservation by presenting the preservation method for the komatsuna. The information presentation system 100 may also only encourage preservation without presenting a preservation method (outputting a message encouraging preservation). In addition, since some types of food items are difficult to preserve (for example, eggs or dairy products), if the information presentation system 100 determines that there is a high possibility that such food items will expire, it may output a message encouraging the disposal of those food items.

[0091] Thus, the third display unit 15 can improve convenience by presenting a method for preserving the food ingredient when the user 5 indicates an action that rejects the consumption of that ingredient.

[0092] The setting unit 16 is configured to set up a group G1 (see Figure 3A) that includes multiple users 5 (setting step). The presentation device 2 can receive input via the cooking application to link user 5's family (mother 50, father 53, child 51, and grandfather 52) as a single group G1. When the presentation device 2 receives input regarding group settings, it sends information about those group settings to the server 1. When the setting unit 16 receives information about group settings from the presentation device 2, it stores those group settings as user data M3 in the storage unit 17. Group G1 is linked by the user ID of the person(s).

[0093] In this embodiment, when a menu request signal is received from the presentation device 2 of a user 5 who has been group-configured, at least one of the first presentation unit 13 and the second presentation unit 14 is capable of presenting information in units of group G1. In other words, at least one of the first presentation step and the second presentation step presents information in units of group G1. In this way, the information presentation system 100 can present information in units of group G1, making it easy to present information to multiple users 5 (for example, a family).

[0094] Here, the setting unit 16 is configured to enable or disable the presentation of intermediate words B1 and the presentation of presentation information A1 on a group G1 basis. For example, suppose the presentation of intermediate words B1 on a group G1 basis is set to "enabled," while the presentation of presentation information A1 on a group G1 basis is set to "disabled." When cook X1 (mother 50) sends a menu request signal from the presentation device 2A, multiple intermediate words B1 are presented not only to the mother 50's presentation device 2A, but also to the presentation devices 2 of the other family members (father 53, child 51, and grandfather 52). As a result, each family member can select the intermediate word B1 that interests them, and the opinions of all family members are more likely to be reflected in the presentation information A1. At this time, the first decision unit 11 may decide on the multiple intermediate words B1 based on the condition information C1 for all family members, or it may decide on the condition information C1 for one representative (for example, cook X1). Since the presentation of information A1 is "invalid," it will only be shown on the presentation device 2A of mother 50, who is the cook X1. Of course, if the presentation of information A1 by group G1 is also set to "valid," then information A1 will be shown not only on mother 50's presentation device 2A but also on the presentation devices 2 of other family members.

[0095] However, even if the presentation of information A1 by group G1 is set to "enabled," it is preferable that the authority to "final select" information A1 is given only to the cook X1 (e.g., mother 50) who actually performs the cooking, as described above. In other words, it is preferable that the authority to select information A1 presented in the second presentation step is given only to a specific user 5 within group G1. In this case, if there is a mix of executors (e.g., cook X1) who perform a specific action based on the presented information A1 and non-executors who do not perform that action within group G1, convenience can be improved by giving that authority only to the executors.

[0096] (2.3) Reflection of historical information As described above, in the information presentation system 100 of this embodiment, the intermediate word B1 corresponding to the example conditions can be changed daily to better suit the user's preferences, etc., based on the items (history information) selected by the user 5. The history information of user 5 also corresponds to one of the "user status" described above. In other words, the condition information C1 includes history information. The history information includes the history of multiple intermediate words B1 that were previously presented to user 5 in the first presentation unit 13 (first presentation step).

[0097] In this embodiment, the history information includes the history of one or more intermediate words B1 that user 5 has selected in the past. In other words, the information presentation system 100 manages history information regarding the intermediate words B1, etc., that user 5 selects on a daily basis.

[0098] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the history information includes a history of actions taken by user 5 who previously received presentation information A1 in the second presentation unit 14 (second presentation step). Specifically, the history information includes a history of presentation information A1 that the user "finally selected" (it may be viewed rather than selected) by tapping on the presentation device 2, and may also include a history of presentation information A1 that was "not selected". The history information also includes a history of cooking a certain cooking menu (which does not necessarily match presentation information A1) using the microwave device 4, and may include a history based on information received directly from the microwave device 4. In other words, the above "actions" correspond to selection, viewing, and cooking (execution).

[0099] The historical information also includes previously acquired information regarding user status, inventory status, and environmental conditions. For example, past user status can be used to estimate the lifestyle patterns (habits, daily rhythm) of user 5.

[0100] The processing unit P1 of the information presentation system 100 further includes a learning unit 18 (see Figure 1) that performs unsupervised learning, for example, based on the historical information accumulated daily. The learning unit 18 analyzes the structure and characteristics of the historical information, performs clustering, etc., and generates a model for each user 5 (or each group G1). The first decision unit 11 considers the current situation (context) at the time of receiving the menu request signal, as well as the model, to determine multiple intermediate words B1 that are more suitable for the lifestyle pattern and preferences of that user 5. The "historical information accumulated daily" here may include not only the historical information of the user 5 who made the menu suggestion request, but also the historical information of other users 5 within the group G1 to which that user 5 belongs, and the historical information of users 5 other than user 5 in the house 200.

[0101] Examples of characteristics of historical information include a strong tendency to choose low-calorie or low-sodium menus due to concerns about weight or blood pressure, a strong tendency to eat light meals for dinner, and a strong tendency to return home late, after 9 PM. Other examples include a strong tendency to cook hot pot dishes during the winter season, a strong tendency to have many ingredients nearing their expiration date due to poor food expiration management, and a tendency to eat out frequently on weekends and a low likelihood of cooking at home. The information presentation system 100 makes it easier to reflect such characteristics in the determination of the intermediate word B1.

[0102] In this embodiment, multiple intermediate words B1 are determined based on conditional information C1, which includes historical information. As a result, the user 5's lifestyle patterns and preferences are more likely to be reflected in the multiple intermediate words B1, and consequently, the presented information A1 that better reflects the user 5's intentions is more likely to be presented.

[0103] Furthermore, it is preferable that at least one of the first decision unit 11 and the second decision unit 12 determines the intermediate word B1 and the presented information A1 based on the expiration date (for food ingredients) and the lifestyle pattern of user 5. In other words, it is preferable that at least one of the first decision step and the second decision step includes a decision based on the expiration date and the lifestyle pattern of user 5. Specifically, for example, if a user 5 frequently eats out or buys ready-made meals and does not cook much, or if they tend to return home late, there is a high possibility that the food ingredients will reach their expiration date without being consumed. In short, the frequency of cooking on a weekly basis may differ for each user 5. Therefore, the information presentation system 100 adjusts the timing of promoting the consumption of food ingredients according to the cooking frequency (lifestyle pattern of user 5) based on the history information of each user 5.

[0104] As described above, the information presentation system 100 analyzes user 5's lifestyle patterns from historical information. For user 5, who cooks relatively infrequently, the information presentation system 100 presents intermediate word B1 and presented information A1 regarding ingredients nearing their expiration date with ample time before the expiration date. For example, one of the context conditions in Table 1, "Ingredients with an expiration date of 1 day or less," can be changed to "Ingredients with an expiration date of 3 days or less" for user 5, who cooks relatively infrequently, resulting in the presentation of intermediate word B1 regarding the expiration date being two days earlier. In this case, the system can make meal suggestions that take into account not only the expiration dates of the ingredients but also user 5's lifestyle patterns.

[0105] (2.4) Presentation of the ingredient list Some users (5) may, for example, plan their menus for a week in advance and purchase all the ingredients needed for that week's menu at once. Therefore, the information presentation system 100 in this embodiment allows users to specify the number of meals for which they would like suggestions. In other words, the presented information A1 is not limited to information about a single meal, but may include information about two or more meals. Here, "one meal" refers to, for example, one of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks per day. However, "one meal" may also refer to meals on a daily basis. Alternatively, instead of specifying the "number of meals," a "period (e.g., 2 days or 1 week)" may be specified, for example, "March 1st to March 10th" based on calendar information. Calendar information is stored in the storage unit 17 along with event information for each user (5) and managed as user data M3. Each user (5) can view their own calendar information via the presentation device 2. For example, a user (5) can view menus they have cooked in the past in the form of a calendar (e.g., menu for February 1st: hot pot, etc.). The calendar information can also include the registration of scheduled events (for example, a planned date for eating out, a planned business trip for the father, a planned date for the child's sports day, etc.) as schedule information. This schedule information also corresponds to one of the "user status" conditions in the condition information C1 when the first decision unit 11 determines the intermediate word B1.

