Information processing device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To provide an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program that can give users who lack financial resources an opportunity to win products in an auction.SOLUTION: An information processing device has a voting reception unit for accepting, from a user, a vote performed for predicting a result of a competition, a dividend granting unit for granting dividends to the user if the vote is correct, and an auction control unit for controlling an auction in which the user can bid on products using dividends within the amount of the granted dividends.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

【Technical Field】 【0001】 The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program. 【Background Art】 【0002】 Conventionally, an auction (online auction) in which goods are traded in an auction format using the Internet has been known. In a general online auction, bids are solicited for the offered goods for a predetermined period, and the person who bids the highest amount at the time of bid closing is designated as the winning bidder. 【Prior Art Documents】 【Patent Documents】 【0003】 【Patent Document 1】 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-154726 【Summary of the Invention】 【Problems to be Solved by the Invention】 【0004】 However, generally in an auction, only the person who bids the highest amount can win the goods, so the winning bid price tends to soar. Therefore, in a conventional auction system, there is a risk that users with insufficient financial resources may be deprived of the opportunity to win goods, and the winning bidders may be fixed to users with abundant financial resources. Also, in such a situation, users with insufficient financial resources may hesitate to participate in the auction, and as a result, there is a risk that the number of participants will not increase and the auction will not become lively. 【0005】 Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program that can give users with insufficient financial resources an opportunity to win goods in an auction. 【Means for Solving the Problems】 【0006】 An information processing device according to one aspect of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a voting reception unit that receives votes from users in which votes are made in predicting the results of a competition; a dividend awarding unit that awards dividends to users when the vote is correct; and an auction control unit that controls an auction in which bids can be made on goods using the awarded dividends within the range of the awarded dividend amount. [Effects of the Invention] 【0007】 According to one aspect of the present invention, even users with insufficient financial resources can be given the opportunity to win bids on products in an auction. [Brief explanation of the drawing] 【0008】 [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of a system including an information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a diagram showing an example of a voting screen. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of a bidding screen. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of a reference screen. [Figure 5] This is a diagram illustrating the functions of an information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of user-related information. [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of voting-related information. [Figure 8] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of bidding-related information. [Figure 9] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of competition-related information. [Figure 10] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of product-related information. [Figure 11] This figure shows the information processing flow according to the present invention. [Figure 12] This diagram shows the flow of the dividend distribution process. [Figure 13] This diagram shows the flow of the bid acceptance process. [Figure 14] This figure shows another information processing flow according to the present invention. [Figure 15] It is a diagram showing the flow of vote candidate prompting processing. 【Mode for Carrying Out the Invention】 【0009】 Hereinafter, the information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are merely examples given for ease of understanding of the present invention and do not limit the present invention. That is, the present invention can be changed or improved from the embodiments described below without departing from the gist thereof. Naturally, equivalents of the present invention are included. 【0010】 Also, the examples of the screens described in this specification and the drawings are merely examples, and the screen configuration, design, content of display information, GUI (Graphical User Interface), etc. can be freely designed according to the specifications of the system design and the preferences of the user, etc., and can be changed as appropriate. 【0011】 Also, in this specification, the user is the user of the information processing apparatus of the present invention, specifically, the user of the service provided by the information processing apparatus of the present invention, and more specifically, the person who can participate in the auction provided by the information processing apparatus of the present invention. Note that the user is an individual unless otherwise specified, but a group of multiple people may be the user, which is the unit to which the service use account is assigned. Also, users who have approved each other (friends) may play together or form a team. 【0012】 <Regarding the auction according to this embodiment> The communication system shown in FIG. 1 (hereinafter referred to as information processing system S) is a communication system including an information processing apparatus (hereinafter referred to as server 10) according to an embodiment of the present invention, and provides an auction to users. 【0013】 An auction is a transaction of goods in an auction format. For the goods put up for auction, users who wish to win the bid specify their desired purchase amount (bid amount) to place a bid. When the set holding period ends, the user who has placed the highest bid can win the bid for that item. Also, in the auction of this embodiment, a participation condition for the auction is set such that a user cannot place a bid for an item unless they use the dividend (winning amount) obtained in the game. Note that when there are multiple items that can be won, users equal in number to the number of items that can be won can win the bid for that item, starting from the user who placed the highest bid. 【0014】 Goods are the objects of transactions in an auction, including not only so-called physical items such as food and beverages, clothing, and tools, but also services such as transportation, storage, finance, and labor, and furthermore, all things having value exchanged in the market, such as land, capital, and information. 【0015】 A game refers to a game in which the outcome of a competition is predicted. For example, predicting the results (such as the finishing order of the competition target) of public competitions actually held by public institutions as gambling, such as horse racing, motorcycle racing, boat racing, or auto racing, and betting (hereinafter referred to as voting) using currency or special currency. When the voting based on such prediction is successful, it refers to a game in which a dividend (payback for a successful prediction) corresponding to the odds can be obtained as a winning amount. 【0016】 In this embodiment, the competition is regularly held according to a schedule, for example, it is assumed to be held daily. Also, the competition is repeatedly held within a predetermined period, such as being held multiple times a day, and users can vote on each such competition. For example, if the competition is motorcycle racing, about 9 to 12 races are held per day for each race venue, and voting can be done for each of those races. Note that the predetermined period is not limited to one day and may be 1 to several hours, several days, 1 to several weeks, 1 to several months, or 1 to several years. Also, the number of races held within the predetermined period may be only once. 