Information processing apparatus and information processing method

Abstract

The number of people who took a specific action after interacting with the target content will be determined, taking into account the circumstances at the time of interaction with the target content. [Solution] The information processing device of the present invention acquires, for each person who has come into contact with the target content, first location information indicating the location at the time of contact with the target content, associated with identification information assigned to the terminal used to come into contact with the target content, and also acquires behavioral information regarding actions after coming into contact with the target content, associated with identification information assigned to the terminal possessed by the person, identifies specific persons who have taken a specific action from among multiple persons, and outputs information corresponding to the number of specific persons, based on the first location information associated with the identification information of the terminal used by the specific person to come into contact with the target content and the behavioral information associated with the identification information of the terminal possessed by the specific person when they took the specific action, in correspondence with the location of the specific person at the time of contact with the target content.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and an information processing method, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus and an information processing method for acquiring behavior information regarding the behavior of a person who has come into contact with target content, and outputting information obtained by analyzing the behavior information.

Background Art

[0002] When information for inducing a specific behavior is provided through content such as a TV program, a TV commercial, or an Internet-distributed video, it may be necessary to obtain behavior information regarding the behavior of the content contactor and analyze the behavior information. For example, by using the analysis result of the behavior information, the effect of content contact can be verified. Specifically, for example, the number of people who have performed a specific behavior triggered by content contact can be grasped. As an example of such a technology, the technology described in Patent Document 1 can be cited.

[0003] In the technology described in Patent Document 1, operation history information indicating the history of operations performed by the user on the terminal device according to access information included in the television broadcast, and terminal identification information capable of identifying the terminal device are acquired, and based on the acquired operation history information, the behavior of the user operating the terminal device is determined. The determination result and the acquired terminal identification information are associated and written into the storage unit, and the information written into the storage unit is output. According to such a technology, for example, it is possible to grasp whether a user who has watched a TV commercial has actually visited a store or area that is the target of the advertisement.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By utilizing the technology described in Patent Document 1 above, it is possible to quantitatively determine the number of people who, among those who have come into contact with the content subject to effectiveness verification (hereinafter also referred to as the target content), took a specific action after coming into contact with the target content, as an effect of contact with the target content. On the other hand, when verifying the effects of exposure to the target content, it is preferable to consider the factors that influence those effects. In particular, the circumstances under which content viewers encountered the target content should be considered, as this provides important information for gaining a more detailed understanding of the effects of exposure to the target content.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and aims to solve the following objectives. Specifically, this invention aims to solve the problems of the above-mentioned prior art and to provide an information processing device and an information processing method for determining the number of people who took a specific action after contacting the target content, taking into account the situation at the time of contact with the target content. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the information processing of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a first acquisition unit that acquires first location information indicating the location of each of a plurality of subjects who have come into contact with the target content, associated with communication identification information assigned to the terminal used by the subject to come into contact with the target content; a second acquisition unit that acquires behavioral information regarding the actions taken by each of the plurality of subjects after coming into contact with the target content, associated with communication identification information assigned to the terminal that the subject was carrying at the time of the action; an identification unit that identifies a specific subject who performed a specific action from among the plurality of subjects based on the behavioral information acquired for each of the plurality of subjects; and an output unit that visualizes and outputs information corresponding to the number of specific subjects, associated with the location of the specific subject at the time of coming into contact with the target content, based on the first location information associated with the identification information of the terminal used by the specific subject to come into contact with the target content and the behavioral information associated with the identification information of the terminal that the specific subject was carrying at the time of the specific action.

[0008] The information processing device configured as described above can track the actions taken by individuals who have come into contact with the target content, in correspondence with their location at the time of contact. Specifically, it can display visualization information showing the number of individuals who performed a particular action (specific target individuals), in correspondence with the location where each specific target individual was at the time of contact with the target content. As a result, it is possible to verify the effects of contact with the target content while taking into account the location (location) of each specific target individual at the time of contact with the target content.

[0009] Furthermore, in the information processing apparatus of the present invention, the second acquisition unit may acquire second location information as behavioral information for each of the multiple subjects, indicating the location to which the subject moved after contacting the target content. In addition, the identification unit may identify a subject who has moved to a specific location from among the multiple subjects as a specified subject, based on the second location information acquired for each of the multiple subjects. According to the above configuration, the number of target individuals who moved to a specific location after interacting with the target content (specific target individuals) can be determined in correspondence with the location where the specific target individuals were at the time of interaction with the target content. This allows, for example, if the target content advertises or introduces a specific location, to verify the effect of interaction with the target content (specifically, the effect of inducing people to the specific location) based on the location of the specific target individuals at the time of interaction with the target content.

[0010] Furthermore, in the information processing apparatus of the present invention, the output unit may generate objects whose size changes according to the number of specific target persons for each region where the specific target persons were located at the time of contact with the target content, and the objects generated for each region may be superimposed on the portion of the map corresponding to the region on a screen displaying a map that includes the regions. With the above configuration, objects with sizes corresponding to the number of people (target individuals) who performed a specific action after contacting the target content can be displayed on the map, associated with the location of the target individuals at the time of contact with the target content. This makes it easy to understand the distribution of target individuals based on the time of contact with the target content, that is, where people who contacted the target content and performed a specific action were located at the time of contact with the target content.

[0011] Furthermore, in the information processing apparatus of the present invention, the first acquisition unit may acquire first location information in association with identification information of the terminal used by the subject to access the target content, and first date and time information indicating the date and time the subject accessed the target content. Furthermore, the second acquisition unit may acquire behavioral information in association with identification information of the terminal that a specific subject was carrying when performing a specific action, and second date and time information indicating the date and time the specific subject performed a specific action. According to the above configuration, the number of people who took a specific action after being exposed to the target content (i.e., the number of specific target individuals) can be determined in association with the date and time of exposure to the target content and / or the date and time of the specific action.

[0012] Furthermore, in the above configuration, it is preferable that the output unit visualizes and outputs information corresponding to the number of specific individuals, based on first location information associated with the identification information of the terminal used by the specific individual to access the target content, and second date and time information associated with the identification information of the terminal that the specific individual possessed when performing a specific action, categorized by the date and time the specific individual performed the specific action. According to the above configuration, information corresponding to the number of people who performed a specific action after contacting the target content (i.e., the number of specific target individuals) can be output for each date and time when that specific action occurred. This allows for the time-series confirmation of the number of specific target individuals, and more specifically, the changes in the date and time when those specific target individuals performed a specific action.

[0013] Furthermore, in the above configuration, it is even more preferable if the output unit visualizes and outputs information corresponding to the number of specific individuals who performed a specific action at each date and time, while changing the date and time at which the specific action was performed. With the above configuration, it is possible to check the number of people who took a specific action after being exposed to the target content (i.e., the number of specific target individuals) while varying the date and time at which the specific target individuals took that action.

[0014] Furthermore, in the above configuration, it is preferable that the output unit visualizes and outputs information corresponding to the number of specific individuals, based on first location information and first date and time information associated with the identification information of the terminal used by the specific individual to access the target content, and behavioral information associated with the identification information of the terminal that the specific individual possessed when performing a specific action, categorized by the date and time the specific individual accessed the target content. According to the above configuration, information corresponding to the number of people who took a specific action after contacting the target content (i.e., the number of targeted individuals) can be output for each date and time of contact with the target content. This allows for the time-series confirmation of the number of targeted individuals, and more specifically, the changes in the date and time of contact with the target content by the targeted individuals.

