Information processing device and information processing method

Abstract

The text information will be sent to the response device even if the user does not know the destination for sending the text information to the response device. [Solution] The system comprises: an acquisition unit 131 that acquires text information transmitted by an information terminal; a response request unit that sends request information to an external device that returns response information for the information received from the source, requesting response information that can be displayed on the information terminal, the request information including (1) text information and terminal information including information about the location or environment in which the information terminal is located, or (2) text information and additional prompts added to the user prompt of the information terminal indicated by the text information; a generation unit 134 that generates modified response information that has been modified to satisfy the conditions for displaying the response information for the request information received from the external device on the information terminal; and a response processing unit 135 that transmits the modified response information to the information terminal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and an information processing method for communicating with an external device.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, response devices that automatically generate and return response information for received text data have been increasingly popular. For example, in Patent Document 1, it is described that the system transmits text information such as a prompt to a response device, receives a response from the response device, and outputs and displays it.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a plurality of applications installed on a smartphone, the destinations for transmitting text information to a response device may be different from each other. For this reason, depending on the application, the user may not be aware of the destination for transmitting text information to the response device.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an information processing apparatus and an information processing method capable of transmitting text information to a response device even when the user is not aware of the destination for transmitting the text information to the response device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] An information processing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises: an acquisition unit that acquires text information transmitted by an information terminal; a response request unit that transmits request information to an external device that returns response information for information received from the source, requesting the response information to be displayable on the information terminal, the request information comprising: (1) the text information and terminal information including the location of the information terminal or the environment in which the information terminal is located, or (2) the text information and additional prompts added to the user prompt of the information terminal indicated by the text information; a generation unit that generates modified response information received from the external device so as to satisfy the conditions for displaying the response information to the request information on the information terminal; and a response processing unit that transmits the modified response information to the information terminal.

[0007] The response request unit may transmit the request information, which includes the text information and information about the environment in which the information terminal is located, as terminal information.

[0008] The response request unit may transmit the request information, which includes the text information and the additional prompt added to the user prompt of the information terminal.

[0009] The response request unit may transmit the request information including the additional prompt that specifies an upper limit on the number of characters in the message included in the response information as a condition for displaying it on the information terminal.

[0010] The response request unit may transmit the request information to the external device, further including the history of the text information and response information acquired from the information terminal a predetermined number of times in the past.

[0011] The generation unit may generate the modified response information by deleting the trailing character string included in the response information if the number of characters included in the response information exceeds a predetermined number.

[0012] The acquisition unit may acquire the text information from the information terminal via a satellite station with which the information terminal has a communication connection, without going through a ground station.

[0013] The acquisition unit may acquire location information indicating the location of the information terminal, and the response request unit may transmit the request information, including the acquired location information, to the external device.

[0014] The response request unit may identify the user attributes of the information terminal and send the request information, which includes information indicating the identified user attributes, to the external device. The acquisition unit may acquire the text information sent by the information terminal using a short message service application.

[0015] The response request unit may obtain location information from the information terminal, query an external information provider for the environment corresponding to the location indicated by the location information to identify the environment in which the information terminal is located, and transmit the request information including information indicating the environment in which the information terminal is located. The response request unit may transmit the request information including information indicating the temperature or weather of the environment in which the information terminal is located. The response request unit may transmit the request information including terminal information including information indicating one or more of the season, date and time, day of the week, or time at the time the information terminal transmitted the text information.

[0016] The information processing method according to the second aspect of the present invention includes: a step of a computer acquiring text information transmitted by an information terminal; and request information for requesting the response information that can be displayed on the information terminal from an external device that returns response information for the information received from the source, the request information including (1) the text information and terminal information including information on the location where the information terminal is located or the environment where the information terminal is located, or (2) the text information and an additional prompt added to a user prompt of the information terminal indicated by the text information, transmitting the request information; a step of generating modified response information that satisfies the conditions for displaying the response information for the request information received from the external device on the information terminal; and a step of transmitting the modified response information to the information terminal.

Advantages of the Invention

[0017] According to the present invention, there is an effect that text information can be transmitted to an external device even when the user does not know the destination for transmitting the text information to the external device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] Shows an overview of the information processing system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Shows the network configuration of the information processing system. [Figure 3] Shows the configuration of the relay processing device. [Figure 4] Shows an example of text information. [Figure 5] Shows an example of response information returned by an external device for the text information in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] Shows an example of a case where the response processing unit notifies an error to the information terminal. [Figure 7] Shows another example of a case where the response processing unit notifies an error to the information terminal. [Figure 8] Shows the configuration of the response request device. [Figure 9]An example of the request information generated by the response request unit is shown. [Figure 10] An example of additional text information transmitted by the information terminal based on the second text information is shown. [Figure 11] The processing procedure for generating response information by the information processing system is shown. [Figure 12] The processing procedure for generating response information by the information processing apparatus and the external apparatus according to the second embodiment is shown. [Figure 13] The processing procedure for generating response information by the information processing apparatus and the external apparatus according to the third embodiment is shown.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] <First Embodiment> [Outline of Information Processing System] FIG. 1 shows an outline of an information processing system S according to the first embodiment. The information processing system S includes an external apparatus 100, an information terminal 200, and an information processing apparatus 300.