【0017】 In voting, users specify their predicted bet from a different selection of voting options provided for each competition. The voting content refers to the prediction related to the bet, specifically, the prediction regarding the finishing order of the competition. Items for voting options and voting content include, for example, the type of bet (win, place, quinella, and exacta), the target of the bet (the competition target or combination of competition targets), and the bet amount (the amount of money bet using either currency or a special currency). An example of a vote might be: win (betting type) - No. 1 (competition target) - 2000 yen (bet amount), or trifecta (betting type) - 2-3-5 (combination of competition targets) - 1000 yen (bet amount). 【0018】 Currency refers to what is commonly known as "money" used in general society for the exchange of goods and services. In this embodiment, the currency may be cash currency such as banknotes or coins, or deposit currency such as savings accounts or current accounts. Furthermore, currency also includes virtual currency usable with third-party applications (applications that enable payment using barcodes, stacked 2D codes, or matrix 2D codes, etc.). 【0019】 The dedicated currency is a pseudo-currency with properties different from the currencies mentioned above. It cannot be used to exchange goods or services in general society, but it is a value that can be used in the game and auction of this embodiment. Specifically, the dedicated currency can be used for voting or bidding. Furthermore, the dedicated currency is awarded to users as a dividend when their vote is correct. Therefore, in this embodiment, the term "dividend" will refer to the dedicated currency. 【0020】 Furthermore, the special currency can be obtained by users by converting it into other currencies (charging). In addition, a predetermined number of special currencies may be given to users for free as a login bonus, etc. On the other hand, when converting special currencies into currency, they cannot be converted into currency unconditionally at any time. Only the amount that has been awarded as a payout for a successful vote and has not been used for bidding can be converted into currency. In other words, in this embodiment, not only is special currencies that have not been used for voting not convertible into currency, but even special currencies that have been awarded as a payout for a successful vote cannot be converted into currency if they have been used for bidding (specifically, if they have been used for bidding but the product has not been won and has been returned). 【0021】 Odds refer to the payout multiplier, a numerical value indicating how many times the value of the bet (currency or special currency) will be returned if the bet is successful. In this embodiment, the odds are determined in accordance with the official odds of publicly run gambling events (odds set by the organizers of the gambling events), and therefore may fluctuate in real time depending on the betting status of the user or others. 【0022】 In the auction of this embodiment, as described above, the winnings obtained from the game, that is, the winnings paid out when a vote predicting the outcome of the competition is correct, are used to make bids on the product within the range of the amount of those winnings. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the competition and the product are associated with each other. For example, in order to bid on product A, one must vote in competition A associated with product A, and use the winnings obtained if that vote is correct to make the bid. In other words, it is not possible to bid on the product without using the winnings obtained from the competition associated with that product. 【0023】 Furthermore, there may be multiple competitions associated with a product. For example, product B may be associated with two competitions, Competition B1 and Competition B2. In this case, the period between the start times of Competition B1 and Competition B2 may be used as the bidding period for Competition B2. The current price of product B (the maximum bid amount at that time) may be made public to the user, and in the game of Competition B2, the user may be presented with voting candidates (betting type, target of betting, and betting amount) that will result in a payout of more than or equal to the current price. In addition, the user may be presented with voting candidates that will result in a payout of more than or equal to the difference between the user's current bid amount and the current price. 【0024】 Here, we will describe an example of the auction process in this embodiment. (1) First, on the voting screen G1 shown in Figure 2, the user predicts the outcome of the competition and casts their vote using currency or a special currency. (2) If a user's bet is correct, they will receive a payout calculated based on the odds. At this time, the user will be presented with items from the auction that are related to the competition (items that can be bid on using this payout) and that can be bid on within the amount of the payout. The user may also receive all or part of the payout in currency, but the portion of the payout converted into currency cannot be used for bidding. When converting to currency, the user will select currency as the payout method and specify the amount to be converted on the winning screen (not shown). (3) On the product list screen (not shown), the user selects the product they wish to bid on from the displayed products. However, if the dividend amount is less than or equal to the current price (the maximum bid amount at that time), the user cannot select that product. (4) The user specifies (enters) a bid amount for the selected product on the bidding screen G2 as shown in Figure 3. At this time, the bid amount can be specified within the range of the refunded dividend amount. Furthermore, even after specifying a bid amount, if that bid amount is less than or equal to the current price, the user can change it to a bid amount higher than the current price, within the range of the dividend amount. (5) When the auction period ends, the user who has placed the highest bid will be the winner of the item. If there are multiple items available for auction, the winners will be the users who placed the highest bids, in order of the number of available items. Users who do not win an item will be refunded an amount of special currency equivalent to their bid. 【0025】 In addition to the above, one may also set a target bid amount in advance and then work backward from that target bid amount to determine the type of bet that will yield a payout greater than or equal to the target bid amount if the bet is successful. An example is as follows: (1) The user selects the product they wish to bid on from the products displayed on the product list screen (not shown). (2) The user specifies (enters) the planned bid amount on the planned bid amount specification screen (not shown). If the specified planned bid amount is less than or equal to the current price (the maximum possible bid amount at that time), the user will be notified (alert). (3) On the voting screen G1 shown in Figure 2, the user predicts the outcome of the competition associated with the product and places a vote using currency or a special currency. At this time, the server 10 automatically derives and presents to the user a list of voting options (betting type, target of bet, and bet amount) that would result in a return of at least the planned bid amount if the vote is correct, so the user can also select a vote from among these options. (4) If a user's bet is correct, they will receive a payout calculated based on the odds. The user will then choose whether or not to place a bid within the range of their pre-set planned bid amount. However, the actual bid amount is not limited to the planned bid amount; the user may change and specify an amount within the planned bid amount as appropriate. (5) When the auction period ends, the user who has placed the highest bid will be the winner of the item. If there are multiple items available for auction, the winners will be the users who placed the highest bids, in order of the number of available items. Users who do not win an item will be refunded an amount of special currency equivalent to their bid. 