[0106] When Server 1 receives information from Presentation Device 2 specifying the number of meals for which suggestions are requested, Second Presentation Unit 14 presents presentation information A1 for the number of meals corresponding to that number. Here, Second Presentation Unit 14 is configured to present a list of ingredients corresponding to two or more meals as presentation information A1 all at once (second presentation step).

[0107] Here, server 1 may, for example, receive a request from user 5 to re-present information A1 corresponding to a week's worth of meals, either the day after or a few days later. However, user 5's situation (context) changes daily, and the inventory of ingredients purchased in bulk for a week will decrease through daily cooking. In response to this, the information presentation system 100 of this embodiment is configured to update the ingredient list (presented all at once) in accordance with changes in condition information C1. Therefore, if condition information C1 may change daily, it can present an ingredient list that follows those changes. In particular, it can suggest the best menu that can be cooked with the remaining ingredients at the time a request for re-presentation of information A1 is received.

[0108] Furthermore, it is preferable that the ingredient list be updated according to the user 5's selection results in response to previously presented information A1. In this case, an ingredient list that better reflects the user 5's lifestyle and preferences can be presented.

[0109] (2.5)Priority In this embodiment, it is possible to set priorities for multiple users 5 in group G1. When priorities are set, the first decision unit 11 is configured to determine multiple intermediate words B1 based on condition information C1 related to the user 5 with the highest priority within group G1. In other words, priorities are set for multiple users 5 within group G1, and in the first decision step, multiple intermediate words B1 are determined based on condition information C1 related to the user 5 with the highest priority.

[0110] The priority of group G1 is set as a priority flag from "1" to "3", as shown in Table 3 below, for example.

[0111] [Table 3]

[0112] In the example in Table 3, a set of a first identifier and a second identifier constitutes the user ID of each user 5. The first identifier is the unique ID of group G1, and the second identifier is the unique ID that distinguishes families within group G1. The priority flag indicates priority in the order of "1" (highest) followed by "2" and then "3" (lowest). In other words, in the example in Table 3, the highest priority is assigned to the user ID of child 51. Furthermore, in the information presentation system 100 of this embodiment, it is also possible to set priority conditions. User 5 can input priority flags and priority conditions by inputting operations to the presentation device 2.

[0113] For example, the first decision unit 11 determines the intermediate word B1 based on the condition information C1 related to the child 51 with the highest priority in the group G1, that is, prioritizing the child 51's lifestyle and preferences. In particular, since the priority condition for child 51 is set to "time of returning home," the first decision unit 11 estimates the time of returning home from the child 51's current location and includes an intermediate word B1 that evokes, for example, the attributes D1 of a meal that can be prepared with that time of returning home as the target.

[0114] Furthermore, the first decision unit 11 determines the intermediate word B1 based on the condition information C1 related to the grandfather 52, who has the next highest priority within the group G1, that is, by prioritizing the lifestyle patterns and preferences of the grandfather 52 after those of the child 51. In particular, since the priority condition for the grandfather 52 is set to "blood glucose level," the first decision unit 11 includes an intermediate word B1 that evokes the attribute D1 of a carbohydrate-restricted diet if the blood glucose level (health information) satisfies a predetermined contextual condition.

[0115] Because priorities can be set in this way, conditional information C1 related to user 5, who has a high priority, is more likely to be reflected in multiple intermediate words B1.

[0116] Furthermore, the display device 2 can output a list on the display screen 250, as shown in Table 3, showing which priority is assigned to which person within group G1, in response to user input from user 5. Therefore, each user 5 can easily view the current priority settings within group G1.

[0117] (2.6) Operation Description The operation of the information presentation system 100 in this embodiment will be briefly described below with reference to Figure 5. Note that the order of operations described below is merely an example and is not particularly limited.

[0118] Inside the house 200, the mother 50, who is the cook X1, launches the cooking application on the display device 2A and logs in by entering her user ID and password. Furthermore, the mother 50 makes an input through the cooking application to request, for example, a menu suggestion for tonight's dinner (step S1). In response to the input from the mother 50, the display device 2A sends a menu request signal to the server 1 (step S2).

[0119] When Server 1 receives a menu request signal, it requests and obtains the necessary information (such as current location) from the display devices 2 of all users 5 in group G1 associated with that user ID, based on the condition information C1 at that time (step S3). Then, Server 1 determines several intermediate words B1 based on the condition information C1 (first decision step: step S4). In this case, as shown in Figure 1, of the four family members, the mother 50, child 51, and grandfather 52 are at home, while the father 53 is out at work. Server 1 estimates that the father 53 is currently at work based on his current location, and as a result, the intermediate words B1 may include words related to the father 53 who is out.

[0120] When Server 1 determines multiple intermediate words B1, it generates a context selection signal and sends it to Presentation Device 2A, causing Mother 50 to present the multiple intermediate words B1 (First presentation step: Step S5).

[0121] When the presentation device 2A receives a context selection signal, it displays multiple intermediate words B1 on the display screen 250 of the display unit 25A (step S6). When the presentation device 2A receives a selection of multiple intermediate words B1 from the mother 50 through a tap operation or the like (step S7), it generates a food and drink request signal indicating the selected intermediate words B1 and sends it to the server 1 (step S8).

[0122] When Server 1 receives a food and drink request signal, it refers to the food and drink data M2 and determines the presentation information A1 corresponding to the intermediate word B1 selected by User 5 (Second determination step: Step S9). Server 1 generates a menu presentation signal containing information about the determined presentation information A1 (in this case, "blanched komatsuna") and transmits it to the presentation device 2A, causing Mother 50 to present the presentation information A1 (Second presentation step: Step S10).

[0123] When the presentation device 2A receives a menu presentation signal, it displays the presentation information A1 on the display screen 250 of the display unit 25A (step S11). When the mother 50 decides to cook the suggested presentation information A1 for tonight's dinner, she makes a "final selection" through a tap operation or the like (step S12).

[0124] The presentation device 2A sends a feedback signal including the selection result to the server 1 (step S13). When the mother 50 uses the microwave device 4 to cook the final selected presentation information A1 (step S14), the microwave device 4 sends a feedback signal including the cooking result to the server 1 (step S15).

[0125] When Server 1 receives feedback signals from the presentation device 2A and the microwave device 4, it estimates the types and quantities (quantity, weight, etc.) of ingredients that may be used in the menu based on the selection and cooking results, and updates the inventory information in user data M3 (step S16). At the same time, for example, the learning unit 18 updates its (machine learning) model to take the selection and cooking results into account.

[0126] As described above, the information presentation system 100 of this embodiment determines and presents multiple intermediate words B1 based on conditional information C1 related to the user 5. Therefore, the user 5 only needs to select the intermediate word B1 of interest from the multiple intermediate words B1, and the presented information A1 will be displayed. In other words, unlike Patent Document 1, the user 5 does not have to go through the trouble of thinking of and inputting words that correspond to the intermediate words B1. As a result, the convenience for the user 5 is improved, and the user 5's intentions are more easily reflected.

[0127] Furthermore, compared to the initial stages of using the information presentation system 100, as the number of times intermediate word B1 and presented information A1 are selected increases due to requests for daily menu suggestions, the learning unit 18 becomes more likely to present intermediate word B1 that is better suited to the user 5's lifestyle and preferences. In particular, cook X1 may not have a detailed understanding of the current situation (context) of other users 5 within group G1, and in this respect as well, the information presentation system 100 can present intermediate word B1 and presented information A1 that take into account the situations of other users 5.

[0128] (3) Variant The above embodiments are merely one of many embodiments of this disclosure. The above embodiments can be modified in various ways depending on the design, etc., as long as the objectives of this disclosure are achieved. Furthermore, functions similar to those of the information presentation system 100 according to the above embodiments may be embodied in an information presentation method, a computer program, or a non-temporary recording medium on which a computer program is recorded.