[0020] The external apparatus 100 communicates with the information processing apparatus 300 via a network. The external apparatus 100 includes, for example, a generative artificial intelligence that generates response information based on a prompt. The generative artificial intelligence is, for example, Gemini or ChatGPT (Generative Pretrained Transformer), etc. The external apparatus 100 returns response information for various information received from the transmission source. The response information indicates, for example, an answer to an instruction or question received from the transmission source.

[0021] The information terminal 200 is, for example, a smartphone. For example, if the user of the information terminal 200 is located in an area outside the coverage area of ​​the multiple ground stations B2 that make up the mobile network, the information terminal 200 will lose communication connection with these ground stations B2. The area outside the coverage area is, for example, a mountainous area. In this case, the information terminal 200 communicates with satellite station B1 via a direct to cell (D2C) connection. The information terminal 200 communicates with the information processing device 300 via satellite station B1, ground station B2 and core network C.

[0022] The information terminal 200 communicates with the information processing device 300 via the ground stations B2 and the core network C when the user of the information terminal 200 is located within the coverage area of ​​multiple ground stations B2 that constitute the mobile network. The information terminal 200 has either a first text processing application or a second text processing application installed. The first text processing application and the second text processing application each have the function of transmitting text information.

[0023] The information processing device 300 communicates with the external device 100 and the information terminal 200 via a network. The information processing device 300 functions as an intermediate server that relays communication between the external device 100 and the information terminal 200. The following describes the general processing of the information processing system S. The information terminal 200 transmits text information to the information processing device 300 via D2C using the first text processing application (Figure 1 (1)). The text information is, for example, a prompt (hereinafter also called a user prompt) for the user to instruct or ask questions about matters that the user wants to investigate to the generative artificial intelligence installed in the external device 100.

[0024] The information processing device 300 generates request information from the external device 100 requesting response information that can be displayed by the second text processing application, based on the received text information. The information processing device 300 transmits the generated request information to the external device 100 (Figure 1 (2)). The external device 100 replies with response information for the received request information (Figure 1 (3)). The information processing device 300 transmits the received response information to the information terminal 200 via the core network C, ground station B2, and satellite station B1 (Figure 1 (4)).

[0025] The information terminal 200 displays the received response information using the second text processing application. In this way, the information processing system S can send text information to the external device 100 using the first text processing application even if the user does not know the destination for sending text information to the external device 100 using the second text processing application.

[0026] [Network configuration of information processing system S] Figure 2 shows the network configuration of the information processing system S. The information processing system S comprises an external device 100, an information terminal 200, an information processing device 300, a first text processing device 400, and a second text processing device 500. The information processing device 300 comprises a relay processing device 31 and a response request device 32. In the example in Figure 2, the information processing device 300 comprises two servers, the relay processing device 31 and the response request device 32. However, the relay processing device 31 and the response request device 32 may be implemented as a single server, or they may be distributed across three or more servers.

[0027] The first text processing device 400 is a server that connects the IP network and the telephone network. The first text processing device 400 notifies the information processing device 300 that text information sent from the information terminal 200 by the first text processing application has reached its destination. For example, the first text processing device 400 notifies the information processing device 300 by webhook that the text information has reached its destination. In response to a request from the information processing device 300, the first text processing device 400 sends predetermined information that can be displayed by the first text processing application to the information terminal 200. The predetermined information is, for example, an error notification indicating that the second text processing application is unavailable.

[0028] The second text processing device 500 enables the transmission and reception of information displayable by the second text processing application between the information terminal 200 and the information processing device 300. The second text processing device 500 notifies the information processing device 300 that the text information sent from the information terminal 200 by the second text processing application has reached its destination. For example, the second text processing device 500 notifies the information processing device 300 via a webhook that the text information has reached its destination. In response to a request from the information processing device 300, the second text processing device 500 sends response information displayable by the second text processing application to the information terminal 200.

[0029] The second text processing device 500 stores information indicating the status of the second text application on the information terminal 200. This information indicates, for example, whether (1) the second text processing application is set to be used, whether (2) the second text processing application is installed, and whether (3) the second text processing application can be installed.