【0026】 Furthermore, the voting candidates presented in (3) above can be further narrowed down by the user specifying any items (multiple items can be specified). For example, if the user specifies a key competition target (e.g., number 3) as an item, the voting candidates will be narrowed down to combinations (such as trifecta) that include number 3. Also, if the user specifies a betting amount (e.g., 1000 yen) as an item, the voting candidates will be narrowed down to competition targets or betting types (e.g., competition targets with odds of 5 times or more, or combinations that include such competition targets) that are equal to or exceed the set planned bid amount (e.g., 5000 yen). Furthermore, if it is determined that the voting candidate specified by the user in advance would not reach the target bid amount even if it is correct, alternative voting candidates may be presented. Alternative voting candidates include alternatives that increase the betting amount while maintaining the betting type and target, or alternatives that change the betting type or target within the voting content. An example of an alternative that changes the betting type would be a voting candidate that changes from a win bet to another betting type with higher odds, such as a trifecta, while keeping the first-place prediction unchanged (keeping the main competition target unchanged). 【0027】 Furthermore, as shown in reference screen G3 of Figure 4, multiple users who have specified their planned bid amount may be grouped together, and users within that group may be able to share information (voting details) with each other. For example, users belonging to a group may be able to view all or part of the voting details (e.g., excluding the voting amount) of other users belonging to the same group. In addition, the voting details of users in the same group who have high planned bid amounts (users who are likely to be obstacles to winning the auction) may be notified to other users on a priority basis. In this case, the information notified shall be the voting details and user information of users with high planned bid amounts, and the number of notifications shall be controlled according to the number of items that can be won. For example, if there is one item that can be won, the voting details and user information of the top three users shall be notified, and if there are two items that can be won, the voting details and user information of the top ten users shall be notified. In addition, the voting details of users in the same group who have a high success rate (e.g., the number of wins, success rate, winning amount, number of high payouts, return rate, etc., calculated based on past voting history) may be notified to other users. 【0028】 As described above, in the auction of this embodiment, users can vote by predicting the outcome of the competition, and if their vote is correct, they can receive a payout that serves as the source of funds to participate in the auction. Therefore, even users with insufficient funds can be given the opportunity to win bids in the auction. In particular, since users can acquire the source of funds to participate in the auction, their motivation to vote can be increased, and the excitement of voting can also be stimulated, thus revitalizing the game. Furthermore, in the auction of this embodiment, since a dividend obtained through voting is required to participate in the auction, the number of participants can be restricted based on the voting results. Therefore, even users with abundant financial resources cannot participate in the auction unless their vote is correct. In this respect, the successful bidders of the auction are not limited to users with abundant financial resources, and users with insufficient financial resources are also given the opportunity to win bids in the auction. 【0029】 <Configuration of the information processing device and user terminal according to this embodiment> Next, the configuration of the information processing device and user terminal 12 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. The information processing device according to this embodiment consists of a computer for auction control, more precisely a server computer (hereinafter referred to as server 10). Server 10 is an example of a computer and, as shown in Figure 1, is connected to the user terminal 12 via a network 14 so as to be able to communicate, and together with the user terminal 12, it constructs an information processing system S. 【0030】 Server 10 may consist of a single computer or multiple computers in a parallel, distributed configuration. Furthermore, Server 10 may be a server computer for ASP (Application Service Provider), SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), or IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). In this case, a series of steps in the information processing flow described later (excluding information input and display) are performed by the server computer, so the user terminal 12 only needs to input information to be handed over to the server computer and display information distributed from the server computer. 【0031】 As hardware, server 10 has a processor 21, memory 22, communication interface 23, and storage 24, as shown in Figure 1, and these devices are electrically connected via a bus 25. Server 10 also has an operating system (OS) and dedicated programs for processing information related to games and auctions installed as software. These programs correspond to the "programs" of the present invention. By operating the processor 21 according to the above programs, server 10 functions as an information processing device of the present invention, executing a series of processes related to games and auctions. The program of the present invention may be obtained by reading it from a computer-readable recording medium, or by obtaining it (downloading) it via a network such as the Internet or an intranet. 【0032】 The processor 21 may consist of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), an MCU (Micro Controller Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), a TPU (Tensor Processing Unit), or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), etc. 【0033】 The memory 22 may be composed of semiconductor memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory). 【0034】 The communication interface 23 may be configured, for example, by a network interface card or a communication interface board. The data communication standard using the communication interface 23 is not particularly limited and may include communication via Wi-Fi®-based wireless LAN, communication via 3G to 5G or later generations of mobile communication systems, or communication based on LTE (Long Term Evolution). 【0035】 The storage 24 may consist of flash memory, HDD (Hard Disc Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), FD (Flexible Disc), MO disk (Magneto-Optical disc), CD (Compact Disc), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), SD card (Secure Digital card), or USB memory (Universal Serial Bus memory), etc. The storage 24 may be built into the server 10 or attached to the server body as an external device. Furthermore, the storage 24 may consist of an external computer (e.g., a database server) connected to the server body in a communicative manner. In addition, distributed ledger technology such as blockchain may be used as the technology for recording various types of data to prevent unauthorized data tampering. 【0036】 Server 10 distributes information necessary for voting and bidding to each user in order to conduct the game and auction, and also collects and stores information from each user. The information stored by Server 10 includes user-related information, voting-related information, bidding-related information, competition-related information, and product-related information. In addition, Server 10 performs various information processing related to the progress of the game and auction, including processes that control the game and auction. 【0037】 On the other hand, user terminals 12 are client terminals operated by users to participate in games, predict and vote on the results of competitions, and participate in auctions to bid on products. Specifically, user terminals 12 consist of personal computers, smartphones, mobile phones, tablet devices, game consoles, television receivers capable of inputting information, and wearable devices. Although only three user terminals 12 are shown in Figure 1 for illustrative purposes, in reality, there are, of course, a number of user terminals 12 corresponding to the number of users. 【0038】 On the user terminal 12 side, information is output (displayed and played back, etc.) from the server 10, and information is input to be sent to the server 10. Specifically, the user terminal 12 has dedicated application software (hereinafter referred to as "app") installed for participating in games and auctions, and this app is used to send and receive data and input and output information to and from the server 10. For example, the data received from the server 10 is expanded and various information is displayed on the display of the user terminal 12. In addition, information indicating the voting content or bidding content entered by the user is sent to the server 10. 