[0015] Furthermore, in the above configuration, it is even more preferable that the output unit visualizes and outputs information corresponding to the number of specific individuals who came into contact with the target content at each respective date and time, while changing the date and time of contact with the target content. With the above configuration, it is possible to check the number of people who took a specific action after being exposed to the target content (i.e., the number of specific target individuals) while varying the date and time at which the specific target individuals were exposed to the target content.

[0016] Furthermore, regarding a preferred configuration of the information processing device of the present invention, when a specific action includes multiple actions, the identification unit may identify the person who performed at least one of the multiple actions as the identified person. In this case, the output unit may visualize and output information for each of the multiple actions, corresponding to the number of identified persons who performed each action, in association with the position of the identified person at the time of contact with the target content. According to the above configuration, when multiple actions are set as a specific behavior, the effect of exposure to the target content can be verified for each of the multiple actions, taking into account the location of the target person at the time of exposure to the target content.

[0017] Furthermore, the aforementioned problems are solved by the information processing method of the present invention, which includes the steps of: a computer acquiring first location information indicating the location of each of several subjects who have come into contact with the target content at the time of contact with the target content, associated with communication identification information assigned to the terminal used by the subject to come into contact with the target content; a computer acquiring behavioral information regarding the actions taken by each of several subjects after coming into contact with the target content, associated with communication identification information assigned to the terminal that the subject was carrying at the time of the action; a computer identifying specific subjects who performed a specific action from among the several subjects based on the behavioral information acquired for each of the several subjects; and a computer visualizing and outputting information corresponding to the number of specific subjects, associated with the location of the specific subjects at the time of contact with the target content, based on the first location information associated with the identification information of the terminal used by the specific subject to come into contact with the target content and the behavioral information associated with the identification information of the terminal that the specific subject was carrying at the time of the action. According to the method described above, it is possible to verify the effects of exposure to the target content while taking into account the location of the specific target person at the time of exposure to the target content. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present invention, the number of specific subjects who have performed a specific action after contacting the target content can be grasped in association with the location where the specific subjects were at the time of contacting the target content. Thereby, it is possible to verify the effect of contacting the target content while taking into account the location of the specific subjects at the time of contacting the target content.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is an explanatory diagram of a service provided by an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing a communication system including an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is an explanatory diagram of a viewing log, an action log, and registration information of a monitor acquired by an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing the functions of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing an example of a screen in which information corresponding to the number of subjects who have contacted the target content is displayed in association with the position of the subjects at the time of contacting the target content. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing an example of a screen in which information corresponding to the number of specific subjects who have performed a specific action after contacting the target content is displayed in association with the position of the specific subjects at the time of contacting the target content. [Figure 7] Figures 7(a) to 7(c) are diagrams showing examples of screens in which information corresponding to the number of specific subjects who have performed a specific action after contacting the target content is displayed by date and time of performing the specific action. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing an information processing flow according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] Figures 9(a) to 9(c) are diagrams showing examples of screens in which information corresponding to the number of specific subjects who have performed a specific action after contacting the target content is displayed by date and time of contacting the target content.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] One embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "this embodiment") will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiment described below is merely an example given to facilitate understanding of the present invention and does not limit the present invention. That is, the present invention may be modified or improved from the embodiment described below without departing from its spirit. Furthermore, the present invention may include equivalents thereof.

[0021] Furthermore, the fundamental information processing technologies required to realize this invention (communication / transmission technologies, information acquisition technologies, information recording technologies, information processing / analysis technologies, machine learning technologies, image processing technologies, image display technologies, and visualization technologies, etc.) are known technologies, so their explanation will be omitted. Furthermore, the equipment and apparatus used to apply the above-mentioned prior art should be appropriately selected from those available at the time of implementing the present invention.

[0022] Furthermore, in describing this embodiment, the definitions, meanings, and interpretations of some terms used herein will be explained below.

[0023] [Device] In this specification, the concept of "device" includes not only a single device that performs a specific function, but also a combination of multiple devices that exist independently and in a distributed manner while cooperating (linking) to perform a specific function.

[0024] [User] In this invention, "user" refers to a person who uses the information processing apparatus and information processing method of the present invention for the purpose of enjoying the benefits of the present invention. Specifically, a person who uses the information processing apparatus and information processing method of the present invention, or a person who operates a business utilizing the information or data obtained by the information processing apparatus and information processing method of the present invention, or a person who provides the results of information processing to another company, falls under the category of "user" of the present invention. Incidentally, in this specification, "person" may be an individual (natural person), a company (legal entity), or an organization, group, or household to which at least one person belongs.

[0025] [content] In this invention, "content" refers to content provided by a content provider to the public through a medium, and which is viewed, read, listened to, appreciated, or used by the recipient. The "content" of this invention is broadly interpreted and includes, for example, video content including moving images and still images, content published in books and other publications, text information such as posts and bulletin board entries, playable content such as paintings and photographs, video games, music and audio content, electronic content such as websites and applications (software), content for sale such as character goods, and content based on performances such as concerts and plays.

[0026] Furthermore, the types of video content are not particularly limited; for example, television programs (including TV commercials), videos and movies distributed over the internet and other networks are included in "video content," regardless of whether they have sound or not. Also, the distribution methods of online videos are not particularly limited; for example, videos viewable by accessing video sites, videos viewable through specific application programs, videos viewable through VOD (Video On Demand) services and OTT (Over the Top media service) services are included, regardless of whether they are paid or free.

[0027] Furthermore, there are no particular limitations on the types of media used to provide (distribute) content. Broadcast media such as television and radio broadcasts (including cable broadcasting and internet distribution), publishing media such as newspapers and magazines, OOH (Out of Home) advertising media, and network media such as the internet are all available. Network media may also include SNS (Social Networking Services). Furthermore, the term "medium" may include interactive media that enable two-way information exchange between the content provider and the recipient. Additionally, the medium itself may constitute the content, such as character goods or products printed with character illustrations.

[0028] [contact] In this specification, "contact with content" means seeing, hearing, or using content provided (distributed) through the aforementioned media. For example, if the content is video content, viewing or browsing that content constitutes contact with the content. If the content is music or audio content, listening to that content constitutes contact with the content. Furthermore, if the content is electronic content distributed over the internet, etc., receiving the data of the electronic content, processing the received data, and viewing, listening to, or browsing that content constitutes contact with the content. Furthermore, viewing or listening to programs and advertisements broadcast on television and radio may include not only real-time viewing or listening, but also so-called time-shifted viewing or listening, such as recording programs and commercials and playing them back within a certain period, or viewing or listening to content distributed online. In addition, on-demand viewing or listening, such as viewing or listening to programs and advertisements distributed via VOD services or OTT services after broadcast, may also be included in viewing or listening to broadcast content.

[0029] <<Overview of the service using the information processing device according to this embodiment>> An overview of the service using the information processing device according to this embodiment (hereinafter referred to as "this service") will be described with reference to Figure 1. Note that, for illustrative purposes, Figure 1 shows only one user and one monitor; however, in reality, there may be two or more users, and many monitors. This service, for example, uses content specified by the user as target content, analyzes the effects of exposure to that content, and provides the analysis results. Specifically, this service identifies individuals who have been exposed to the target content (hereinafter referred to as "target individuals"), and then counts the number of individuals who took a specific action after being exposed to the target content (hereinafter referred to as "specific target individuals"). To give an example, if the target content is video content A introducing a store X (for example, a television broadcast or streaming video), the number of viewers of content A is measured as the number of target individuals, and the number of individuals who actually went to store X after watching content A is counted as the number of specific target individuals.