[0129] The following lists modifications of the above embodiment. The modifications described below can be combined and applied as appropriate. Hereafter, the above embodiment may also be referred to as the "basic example".

[0130] The information presentation system 100 in this disclosure includes a computer system. The computer system mainly consists of a processor and memory as hardware. The functions of the information presentation system 100 in this disclosure are realized by the processor executing a program recorded in the memory of the computer system. The program may be pre-recorded in the memory of the computer system, provided via a telecommunications line, or provided on a non-temporary recording medium such as a memory card, optical disk, or hard disk drive that can be read by the computer system. The processor of the computer system consists of one or more electronic circuits including semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) or large-scale integrated circuits (LSIs). The integrated circuits such as ICs or LSIs referred to here are named differently depending on the degree of integration, and include integrated circuits called system LSIs, VLSIs (Very Large Scale Integration), or ULSIs (Ultra Large Scale Integration). Furthermore, FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) that are programmed after the manufacture of LSIs, or logic devices that allow for the reconfiguration of junction relationships or circuit compartments within LSIs, can also be used as processors. Multiple electronic circuits may be integrated onto a single chip or distributed across multiple chips. Multiple chips may be integrated onto a single device or distributed across multiple devices. The computer system referred to here includes a microcontroller having one or more processors and one or more memories. Therefore, the microcontroller also consists of one or more electronic circuits, including semiconductor integrated circuits or large-scale integrated circuits.

[0131] Furthermore, it is not essential that the multiple functions of the information presentation system 100 be consolidated within a single housing. For example, the components of the information presentation system 100 may be distributed across multiple housings. Conversely, the multiple functions of the information presentation system 100 may be consolidated within a single housing. Moreover, at least some of the functions of the information presentation system 100, for example, some of the functions of the information presentation system 100 may be implemented by the cloud (cloud computing), etc.

[0132] In the basic example, multiple intermediate words B1 are displayed as circular and elliptical tags on the display screen 250 of the display unit 25A of the presentation device 2. However, as shown in Figure 6, the multiple intermediate words B1 may also be displayed in list format. In list format, it is preferable that the intermediate words B1 are displayed from top to bottom in order of "recommendation level".

[0133] In the basic example, one piece of information A1 is displayed per screen. However, as shown in Figure 7, two pieces of information A1 (blanched komatsuna and hot pot) may be displayed on one screen. Also, so that user 5 can understand the intermediate word B1 that was the factor that caused server 1 to determine information A1, information A1 may be displayed together with the intermediate word B1. From the example in Figure 7, it is easy to understand that "blanched komatsuna" was determined based on the intermediate word B1 "time-saving" selected by user 5, and "hot pot" was determined based on the intermediate word B1 "warm" selected by user 5.

[0134] In the basic example, the meal information (presented information A1) was information about cooking menus and recipes. However, the meal information may also be information about eating out or eating prepared meals. Specifically, if user 5 selects "eating out" or "eating prepared meals" as the intermediate word B1, the information presentation system 100 may present store information such as supermarkets or restaurants in the area surrounding the house 200 as presented information A1. In this case, server 1 obtains and stores map information about stores such as supermarkets or restaurants from an external server and searches for stores in the area surrounding the house 200, or in the area along the route from house 200 to father 53's workplace. If server 1 obtains information about supermarket sales or restaurant point rewards from the external server, it presents it as an intermediate word B1 such as "sale" or "point reward". If user 5 shows interest, server 1 proposes the store name and location information, as well as information about menus (or ingredients or prepared foods, etc., that are on sale) that are eligible for point rewards, as presented information A1.

[0135] In the basic example, the right to select from multiple intermediate words B1 is given only to the mother 50 who owns the presentation device 2A. However, the right to select from multiple intermediate words B1 may also be given to the presentation devices 2 of other users 5 in group G1 by sending a context selection signal. Each presentation device 2 may also output a chat window on the display screen 250 so that group G1 can consult with each other about which intermediate word B1 and presentation information A1 to select from the multiple intermediate words B1 and presentation information A1 presented. In this case, the information presentation system 100 can also provide a platform for family meetings regarding cooking menus.

[0136] In the basic example, the mother 50 was the cook X1, but if another user 5 within group G1, such as the father 53, temporarily becomes the cook X1, they will use their own presentation device 2D to request menu presentation. In that case, the information presentation system 100 basically has the presentation device 2D present the intermediate word B1 and the presentation information A1.

[0137] In the basic example, the mother 50, who is the cook X1, requests menu suggestions from the presentation device 2 while at home. For example, the mother 50, who is the cook X1, may also request menu suggestions from the presentation device 2 while out (e.g., shopping). In this case, it may be possible to configure the system so that the user's current location significantly influences the determination of the intermediate word B1.

[0138] In the basic example, the information presentation system 100 determines and presents the intermediate word B1 when it receives a request for menu suggestions from user 5 (mother 50). However, the information presentation system 100 may also automatically start the process of determining the intermediate word B1 at a predetermined time, for example, and notify (present) via push notification or the like.

[0139] In the basic example, presented information A1 included information about meals. Presented information A1 may also include information about music, books, or videos instead of meals.

[0140] (4) Specific examples of implementation The following describes more specific examples of the above embodiments.

[0141] (4.1) Structure of a specific example The following describes specific examples of providing meal suggestions as information to be presented. Note that a meal suggestion is a concept that includes presenting a menu or a menu consisting of multiple dishes, suggesting a meal that requires cooking, and suggesting meals that do not require cooking, such as eating out or buying prepared meals. In the following description, components that are considered substantially equivalent to those in the above embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their explanation may be omitted by referring to the above description.

[0142] In the specific examples described below, Server 1a shown in Figure 8 is used instead of Server 1 in Figure 1 above. Figure 8 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the presented system according to a specific example of the embodiment. Although Figure 8 omits the illustration of the configuration of Server 1 which has already been described above, Server 1a will be described as having the same configuration as Server 1 above.

[0143] Specifically, server 1a differs from server 1 in that it is equipped with an acquisition unit 19. The acquisition unit 19 is a processing unit for acquiring user information related to user 5, and is realized by executing a predetermined program using a processor and memory. For example, the acquisition unit 19 is realized as a function of processing unit P1. The acquisition unit 19 acquires information related to user 5 from, for example, detection units provided in various devices. For this reason, the acquisition unit 19 is connected to the detection units provided in various devices via, for example, a communication unit 10. The information acquired here will be explained in detail later. The detectors from which the acquisition unit 19 acquires information may include the detection unit 26 provided in the presentation device 2, as well as the detection unit 26a of the home appliance 8 owned by user 5, and the detection unit 26b of the measuring device 9 owned by user 5. The acquisition unit 19 can also acquire user information from various external systems. This configuration will also be described later.

[0144] As described above, in this specific example, the information presentation system 100 is an information presentation system 100 that presents one of several meal suggestions to the user 5. Therefore, each of the intermediate words in this specific example is a word associated with an attribute related to one or more of the several meal suggestions.

[0145] The information presentation system 100 in this specific example operates as follows. Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the information presentation system according to this specific embodiment. As shown in Figure 9, first, the acquisition unit 19 acquires user information related to user 5 (acquisition step S101). Next, the first determination unit 11 determines condition information related to user 5 from the acquired user information and determines a number of intermediate words based on the condition information (first determination step S102). The condition information related to this specific example will be described later along with the user information.

[0146] Next, the first presentation unit 13 presents multiple intermediate words to the user 5 so that the user can select one or more intermediate words from among them (first presentation step S103). Next, the second decision unit 12 determines a meal suggestion from among the multiple meal suggestions that corresponds to one or more intermediate words selected by the user 5 (second decision step S104). Next, the second presentation unit 14 presents the determined meal suggestion to the user 5 (second presentation step 105). This has the advantage that the convenience of the user 5 is improved in the meal suggestion, and the user 5's wishes are more easily reflected.