【0039】 <Functions of an information processing device according to the present invention> The configuration of the server 10, which is an information processing device according to this embodiment, will be explained again in terms of its functionality. As shown in Figure 5, the server 10 includes a storage unit 30, a data generation unit 40, a game control unit 50, and an auction control unit 60. Of these functional units, the storage unit 30 is implemented by memory 22 or storage 24, while the other functional units are implemented through the cooperation of the hardware equipment constituting the server 10 and the programs installed on the server 10. If the server 10 is composed of multiple computers, the above functions may be distributed so that each of the multiple computers performs different functions from the others. The following sections will provide a detailed explanation of each functional component. 【0040】 [Storage] The memory unit 30 stores various types of information, including information related to each user, as well as information related to the progress of the game and auction. As shown in Figure 5, the information stored by the memory unit 30 includes user-related information, voting-related information, bidding-related information, competition-related information, and product-related information. 【0041】 User-related information is information about the user and is stored for each user. As shown in Figure 6, user-related information includes information such as user ID, name, profile, amount of currency held, amount of dividends held, voting history, bidding history, and group information. The profile contains information about the user's attributes (category), such as gender, age, and occupation. The currency balance is the amount (value) of the special currency the user possesses, which can be used for voting. The dividend balance is the amount (value) of the special currency received as a dividend when a vote is successful, which can be used for voting or bidding. Dividends are categorized by the competition in which they were earned, and the items that can be bid on are specified for each type of dividend. That is, dividends can be used for bidding in auctions for items corresponding to the competition in which they were earned. The voting history contains information about the votes the user has made so far, and is linked to the voting-related information described later by the voting ID. The bidding history contains information about the bids the user has made so far, and is linked to the bidding-related information described later by the bidding ID. The group is an item set when the user specifies a planned bid amount, and indicates information about the group to which the user belongs. 【0042】 Voting-related information is information about the votes a user has cast and is stored for each vote. As shown in Figure 7, voting-related information includes the vote ID, date and time of the vote, the user ID of the user who cast the vote, the competition ID of the competition in which the vote was taken, the details of the vote, the odds, the bid information, whether the bet was correct or not, and the payout amount (winnings). The voting content consists of predictions about the outcome of the competition, and includes information such as the type of bet, the target of the bet, and the amount of the bet. The bidding information includes information indicating the bid (bid ID) if there is a bid using the payout from this vote, and information regarding the difference between the bid amount and the planned bid amount. 【0043】 Bidding-related information is information about bids made by a user and is stored for each bid. As shown in Figure 8, bidding-related information includes the bid ID, bid date and time, user ID of the user who made the bid, product ID indicating the product being bid on (information indicating the auction being bid on), voting information, bid amount, planned bid amount, and whether or not the bid was successful. Voting information includes information (voting ID) indicating votes that have received (or are expected to receive) dividends that will be used to fund the bidding, as well as information regarding the amount of those dividends. 【0044】 Competition-related information is information about a competition and is stored for each competition. As shown in Figure 9, competition-related information includes the competition ID, competition grade, date and time, venue, competitors (participants in the competition), voting candidates, competition results (finishing order and payouts, etc.), and product IDs indicating products associated with the competition (products that can be bid on using the payouts from this competition). Voting candidates refer to information about the candidates (options) that users can select when voting, including candidate ID, candidate details (betting type and target), and odds. The odds are calculated using known payout determination methods such as the parimutuel system or the bookmaker system. 【0045】 Product-related information is information about products that have been put up for auction or are scheduled to be put up for auction, and is stored for each product. As shown in Figure 10, product-related information includes product ID, product name, product type, the duration of the auction (start date and time to end date and time), competition ID indicating the relevant competition (the competition from which the necessary dividends to bid on this product can be obtained), starting price, current price (the maximum amount that can be won at any point during the auction period), final winning bid price (the maximum amount that can be won at the end of the auction), and user ID indicating the winning bidder. 【0046】 [Data Generation Department] The data generation unit 40 generates (including updates) various information (data) necessary for the progress of the game and auction, and stores the generated information in the storage unit 30. The information includes, for example, the above-mentioned competition-related information, as well as game-related information such as program schedules (race entries) with predictions from experts and competition videos. In addition to the above-mentioned product-related information, it also includes auction-related information such as auction lists aggregated by competition or by date and time. Furthermore, the data generation unit 40 updates various information such as user-related information, voting-related information, bidding-related information, competition-related information, and product-related information as appropriate based on processing by each functional unit described later, and stores it in the storage unit 30. 【0047】 [Game Control Department] The game control unit 50 performs necessary information processing related to the progress of the game, and as shown in Figure 5, it includes an information distribution unit 51, a vote acceptance unit 52, a selection acceptance unit 53, and a dividend distribution unit 54. 【0048】 The information distribution unit 51 communicates with the user terminal 12 to distribute information (data) necessary for the user to progress in the game, and displays the game screen, that is, a screen reflecting the results of information processing by the game control unit 50, on the user terminal 12. The information necessary for the progress of the game includes competition-related information and competition footage generated by the data generation unit 40. 【0049】 The voting reception unit 52 acquires information (data) based on voting operations (operations to specify voting content) performed by the user on the user terminal 12 by communicating with the user terminal 12. Specifically, it acquires information based on voting operations performed within the reception period set for each competition. The information based on voting operations includes voting-related information. 【0050】 The selection reception unit 53 acquires information (data) based on the dividend selection operation performed by the user on the user terminal 12 by communicating with the user terminal 12. Specifically, it acquires information based on dividend selection operations performed during the voting period or when dividends are distributed after a successful vote. The information based on dividend selection operations includes information indicating how the dividend that can be received if the vote is successful will be received, and includes, for example, information indicating that the user has chosen to receive it in currency, or information indicating that the user has chosen to receive it as special currency that has value usable for voting or bidding. 