[0030] The aggregated number of specific target individuals is then visualized by graphing or other means (see, for example, Figures 6 and 7), and this visualized information is provided to users. By understanding the number of specific target individuals through the provided visualized information, users can confirm the effect of exposure to the target content. In the example above, they can confirm the effect of viewing content A on visits to store X. This allows the provider of content A to obtain objective data on the appeal of content A, and allows store X to quantitatively understand the effect of content A on visits.

[0031] Furthermore, in this embodiment, it is possible to identify where the target person came into contact with the target content, that is, the target person's location at the time of contact with the target content (hereinafter also referred to as the location at the time of contact with the target content), and output the result of this identification (see, for example, Figure 5). This allows users to understand the distribution of locations at the time of contact with the target content, and in the above example, it is possible to find out in which regions content A is frequently viewed.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when providing visualization information on the number of specific target individuals, the number of specific target individuals can be output in association with their location at the time they interacted with the target content (see, for example, Figures 6 and 7). This allows users to see where specific target individuals interacted with the target content, and in the example above, it is possible to find out which areas had the most people who viewed content A among those who visited store X after viewing content A. As a result, it is possible to analyze the flow of people from the location at the time of interaction with the target content, with store X as the endpoint, as an effect of viewing content A on visits to store X.

[0033] <<Information Processing System According to This Embodiment>> Next, we will explain the information processing system (hereinafter referred to as the content effectiveness analysis system S) used to implement the service described above, with reference to Figure 2. In the following explanation, in order to make the explanation easier to understand, we will use as an example the case in which the target content is Content A, which is video content broadcast on television and distributed on the internet, and the specific action is the act of moving to a specific location (for example, store X introduced in Content A).

[0034] As shown in Figure 2, the content effectiveness analysis system S consists of a server computer (hereinafter referred to as server 10) used by the service provider, a user terminal 12 used by the user, and content viewing devices 14 and information terminals 16 used by each of the multiple monitors. Note that in Figure 2, for illustrative purposes, only one user terminal 12 is shown; however, in reality, there are a number of user terminals 12 corresponding to the number of users.

[0035] Multiple monitors are data acquisition monitors set up for the purpose of implementing this service, and are randomly selected from the population using statistical methods, such as area random sampling. The number of monitors is set to a number that will yield a sufficient sample size to implement this service, for example, several thousand monitors. While any selection method may be used for selecting monitors, it is preferable to use a selection method that ensures sufficient randomness in terms of monitors' residential area and demographic attributes such as age and gender.

[0036] Each monitor's content viewing device 14 is an example of a terminal used to access content, such as a television receiver installed in the home of each monitor, and each monitor can view television programs, television advertisements, etc., through the content viewing device 14. In this embodiment, the content viewing device 14 is connected to an internet line and is capable of communication, so for example, each monitor can receive and view video content distributed over the internet via the content viewing device 14.

[0037] Furthermore, the content viewing device 14 has the function of storing history information (hereinafter referred to as viewing log) when a monitor views content in its internal memory, and transmitting the stored viewing log to the server 10 via the internet. At this time, the viewing log is transmitted in association with the IP address used by the content viewing device 14 when it communicates with the internet, and specifically, it is transmitted along with the IP address information. The IP address corresponds to the communication identification information assigned to the content viewing device 14 of each monitor. The viewing log may also be transmitted from the content viewing device 14 to a server computer (not shown) for storing viewing logs (hereinafter referred to as the viewing log storage server) and stored in the viewing log storage server. In this case, the server 10 may access the viewing log storage server and read the stored viewing log.

[0038] Each monitor's information terminal 16 is a communication device carried by each monitor, and consists of, for example, a smartphone, mobile phone, laptop computer, tablet, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), and wearable device owned by each monitor. The information terminal 16 sends and receives various types of data via the internet connection, and when an application program (hereinafter also referred to as "app") installed on the information terminal 16 is launched, it performs data processing according to the app. In addition, each monitor's information terminal 16 is assigned unique identification information (hereinafter referred to as terminal identification information), and from this terminal identification information, it is possible to identify which monitor's information terminal 16 it is. Terminal identification information may include, for example, a terminal identifier (ID), advertising identifier, model number, HTTP cookie, application ID, user agent ID, and account ID.

[0039] Furthermore, each monitor's information terminal 16 is equipped with a function to acquire information indicating its current latitude and longitude (hereinafter referred to as terminal location information), and in this embodiment, terminal location information is acquired at regular time intervals (for example, every few minutes to one hour). The functions and means provided in the information terminal 16 for acquiring terminal location information are not particularly limited, but for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) data receiving function or known positioning means may be used. Furthermore, the data that can be received for the purpose of acquiring terminal location information does not have to be GPS data; for example, it may also be beacon data, data transmitted under Bluetooth® Low Energy communication mode, data for Wi-Fi® access point connection, and data transmitted from mobile radio base stations.

[0040] Furthermore, each monitor's information terminal 16 has the function of acquiring behavioral information regarding the actions of each monitor while it is carrying the information terminal 16, and transmitting the acquired behavioral information to the server 10 via the internet. In this embodiment, as an example of behavioral information, the above-mentioned terminal location information is acquired along with the date and time the information was acquired. More specifically, while each monitor is moving with the information terminal 16, the information terminal 16 has the function of acquiring history information (hereinafter referred to as behavioral log) including terminal location information and the current date and time information at predetermined time intervals, and transmitting the acquired behavioral log to the server 10. At this time, the behavioral log is transmitted in association with the aforementioned terminal identification information, and specifically, it is transmitted together with the terminal identification information. The activity log may also be transmitted from the information terminal 16 to a server computer (not shown) for storing activity logs (hereinafter referred to as the activity log storage server) and stored in the activity log storage server. In this case, the server 10 may access the activity log storage server and read the stored activity log.

[0041] Furthermore, when each monitor's information terminal 16 is used at the monitor's home, i.e., at the location where the content viewing device 14 is installed, it uses the same IP (Internet Protocol) address as the content viewing device 14 as its communication identification information. In other words, at each monitor's home, each monitor's information terminal 16 is assigned the same IP address as the content viewing device 14 installed at that home. Therefore, the content viewing device 14 and information terminal 16 used by the same monitor are linked by the IP address as a common key. As a result, the terminal identification information assigned to the information terminal 16 of a monitor can be uniquely identified from the IP address assigned to the content viewing device 14 of that monitor.

[0042] Next, the user terminal 12 will be described. The user terminal 12 is a computer device operated by the user when using this service, and consists of, for example, a personal computer, tablet device, smartphone, and home appliance with communication capabilities that the user can use. The user terminal 12 is able to communicate with the server 10, receives various information transmitted from the server 10, outputs the received information and information generated based on that information, and specifically displays text and images on the display based on the information received from the server 10.

[0043] Next, the server 10 will be described. The server 10 corresponds to a computer that constitutes the information processing device of the present invention and performs a series of information processing necessary for providing this service. The server 10 may be composed of a single server computer, or it may be composed of multiple server computers that are distributed in parallel. Furthermore, the server 10 may be a server computer for ASP (Application Service Provider), SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), or IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). In this case, when the necessary information is entered on a client terminal such as a PC or tablet, the server 10 performs various information processing (calculations) based on the input information, and the calculation results are output on the client terminal side. As a result, the various functions provided by the server 10 can be used on the client terminal side.

[0044] The hardware configuration of server 10 is similar to that of a general-purpose server computer. Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, server 10 includes a processor 10a consisting of a CPU, memory 10b consisting of ROM and RAM, a communication interface 10c consisting of a network interface card, and storage 10d consisting of a hard disk drive or solid-state drive.