[0147] Furthermore, the intermediate words presented as described above can be deleted at the user's discretion. For example, Figure 10 illustrates the deletion of intermediate words according to a specific example of the embodiment. In Figure 10, the intermediate word B1 before the deletion request is sent is shown on the left, and the intermediate word B1 after the deletion request is sent is shown on the right. As shown in Figure 10, the user 5 can request whether or not to delete each of the intermediate words B1 that have been presented individually. For example, the user 5 long-presses the display screen 250 on the intermediate word B1 that they want to delete. Then, a submenu B2 for that intermediate word B1 is displayed. By selecting "Delete" from this submenu B2, the intermediate word B1 selected by the user 5 is deleted.

[0148] Furthermore, "deletion" here includes both temporarily making something unavailable and permanently making something unavailable. For example, information such as "Komatsuna Expiration Date," which is primarily a notification to User 5, may be appropriately presented again when the expiration date approaches again after User 5 purchases more komatsuna. On the other hand, presentations that reflect User 5's behavioral characteristics, such as "Time-Saving Tips," should be permanently hidden if User 5 does not wish to receive them. Therefore, in this specific example, the system is configured to allow users to choose between temporarily making something unavailable or permanently making it unavailable. This choice can be made by User 5 arbitrarily selecting either "Delete" or "Permanently Delete" (not shown).

[0149] Intermediate words B1 selected for permanent deletion are managed, for example, as shown in Figure 11. Figure 11 is a diagram showing an example of a hidden list according to a specific example of the embodiment. As shown in Figure 11, intermediate words B1 selected for permanent deletion are registered in the hidden list. Such a hidden list is stored in a memory unit 17 or the like and is updated each time user 5 performs permanent deletion of an intermediate word B1.

[0150] In deleting the intermediate word B1, the information presentation system 100 operates as follows. Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of deleting an intermediate word according to a specific example of the embodiment. As shown in Figure 12, the processing unit P1 first receives a deletion request from the user 5 via the input unit 24 of the presentation device 2 (first reception step S201). Upon receiving the deletion request, the processing unit P1 changes the image presented by the presentation device 2 and removes the presentation of the intermediate word B1 to be deleted from among the multiple intermediate words B1 presented (step S202). Furthermore, the processing unit P1 determines whether this deletion request is for temporary deletion or permanent deletion (not shown), and if it is for permanent deletion, registers the intermediate word B1 to be deleted in the hidden list (registration step S203).

[0151] Subsequently, in the first decision step S102, the first decision unit 11 decides to present multiple intermediate words based on the condition information, excluding the intermediate word to be deleted that is registered in the hidden list. As a result, the intermediate word B1 registered in the hidden list will no longer be displayed in subsequent processing. However, the registration of the intermediate word B1 in the hidden list may be removed based on a separate operation by the user 5, making the intermediate word B1 available for presentation again.

[0152] Furthermore, the intermediate word B1 presented as described above can be updated at the user's discretion. For example, Figure 13 illustrates how an intermediate word is updated according to a specific example of the embodiment. In Figure 13, the intermediate word B1 before the update request is sent is shown on the left, and the intermediate word B1 after the update request is sent is shown on the right. As shown in Figure 13, once an intermediate word B1 has been presented, if the user 5 determines that there is no suitable intermediate word B1, the user 5 can request an update to the displayed intermediate word B1. For example, the user 5 long-presses and taps anywhere on the display screen 250 where the intermediate word B1 is presented. Then, a submenu B2 is displayed. By selecting "Update Display" from this submenu B2, a new intermediate word B1 is presented in place of the currently presented intermediate word B1.

[0153] In updating the intermediate word B1, the information presentation system 100 operates as follows. Figure 14 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of updating an intermediate word according to a specific example of the embodiment. As shown in Figure 14, the processing unit P1 first receives an update request from the user 5 via the input unit 24 of the presentation device 2 (second reception step S301). When the third decision unit (not shown) included in the processing unit P1 receives a deletion request, it determines, based on the condition information, an updated intermediate word which is one of several updated intermediate words B1 that are different from the multiple intermediate words presented in the first presentation step S102 (third decision step S302). Furthermore, the third presentation unit (not shown) included in the processing unit P1 presents multiple updated intermediate words to the user 5 so that the user can select one or more updated intermediate words (third presentation step S303).

[0154] The above-mentioned third decision unit may be implemented by the first decision unit 11. In this case, the first decision unit 11 is an example of the third decision unit. Also, the above-mentioned third presentation unit may be implemented by the first presentation unit 13. In this case, the first presentation unit 13 is an example of the third presentation unit. For example, when the first decision unit 11 determines an intermediate word B1, it determines more intermediate words B1 than the number to be presented, and presents some of the top ones according to predetermined criteria. After receiving an update request, the first decision unit 11 may newly present an intermediate word B1 that corresponds to the next best among the multiple intermediate words B1 determined by the first decision unit 11. This makes it possible to seamlessly present an updated intermediate word without going through the process of determining a new intermediate word B1.

[0155] Furthermore, the learning unit 18 described in the above embodiment may learn the tendency of intermediate words B1 that do not need to be presented to the user 5 based on the deletion and display update of intermediate words B1 as described above. The resulting learning model can be used to determine whether or not an intermediate word candidate that the first decision unit 11 provisionally decided on when determining an intermediate word is an intermediate word B1 that should be presented to the user 5.

[0156] Furthermore, in this specific example, among the presented intermediate words B1, the intermediate word B1 that is selected most frequently can be presented in a manner that makes it easier to select. Specifically, the acquisition unit 19 further acquires the selection frequency of each of the multiple intermediate words B1 that have been presented in the past, and in the first presentation step S103, presents the multiple intermediate words B1 according to their selection frequency, for example, in a manner that is emphasized the higher the selection frequency. The manner of emphasis may be, for example, a larger tag size as described above, a different color from other intermediate words B1, or a tag with a different shape from other intermediate words B1. The manner of emphasis here can be any configuration that attracts the user 5's attention more than other intermediate words B1.

[0157] Furthermore, in this specific example, information regarding the value of ingredients based on the rarity or price of the ingredients owned by user 5 is acquired, and intermediate word B1 is presented in a manner corresponding to the acquired value of the ingredients. For this purpose, the acquisition unit 19 acquires information regarding the value of ingredients owned by user 5. For example, the acquisition unit 19 may acquire the name and price of ingredients purchased by user 5 through a website or the like, or it may automatically collect information regarding rarity using the name of the ingredient and generate a tag linked to the name of the ingredient. Also, since the value of ingredients has aspects that are unique to user 5, the information presentation system 100 may have user 5's preferences for ingredients in advance, and the value may be calculated based on these preferences as well.

[0158] As a result of the above, in the first presentation step S103, multiple intermediate words B1 can be presented in a manner corresponding to the value of the ingredients. For example, Figure 15 is a diagram illustrating intermediate words presented in a manner corresponding to the value of the ingredients according to a specific example of the embodiment. As shown in Figure 15, intermediate words B1 such as the relatively expensive "bluefin tuna" are presented in a manner that emphasizes them compared to intermediate words B1 such as the relatively inexpensive "saury" and "small horse mackerel". More specifically, intermediate words B1 such as the relatively expensive "bluefin tuna" are presented in a manner that makes the tag larger compared to other intermediate words B1. Here again, as long as the intermediate words B1 are presented in a manner that emphasizes them as their value increases, there are no particular limitations on the manner in which they are presented.

[0159] Furthermore, as explained earlier with the example of intermediate word B1 for "komatsuna expiration date," this can be combined with the presentation of intermediate words related to the expiration dates of ingredients. For example, when the expiration date approaches, the bluefin tuna, which is more expensive than saury and small horse mackerel, may be presented with greater emphasis. For instance, if saury and small horse mackerel have only one day left until their expiration date, and bluefin tuna has only two days left, the bluefin tuna may be presented with even greater emphasis. In this way, the value of ingredients may be used to adjust the time threshold when presenting intermediate words related to the expiration dates of ingredients. Alternatively, for ingredients with the same remaining time until their expiration date, intermediate word B1 may be presented simply in a manner that emphasizes the value of the ingredients. For example, when saury and bluefin tuna have only one day left until their expiration date, bluefin tuna may be presented with a larger tag to emphasize it, as shown in the figure.