【0051】 The payout distribution unit 54 determines whether each bet is correct based on the competition results and distributes payouts to users whose bets were correct. The amount of the payout is determined based on the bet amount and the odds, and the type of payout is determined based on the information obtained by the payout selection operation by the selection reception unit 53. The information regarding the distributed payouts is overwritten in the user-related information of the user to whom the payout is distributed. 【0052】 [Auction Control Unit] The auction control unit 60 performs necessary information processing related to the progress of the auction, and as shown in Figure 5, it includes an information distribution unit 61, a bid acceptance unit 62, a successful bidder determination unit 63, a product selection unit 64, a voting candidate selection unit 65, a designation acceptance unit 66, and a group generation unit 67. 【0053】 The information distribution unit 61 communicates with the user terminal 12 to distribute information (data) necessary for the user to proceed with the auction, and displays the auction screen, that is, a screen reflecting the results of information processing by the auction control unit 60, on the user terminal 12. The information necessary for the auction to proceed includes product-related information and auction lists generated by the data generation unit 40. In addition, information regarding the voting content of other users in a group generated by the group generation unit 67 (described later) is distributed as appropriate. 【0054】 The bid receiving unit 62 acquires information (data) based on bidding operations performed by the user on the user terminal 12 by communicating with the user terminal 12. Specifically, it acquires information based on bidding operations (operations that specify the item to be bid on and the bid amount) performed during the auction period. Information based on bidding operations includes bidding-related information. Furthermore, bidding operations include operations performed before the voting operation or before the results of the voting are known, i.e., operations that specify the item to be bid on and the planned bid amount. In this case, the bid amount and planned bid amount are limited to the amount of the payout obtained if the vote on the competition associated with the item being auctioned was successful. In addition, if the bid amount or planned bid amount is less than the possible winning bid amount (including both the current price and the final winning bid price), the bid receiving unit 62 accepts a change to the bid amount or planned bid amount within the range of the payout amount. The bid receiving unit 62 also determines whether each user is eligible to participate in the auction, and if participation in the auction is not permitted (for example, if the user has not received a payout in the relevant competition), it does not accept information based on bidding operations from that user. 【0055】 The bidder determination unit 63 determines the auction result based on the bid amounts from each user. Specifically, similar to known auctions, the bidders are determined in order from the highest bidders, depending on the number of items that can be sold in the auction. For example, if there is one item for sale, the user who bids the highest amount will be the winner. If there are 10 items for sale, the 10 users with the highest bids will be the winners. On the other hand, the bidder determination unit 63 refunds special currency equivalent to the bid amount to users whose bid amount did not reach the minimum amount required to win an item. This refunded special currency can be used for voting again, but it cannot be exchanged for cash. 【0056】 The product selection unit 64 selects products from among several products that the user can participate in the auction based on the dividends awarded to the user. Specifically, it selects products associated with the competition for which the dividends were earned. It also selects products that can be bid on according to the amount of the dividends. The number of products selected is not particularly limited and may be one or more. 【0057】 The voting candidate selection unit 65 selects voting candidates (betting type, target, and voting amount) based on the bid amount or planned bid amount included in the bidding-related information, and the current price of the product included in the product-related information. Specifically, for a user who has performed an operation to specify the target product and planned bid amount, it selects voting candidates that are likely to award a payout of or greater than the planned bid amount if the bet is successful, based on the planned bid amount, the current price of the product, and the voting candidates. At this time, if the designation reception unit 66, described later, obtains information based on the item designation operation, it further narrows down the voting candidates based on the designated items. Furthermore, for a user who has performed a betting operation and has performed an operation to specify the target product and planned bid amount, if it is determined from the odds, etc., that even if the bet is successful, it will not reach the planned bid amount, it selects an alternative voting candidate with some of the items specified in the bet changed. In addition, it selects voting candidates that will award a payout of or greater than the current price of the product if the bet is successful, that is, voting candidates that are likely to win the bid. At this time, if the user has specified a planned bid amount, it selects voting candidates that will award a payout of or greater than the difference between the planned bid amount and the current price. 【0058】 The designated reception unit 66 acquires information (data) based on item specification operations performed by the user on the user terminal 12 by communicating with the user terminal 12. Specifically, it acquires information based on item specification operations, which are operations to narrow down voting candidates, during the reception period set for a competition related to the product to be auctioned. The information based on item specification operations includes information to further narrow down the voting candidates from those narrowed down by the voting candidate selection unit 65, and includes information indicating items specified by the user, such as information specifying items such as betting type, voting target, or voting amount. 【0059】 The group generation unit 67 groups together users who performed bidding operations before the voting operation or before the results of the voting were known, that is, users who performed operations specifying the product to be bid on and the planned bid amount. 【0060】 The configurations of server 10 and user terminal 12 have been described above. While server 10 and user terminal 12 generally possess various other functions, only the characteristic functions that contribute to the effectiveness of the information processing system S in this invention will be described here. Other known functions will not be illustrated or described. 【0061】 <Information processing flow related to one embodiment of the present invention> Next, with reference to Figures 11 to 16, the flow of information processing that controls the auction (hereinafter referred to as the auction control flow) among the information processing executed in the information processing system S having the above configuration will be described. The auction control flow employs the information processing method of the present invention; in other words, each step in the auction control flow corresponds to a component of the information processing method of the present invention. The 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. 【0062】 [Auction control flow (part 1)] The auction control flow proceeds, for example, along the flow shown in Figure 11. As shown in Figure 11, first, the computer server 10 (specifically, the voting reception unit 52) ​​accepts votes for the competition from the user's user terminal 12 via the network 14 (S101). Specifically, it obtains data indicating the voting details (betting type, target of bet, and amount of bet) specified by the user's voting operation. 