[0045] Furthermore, the server 10 is connected to the user terminal 12, as well as the content viewing devices 14 and information terminals 16 of each monitor, via the internet. Through communication with these terminals, the server 10 acquires various information necessary for providing this service and provides users with information corresponding to the commercial products of this service (specifically, information showing the results of content effectiveness analysis, which will be described later). The information necessary for providing this service includes viewing logs sent from the content viewing devices 14 of the monitors corresponding to the target users, and behavioral logs sent from the information terminals 16 of the monitors corresponding to the target users.

[0046] Storage 10d stores registration information for multiple monitors, specifically information regarding each monitor's gender, age, and other demographic attributes, associated with the identification information assigned to each monitor, specifically the monitor identifier (ID). Storage 10d also stores information acquired from each monitor's content viewing device 14 and information terminal 16, namely viewing logs and activity logs. Of the viewing logs and activity logs stored in storage 10d, those acquired for the same monitor are linked by a common IP address used by the content viewing device 14 and information terminal 16 at that monitor's home, as shown in Figure 3. Furthermore, the IP addresses used by the content viewing device 14 and information terminal 16 at each monitor's home are associated with the monitor identifier of each monitor.

[0047] The storage 10d may be built into the main body of the server 10, or it may be attached to the server main body as an external device. Alternatively, the storage 10d may be configured by an external server located on the network (for example, a database server or a file server). Furthermore, the storage 10d may be composed of multiple different storage media, or it may be composed of multiple storage devices distributed amongst themselves.

[0048] Furthermore, the server 10 has a content effect analysis program installed as a program for enabling the information processing device of the present invention to function. The content effect analysis program is a program that defines a series of information processing steps for analyzing the effect of content A, which is the target content, when providing this service, and is read and executed by the processor 10a of the server 10.

[0049] Next, referring to Figure 4, we will explain the configuration of server 10 from a functional standpoint. As shown in Figure 4, server 10 has a first acquisition unit 21, a second acquisition unit 22, a specific unit 23, an aggregation unit 24, and a display control unit 25. The aggregation unit 24 and the display control unit 25 constitute an output unit 26. These functional units are realized through the cooperation of the hardware equipment of server 10 and the content effect analysis program installed on server 10. The following describes each functional unit.

[0050] (1st acquisition part) The first acquisition unit 21 communicates with the content viewing device 14 of each monitor to acquire viewing logs for the content being viewed by each monitor (specifically, video content such as television programs). As shown in Figure 3, these viewing logs include the date and time the content was viewed, information to identify the viewed content (for example, content identification information such as the program name and the URL of the streamed video (Uniform Resource Locator)), and the IP address used by the content viewing device 14.

[0051] Furthermore, among the monitors, there may be monitors (i.e., target users) who have viewed content A, which is the target content. In that case, the first acquisition unit 21 will acquire the viewing log of the target user. The content viewing date and time included in the viewing log acquired from the target user corresponds to the first date and time information indicating the date and time (contact time) when the target user viewed the target content.

[0052] Furthermore, when a monitor is viewing content through the content viewing device 14 at home, the first acquisition unit 21 communicates with the monitor's information terminal 16 to acquire an activity log including terminal location information and date and time information. The terminal location information included in the activity log indicates the monitor's location at the time of content viewing. The date and time information included in the activity log indicates the date and time corresponding to the time of content viewing, and, like the content viewing date and time in the viewing log, corresponds to the first date and time information. The first acquisition unit 21 also acquires the activity log of each monitor in association with a common IP address (communication identification information) used by the content viewing device 14 and information terminal 16 at each monitor's home.

[0053] Furthermore, if there are multiple users on the monitor who have viewed content A, the target content, the first acquisition unit 21 will acquire an activity log for each of the users, associating it with the IP address mentioned above. Here, the terminal location information included in the activity log acquired from each user corresponds to the first location information indicating the user's location at the time of viewing the target content, that is, their location at the time of contact with the target content. In other words, the first acquisition unit 21 acquires the first location information for each of the users, associating it with the IP address as identification information for communication and the first date and time information indicating the date and time of content viewing.

[0054] Furthermore, the means and methods for acquiring information indicating the location of the subject at the time of contact with the target content (first location information) are not limited to those described above, and other means and methods may be used. For example, information indicating the installation location of the content viewing device 14 may be incorporated into the viewing log acquired from the content viewing device 14 as information indicating the location of the subject at the time of viewing the target content. Furthermore, the means and methods for obtaining viewing logs are not limited to those described above. Information equivalent to viewing logs may be obtained from content providers (distributors), or information sent to the content provider when each monitor views content may be obtained as viewing logs.

[0055] (Second acquisition part) The second acquisition unit 22 acquires an activity log showing the movement history of each monitor while each monitor is moving with the information terminal 16. As shown in Figure 3, this activity log includes date and time information indicating the date and time of each monitor's movement, terminal location information at that date and time, terminal identification information, and identification information of the monitor possessing the information terminal 16. The activity log also includes the IP address used by the information terminal 16 at each monitor's home. In other words, the second acquisition unit 22 acquires terminal location information by associating it with the IP address assigned to the information terminal 16 that each monitor possesses when moving (more specifically, the IP address used by the information terminal 16 at each monitor's home).

[0056] Furthermore, if there are multiple monitors, i.e., multiple target users, that have viewed content A, the second acquisition unit 22 will acquire the activity log of each of the multiple target users while they are moving, associating it with the IP address mentioned above. Here, the terminal location information included in the activity log acquired from the target user corresponds to the second location information, which indicates the location of the place the target user moved to after viewing (contacting) content A. In addition, the terminal location information included in the activity log acquired from the target user also corresponds to activity information regarding the target user's actions after viewing content A.

[0057] Furthermore, if there is a specific target person among the target persons who moved to a specific location after viewing content A, the second acquisition unit 22 will acquire an activity log for that specific target person in association with the IP address mentioned above. Here, the terminal location information included in the activity log acquired from the specific target person corresponds to the second location information, as described above. Also, the date and time information included in the activity log acquired from the specific target person corresponds to the second date and time information indicating the date and time when the specific target person moved to a specific location (in other words, the date and time when the target person performed a specific action). In short, the second acquisition unit 22 acquires the second location information for the specific target person in association with the IP address as identification information for communication and the second date and time information indicating the date and time of movement to a specific location.

[0058] Furthermore, the means and methods for acquiring information indicating the location of the subject after viewing the target content (second location information) are not limited to those described above, and other means and methods may be used. For example, when a communication terminal installed at the subject's destination detects the subject's information terminal 16, it may transmit information indicating that the subject is at the destination and the date and time of the visit, and the second acquisition unit 22 may acquire the second location information by receiving this information. Furthermore, the means for acquiring terminal location information and the source of the information are not particularly limited. For example, as mentioned above, the distance from the base station may be measured through communication between the mobile wireless base station owned by the communication carrier and the information terminal 16, and terminal location information may be acquired according to the measurement result. Alternatively, terminal location information may be acquired by connecting to a beacon transmitter using Bluetooth® Low Energy mode. Alternatively, the distance from the access point may be measured during Wi-Fi® communication, and terminal location information may be acquired according to the measurement result. In addition, if the information terminal 16 is inside or near a structure, terminal location information may be acquired based on the geomagnetic pattern measured in advance for the structure and the geomagnetic sensor equipped in the information terminal 16.