[0160] (4.2) Relationship between user information and condition information The relationship between user information and condition information in this specific example will be explained below. For example, in this specific example, as shown in Figure 16, an intermediate word B1 is presented based on the acquired user information. Figure 16 is a diagram illustrating the intermediate words presented based on user information in a specific example of the embodiment. As shown in Figure 16, the intermediate words B1 presented in this specific example may include those that improve user 5's health (e.g., "concerned about weight" in the figure), those that align with behaviors estimated from user 5's behavioral characteristics (e.g., "trending on social media" in the figure), those related to meals that can be prepared within user 5's available cooking time (e.g., "takeout" in the figure), and those that promote improvement in user 5's cooking ability (e.g., "try a new cooking method" in the figure). Each of these will be explained in detail below.

[0161] (4.2.1) Conditional information from the perspective of health status First, we will explain the user information related to improving User 5's health. Here, user information is obtained from external sources such as a schedule management system, measuring device 9, and home appliance device 8. User information includes, for example, a schedule of when and where User 5 will exercise. User information also includes vital information of User 5 obtained from stationary, portable, or implantable devices such as blood pressure monitors, blood glucose meters, bidet toilet seats, scales, activity trackers, and thermometers, which are examples of measuring devices 9. User information also includes information on sleep deprivation based on sleep quality, such as the time difference between going to bed and waking up, or from devices such as bedding, lighting devices, and air conditioning devices, which are examples of home appliance devices 8. User information also includes date and time information and location information obtained from display device 2 or devices such as timing devices, which are examples of home appliance devices 8.

[0162] Furthermore, user information includes test results such as test values ​​from medical institutions, or diagnostic results such as the name of the diagnosed disease. This can be done by the user 5 themselves taking an image of a document containing the diagnostic results with a camera, or by coordinating with the medical institution's server and obtaining the information via the network. User information may also be obtained from fitness-related applications such as running and exercise applications by coordinating with these applications. From the coordinating applications, information on basic health functions such as running and exercise history, physical information, heart rate, blood pressure, and activity level may be obtained as user information. If the coordinating application is configured to store user information on a storage server on the network, user information may also be obtained from the storage server via the coordinating application. This also includes date and time information and location information obtained from a device such as a timing device, which is an example of a display device 2 or a home appliance device 8.

[0163] For example, based on the user information described above, conditional information such as User 5's health status and exercise level will be used to set nutritional intake targets. Then, intermediate words will be determined according to these set nutritional intake targets. For example, if User 5 exercises a lot, the conditional information will assume that User 5 wants to increase muscle strength, so intermediate words B1 such as "efficiently increase muscle strength" will be presented, and meal suggestions with a relatively high protein content will be made. Conversely, if User 5 exercises little, the conditional information will assume that User 5 wants to control weight gain, so intermediate words B1 such as "concerned about weight" will be presented, and low-calorie meal suggestions will be made. Similarly, if User 5 eats late at night, intermediate words B1 such as "concerned about weight" will be presented, and low-calorie meal suggestions will be made.

[0164] Furthermore, for example, if a disruption in the intestinal environment is detected from the state of user 5's excrement, it is presumed that user 5 is aiming to normalize their intestinal environment, and intermediate word B1 such as "regulate your stomach" is presented, along with a dietary suggestion that includes prebiotics and probiotics. Also, for example, if a state such as menstruation or pregnancy is detected from the state of user 5's excrement, it is presumed that user 5 desires dietary support during their menstrual period or pregnancy, and intermediate word B1 such as "support menstruation or pregnancy" is presented, along with a dietary suggestion that includes nutrients that are often deficient, such as iron or folic acid.

[0165] Furthermore, for example, if a condition such as abnormal urinary glucose is detected from the state of user 5's excretions, it is presumed as conditional information that user 5 desires improvement in diabetes, etc., so intermediate word B1 such as "I'm worried about my blood sugar levels" is presented, and a dietary suggestion to moderate the rise in blood sugar levels is made. In addition, along with this dietary suggestion, tips on how to eat in a way that moderates the rise in blood sugar levels may also be presented. Furthermore, for example, if a condition such as hypertension is detected from the state of user 5's blood pressure, it is presumed as conditional information that user 5 desires improvement in hypertension, so intermediate word B1 such as "I'm worried about my blood pressure" is presented, and a dietary suggestion to reduce salt intake is made.

[0166] Furthermore, if, for example, a state such as high fatigue is detected based on the activity level of user 5, it is presumed that user 5 desires fatigue recovery as conditional information. In this case, intermediate word B1 such as "Recover from fatigue to prepare for tomorrow" is presented, and a meal suggestion with a balanced vitamin content is offered.

[0167] Furthermore, for example, the condition information determined from the above user information may include reducing the cooking burden and providing a relaxing effect through meals, depending on user 5's stress level and lack of sleep. Intermediate words are then determined according to these set cooking burden and relaxing effect. For example, if excessive activity and lack of sleep are detected in user 5, the condition information will presume that user 5 desires a reduction in cooking burden and a relaxing effect through meals. Therefore, intermediate word B1 such as "take a break and refresh yourself" will be presented, along with meal suggestions that require less cooking effort or utilize delivery services, as well as meal suggestions that are expected to have a relaxing effect.

[0168] Thus, in this specific example, user information refers to information about user 5's health, and condition information may include information about conditions that improve user 5's health.

[0169] (4.2.2) Conditional information from the perspective of behavioral characteristics Next, we will explain user information that aligns with the behavior estimated from user 5's behavioral characteristics. Here, user information is obtained from a web server, home appliances 8, an external schedule management system, and sensor devices. User information includes, for example, information that user 5 has encountered through websites, etc., that evokes positive emotions (for example, information that user 5 has favorited or written positive comments on social networking services (SNS)). User information also includes, for example, information encountered through information appliances such as televisions (based on information such as channel information and program information). For example, conditional information determined from the above user information includes setting genres of relevant meal suggestions according to the object of user 5's interest. For example, if a specific region is detected as an object of interest for user 5, it is estimated that user 5 desires a meal experience related to that region, so intermediate words B1 such as "local cuisine" are presented, and meal suggestions such as traditional dishes of that region are made. Furthermore, for example, if a specific dish is detected as an object of interest for user 5, it is presumed that user 5 desires a dining experience similar to the specific dish. Therefore, an intermediate word B1 such as "Cuisine Genre: A" is presented, and dining suggestions are made for dishes belonging to the same genre as the specific dish.

[0170] On the other hand, for example, if the conditions determined from the above user information are that user 5 is interested in a particular item, but user 5 has already experienced it, or if a sufficient amount of time has not passed since the previous experience, the system will be set to avoid suggesting food genres related to that item.

[0171] Furthermore, user information includes, for example, schedules in which user 5 may experience something out of the ordinary, such as an event. In such cases, the conditional information determined from the above user information will include the genre of food suggestions relevant to the event that user 5 is participating in. For example, if it is detected that user 5 is participating in an event such as Hina Matsuri (Girls' Day) or Doyo no Ushi no Hi (Day of the Ox in summer), the conditional information will assume that user 5 desires a food experience related to the event, so intermediate word B1 such as "Hina Matsuri dishes" will be presented, and food suggestions such as dishes related to the event will be made.

[0172] Furthermore, user information includes, for example, climate information that user 5 can use to narrow down meal options, such as the temperature difference between day and night on a given day. For example, if a temperature difference of 5 degrees or more is detected, it is presumed that user 5 desires a warm or cold meal experience, so intermediate words B1 such as "warm dishes" are presented, and meal suggestions such as warm dishes are made.

[0173] Furthermore, user information includes, for example, information about the time and location where available ingredients are determined. For example, if the current time and user 5's location are detected, it is presumed that user 5 desires a meal using ingredients that are available at a store that can be reached in time from their current location before closing time, and that are as inexpensive as possible. In this case, an intermediate word B1 such as "I'm going to buy ingredients now" is presented, and meal suggestions, such as dishes that can be prepared with the ingredients available as described above, are made. At this time, information about stores that should be visited may also be presented.

[0174] Alternatively, user information may simply include schedules such as anniversaries. For example, if a schedule such as an anniversary is detected, it is presumed that user 5 desires a meal experience related to the anniversary. Therefore, an intermediate word B1 such as "wedding anniversary" is presented, and meal suggestions are made based on dishes eaten on past wedding anniversaries.