【0063】 After the competition ends, server 10 (specifically, the payout distribution unit 54) determines whether the bet was correct or not (S102). If the bet was correct (S102: YES), it executes the payout distribution process (S103). Details of the payout distribution process (S103) will be described later. 【0064】 Next, the server 10 (specifically, the information distribution unit 61) distributes an auction list containing bid-worthy items to the user's user terminal 12 via the network 14 (S104). Specifically, it presents the user with items from the auctions that are related to the competition (items that can be bid on using this dividend) and that can be bid on within the range of the dividend amount. 【0065】 Then, when the server 10 (specifically the bid acceptance unit 62) receives a bid from the user's user terminal 12 via the network 14 (S105:YES), specifically when it obtains data indicating the bid details (the product to be bid on and the bid amount) through the user's bidding operation, it executes the bid acceptance process (S106). Details of the bid acceptance process (S106) will be described later. 【0066】 Subsequently, if server 10 (specifically, the successful bidder determination unit 63) determines that the auction period has ended (S107:YES), it determines the successful bidder based on the bid amount (S108). Specifically, it identifies users in order from those with the highest bid amounts, depending on the number of items that can be won. If the auction period has not yet ended (S107:NO), it remains in a state where bids can continue to be accepted, that is, where bid amounts can be changed. 【0067】 After the auction ends, server 10 (specifically, the successful bidder determination unit 63) determines whether the user has won the bid for the item (S109). If the user has won the bid for the item (S109: YES), the server grants the item to the user (S110). If the user has not won the bid for the item (S109: NO), the server refunds the user the special currency equivalent to the bid amount (S111). 【0068】 Then, the server 10 (data generation unit 40) updates various relevant information based on the results of the game and auction (S112), and the server 10 (information distribution units 51, 61) notifies the user by distributing the results of the game and auction to the user's user terminal 12 via the network 14 (S113), and then terminates the process. If the vote is incorrect (S102: NO), or if no bids are received from the user's user terminal 12 during the auction period (S105: NO), the server updates various relevant information (S112), notifies the user (S113), and then terminates the process. The above is an example of an auction control flow. 【0069】 [Dividend distribution process] Next, an example of the dividend distribution process will be explained based on Figure 12. The dividend distribution process is performed on server 10 (mainly the dividend distribution unit 54, etc.) and is the process performed in step S103 of the auction control flow described above. Specifically, it is the process of distributing dividends to users whose votes were correct. 【0070】 As shown in Figure 12, first, the computer server 10 (specifically, the dividend distribution unit 54) calculates the dividend amount based on the betting amount and odds (S201), determines the type of dividend to be distributed (currency or special currency) according to the information obtained from the dividend selection operation of the user (S202), and distributes the dividend to the user (S203). Then, the server 10 (data generation unit 40) updates various information such as user-related information (S204), and the server 10 (information distribution unit 51) notifies the user by distributing information regarding the assigned dividend to the user's user terminal 12 via the network 14 (S205), and then terminates the process. The above is an example of a dividend distribution process. 【0071】 [Bid acceptance processing] Next, an example of the bid acceptance process will be explained based on Figure 13. The bid acceptance process is a process executed on server 10 (mainly the bid acceptance unit 62, etc.) and is performed in step S106 of the auction control flow described above. Specifically, it is the process of accepting bids for the product based on the bid details specified by the user. 【0072】 As shown in Figure 13, first, the computer server 10 (specifically, the bid acceptance unit 62) determines whether the bid amount specified by the user is within the range of the amount of dividends held by the user (S301). If it is within the range of the dividend amount (S301: YES), it reduces the amount of dividends held by the user according to the bid amount (S302) and accepts the bid (S303). Then, the server 10 (data generation unit 40) generates bidding-related information and updates various information such as user-related information and product-related information (S304), and the server 10 (information distribution unit 61) distributes a bidding completion notification to the user's user terminal 12 via the network 14 (S305), and then terminates the process. On the other hand, if the amount is outside the range of the dividend (S301: NO), the system will not accept the bid, and will send a bid rejection notice to the user's terminal 12 (S306), terminating the process. The above is an example of the bid acceptance process. 【0073】 [Auction Control Flow (Part 2)] Furthermore, the auction control flow may proceed, for example, along the flow shown in Figure 14. As shown in Figure 14, first, the server 10 (specifically, the bid acceptance unit 62), which is a computer, receives the user's specified bid items and planned bid amount from the user's user terminal 12 via the network 14 (S401). Specifically, data indicating the bid details (the items to be bid on and the planned bid amount) is obtained through the user's bid operation. 【0074】 Next, the server 10 (specifically, the information distribution unit 61, the voting candidate selection unit 65, and the designation reception unit 66) executes the voting candidate presentation process (S402). Details of the voting candidate presentation process (S402) will be described later. 【0075】 Then, when the server 10 (specifically the voting reception unit 52) ​​receives votes for the competition from the user's user terminal 12 via the network 14 (S403), after the competition ends, the server 10 (specifically the payout distribution unit 54) determines whether the vote was correct or not (S404), and if the vote was correct (S404: YES), it executes the payout distribution process (S405). Details of the payout distribution process (S405) are as described above. 【0076】 Then, when the server 10 (specifically the bid acceptance unit 62) receives a bid from the user's user terminal 12 via the network 14 (S406:YES), specifically when it obtains data indicating a bid amount specified within the range of the planned bid amount through the user's bidding operation, it executes the bid acceptance process (S407). Details of the bid acceptance process (S407) are as described above. 【0077】 Subsequently, if server 10 (specifically, the successful bidder determination unit 63) determines that the auction period has ended (S408:YES), it determines the successful bidder based on the bid amount (S409). If the auction period has not yet ended (S408:NO), it remains in a state where bids can continue to be accepted, i.e., where bid amounts can be changed. 【0078】 After the auction ends, server 10 (specifically, the successful bidder determination unit 63) determines whether the user has successfully bid on the item (S410). If the user has successfully bid on the item (S410:YES), the server grants the item to the user (S411). If the user has not successfully bid on the item (S410:NO), the server refunds the user the special currency equivalent to the bid amount (S412). 【0079】 Then, the server 10 (data generation unit 40) updates various relevant information based on the results of the game and auction (S413), and the server 10 (information distribution units 51, 61) notifies the user by distributing the results of the game and auction to the user's user terminal 12 via the network 14 (S414), and then terminates the process. In addition, if the vote is incorrect (S404: NO), and if no bids are received from the user's user terminal 12 during the auction period (S406: NO), the server updates various relevant information (S413), notifies the user (S414), and then terminates the process. The above is another example of an auction control flow. 