[0059] (Specific part) The identification unit 23 identifies the person who viewed content A, i.e., the target person, from among multiple monitors, based on the viewing logs and activity logs (specifically, terminal location information) acquired by the first acquisition unit 21 from each monitor. Specifically, the identification unit 23 determines whether or not content A was viewed from the content identification information included in the viewing logs. Then, the identification unit 23 identifies the IP address included in the viewing log when content A was viewed (hereinafter referred to as the target person's IP address), and extracts the monitor identifier associated with the target person's IP address from the monitor registration information stored in the storage 10d. Through this procedure, the target person who viewed content A is identified.

[0060] The target user's IP address corresponds to the communication identification information used by the content viewing device 14 when the target user viewed content A. In other words, the viewing log obtained from the target user's content viewing device 14 can be said to be information associated with the target user's IP address.

[0061] Furthermore, the identification unit 23 can read the registration information of the identified subject from the storage 10d and identify the subject's attributes such as gender and age. The identification unit 23 can also identify the date and time the subject viewed content A based on the viewing log obtained from the content viewing device 14 associated with the subject's IP address. Furthermore, the identification unit 23 can identify the location where the subject was when viewing content A (i.e., the location at the time of contact with the content, specifically the subject's home) based on the activity log obtained from the information terminal 16 associated with the subject's IP address.

[0062] Furthermore, the identification unit 23 identifies specific target persons who moved to a specific location after viewing content A, based on the behavior logs (specifically, terminal location information included in the behavior logs) acquired from the target persons by the second acquisition unit 22. Specifically, the identification unit 23 extracts behavior logs associated with the target person's IP address from the behavior logs acquired from the information terminal 16 of each monitor, and identifies the behavior logs whose location indicated by the terminal location information matches a specific location. Then, the identification unit 23 identifies the IP address associated with the behavior log whose location indicated by the terminal location information matches a specific location (hereinafter referred to as the specific target person's IP address), and extracts the monitor identifier associated with the specific target person's IP address from the monitor registration information stored in the storage 10d. The monitor (more precisely, the target person) to which the extracted monitor identifier is assigned is identified as a specific target person.

[0063] Through the procedure described above, individuals who move to a specific location after viewing content A are identified as specific individuals. For example, if the specific location is store X, which is introduced in content A, the identification unit 23 identifies individuals who visit (move to) store X after viewing content A as specific individuals.

[0064] Furthermore, the IP address of the identified individual is the communication identification information used by the identified individual's content viewing device 14 when the identified individual accessed content A, and also corresponds to the identification information of the information terminal 16 that the identified individual possessed when they moved to a specific location (more precisely, information used to indirectly identify the information terminal 16 by being linked to the terminal identification information of the information terminal 16). In other words, the viewing logs obtained from the identified individual's content viewing device 14 and the activity logs obtained from the identified individual's information terminal 16 can be said to be information associated with the identified individual's IP address.

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if a specific action includes multiple actions, the person who performed at least one of the multiple actions may be identified as the specific target. More specifically, if multiple locations are set as specific locations, the identification unit 23 can identify a person who moved to at least one of the multiple locations as the specific target. In this case, the specific target may be identified for each of the multiple locations. For example, if stores X, Y, and Z are set as specific locations, the specific target who visited store X, the specific target who visited store Y, and the specific target who visited store Z may be identified, respectively.

[0066] Furthermore, the identification unit 23 can read the registration information of the identified target person from the storage 10d and identify the attributes of that target person, such as gender and age. In addition, based on the activity log associated with the target person's IP address, the identification unit 23 can determine when the target person moved to a specific location (for example, store X), or more specifically, the date and time they were at that specific location.

[0067] (Aggregation Department) The aggregation unit 24 aggregates the number of target individuals and specified target individuals identified by the identification unit 23. Furthermore, if the identification unit 23 identifies attributes such as gender and age of target individuals or specified target individuals, the aggregation unit 24 can aggregate the number of target individuals and specified target individuals by attribute. Also, if the identification unit 23 identifies the date and time when a target individual viewed content A, the aggregation unit 24 can aggregate the number of target individuals by the date and time they viewed content A. Furthermore, if the identification unit 23 identifies the date and time when a specified target individual moved to a specific location, the aggregation unit 24 can aggregate the number of specified target individuals by the date and time they moved to that specific location.

[0068] Furthermore, if the identification unit 23 identifies the location where the subject was when viewing content A, the aggregation unit 24 can aggregate the number of subjects according to the subject's location at the time of viewing content A (i.e., their location at the time of contact with the target content). Similarly, if the identification unit 23 identifies the location where the identified subject was when viewing content A, the aggregation unit 24 can aggregate the number of identified subjects according to the identified subject's location at the time of viewing content A (i.e., their location at the time of contact with the target content).

[0069] In this embodiment, "calculating the number of target persons or specific target persons according to their location at the time of viewing Content A" means classifying the location where each target person or specific target person was at the time of viewing Content A into predetermined regional divisions, and then calculating the number of target persons or specific target persons for each regional division. A regional division refers to each unit area when dividing an area where multiple monitors are located (more simply, the area where multiple monitors reside) according to administrative divisions and similar regional divisions. Specifically, this includes prefectures, cities, towns, and villages. Furthermore, the aggregation unit 24 may arbitrarily decide what size of regional division (i.e., granularity) to adopt when aggregating the number of target persons or specific target persons.

[0070] Furthermore, if multiple locations are set as specific locations, and the identification unit 23 identifies specific target individuals for each of the multiple locations, the aggregation unit 24 can aggregate the number of specific target individuals for each location. For example, if stores X, Y, and Z are set as specific locations, the identification unit 23 can identify the number of specific target individuals who visited store X, the number of specific target individuals who visited store Y, and the number of specific target individuals who visited store Z, respectively.

[0071] (Display Control Unit) The display control unit 25 visualizes and outputs the aggregation results from the aggregation unit 24, and in this embodiment, displays information on the screen corresponding to the number of aggregated subjects or specific subjects.

[0072] Specifically, when the aggregation unit 24 aggregates the number of target individuals according to their location at the time of viewing content A (i.e., their location at the time of contact with the target content), the display control unit 25 visualizes the information corresponding to the number of target individuals in association with their location at the time of viewing content A, and displays this information on the display of the user terminal 12.

[0073] Referring to Figure 5, the display control unit 25 generates an object B1 whose size changes according to the number of subjects, for each region where the subjects were located at the time of viewing content A, as information corresponding to the number of subjects. In the example shown in Figure 5, a circular object (for example, a bubble chart) whose diameter changes according to the number of subjects corresponds to object B1. Here, at least one object B1 is created, but below we will explain assuming the case where multiple objects B1 are generated, that is, where object B1 is generated for each of two or more regions.

[0074] After object B1 is created, the display control unit 25 displays a map M on the user terminal 12's display that includes the region where the subject was located at the time of viewing content A. If multiple regions are identified as the region where the subject was located at the time of viewing content A, the display control unit 25 displays a map M that includes all of those multiple regions.

[0075] The displayed map M is a general-purpose map image, and there are no particular limitations on how or where it can be obtained. Furthermore, if a map application is installed on the user terminal 12, the display control unit 25 may control the user terminal 12 to launch the map application, thereby displaying the aforementioned map M on the user terminal 12's display.

[0076] Then, as shown in Figure 5, the display control unit 25 displays the objects B1 generated for each region on the screen where the map M is displayed, superimposing them on the portion of the map M corresponding to the region in which the object B1 is located. For example, the object B1 generated for region R1 is displayed superimposed on the portion of the map M where region R1 is located.

[0077] Furthermore, when the aggregation unit 24 aggregates the number of subjects by attribute, the display control unit 25 can display object B1 corresponding to the number of subjects, associating it with the position of the subjects at the time of viewing content A, and can also display the aggregated results by attribute. For example, if a user touches or clicks on one of the displayed object B1s, the display control unit 25 can display, as shown in Figure 5, a breakdown by attribute (i.e., the number of subjects aggregated by attribute) for the number of subjects indicated by the specified object B1.