[0030] The information terminal 200 communicates with the information processing device 300 via either the first text processing device 400 or the second text processing device 500. For example, the information terminal 200 sends text information to the information processing device 300 via the first text processing device 400 using a first text processing application. For example, the first text processing application is a short message service application. The text information sent by the information terminal 200 using the first text processing application does not include the destination of the external device 100 to which the second text processing application sends text information.

[0031] In the information processing system S according to the embodiment, the information terminal 200 is configured so that it cannot receive response information generated by the external device 100 from the information processing device 300 when the second text processing application is unavailable on the information terminal 200. The second text processing application is different from the first text processing application. The conditions for response information that can be displayed by the second text processing application are less stringent than those for response information that can be displayed by the first text processing application. For example, the second text processing application can display images and videos, whereas the first text processing application cannot display images or videos. The number of characters that can be displayed by the second text processing application is greater than the number of characters that can be displayed by the first text processing application. One example of the second text processing application is a rich communication service application.

[0032] The statement that the second text processing application is unavailable means, for example, that the second text processing application is installed but disabled, that the second text processing application is not installed, or that the second text processing application cannot be installed. If the information terminal 200 cannot receive response information generated by the external device 100 from the information processing device 300, it will be notified by the information processing device 300 via the first text processing device 400 of an error indicating that the second text processing application is unavailable. The information terminal 200 will then display the notified error using the first text processing application.

[0033] The information terminal 200 transmits text information to the information processing device 300 via the second text processing device 500 using a second text processing application. For example, after the information terminal 200 receives response information containing the destination information of the external device 100 to which the second text processing application transmits the text information, it transmits the text information to the information processing device 300 via the second text processing device 500 using the second text processing application. As an example, the destination of the external device 100 to which the information terminal 200 transmits the text information using the second text processing application is included in the initial response information that the information terminal 200 receives from the information processing device 300. The information terminal 200 receives response information from the information processing device 300 via the second text processing device 500 that can be displayed by the second text processing application. The information terminal 200 displays the received response information using the second text processing application.

[0034] The relay processing unit 31 acquires text information from the information terminal 200 and transmits the acquired text information to the response request device 32. The relay processing unit 31 receives response information from the response request device 32. The relay processing unit 31 transmits the received response information to the information terminal 200 via the second text processing unit 500.

[0035] [Configuration of the relay processing unit 31] Figure 3 shows the configuration of the relay processing device 31. The relay processing device 31 comprises a communication unit 101, a storage unit 102, and a control unit 103. The control unit 103 comprises an acquisition unit 131, a relay processing unit 132, a determination unit 133, a generation unit 134, and a response processing unit 135.

[0036] The communication unit 101 is an interface for communicating with the first text processing unit 400, the second text processing unit 500, and the response request device 32 via the network. The storage unit 102 is a storage medium including ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The storage unit 102 stores the program to be executed by the control unit 103. The control unit 103 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). By executing the program stored in the storage unit 102, the control unit 103 functions as the acquisition unit 131, relay processing unit 132, determination unit 133, generation unit 134, and response processing unit 135.

[0037] The acquisition unit 131 communicates with the information terminal 200 via the communication unit 101. The acquisition unit 131 acquires text information transmitted by the information terminal 200 using the first text processing application. The text information is, for example, a prompt for the user to instruct or ask a generative artificial intelligence installed in the external device 100 about matters they want to investigate. If the information terminal 200 is located in an area outside of coverage, the acquisition unit 131 acquires text information from the information terminal 200 via satellite station B1, which the information terminal 200 has communicated with without going through ground station B2. If the information terminal 200 is located in an area within coverage, the acquisition unit 131 acquires text information from the information terminal 200 via ground station B2, which the information terminal 200 has communicated with without going through satellite station B1.

[0038] When the information terminal 200 transmits text information using the first text processing application, the acquisition unit 131 acquires text information that does not include the destination of the external device 100 for transmission by the second text processing application. When the information terminal 200 transmits text information using the second text processing application, the acquisition unit 131 acquires the text information transmitted by the information terminal using the second text processing application.

[0039] The acquisition unit 131 may acquire terminal information, which includes information about the information terminal 200, along with the text information. Terminal information is, for example, location information indicating the location where the information terminal 200 is located. Terminal information is not limited to including the location where the information terminal is located, but may also include information about the environment in which the information terminal 200 is located, the current time, or the timing when the information terminal 200 transmitted the text information. Information regarding the timing when the information terminal 200 transmitted the text information is information indicating one or more of the season, date and time, day of the week, or time at the time the information terminal 200 transmitted the text information. The acquisition unit 131 may acquire a user ID for identifying the user of the information terminal 200, along with the text information. The acquisition unit 131 outputs the acquired text information and terminal information to the relay processing unit 132.