[0175] Furthermore, user information such as the acquisition of favorite ingredients may be acquired. For example, if a user's favorite ingredients have been learned and their acquisition is detected, the system will assume, based on the condition information, that user 5 desires a meal using their favorite ingredients. In this case, an intermediate word B1 such as "dishes using lamb" will be presented, and a meal suggestion using lamb will be made. Also, for example, if a user's favorite ingredients have been learned and it is detected that they have not eaten a meal using those ingredients for some time, the system will assume, based on the condition information, that user 5 desires a meal using their favorite ingredients. In this case, an intermediate word B1 such as "dishes using lamb" will be presented, and a meal suggestion using lamb may be made.

[0176] Furthermore, in cases where multiple people are expected to eat a meal, such as a family, it may be possible to estimate which of these eaters the condition information will be centered on based on past meal suggestion selection trends. For example, for user 5, who has selected a relatively large number of meal suggestions flagged as suitable for children, the user information to be acquired may be obtained from family members who are children within user 5's family. On the other hand, for user 5, who has selected a relatively large number of meal suggestions flagged as suitable for adults, the user information to be acquired may be obtained from family members who are adults within user 5's family.

[0177] Furthermore, user information includes, for example, information regarding user 5's cooking cycle. For instance, if it is found that user 5 tends to allocate a relatively large amount of cooking time to the 1st and 3rd days of a 7-day period, it is presumed that user 5 desires to cook all their meals on the 1st and 3rd days. Therefore, on the 1st and 3rd days, intermediate words B1 such as "prepare in advance" are presented, along with meal suggestions focusing on preparing meals in advance. On the other hand, on the 2nd and 4th through 7th days, intermediate words B1 such as "time-saving" are presented, along with meal suggestions centered on consuming the prepared meals.

[0178] Furthermore, user information includes, for example, information about user 5's cooking habits. For instance, information about cooking utensil usage habits, such as frequently using a microwave or a grill, or cooking habits such as frequently making fried foods or eating one-plate meals, has been learned. When it is detected that ingredients consistent with these habits have been obtained, an intermediate word B1 such as "the usual" is presented, and meal suggestions, such as dishes that align with the aforementioned cooking habits, are made.

[0179] Thus, in this specific example, user information refers to information about the behavioral characteristics of user 5, and conditional information may include information about conditions that are in line with the behavior inferred from user 5's behavioral characteristics.

[0180] (4.2.3) Conditional information in terms of cooking time Next, we will describe user information regarding meals that can be prepared within the time available for cooking by user 5. Here, user information is obtained from external schedule management systems, home appliances 8, sensor devices, etc. User information includes, for example, a schedule of times when user 5 is unavailable for cooking. User information also includes information such as operating status obtained from devices such as washing machines, vacuum cleaners, and dishwashers, which are examples of home appliances 8. User information also includes information such as user 5's activity status and the amount of unfinished household chores, obtained from devices such as cameras, microphones, and thermal image sensors, which are examples of sensor devices. Furthermore, user information may also include information on user 5's busyness, which is determined by machine learning based on the number of times the dedicated app has been launched and the timing of taps on push notifications, etc., obtained from the presentation device 2.

[0181] For example, the condition information determined from the above user information includes the time when user 5 is unavailable for cooking, their working status, their activity status, and the cooking time that can be prepared within the available cooking time based on the remaining amount of household chores. Then, an intermediate word is determined according to this set cooking time. For example, if there is a dish that can be cooked within user 5's available cooking time, and user 5 possesses the ingredients to cook that dish, then it is presumed from the condition information that user 5 wants to cook that dish using these ingredients. Therefore, an intermediate word B1 such as "cookable with remaining time" is presented, and a meal suggestion for cooking the above dish is made.

[0182] Furthermore, for example, if there are no dishes that can be cooked within User 5's available cooking time, it is presumed that User 5 does not wish to cook a meal. Therefore, an intermediate word B1 such as "eating out" or "eating in" is presented, and nearby restaurants offering eating out or eating in are suggested based on User 5's location information.

[0183] Furthermore, the meal suggestions presented through the above process may include suggestions where the sum of cooking time, eating time, and cleanup time falls within the above-mentioned available cooking time. For example, meal suggestions that cater to children's preferences and do not require much time for eating may be made, or meal suggestions such as one-bowl dishes that require fewer dishes may be made. Also, if the eating time falls below a predetermined threshold, meal suggestions may include dishes that are relatively easy to digest.

[0184] On the other hand, if a relatively large amount of cooking time is available, intermediate words B1 such as "food education" or "meal prep" may be presented, along with suggestions on how to effectively utilize User 5's available cooking time. At this time, points on how to help with food education may also be presented.

[0185] Thus, in this specific example, user information refers to information about the available cooking time for user 5 to prepare a meal, and condition information may include information about the conditions under which a meal can be prepared within user 5's available cooking time.

[0186] (4.2.4) Conditional information from the perspective of cooking ability Next, we will describe user information that promotes the improvement of user 5's cooking ability. Here, user information is obtained from the storage unit 17, etc. User information includes, for example, cooking history information about the history of cooking that user 5 has done in the past.

[0187] For example, the condition information determined from the above user information may include that user 5 is working to improve their cooking skills. Then, an intermediate word is determined according to this set improvement in cooking skills. For example, if it is detected from user 5's cooking history that they have completed a certain level of cooking a predetermined number of times, it is presumed from the condition information that user 5 desires to be presented with dishes that require a higher level of cooking than that level. In this case, an intermediate word B1 such as "Cooking Level Up" is presented, and a meal suggestion for cooking the above dish is made. Also, for example, if it is detected from user 5's cooking history that they have completed a certain level of cooking a predetermined number of times, it is presumed from the condition information that user 5 desires a reward for their cooking. In this case, an intermediate word B1 such as "Reward for your hard work" is presented, and a coupon is issued, or a meal suggestion for dining out where the coupon can be applied is made.

[0188] Thus, in this specific example, user information refers to information about user 5's cooking ability when preparing a meal, and condition information may include information about conditions that promote the improvement of user 5's cooking ability.

[0189] The words corresponding to attributes related to meal suggestions generally refer to words associated with these attributes, and can also be rephrased as words related to the attributes. Specifically, for example, "time-saving" and "deadline" were given as examples of intermediate words B1 corresponding to "cooking time," but words within the range of general associations with length of time, such as "quickly," "can be done in a flash," "leisurely," and "relaxed," may also be used. In such word selection, general words are selected when user 5 uses the information presentation system 100. For this reason, server 1a may accumulate candidates for "general" words by cross-referencing newly updated websites at regular intervals, or the administrator of server 1a may manage these candidates by adding and deleting them. Alternatively, by learning what words user 5 has selected when inputting into other applications such as text editors, words corresponding to attributes may be selected individually for that user 5.

[0190] (4.6) Summary of specific implementation examples As explained above, the information presentation method in this example is an information presentation method that presents one of several meal suggestions to user 5, and includes an acquisition step of acquiring user information related to user 5, a first decision step of determining condition information related to user 5 from the acquired user information and determining multiple intermediate words B1 based on the condition information, a first presentation step of presenting multiple intermediate words B1 to user 5 so that user 5 can select one or more intermediate words B1 from among the multiple intermediate words B1, a second decision step of determining a meal suggestion from among the multiple meal suggestions that corresponds to one or more intermediate words B1 selected by user 5, and a second presentation step of presenting the determined meal suggestion to user 5, wherein each of the multiple intermediate words B1 is a word corresponding to an attribute of one or more of the multiple meal suggestions.

[0191] This information presentation method allows for determining meal suggestions for user 5 by presenting intermediate word B1 based on user information. Intermediate word B1 is a word that is likely to be selected based on user 5's current situation, using user information. In this way, by simply selecting intermediate word B1 that aligns with user 5's thoughts or feelings, meal suggestions tailored to user 5's situation are provided, improving user convenience while enabling meal suggestions that more closely reflect user 5's wishes.

[0192] Furthermore, for example, user information may include information about user 5's health status, and condition information may include information about conditions that improve user 5's health status.

[0193] According to this, user information regarding user 5's health can be obtained, and an intermediate word B1 can be determined and presented based on the condition of improving user 5's health.