[0078] Furthermore, when the aggregation unit 24 aggregates the number of specific target individuals according to their location at the time of viewing content A (i.e., their location at the time of contact with the target content), the display control unit 25 visualizes the information corresponding to the number of specific target individuals in association with the location of the target individuals at the time of viewing content A, and displays this information on the display of the user terminal 12. The information corresponding to the number of specific target individuals is an object B2 whose size changes according to the number of specific target individuals, similar to the information corresponding to the number of target individuals.

[0079] In other words, the display control unit 25 generates object B2 corresponding to the number of specific target individuals, for each region where the specific target individuals were located at the time of viewing content A. Here, at least one object B2 is created, but in the following explanation, we will assume the case where multiple objects B2 are generated, that is, where an object B2 is generated for each of two or more regions.

[0080] After generating object B2, the display control unit 25 displays a map M on the user terminal 12's display that includes the region where the specific person was located at the time of viewing content A. At this time, as shown in Figure 6, the display control unit 25 displays the object B2 generated for each region superimposed on the portion of the map M corresponding to the region on the screen where the map M is displayed. For example, object B2 generated for region R2 will be displayed superimposed on the portion of the map M where region R2 is located.

[0081] Furthermore, the display control unit 25 may generate a circular object B3 whose size changes according to the total number of people who have visited the specified target, as information corresponding to the total number of people who have visited. In this case, as shown in Figure 6, the generated object B3 may be superimposed on the area of ​​the map M on the screen where the map M is displayed, corresponding to the area to which a specific location (for example, store X) belongs. At this time, it is preferable that the circular object B3 is displayed on the map M such that its center position coincides with the location of store X.

[0082] In the example screen shown in Figure 6, each object B2 indicates the starting point of a specific subject, and object B3 indicates the destination (endpoint) of the specific subject. Taking this into consideration, the display control unit 25 may further display arrow-shaped objects on the map M, pointing from each object B2 to object B3, as shown in Figure 6.

[0083] Furthermore, when the aggregation unit 24 aggregates the number of specific target individuals by attribute, the display control unit 25 can display object B2 corresponding to the number of specific target individuals, associating it with the position of the specific target individuals at the time of viewing content A, and can also display the aggregated results by attribute.

[0084] Furthermore, if multiple locations are set as specific locations, and the aggregation unit 24 aggregates the number of specific target individuals for each of the multiple locations, the display control unit 25 can display information corresponding to the number of specific target individuals who moved to each location, in association with the location of the specific target individuals at the time of viewing content A. For example, if stores X, Y, and Z are set as multiple locations, and the user selects store Y, the display control unit 25 displays object B2 corresponding to the number of specific target individuals who visited store Y, in association with the location of the specific target individuals at the time of viewing content A. If the user then selects store X (or store Z), the display control unit 25 switches the display screen and displays object B2 corresponding to the number of specific target individuals who visited store X (or store Z), in association with the location of the specific target individuals at the time of viewing content A, on the switched screen.

[0085] Furthermore, when the aggregation unit 24 aggregates the number of specific individuals by date and time they moved to a specific location (i.e., by date and time they performed a specific action), the display control unit 25 can display information corresponding to the number of specific individuals, associated with the location of each individual at the time of viewing content A, and also display it by date and time they moved to a specific location. Specifically, while changing the date and time they moved to a specific location, objects B2 corresponding to the number of specific individuals who moved to a specific location at each date and time are superimposed on the area where the specific individuals were at the time of viewing content A in map M, and are displayed by date and time they moved to a specific location.

[0086] To explain in more detail with reference to Figures 7(a) to 7(c), the display control unit 25 can change the size of object B2, which is superimposed on the area where a specific person was located in the map M at the time of viewing content A, in conjunction with a change in the date and time when the person moved to a specific location. Figure 7(a) shows the case where the number of days elapsed since the broadcast date and time or distribution date and time of content A is Da, Figure 7(b) shows the case where the number of days elapsed is Db, which is greater than Da, and Figure 7(c) shows the case where the number of days elapsed is Dc, which is greater than Db.

[0087] Furthermore, in a configuration where the size of object B2 is changed in conjunction with a change in the date and time of movement to a specific location, the change in the date and time of movement to a specific location may be performed based on screen operations by the user. For example, as shown in Figures 7(a) to 7(c), a time slider T may be displayed on the screen of the user terminal 12 along with the map M as a UI (User Interface). In this case, when the user operates the time slider T, the display control unit 25 sets a date and time corresponding to the position of the time slider T after the operation, and displays object B2 corresponding to the number of specific individuals who moved to the specific location at the set date and time, in association with the position of the specific individuals at the time of viewing content A. However, this is not limited to this, and the user may specify a date and time using a predetermined specification means, and object B2 corresponding to the number of specific individuals who moved to the specific location at the date and time specified by the user may be displayed in association with the position of the specific individuals at the time of viewing content A. Furthermore, the set date and time may be changed automatically, specifically, the set date and time may be automatically advanced in predetermined increments (for example, one hour at a time). In this case, the display control unit 25 may display object B2 corresponding to the number of specific individuals who have moved to a specific location at each date and time, in conjunction with the automatic advancement of the set date and time, and associate it with the location of the specific individuals at the time of viewing content A.

[0088] As described above, the display control unit 25, in cooperation with the aggregation unit 24, configures the output unit 26, which visualizes and outputs information corresponding to the number of specific target individuals. Specifically, the output unit 26 aggregates the number of specific target individuals based on terminal location information included in the activity log associated with the target individual's IP address (more specifically, terminal location information at the time of viewing content A) and terminal location information included in the activity log associated with the specific target individual's IP address (more specifically, terminal location information at the time of moving to a specific location).

[0089] Furthermore, the output unit 26 visualizes information corresponding to the aggregated number of specific target individuals, associating it with the location of each specific target individual at the time of viewing content A, and outputs object B2, which represents this visualization information, to the user terminal 12. In addition, the output unit 26 outputs object B2 associating it with the location of each specific target individual at the time of contact with the target content, and specifically displays it superimposed on the portion of map M corresponding to the region to which that location belongs.

[0090] The visualization information output by the output unit 26 allows users to check the distribution of specific target individuals based on the time of viewing content A. In simpler terms, it allows users to easily understand where monitors who viewed content A and then moved to a specific location were at the time of viewing content A. As a result, it is possible to verify the effect of viewing content A, specifically the effect of content A in inducing visits to a specific location (for example, store X), while taking into account the location (location) where specific target individuals were at the time of viewing content A.

[0091] Furthermore, the output unit 26 aggregates the number of specific targets based on the terminal location information of the activity log associated with the target IP address and the terminal location information and date / time information of the activity log associated with the specific target IP address, according to the date and time when the specific target moved to a specific location.The output unit 26 then visualizes the information corresponding to the number of specific targets according to the date and time when the specific target moved to a specific location, and outputs the visualized information, object B2, to the user terminal 12 according to the date and time.More specifically, as shown in Figures 7(a) to (c), the output unit 26 visualizes and outputs the information corresponding to the number of specific targets at each date and time, while changing the date and time when the specific target moved to a specific location, according to the date and time when the specific target moved to that specific location.This allows the user to check the number of specific targets in chronological order, and more specifically, to check it along with the changes in the date and time when the specific target moved to a specific location.