[0040] The relay processing unit 132 communicates with the response request device 32 via the communication unit 101. The relay processing unit 132 transmits the text information acquired by the acquisition unit 131 to the response request device 32. Figure 4 shows an example of text information. As shown in Figure 4, after the information terminal 200 transmits text information to the information processing device 300 using the first text processing application, the transmitted text information is displayed by the first text processing application. In the example in Figure 4, the transmitted text information "A bird is chirping 'pew pew' in the mountains. What kind of bird is it?" is displayed. The relay processing unit 132 transmits the terminal information acquired by the acquisition unit 131 to the response request device 32.

[0041] The relay processing unit 132 receives the response information that the external device 100 has sent back to the request information requesting response information from the response request device 32. The response information is, for example, the external device 100's answer to the instruction or question received from the sender. The relay processing unit 132 outputs the received response information to the determination unit 133, the generation unit 134, and the response processing unit 135.

[0042] The determination unit 133 communicates with the second text processing device 500 via the communication unit 101. The determination unit 133 determines whether the second text processing application is available on the information terminal 200. The second text processing application being available means that the second text processing application is installable, installed, and configured to be used. The second text processing application being unavailable means that (1) the second text processing application is installed but configured not to be used, (2) the second text processing application is installable but not installed, and (3) the second text processing application is not installable.

[0043] The determination unit 133 sends inquiry information to the second text processing device 500 to inquire about the status of the second text processing application on the information terminal 200. After sending the inquiry information, the determination unit 133 receives response information from the second text processing device 500 indicating the status of the second text processing application on the information terminal 200.

[0044] Based on the received response information, the determination unit 133 determines whether (1) the setting to use the second text processing application is enabled, (2) whether the second text processing application is installed, and (3) whether the second text processing application can be installed. Instead of determining whether the second text processing application is available on the information terminal 200, the determination unit 133 may determine whether the second text processing application can be installed on the information terminal 200, or whether the second text processing application is installed on the information terminal 200.

[0045] The determination unit 133 may determine that the second text processing application is unavailable on the information terminal 200 if the second text processing device 500 outputs an error indicating that the second text processing application is unavailable on the information terminal 200 when the response processing unit 135 (described later) transmits response information that can be displayed by the second text processing application to the information terminal 200. The determination unit 133 may also determine that the second text processing application is available on the information terminal 200 if the second text processing device 500 does not output an error indicating that the second text processing application is unavailable on the information terminal 200 when the response processing unit 135 transmits response information that can be displayed by the second text processing application to the information terminal 200. The determination unit 133 outputs the determination result to the response processing unit 135.

[0046] The generation unit 134 modifies the response information to satisfy the conditions for display in the second text processing application. First, the generation unit 134 determines whether the response information received from the external device 100 satisfies the conditions for display in the second text processing application. The conditions for display in the second text processing application are, for example, that the number of characters included in the response information is less than or equal to a predetermined number. The predetermined number is determined, for example, by the developer of the second text processing application.

[0047] If the generation unit 134 determines that the response information does not meet the conditions for display in the second text processing application, it generates modified response information that modifies the response information to meet the conditions for display in the second text processing application. For example, if the number of characters in the response information exceeds a predetermined number, the generation unit 134 modifies the response information by deleting the trailing string in the response information. The generation unit 134 outputs the modified response information (hereinafter also referred to as modified response information) to the response processing unit 135.

[0048] The response processing unit 135 communicates with the information terminal 200 via the communication unit 101. The response processing unit 135 transmits the response information received by the relay processing unit 132 from the external device 100 to the information terminal 200. If the generation unit 134 generates corrected response information, the response processing unit 135 transmits the corrected response information to the information terminal 200. If the generation unit 134 has not generated corrected response information, the response processing unit 135 transmits the response information received by the relay processing unit 132 to the information terminal 200.

[0049] More specifically, the response processing unit 135 sends response information or modified response information to the information terminal 200 when it determines that the second text processing application is available on the information terminal 200. In other words, the response request unit 232 sends response information or modified response information to the information terminal 200 when the second text processing application is installable, the second text processing application is installed, and the settings are configured to use the second text processing application.

[0050] On the other hand, if the determination unit 133 determines that the second text processing application is not available on the information terminal 200, the response processing unit 135 does not send either response information or corrected response information to the information terminal 200, but instead notifies the information terminal 200 of an error. The error is, for example, a message indicating that the second text application is not available on the information terminal 200. In other words, the response processing unit 135 does not send either response information or corrected response information to the information terminal 200, but instead notifies the information terminal 200 of an error, in the following situations: (1) the second text processing application is installed but set not to be used, (2) the second text processing application can be installed but is not installed, or (3) the second text processing application cannot be installed.