[0194] Furthermore, for example, user information may include information about the behavioral characteristics of user 5, and conditional information may include information about conditions that are in line with the behavior inferred from user 5's behavioral characteristics.

[0195] According to this, user information regarding the behavioral characteristics of user 5 can be obtained, and an intermediate word B1 can be determined and presented based on the condition that it aligns with the behavior estimated from the behavioral characteristics of user 5.

[0196] Furthermore, for example, user information may include information about the available cooking time for user 5 to prepare a meal, and condition information may include information about the conditions under which a meal can be prepared within user 5's available cooking time.

[0197] According to this, user information regarding the available cooking time for user 5 to prepare a meal can be obtained, and an intermediate word B1 can be determined and presented based on the condition that the meal can be prepared within user 5's available cooking time.

[0198] Furthermore, for example, user information may include information about user 5's cooking ability when preparing a meal, and condition information may include information about conditions that promote the improvement of user 5's cooking ability.

[0199] According to this, user information regarding user 5's cooking ability when preparing a meal can be obtained, and an intermediate word B1 can be determined and presented based on the condition that it promotes improvement of user 5's cooking ability.

[0200] Furthermore, for example, after the first presentation step, the system may also include a first reception step for receiving an update request from user 5, a third determination step for determining multiple update intermediate words different from the multiple intermediate words B1 presented in the first presentation step based on condition information when an update request is received, and a third presentation step for presenting the determined multiple update intermediate words to user 5 so that user 5 can select one or more update intermediate words.

[0201] According to this, if user 5 determines that none of the presented intermediate word B1 matches their thoughts or situation, they can request the presentation of an updated intermediate word different from the presented intermediate word B1. This enhances the effect of more accurately reflecting user 5's intentions.

[0202] Furthermore, for example, after the first presentation step, a second reception step may be included in which a user 5 receives a deletion request in which an intermediate word B1 to be deleted is selected from among a plurality of intermediate words B1, and if a deletion request is received, the intermediate word B1 to be deleted may be deleted from the plurality of presented intermediate words B1.

[0203] According to this, if there are constraints on the number of intermediate words B1 that are presented, it is possible that one of the slots will be filled with an intermediate word B1 that is not frequently selected. In this case, the less frequently selected intermediate word B1 can be deleted, making it possible to make the most of the number of intermediate words B1 that are presented. As a result, the possibility of presenting intermediate words B1 that are in line with user 5's thoughts and situation increases, thus enhancing the effect of more accurately reflecting user 5's intentions.

[0204] Furthermore, for example, if a deletion request is received, the process may include a registration step in which the intermediate word B1 to be deleted is registered in a hidden list, and in the first decision step, multiple intermediate words B1 may be determined based on the condition information, excluding the intermediate word B1 to be deleted that has been registered in the hidden list.

[0205] According to this, the deletion of intermediate word B1 can be made permanent, so that intermediate word B1 that does not align with user 5's thoughts or circumstances will not be presented to user 5 in the future. As a result, the likelihood of presenting intermediate word B1 that aligns with user 5's thoughts and circumstances increases, thus enhancing the effect of more easily reflecting user 5's intentions.

[0206] Furthermore, for example, information regarding the value of ingredients based on the rarity or price of the ingredients owned by user 5 may be obtained, and in the first presentation step, multiple intermediate words B1 may be presented in a manner corresponding to the value of the ingredients.

[0207] According to this, the display of the intermediate word B1 can be changed based on general value or the user's specific value. As a result, it is possible to effectively remind the user 5 when high-value ingredients are nearing their expiration date or when high-value ingredients have been purchased but left untouched, and to lead to meal suggestions using these ingredients. Thus, user convenience is improved, and the effect of easily reflecting the user's intentions is enhanced.

[0208] Furthermore, for example, the selection frequency of each of the multiple intermediate words B1 that have been presented in the past may be obtained, and in the first presentation step, the multiple intermediate words B1 may be presented in a manner corresponding to their selection frequency.

[0209] According to this approach, intermediate words B1 that are selected relatively frequently can be distinguished and handled separately from intermediate words B1 that are selected relatively infrequently or not selected at all. For example, intermediate words B1 that are selected relatively frequently can be presumed to be in line with user 5's thoughts and circumstances, so it becomes possible to highlight and present such intermediate words B1 more prominently. Thus, user convenience can be improved while increasing the effect of easily reflecting the user's intentions.

[0210] Furthermore, the program in this example is a program that causes a computer to execute the information presentation method described above.

[0211] According to this, a computer can be used to achieve the same effect as the information presentation method described above.

[0212] Furthermore, the information presentation system 100 in this example is an information presentation system that presents a user with one of several meal suggestions, and comprises: an acquisition unit that acquires user information related to the user; a first determination unit that determines condition information related to the user from the acquired user information and determines multiple intermediate words based on the condition information; a first presentation unit that presents multiple intermediate words to the user so that the user can select one or more intermediate words from among the multiple intermediate words; a second determination unit that determines a meal suggestion from among the multiple meal suggestions that corresponds to one or more intermediate words selected by the user; and a second presentation unit that presents the determined meal suggestion to the user, wherein each of the multiple intermediate words is a word that corresponds to an attribute related to one or more of the multiple meal suggestions.

[0213] According to this, an information presentation system 100 can be realized that can achieve the same effect as the information presentation method described above.

[0214] (5) Summary As explained above, the information presentation method relating to the first aspect is an information presentation method that presents one of the presentation information (A1) from among a plurality of presentation information (A1) to the user (5). The information presentation method includes a first decision step, a first presentation step, a second decision step, and a second presentation step. In the first decision step, a plurality of intermediate words (B1) are determined based on condition information (C1) related to the user (5). In the first presentation step, a plurality of intermediate words (B1) are presented to the user (5) so that the user (5) can select one or more intermediate words (B1) from among the plurality of intermediate words (B1). In the second decision step, the presentation information (A1) corresponding to the one or more intermediate words (B1) selected by the user (5) is determined from among the plurality of presentation information (A1). In the second presentation step, the determined presentation information (A1) is presented to the user (5). Each of the plurality of intermediate words (B1) is a word associated with an attribute (D1) related to one or more of the plurality of presentation information (A1). According to the first embodiment, user (5) convenience is improved, and user (5)'s intentions are more easily reflected.

[0215] Regarding the information presentation method relating to the second aspect, in the first aspect, the condition information (C1) includes historical information. According to the second aspect, the user's (5) lifestyle patterns and preferences are more likely to be reflected in multiple intermediate words (B1), and as a result, presentation information (A1) that better reflects the user's (5) intentions is more likely to be presented.

[0216] Regarding the information presentation method relating to the third aspect, in the second aspect, the historical information includes a history of multiple intermediate words (B1) previously presented to the user (5) in the first presentation step. According to the third aspect, the user's (5) lifestyle patterns and preferences are more likely to be reflected in the multiple intermediate words (B1).

[0217] Regarding the information presentation method relating to the fourth aspect, in the second or third aspect, the historical information includes a history of one or more intermediate words (B1) previously selected by the user (5). According to the fourth aspect, the user's (5) lifestyle patterns and preferences are more likely to be reflected in multiple intermediate words (B1).

[0218] Regarding the information presentation method relating to the fifth aspect, in any one of the second to fourth aspects, the historical information includes a history of actions taken by the user (5) who previously received the presented information (A1) in the second presentation step. According to the fifth aspect, the user's (5) lifestyle patterns and preferences are more likely to be reflected in multiple intermediate words (B1).

[0219] Regarding the information presentation method relating to the sixth aspect, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the presented information (A1) includes meal-related information. According to the sixth aspect, it is possible to make meal-related suggestions that improve the convenience of the user (5) while also making it easier for the user's (5) preferences to be reflected.

[0220] Regarding the information presentation method relating to the seventh aspect, in the sixth aspect, the meal information includes information regarding the cooking menu. According to the seventh aspect, it is possible to make suggestions regarding the cooking menu that improve the convenience of the user (5) while also making it easier to reflect the user's (5) preferences.

[0221] With respect to the information presentation method relating to the eighth aspect, in the sixth or seventh aspect, at least one of the first decision step and the second decision step includes a decision based on the expiration date of the ingredients. According to the eighth aspect, meal suggestions can be made that also take into account the expiration date of the ingredients.