[0092] Furthermore, the method, means, and specific procedures for visualizing and outputting information corresponding to the number of specific target individuals are not particularly limited. For example, display data may be generated to overlay object B2 corresponding to the number of specific target individuals onto the map M displayed on the user terminal 12's screen, and the generated display data may be sent to the user terminal 12. In this case, the server 10 may receive a request from the user terminal 12 using the functionality of an API (Application Programming Interface), and the server 10 may generate data to display the object B2 in response to the request and return the generated data to the user terminal 12. Alternatively, drawing data for map M incorporating data to overlay object B2 onto the corresponding area may be generated, and this drawing data may be sent to the user terminal 12.

[0093] Furthermore, the visualization information corresponding to the number of subjects or specific subjects is not limited to circular objects B1-B3, but may also include non-circular objects such as bar graphs or radar charts. Also, the visualization information corresponding to the number of subjects or specific subjects is not limited to objects whose size changes according to the number of people, but may also include objects whose color or pattern changes according to the number of people.

[0094] <<Regarding the information processing method according to this embodiment>> Next, we will explain the series of processing steps (hereinafter referred to as the information processing flow) related to the analysis of content effectiveness using the content effectiveness analysis system S of this embodiment. The information processing flow employs the information processing method of the present invention. That is, the following description includes a description of the information processing method of the present invention, and each step in the information processing flow corresponds to a component of the information processing method of the present invention.

[0095] The information processing flow described below is merely an example, and unnecessary steps may be deleted, new steps added, or the order of steps rearranged, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, for the purpose of making the explanation easier to understand, we will assume in the following that the target content is content A as video content (for example, a television program), and the specific action is a visit to store X, which was featured in content A.

[0096] The information processing flow is triggered, for example, when server 10 receives a request from user terminal 12 to perform content effect analysis, and proceeds according to the flow shown in Figure 8. Specifically, in the information processing flow, first, server 10 communicates with the content viewing device 14 of each monitor to obtain viewing logs, and also communicates with the information terminal 16 of each monitor to obtain activity logs (S001). Here, if there are multiple monitors that have viewed content A, i.e., multiple target users, in step S001, for each of the multiple target users, an activity log including terminal location information indicating the target user's location at the time of viewing content A (more precisely, the location of the information terminal 16 at that time) is obtained, associated with the target user's IP address.

[0097] Next, while each monitor is moving with the information terminal 16, the server 10 acquires an activity log showing the movement history of each monitor (S002). Here, if there are multiple monitors that have viewed content A, i.e., multiple target individuals, in step S002, for each of the multiple target individuals, an activity log including information indicating the location the target individual moved to after viewing content A, specifically terminal location information, is acquired in association with the target individual's IP address. Furthermore, if there is a target individual among the multiple target individuals who visited store X after viewing content A, i.e., a specific target individual, in step S002, an activity log for the specific target individual is acquired in association with the specific target individual's IP address.

[0098] The following steps will be explained assuming a scenario where, as part of content effectiveness analysis, the number of specific target individuals who visited store X after viewing content A is investigated. Furthermore, the following explanation will assume a case where multiple target individuals are present during the monitoring period.

[0099] Based on the viewing logs and activity logs obtained from each monitor in step S001 and the activity logs obtained from each monitor in step S002, server 10 identifies multiple subjects from among multiple monitors, and further identifies a specific subject from among the multiple subjects (S003).

[0100] Specifically, server 10 identifies the target IP address using the procedure described above, and then extracts the monitor identifier associated with the target IP address from the monitor registration information stored in storage 10d. The monitor to which the extracted monitor identifier is assigned is identified as the target. Using a procedure that is almost identical to this, the IP address of the specific target is identified, and then the monitor identifier associated with the specific target IP address is extracted from the monitor registration information stored in storage 10d. The monitor to which the extracted monitor identifier is assigned is identified as the specific target.

[0101] Next, the server 10 aggregates the number of specific individuals identified in step S003 (S004). In step S004, for example, the number of specific individuals is aggregated according to the location of the specific individuals at the time of viewing content A (i.e., their location at the time of contact with the target content).

[0102] Specifically, in step S004, the server 10 reads terminal location information from the behavior log of the specific target person (in other words, the behavior log associated with the specific target person's IP address) among the behavior logs acquired in step S001. This terminal location information indicates the location of the specific target person at the time of viewing content A. Furthermore, in step S004, server 10 reads terminal location information from the behavior log of the specific target person (in other words, the behavior log associated with the specific target person's IP address) among the behavior logs acquired in step S002. This terminal location information indicates the location of the specific target person at the time they moved to store X, or more simply, the location of store X.

[0103] The server 10 then uses the two types of terminal location information it has read to count the number of specific individuals according to their location at the time they viewed content A. Specifically, the number of specific individuals is counted according to the region in which they were located at the time they viewed content A.

[0104] Subsequently, the server 10 visualizes and outputs information corresponding to the number of specific individuals aggregated in step S004, in association with the location of each specific individual at the time of viewing content A (S005). Specifically, in step S005, the server 10 generates an object B2, each with a size corresponding to the number of specific target individuals, for each region where the specific target individuals were located at the time of viewing content A. The server 10 then displays a map M, including the regions where the target individuals were located at the time of viewing content A, on the display of the user terminal 12, and overlays the object B2 generated for each region onto the map M displayed on the screen, overlaying it onto the portion corresponding to the region where the object B2 is located.

[0105] Once all of the above steps have been completed, one information processing flow related to content effectiveness analysis is finished. Thereafter, each time server 10 receives a request to perform content effectiveness analysis from user terminal 12, it repeats the above information processing flow.

[0106] <<Other Embodiments>> Although the information processing apparatus and information processing method of the present invention have been described above with specific examples, the embodiments described above are merely examples, and other embodiments (modifications) shown below are also conceivable.

[0107] (Variations of the specific target group) In the above embodiment, individuals who moved to a specific location after interacting with the target content were defined as "target individuals," and the number of such individuals was tallied. However, this is not limited to this definition; "target individuals" may also be those who performed actions other than movement after interacting with the target content. For example, individuals who purchased products introduced in the target content after interacting with it may be defined as "target individuals." In this case, it is advisable to obtain information regarding the purchase history of the products (specifically, the type of product purchased, the number purchased, the purchase price, and the purchase location, etc.) as an action log indicating actions after interacting with the target content.

[0108] (A modified version of the format that visualizes and outputs information according to the number of specific target individuals.) In the above embodiment, an example was described in which, as a form of visualizing and outputting information according to the number of specific individuals, an object whose size, color, etc., changes according to the number of specific individuals is generated, and the object is displayed on the display of the user terminal 12. However, the method of visualizing and outputting information according to the number of specific individuals is not particularly limited as long as the information can be effectively utilized, and other methods may be used, for example, the information according to the number of specific individuals may be converted into text and output, or the information may be recorded (printed) on a print medium and output.

[0109] (A modified version of the format that outputs information by date and time according to the number of specific individuals.) In the above embodiment, the output unit 26 of the server 10 visualizes and outputs information corresponding to the number of specific target individuals, categorized by the date and time each specific target individual performed a specific action. However, it is not limited to this, and the output unit 26 may also visualize and output information corresponding to the number of specific target individuals, categorized by the date and time each specific target individual interacted with the target content. This modified example (hereinafter referred to as the second embodiment) will be explained with reference to Figures 9(a) to (c). In the following explanation, we will assume that the target content is a web-streamed video N. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the web-streamed video N will be viewed using an information terminal 16.