[0051] Figure 5 shows an example of response information sent back by the external device 100 in response to the text information in Figure 4. Figure 5 shows the state after the response processing unit 135 has sent this response information, "The 'pew-pew' sound you hear might be a Japanese woodpecker... This will allow you to more accurately identify the type of bird," to the information terminal 200, and the second text processing application on the information terminal 200 has displayed this response information.

[0052] Figure 5 shows an example in which the second text processing application displays response information to text information sent by the information terminal 200 via the first text processing application. However, it is also possible for the second text processing application to display response information to text information sent by the information terminal 200 via the second text processing application. For the information terminal 200 to send text information via the second text processing application, the response processing unit 135 must notify the information terminal 200 in advance of the destination of the external device 100 to which the second text processing application will send the text information.

[0053] Therefore, the response processing unit 135 sends response information to the information terminal 200 that includes information indicating the destination of the external device 100 used by the second text processing application to transmit text information. In this way, the response processing unit 135 enables the information terminal 200 to transmit text information using the second text processing application.

[0054] Figure 6 shows an example of when the response processing unit 135 notifies the information terminal 200 of an error. When the determination unit 133 determines that the second text processing application is unavailable to the information terminal 200, this error is notified by the response processing unit 135 via the first text processing device 400. The information terminal 200 displays this error using the first text processing application. In the example in Figure 6, the information terminal 200 displays the error message "An error has occurred because the second text processing application is unavailable. ...Please send again."

[0055] The response processing unit 135 notifies the information terminal 200 of an error when the relay processing unit 132 receives an error code output by the external device 100. The error code is output when the generative artificial intelligence installed in the external device 100 is unable to return response information. For example, the generative artificial intelligence installed in the external device 100 returns an error code when it receives request information requesting a response on how to manufacture explosives. Figure 7 shows another example of when the response processing unit 135 notifies the information terminal 200 of an error. In the example in Figure 7, the information terminal 200 displays the error message "Could not obtain a response from the generative artificial intelligence." via the first text processing application.

[0056] The response request device 32 in Figure 2 generates request information that requests response information that can be displayed by the second text processing application. The response request device 32 transmits the request information to the external device 100 and receives response information for the request information from the external device 100.

[0057] [Configuration of the response request device 32] Figure 8 shows the configuration of the response request device 32. The response request device 32 comprises a communication unit 201, a storage unit 202, and a control unit 203. The control unit 203 comprises an acquisition unit 231, a response request unit 232, and a response transfer unit 233.

[0058] The communication unit 201 is an interface for communicating with the relay processing unit 31 and the external device 100 via the network. The storage unit 202 is a storage medium including ROM and RAM. The storage unit 202 stores the program executed by the control unit 203. The storage unit 202 also stores attribute data that associates the user ID with the user's attributes.

[0059] The control unit 203 is, for example, a CPU. The control unit 203 functions as an acquisition unit 231, a response request unit 232, and a response transfer unit 233 by executing a program stored in the memory unit 202.

[0060] The acquisition unit 231 communicates with the relay processing unit 31 via the communication unit 201. The acquisition unit 231 acquires text information transmitted by the information terminal 200 using the first text processing application or the second text processing application from the relay processing unit 132. The acquisition unit 231 acquires terminal information, including information about the information terminal 200, from the relay processing unit 132. The acquisition unit 231 outputs the acquired text information and terminal information to the response request unit 232.

[0061] The response request unit 232 communicates with the external device 100 via the communication unit 201. The response request unit 232 generates request information to the external device 100 requesting response information that can be displayed by the second text processing application. The request information includes text information transmitted by the information terminal 200 to the information processing device 300 using the first text processing application or the second text processing application. The response request unit 232 transmits the request information corresponding to the prompt to the external device 100, which is equipped with a generative artificial intelligence that generates response information based on the prompt.

[0062] Figure 9 shows an example of request information generated by the response request unit 232. This request information includes user prompts for the user to instruct or ask questions to the generative artificial intelligence installed in the external device 100 about the matters the user wants to investigate. The lower part of Figure 9 shows the user prompt "A bird is chirping 'pew pew' in the mountains. What kind of bird is it?" which is indicated by text information received from the information terminal 200. The upper part of Figure 9 shows additional prompts added by the response request unit 232. These additional prompts are used to request an answer from the generative artificial intelligence that can be displayed in the second text processing application.

[0063] The response request unit 232 transmits request information, including acquired terminal information, to the external device 100. The terminal information is not limited to including the location where the information terminal 200 is located, but may also include information about the environment in which the information terminal 200 is located, the current time, or the timing when the information terminal 200 transmitted the text information. For example, the terminal information is location information indicating the location where the information terminal 200 is located.