【0080】 [Voting candidate presentation process] Next, an example of the process for presenting voting candidates will be explained based on Figure 15. The voting candidate presentation process is a process executed on server 10 (mainly the voting candidate selection unit 65, etc.) and is performed in step S402 of the auction control flow described above. Specifically, it is a process that selects and presents voting candidates in the game to the user based on the planned bid amount specified by the user. 【0081】 As shown in Figure 15, first, the computer server 10 (specifically, the voting candidate selection unit 65) selects voting candidates (betting type, target, and voting amount) based on the planned bid amount specified by the user (S501). Specifically, based on information such as the planned bid amount, the current price of the product, and the voting candidates (including odds), it selects voting candidates that are likely to pay a dividend of more than the planned bid amount if the vote is successful. If a vote has already been placed, it selects an alternative voting candidate. 【0082】 Next, when the server 10 (specifically, the voting candidate selection unit 65) receives an item specification from the user's user terminal 12 via the network 14 (S502:YES), specifically, when the specification reception unit 66 obtains data indicating the item specified by the user to narrow down the voting candidates through the item specification operation, it further narrows down the voting candidates based on the specified item (S503). 【0083】 Then, the server 10 (specifically, the information distribution unit 61) distributes the voting candidates selected by the voting candidate selection unit 65 and narrowed down by item specification to the user's user terminal 12 via the network 14 (S504), and terminates the process. On the other hand, if no item specification has been accepted (S502: NO), the voting candidate selection unit 65 distributes the selected voting candidates to the user's user terminal 12 via the network 14 (S504), and the process ends. The above is an example of the process for presenting voting candidates. 【0084】 <Other Embodiments> To date, the information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program of the present invention have been described with specific examples. However, the above embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments; other embodiments are also conceivable. 【0085】 In the above embodiment, the server computer (i.e., server 10) functions as the information processing device of the present invention, but the invention is not limited to this, and some of the functions of server 10 may be provided on the user terminal 12. For example, the functions of game control unit 50 or auction control unit 60 may be provided on the user terminal 12. 【0086】 Furthermore, in the above embodiment, user information and the like are stored and held on the server computer (i.e., server 10), but it is also possible to provide a separate database server (not shown) and store the information collectively on that database server, or to store it on the user terminal 12 side. 【0087】 Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the server computer (i.e., server 10) also performs processes such as providing competition-related information, calculating odds, accepting votes, and processing payouts. However, all or part of the above processes may be performed by a server computer managed by the organization that holds the public sports competition (public sports competition server). Specifically, server 10 sends and receives data and information with the public sports competition server, receives data including competition-related information from the public sports competition server, and sends data including user voting-related information to the public sports competition server. In this case, the public sports competition server indirectly performs vote acceptance and payouts for each user. 【0088】 Furthermore, in the above embodiment, users predict and vote for the results of the competition themselves, but they may also vote by referring to the predictions of other users and piggybacking on those predictions. For example, a prediction support video may be distributed to users as a video related to voting based on predictions of the results of a competition, and intended to support user voting. In the prediction support video, at least one performer appears and, during the video shoot, predicts the results of the competition before it takes place, actually casts a vote, or checks whether their prediction was correct while watching the competition on TV or elsewhere. Users can watch the prediction support video and use it as a reference when they cast their own votes. 【0089】 Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a public sports betting event was described as an example of a competition. However, the content of the competition is not limited to this, and any competition that users can predict the outcome of and vote on may be used. For example, it may involve predicting the outcome or content of matches in sports such as track and field, swimming, baseball, soccer, rugby, basketball, and combat sports such as boxing. It may also involve predicting the outcome of game tournaments such as so-called e-sports. 【0090】 <Summary> The main features of the information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program according to the embodiment described above are as follows. 【0091】 [1] The information processing device according to this embodiment includes a vote receiving unit that receives votes from users in which votes are made in which the outcome of a competition is predicted; a dividend awarding unit that awards dividends to users when the vote is correct; and an auction control unit that controls an auction in which bids can be made on goods using the dividends within the range of the amount of the awarded dividends. According to the above information processing device, even users with insufficient funds can be given the opportunity to win bids in auctions. In other words, even users with insufficient funds can acquire sufficient capital to participate in auctions if their votes are correct. In particular, this can increase users' motivation to vote in order to acquire the capital to participate in auctions, and it can also stimulate their sense of gambling in voting. Furthermore, since the winnings obtained from voting are necessary to participate in the auction, the number of participants in the auction can be restricted based on the voting results, and even users with abundant funds cannot participate in the auction if their votes are incorrect. In this respect as well, the successful bidders in auctions are not limited to users with abundant funds, and users with insufficient funds can also be given the opportunity to win bids in auctions. 【0092】 [2] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the dividend distribution unit distributes dividends in the value selected by the user from among currency or a value usable for voting or auction. This increases user freedom and improves user convenience. Furthermore, users can use all of the dividends they receive from voting in the auction, thus giving users with limited funds more opportunities to win bids in the auction. 【0093】 [3] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the product is associated with a competition, and the auction control unit determines whether or not to participate in an auction in which the product can be bid on, based on the voting results for the competition associated with the product. This will make the conditions for participating in auctions even stricter, thus giving users with limited financial resources more opportunities to win bids on items in auctions. 【0094】 [4] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the auction control unit determines the successful bidder for the product based on the bid amounts from users who are deemed eligible to participate in the auction for the product. This limits the successful bidders of items to those who meet the auction participation requirements, thus providing users with limited financial resources with more opportunities to win items in auctions. 【0095】 [5] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the auction control unit selects an auction for a product that can be bid on according to the amount of the dividend. This automatically selects a suitable auction item based on the dividend amount, improving user convenience and providing users with limited funds with more opportunities to win auctions. 