[0222] With respect to the information presentation method relating to the ninth aspect, in the eighth aspect, at least one of the first decision step and the second decision step includes a decision based on the expiration date and the user's (5) lifestyle. According to the ninth aspect, it is possible to make meal suggestions that take into account the user's (5) lifestyle in addition to the expiration date of the ingredients.

[0223] The information presentation method relating to the 10th aspect further includes a third presentation step in which, if the user (5) indicates an action that rejects the consumption of a particular food item in any one of the 6th to 9th aspects, a method for preserving a particular food item is presented. Convenience can be further improved according to the 10th aspect.

[0224] Regarding the information presentation method relating to the 11th aspect, in any one of the 6th to 10th aspects, in the second presentation step, a list of ingredients corresponding to two or more meals is presented together as presentation information (A1). The ingredient list is updated in accordance with changes in the condition information (C1). According to the 11th aspect, for example, if the condition information (C1) may change daily, an ingredient list in a form that follows those changes can be presented.

[0225] Regarding the information presentation method relating to the 12th aspect, in any one of the 6th to 11th aspects, in the second presentation step, ingredient lists corresponding to two or more meals are presented together as presentation information (A1). The ingredient list is updated according to the user's (5) selection results in response to past presentation information (A1). According to the 12th aspect, an ingredient list that better reflects the user's (5) lifestyle patterns and preferences can be presented.

[0226] The information presentation method according to the 13th embodiment further includes a setting step in any one of the 1st to 12th embodiments for setting a group (G1) that includes multiple users (5). At least one of the first presentation step and the second presentation step performs presentation on a group (G1) basis. According to the 13th embodiment, an information presentation method for multiple users (5) (for example, for a family) can be provided.

[0227] Regarding the information presentation method relating to the 14th aspect, in the 13th aspect, the authority to select the presentation information (A1) presented in the second presentation step is granted only to a designated user (5) within the group (G1). According to the 14th aspect, when there is a mix of executors (cooks) who perform a specific action based on the presented presentation information (A1) and non-executors who do not perform the action, convenience can be improved by granting that authority only to the executors.

[0228] Regarding the information presentation method relating to the 15th aspect, in the 13th or 14th aspect, a priority is set for multiple users (5) within a group (G1). In the first decision step, multiple intermediate words (B1) are determined based on condition information (C1) related to the user (5) with the highest priority. According to the 15th aspect, the condition information (C1) related to the user (5) with the highest priority is more likely to be reflected in the multiple intermediate words (B1).

[0229] The program relating to the 16th aspect is a program that causes one or more processors to execute the information presentation method in any one of the 1st to 15th aspects. According to the 13th aspect, it is possible to provide a function that improves the convenience of the user (5) while making it easier for the user's (5) intentions to be reflected.

[0230] The information presentation system (100) according to the 17th embodiment presents one of the presentation information (A1) to the user (5) from among a plurality of presentation information (A1). The information presentation system (100) comprises a first decision unit (11), a first presentation unit (13), a second decision unit (12), and a second presentation unit (14). The first decision unit (11) determines a plurality of intermediate words (B1) based on condition information (C1) related to the user (5). The first presentation unit (13) presents a plurality of intermediate words (B1) to the user (5) so that the user (5) can select one or more intermediate words (B1) from among the plurality of intermediate words (B1). The second decision unit (12) determines the presentation information (A1) that corresponds to the one or more intermediate words (B1) selected by the user (5) from among the plurality of presentation information (A1). The second presentation unit (14) presents the determined presentation information (A1) to the user (5). Each of the multiple intermediate words (B1) is a word associated with an attribute (D1) of one or more of the multiple presented information (A1). According to the 17th embodiment, it is possible to provide an information presentation system (100) that improves user (5) convenience while making it easier to reflect the user's (5) intentions.

[0231] The configurations relating to aspects 2 through 15 are not essential to the information presentation method and can be omitted as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0232] 5 users 11. First Decision Section 12. Second Decision Section 13 First presentation part 14 Second presentation part 100 Information Presentation Systems A1 Presentation information B1 Intermediate Word C1 condition information D1 attribute G1 Group

Claims

1. A computer-based information presentation method that presents a user with one of several meal suggestions, A step of obtaining user information related to the aforementioned user, A first decision step involves determining conditional information related to the user from the acquired user information and determining a plurality of intermediate words based on the conditional information, A first presentation step involves presenting the multiple intermediate words to the user in such a way that the user selects one or more intermediate words from among the multiple intermediate words. A second decision step of determining a meal suggestion from among the multiple meal suggestions that corresponds to the one or more intermediate words selected by the user, The process includes a second presentation step of presenting the decided meal proposal to the user, Each of the aforementioned intermediate words is a word that corresponds to an attribute relating to one or more of the aforementioned meal proposals. The aforementioned intermediate words include intermediate words that indicate the names of ingredients used in the meal proposal. The aforementioned information presentation method further includes a third presentation step in which, if the user indicates an action that rejects the consumption of an ingredient in response to a presented intermediate word that includes an intermediate word indicating the name of the ingredient, a method for preserving the ingredient is presented. Information presentation method.

2. The user information is information relating to the user's health status, The aforementioned condition information includes information regarding conditions that improve the user's health status. The information presentation method described in claim 1.

3. The user information is information relating to the user's behavioral characteristics, The aforementioned condition information includes information about conditions that are in line with the behavior estimated from the user's behavioral characteristics. The information presentation method according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The user information is information regarding the available cooking time for the user to prepare a meal. The aforementioned condition information includes information regarding the conditions under which a meal can be prepared within the user's available cooking time. The information presentation method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The user information is information relating to the user's cooking ability when preparing a meal. The aforementioned condition information includes information regarding conditions that promote the improvement of the user's cooking ability. The information presentation method according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. After the first presentation step, further, A first reception step that accepts an update request from the user, When the update request is received, a third decision step is performed to determine a plurality of update intermediate words different from the plurality of intermediate words presented in the first presentation step, based on the condition information, The process includes a third presentation step of presenting the determined plurality of update intermediate words to the user in such a way that the user selects one or more update intermediate words. The information presentation method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. After the first presentation step, further, The second receiving step includes receiving a deletion request from the user in which an intermediate word to be deleted is selected from among the plurality of intermediate words, When the aforementioned deletion request is received, the intermediate word to be deleted is removed from the list of intermediate words provided. The information presentation method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. Furthermore, upon receiving the deletion request, the process includes a registration step of registering the intermediate word to be deleted in a hidden list. In the first decision step, a plurality of intermediate words are determined based on the condition information, excluding the intermediate words to be deleted that are registered in the hidden list. The information presentation method according to claim 7.

9. Furthermore, the user acquires information regarding the value of ingredients based on their rarity or price. In the first presentation step, the intermediate word representing the name of the food ingredient from among the plurality of intermediate words is presented in a manner corresponding to the value of the food ingredient whose name is indicated in the intermediate word. The information presentation method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. Furthermore, the selection frequency of each of the aforementioned intermediate words presented in the past is obtained. In the first presentation step, the plurality of intermediate words are presented in a manner corresponding to the selection frequency. The information presentation method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. To cause a computer to execute the information presentation method according to any one of claims 1 to 10. program.

12. An information presentation system that presents a user with one of several meal suggestions related to meals, An acquisition unit that acquires user information related to the aforementioned user, A first determination unit determines condition information related to the user from the acquired user information and determines a plurality of intermediate words based on the condition information, A first presentation unit presents the plurality of intermediate words to the user so that the user can select one or more intermediate words from among the plurality of intermediate words, A second decision unit determines a meal suggestion from among the multiple meal suggestions that corresponds to the one or more intermediate words selected by the user, It comprises a second presentation unit that presents the decided meal proposal to the user, Each of the aforementioned intermediate words is a word associated with an attribute relating to one or more of the aforementioned meal proposals. The aforementioned intermediate words include intermediate words that indicate the names of ingredients used in the meal proposal. The information presentation system further includes a third presentation unit that, when a user indicates a rejection of consuming an ingredient in response to a presented intermediate word that includes an intermediate word indicating the name of the ingredient, presents a method for preserving the ingredient. Information presentation system.

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