[0064] The environment in which the information terminal 200 is located is, for example, weather or temperature. The response request unit 232 obtains terminal information from the information terminal 200, for example. The response request unit 232 may also obtain location information from the information terminal 200 and identify the environment in which the information terminal 200 is located by querying an external information providing device (not shown) for the environment corresponding to the location indicated by this location information. By including information about the information terminal 200 in the request information, the response request unit 232 can make it easier for the external device 100 to return response information containing a useful answer to the user of the information terminal 200.

[0065] The response request unit 232 may identify the user attributes of the information terminal 200. For example, user attributes may include the user's age, the organization to which the user belongs, the user's hobbies, or the user's purchase history. When the acquisition unit 131 acquires a user ID along with text information, the response request unit 232 refers to the attribute data stored in the storage unit 202 to identify the user attributes associated with this user ID. The response request unit 232 sends request information to the external device 100 that includes information indicating the identified user attributes. By including information indicating the user attributes in the request information, the response request unit 232 can make it easier for the external device 100 to return response information that contains useful answers regarding the user attributes.

[0066] Figure 10 shows an example of text information transmitted by the information terminal 200 via the second text processing application. In the example in Figure 10, the acquisition unit 231 acquires the text information "Tell me more details" which is an additional question to the response information displayed by the second text processing application on the information terminal 200. In this case, the generative artificial intelligence of the external device 100 cannot return response information containing an appropriate answer to the question unless it is aware of the question that preceded "Tell me more details".

[0067] Therefore, when the response request unit 232 generates request information corresponding to the text information acquired by the acquisition unit 231, it further includes in the request information the history of a predetermined number of past text information and response information acquired from the information terminal 200. The predetermined number is, for example, several times. In this way, the response request unit 232 generates request information that includes the history of text information and response information, so when the user generates text information to ask further questions about the content of questions contained in text information already sent to the external device 100, the user does not need to repeatedly input the questions already asked. Therefore, the response request unit 232 can shorten the user's input work. The response request unit 232 transmits the generated request information to the external device 100.

[0068] The response transfer unit 233 communicates with the relay processing unit 31 and the external device 100 via the communication unit 201. The response transfer unit 233 receives the response information returned in response to the request information from the external device 100. The response transfer unit 233 transmits the received response information to the relay processing unit 31.

[0069] <Processing procedure for generating response information> Figure 11 shows the processing procedure for generating response information by the information processing system S. The processing procedure in Figure 11 starts, for example, when the information terminal 200 is communicating with the relay processing device 31 via satellite station B1, or when the information terminal 200 is communicating with the relay processing device 31 via ground station B2 without going through satellite station B1. First, the information terminal 200 sends text information to the relay processing device 31 using the first text processing application. The relay processing unit 132 of the relay processing device 31 sends the text information acquired by the acquisition unit 131 to the response request device 32. The response request unit 232 of the response request device 32 generates request information (S101) that requests response information that can be displayed by the second text processing application from the external device 100, based on the text information acquired from the information terminal 200. The response request unit 232 sends the generated request information to the external device 100.

[0070] The external device 100 sends back response information in response to the received request information. The response transfer unit 233 of the response request device 32 transmits the received response information to the relay processing device 31. The determination unit 133 of the relay processing device 31 determines whether or not the second text processing application is available on the information terminal 200 (S102). If the determination unit 133 determines that the second text processing application is available on the information terminal 200 (YES in S102), the response processing unit 135 transmits the response information received by the relay processing unit 132 to the information terminal 200. The information terminal 200 displays the received response information using the second text processing application and terminates processing.

[0071] If the determination unit 133 determines in the determination in S102 that the second text processing application is unavailable to the information terminal 200 (NO in S102), the response processing unit 135 notifies the information terminal 200 of an error. The information terminal 200 displays the notified error using the first text processing application and terminates processing.

[0072] <Second Embodiment> In the first embodiment, an example was described in which the response processing unit 135 notifies the information terminal 200 of an error without sending response information to the information terminal 200 when the determination unit 133 determines that the second text processing application is unavailable on the information terminal 200. In the second embodiment, an example was described in which the response processing unit 135 sends response information that can be displayed by the first text processing application to the information terminal 200 when the determination unit 133 determines that the second text processing application is unavailable on the information terminal 200.

[0073] In the second embodiment, the determination unit 133 determines whether the information terminal 200 can use the second text processing application before the relay processing unit 132 transmits the text information acquired by the acquisition unit 131 from the information terminal 200 to the response request device 32. Along with this text information, the relay processing unit 132 transmits determination result information indicating the determination result of the determination unit 133 regarding whether the information terminal 200 can use the second text processing application to the response request device 32.