【0096】 [6] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the auction control unit allows the bid amount to be changed within the range of the distribution if the bid amount is less than the amount at which the item can be sold. This allows users to change their bid amount in response to other users' bids, improving user convenience and providing users with limited funds with more opportunities to win auctions. 【0097】 [7] In the above-mentioned information processing device, if the bid amount is less than the amount at which the item can be won, the auction control unit refunds the bid amount to the user as value that can be used for voting. This improves user convenience because users can use their funds again to vote if they are unsuccessful in winning an auction, and it also gives users with limited funds more opportunities to win items in auctions. 【0098】 [8] In the above-mentioned information processing device, when the user specifies a planned bid amount, the auction control unit presents to the user a selection of voting candidates that, if the vote is successful, will be awarded a payout equal to or greater than the planned bid amount, based on the items specified by the user. This improves user convenience by suggesting voting candidates based on the planned bid amount, and also provides users with limited funds with more opportunities to win auctions. 【0099】 [9] In the above-described information processing device, the auction control unit receives a vote from a user, and if the user has specified a planned bid amount, and the vote is correct but falls short of the planned bid amount, the auction control unit presents the user with alternative voting candidates in which some of the items specified in the vote have been changed. This improves user convenience by suggesting alternative voting candidates based on the planned bid amount, and also provides users with limited funds with more opportunities to win auctions. 【0100】

[10] In the above-mentioned information processing device, if a competition is held multiple times and the auction is possible using the total of the payouts awarded in the competitions held multiple times, the auction control unit presents to the user, between the first and second competitions, the current maximum bid amount for the product, or a voting candidate that will be awarded a payout equal to or greater than the maximum bid amount if the vote is correct in the second competition. This allows users to understand their maximum bid amount for an item, and also suggests voting candidates based on that amount. This improves user convenience and provides users with limited funds with more opportunities to win auctions. 【0101】

[11] In the above-mentioned information processing device, if the user has specified a planned bid amount, the auction control unit presents the user with voting candidates to which a dividend equal to or greater than the difference between the planned bid amount and the amount that can be won is determined. This improves user convenience by suggesting voting candidates based on the planned bid amount and the amount the item can be won for, and it also gives users with limited funds more opportunities to win items in auctions. 【0102】

[12] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the auction control unit groups together multiple users who have specified their planned bid amounts, and presents the votes received from one user belonging to the group to the other users belonging to the group. This allows users to see the votes of other users, making it easier to plan their selections and improving user convenience. It also provides users with limited funds with more opportunities to win auctions. 【0103】

[13] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the auction control unit presents to other users belonging to the group the votes received from users who have a high success rate in past voting among the users belonging to the group. This improves user convenience by allowing users to select their voting candidates by referring to the votes of other users who are likely to be correct, and it also gives users with limited funds more opportunities to win bids in auctions. 【0104】

[14] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the auction control unit presents to other users belonging to the group the votes received from users who have placed the highest bids for the competition associated with the product. This allows users to see the votes of other users who are likely to be obstacles due to their high bid amounts, making it easier to plan strategies when selecting voting candidates. This improves user convenience and gives users with limited funds more opportunities to win auctions. 【0105】

[15] Furthermore, according to the information processing method of this embodiment, the computer receives votes from users in which they predict the outcome of a competition, the computer awards a payout to the user if the vote is correct, and the computer controls an auction in which the user can bid on goods using the payout within the range of the amount of the awarded payout. According to the above information processing method, even users with insufficient funds can be given the opportunity to win bids on items in auctions. 【0106】

[16] Furthermore, according to the program of this embodiment, the computer receives votes from users predicting the outcome of a competition, awards a payout to the user if the vote is correct, and controls an auction in which the user can bid on goods using the payout within the range of the amount of the awarded payout. According to the program described above, even users with limited financial resources can be given the opportunity to win bids on items in auctions. [Explanation of symbols] 【0107】 10 servers 12 User terminals 14 Networks 21 processors 22 memory 23 Communication Interfaces 24 storage 25 buses 30 Storage section 40 Data Generation Unit 50 Game Control Unit 51 Information Distribution Department 52 Voting Department 54 Selection Reception Section 54 Dividend Distribution Department 60 Auction Control Unit 61 Information Distribution Department 62. Bidding Department 63. Successful Bidder Determination Department 64 Auction Selection Section 65. Voting Candidate Selection Section 66 Designated Reception Department 67 Group Generation Unit G1 voting screen G2 Bidding Screen G3 reference screen S Information Processing System

Claims

[Claim 1] The processor comprises, We accept votes from users predicting the outcome of the competition. If the aforementioned vote is correct, the user will be awarded a dividend. Among the products associated with the aforementioned competition, the user is presented with products that can be bid on within the range of the aforementioned dividends. Using the aforementioned dividend, bids will be accepted for the items that are eligible for bidding within the range of the aforementioned dividend. Information processing device. [Claim 2] The processor accepts votes from users predicting the outcome of the competition. The processor, if the vote is correct, awards a payout to the user. The processor presents to the user the products that are available for bidding on among the products associated with the competition, within the range of the dividends. The processor uses the dividend to accept bids for the offered goods that are available for bidding within the range of the dividend. Information processing methods. [Claim 3] The processor receives votes from users predicting the outcome of the competition. The processor is instructed to award a payout to the user if the vote is correct. The processor causes the user to present the products associated with the competition that are available for bidding within the range of the dividends, The processor is instructed to accept bids for the offered goods that are available for bidding within the range of the dividend, using the dividend. program. [Claim 4] Including the server and terminal, The aforementioned server, Voting based on predictions of the competition results is accepted from the user's device. If the aforementioned vote is correct, the user will be awarded a dividend. Among the products associated with the aforementioned competition, the user is presented with products that can be bid on within the range of the aforementioned dividends. Using the aforementioned dividend, bids will be accepted for the items that are eligible for bidding within the range of the aforementioned dividend. Information processing system.