[0110] In the second embodiment, the output unit 26 of the server 10 extracts activity logs associated with the target person's IP address from the activity logs acquired from each monitor. The extracted activity logs include terminal location information indicating the location of the information terminal 16 at the time of viewing the online streaming video N, and date and time information indicating the date and time of viewing the online streaming video N.

[0111] In the second embodiment, the subject IP address is the IP address assigned to the information terminal 16 used by the subject, including the specific subject, to view the online streaming video N. The terminal location information included in the extracted activity log corresponds to first location information indicating the location where the subject, including the specific subject, was when viewing the online streaming video N. The date and time information included in the extracted activity log corresponds to first date and time information indicating the date and time when the subject, including the specific subject, viewed the online streaming video N.

[0112] In the second embodiment, the output unit 26 extracts activity logs associated with the IP address of a specific target person from activity logs acquired from a monitor while the information terminal 16 is being carried. The extracted activity logs include terminal location information indicating the location of the information terminal 16 at the time the specific target person performed a specific action (specifically, when they moved to a specific location). In the second embodiment, the IP address of the specified subject is the IP address assigned to the information terminal 16 that the specified subject was carrying when they moved to a specific location. Furthermore, the terminal location information included in the extracted activity log corresponds to activity information indicating that the specified subject moved to a specific location after watching the online streaming video N.

[0113] In the second embodiment, the output unit 26 aggregates the number of specific target individuals based on the activity logs associated with the target individual's IP address and the activity logs associated with the specific target individual's IP address, and outputs information corresponding to the aggregated number. At this time, the output unit 26 displays the information corresponding to the number of specific target individuals in the same manner as in the above embodiment, in association with the location of the target individual at the time of viewing the online streaming video N, and also displays it by the date and time of viewing the online streaming video N.

[0114] Specifically, while changing the date and time when the online streaming video N was viewed, objects B2 corresponding to the number of specific individuals who watched the online streaming video N at each date and time are superimposed on the map M over the region where the specific individuals were at the time the online streaming video N was viewed, and are displayed according to the date and time the online streaming video N was viewed.

[0115] To explain in more detail, as shown in Figures 9(a) to (c), the output unit 26 can change the size of object B2, which is superimposed on the area where a specific person was at the time of viewing the online video N in the map M, in conjunction with changes in the viewing date and time of the online video N. Figure 9(a) shows the case when the viewing date and time of the online video N is date and time Ea, Figure 9(b) shows the case when the viewing date and time is date and time Eb, which is later than date and time Ea, and Figure 9(c) shows the case when the viewing date and time is date and time Ec, which is later than date and time Eb.

[0116] According to the second embodiment, by following the above procedure, as shown in Figures 9(a) to (c), the user can check the number of specific individuals in chronological order, and more specifically, can check the changes in the date and time when the specific individuals watched the online streaming video N. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0117] 10. Server (Information Processing Device) 10a processor 10b memory 10c communication interface 10d storage 12 User terminals 14. Content viewing device 16 Information terminals 21 First acquisition part 22 Second acquisition part 23 Specific section 24. Aggregation Department 25 Display Control Unit 26 Output section B1, B2, B3 objects M Map S Content Effectiveness Analysis System T Time Slider

Claims

1. A first acquisition unit acquires, for each of several target persons who have come into contact with the target content, first location information indicating the location of the target person at the time of contact with the target content, in association with communication identification information assigned to the terminal used by the target person to come into contact with the target content. A second acquisition unit acquires behavioral information regarding the actions of each of the aforementioned multiple subjects after contact with the subject content, in association with the communication identification information assigned to the terminal that the subject was carrying at the time of the action. Based on the behavioral information obtained for each of the aforementioned multiple subjects, an identification unit identifies a specific subject who performed a specific action among the aforementioned multiple subjects, An output unit visualizes and outputs information corresponding to the number of specified persons, in association with the location of the specified persons at the time of contact with the target content, based on the first location information associated with the identification information of the terminal used by the specified person to access the target content, and the action information associated with the identification information of the terminal that the specified person was carrying when they performed the specific action. Equipped with, The identification information assigned to the terminal used by the subject to access the target content is used as a key to link the terminal used by the subject to access the target content with the terminal the subject was carrying at the time of the action. The identification ID assigned to the subject is associated with the identification information assigned to the terminal used by the subject to access the subject content. The second acquisition unit acquires, for each of the multiple subjects, second location information as behavioral information, which indicates the location to which the subject moved after contacting the target content. The identification unit is an information processing device that identifies a subject who has moved to a specific location from among the multiple subjects, based on the second location information acquired for each of the multiple subjects, as the identified subject.

2. The output unit is, An object whose size changes according to the number of the specified target persons is generated for each region where the specified target persons were located at the time of contact with the target content. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the objects generated for each region are displayed on a screen showing a map including the regions, superimposed on the portion of the map corresponding to the region that the objects are located in.

3. The first acquisition unit acquires the first location information in association with the identification information of the terminal used by the subject to access the target content, and the first date and time information indicating the date and time the subject accessed the target content. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second acquisition unit acquires the behavior information in association with the identification information of the terminal that the subject was carrying when the subject performed the specific behavior, and second date and time information indicating the date and time the subject performed the specific behavior.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the output unit visualizes and outputs information corresponding to the number of specified persons, categorized by the date and time the specific action was performed, based on the first location information associated with the identification information of the terminal used by the specified person to access the target content, the action information associated with the identification information of the terminal that the specified person possessed when performing the specific action, and the second date and time information.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the output unit visualizes and outputs information corresponding to the number of specific individuals who performed the specific action at each date and time, while changing the date and time at which the specific action was performed, for each date and time at which the specific action was performed.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the output unit visualizes and outputs information corresponding to the number of specified persons, categorized by the date and time of contact with the target content, based on the first location information and first date and time information associated with the identification information of the terminal used by the specified person to contact the target content, and the action information associated with the identification information of the terminal that the specified person possessed when performing the specified action.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the output unit visualizes and outputs information corresponding to the number of specific individuals who came into contact with the target content at each respective date and time, while changing the date and time of contact with the target content.

8. When the aforementioned specific action includes multiple actions, The identification unit identifies the subject who has performed at least one of the plurality of actions as the identified subject, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output unit visualizes and outputs information corresponding to the number of specific target persons who performed each of the plurality of actions, in association with the position of the specific target persons at the time of contact with the target content.

9. The computer acquires, for each of several individuals who have come into contact with the target content, first location information indicating the location of the individual at the time of contact with the target content, in association with communication identification information assigned to the terminal used by the individual to come into contact with the target content. The computer obtains behavioral information for each of the multiple subjects, relating it to communication identification information assigned to the terminal the subject was carrying at the time of the action. The computer identifies a specific subject who performed a specific action from among the multiple subjects based on the behavioral information acquired for each of the multiple subjects, The computer visualizes and outputs information corresponding to the number of specified persons, in association with the location of the specified persons at the time of contact with the target content, based on the first location information associated with the identification information of the terminal used by the specified person to access the target content, and the action information associated with the identification information of the terminal that the specified person possessed when performing the specific action. Includes, The identification information assigned to the terminal used by the subject to access the target content is used as a key to link the terminal used by the subject to access the target content with the terminal the subject was carrying at the time of the action. The identification ID assigned to the subject is associated with the identification information assigned to the terminal used by the subject to access the subject content. In the step of acquiring the behavioral information, the computer acquires, for each of the multiple subjects, second location information indicating the location to which the subject moved after contacting the target content, as the behavioral information. An information processing method in which, in the step of identifying a specific target person, the computer identifies a target person who has moved to a specific location from among the multiple target persons, based on the second location information obtained for each of the multiple target persons, as the specific target person.

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