[0074] If the acquisition unit 231 obtains determination result information from the determination unit 133 indicating that the information terminal 200 is capable of using the second text processing application, the response request unit 232 transmits second request information to the external device 100 requesting second response information that can be displayed by the second text processing application. On the other hand, if the acquisition unit 231 obtains determination result information from the determination unit 133 indicating that the information terminal 200 is not capable of using the second text processing application, the response request unit 232 transmits first request information to the external device 100 requesting first response information that can be displayed by the first text processing application. Both the first request information and the second request information generated by the response request unit 232 include text information obtained from the information terminal 200 by the acquisition unit 231.

[0075] [Processing procedure for generating response information in the second embodiment] Figure 12 shows the processing procedure for generating response information by the information processing device 300 and external device 100 in the second embodiment. This processing procedure starts, for example, when the information terminal 200 is communicating with the relay processing device 31 via satellite station B1, or when the information terminal 200 is communicating with the relay processing device 31 via ground station B2 without going through satellite station B1.

[0076] First, the acquisition unit 131 acquires text information transmitted by the information terminal using the first text processing application (S201). The determination unit 133 determines whether the information terminal 200 can use the second text processing application (S202). If the acquisition unit 231 acquires the determination result information that the determination unit 133 has determined that the information terminal 200 can use the second text processing application (YES in S202), the response request unit 232 sends second request information to the external device 100 requesting second response information that can be displayed by the second text processing application (S203). The response transfer unit 233 receives the second response information sent back by the external device 100 (S204). The response processing unit 135 sends the second response information to the information terminal 200 (S205) and terminates the process.

[0077] If the determination unit 133 determines in the determination in S202 that the information terminal 200 is not able to use the second text processing application, the response request unit 232 receives determination result information from the acquisition unit 231 (NO in S202), and sends first request information to the external device 100 requesting first response information that can be displayed by the first text processing application (S206). The response transfer unit 233 receives the first response information sent back by the external device 100 (S207). The response processing unit 135 sends the first response information to the information terminal 200 (S208) and terminates processing.

[0078] In the second embodiment, the response processing unit 135 sends first response information that can be displayed by the first text processing application to the information terminal 200 when the second text processing application is unavailable. Therefore, the response processing unit 135 can ensure that the response information is displayed even on the information terminal 200 when the second text processing application is unavailable.

[0079] <Third Embodiment> In the third embodiment, an example is described in which the response request unit 232 causes the external device 100 to generate both first response information that can be displayed in the first text processing application and second response information that can be displayed in the second text application. The acquisition unit 131 acquires text information at the information terminal 200.

[0080] The response request unit 232 transmits to the external device 100 a first request information requesting a first response information displayable by the first text processing application, and a second request information requesting a second response information displayable by the second text processing application. Both the first request information and the second request information include text information acquired by the acquisition unit 131. The determination unit 133 determines, similar to the first embodiment, whether or not the second text processing application is available on the information terminal 200.

[0081] The response processing unit 135 transmits to the information terminal 200 at least one of the first response information returned from the external device 100 in response to the first request information and the second response information returned from the external device 100 in response to the second request information. For example, if the determination unit 133 determines that the second text processing application is available on the information terminal 200, the response processing unit 135 transmits the second response information to the information terminal 200. If the determination unit 133 determines that the second text processing application is not available on the information terminal 200, the response processing unit 135 transmits the first response information to the information terminal 200.

[0082] The response processing unit 135 may transmit both the first response information and the second response information to the information terminal 200. In this case, if the second text processing application is available, the information terminal 200 will display the second response information using the second text processing application. If the second text processing application is not available but the first text processing application is available, the information terminal 200 will display the first response information using the first text processing application.

[0083] [Processing procedure for generating response information in the third embodiment] Figure 13 shows the processing procedure for generating response information by the information processing device 300 and external device 100 in the third embodiment. This processing procedure starts, for example, when the information terminal 200 is communicating with the relay processing device 31 via satellite station B1, or when the information terminal 200 is communicating with the relay processing device 31 via ground station B2 without going through satellite station B1.

[0084] First, the acquisition unit 131 acquires text information transmitted by the information terminal using the first text processing application (S301). The response request unit 232 sends to the external device 100 a first request information requesting a first response information that can be displayed by the first text processing application, and a second request information requesting a second response information that can be displayed by the second text processing application (S302). The response transfer unit 233 receives the first response information returned from the external device 100 in response to the first request information, and the second response information returned from the external device 100 in response to the second request information (S303).

[0085] The determination unit 133 determines whether the second text processing application is available on the information terminal 200 (S304). If the determination unit 133 determines that the second text processing application is available on the information terminal 200 (YES in S304), the response processing unit 135 sends the second response information to the information terminal 200 (S305) and terminates processing. If the determination unit 133 determines in the determination in S304 that the second text processing application is not available (NO in S304), the determination unit 133 sends the first response information to the information terminal 200 (S306).

[0086] In the third embodiment, the response request unit 232 transmits to the external device 100 a first request information requesting a first response information that can be displayed by the first text processing application, and a second request information requesting a second response information that can be displayed by the second text processing application. Therefore, the response information can be displayed regardless of whether the information terminal 200 is using the first text processing application or the second text processing application.

[0087] [Effects according to the present invention] According to the information processing device 300 of the present invention, even if the user does not know the destination for sending text information to the external device 100 in the second text processing application, the first text processing application can send text information to the external device 100.

[0088] Furthermore, this invention will make it possible to contribute to Goal 9 of the United Nations-led Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), "Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation."

[0089] Although the present invention has been described above using embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of its gist. For example, all or part of the apparatus can be configured by functionally or physically distributing and integrating in any unit. Furthermore, new embodiments resulting from any combination of multiple embodiments are also included in the embodiments of the present invention. The effects of the new embodiments resulting from the combinations are combined with the effects of the original embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 31 Relay Processing Unit 32 Response Request Device 100 External device 101 Communications Department 102 Storage section 103 Control Unit 131 Acquisition Department 132 Relay Processing Unit 133 Judgment section 134 Generation part 135 Response Processing Unit 200 Information Terminals 201 Communications Department 202 Storage section 203 Control Unit 231 Acquisition Department 232 Response Request Section 233 Response Transfer Section 300 Information Processing Devices 400 First Text Processing Device 500 Second Text Processing Unit B1 satellite station B2 ground station C Core Network S Information Processing System

Claims

1. An acquisition unit that acquires text information transmitted by an information terminal, A response request unit transmits request information to an external device that returns response information for information received from a source, requesting the response information that can be displayed on the information terminal, the request information including the text information and additional prompts added to the user prompt of the information terminal indicated by the text information. A response processing unit that transmits to the information terminal the response information to the request information received from the external device, or modified response information which has been modified to satisfy the conditions for displaying the response information on the information terminal, Equipped with, The response request unit transmits the request information, which includes the additional prompt specifying an upper limit on the number of characters in the message included in the response information as a condition for displaying it on the information terminal, or the additional prompt requesting a response that can be displayed by a predetermined text processing application. Information processing device.

2. The response request unit transmits the request information, which further includes the text information and information about the environment in which the information terminal is located. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The response request unit transmits the request information, which includes the text information and the additional prompt added to the user prompt of the information terminal. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The response request unit transmits the request information, which includes the additional prompt specifying an upper limit on the number of characters in the message included in the response information as a condition for displaying it on the information terminal. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The response request unit transmits the request information to the external device, which further includes the history of the text information and response information acquired from the information terminal a predetermined number of times in the past. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The generation unit further comprises a generation unit that generates the modified response information by deleting the trailing character string contained in the response information when the number of characters contained in the response information exceeds a predetermined number. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

7. The acquisition unit acquires the text information from the information terminal via a satellite station with which the information terminal has established a communication connection, without going through a ground station. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

8. The acquisition unit acquires location information indicating the location of the information terminal, The response request unit transmits the request information, including the acquired location information, to the external device. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

9. The response request unit identifies the user attributes of the information terminal and transmits the request information, which includes information indicating the identified user attributes, to the external device. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

10. The acquisition unit acquires the text information sent by the information terminal using the Short Message Service application. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

11. The response request unit obtains location information from the information terminal, queries an external information provider for the environment corresponding to the location indicated by the location information to identify the environment in which the information terminal is located, and transmits the request information including information indicating the environment in which the information terminal is located. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

12. The response request unit transmits the request information, which includes information indicating the temperature or weather of the environment in which the information terminal is located. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

13. The response request unit transmits the request information, which further includes information indicating one or more of the season, date and time, day of the week, or time at the time the information terminal transmitted the text information. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

14. A computer executes The steps include obtaining text information transmitted by an information terminal, The steps include sending request information to an external device that returns response information for information received from a source, requesting the response information that can be displayed on the information terminal, the request information including the text information and additional prompts added to the user prompt of the information terminal indicated by the text information; The steps include transmitting to the information terminal the response information for the request information received from the external device, or modified response information which has been modified to satisfy the conditions for displaying the response information on the information terminal, It has, In the step of transmitting the request information, the request information is transmitted including an additional prompt that specifies an upper limit on the number of characters in the message included in the response information as a condition for display on the information terminal, or an additional prompt that requests a response that can be displayed by a predetermined text processing application. Information processing methods.

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