Information processing system, information processing method, and information processing program

Abstract

To provide an information processing system which facilitates increase of a profit rate of fruit and vegetable in a store, an information processing method, and an information processing program.SOLUTION: In an information processing system, a processor of an information processing apparatus includes: an acquisition unit which acquires fruit and vegetable information to be sold in a store and inventory information of the fruit and vegetable in the store; a derivation unit which derives a supply-demand parameter having a correlation with a supply-demand relationship of fruit and vegetable, based on the acquired fruit and vegetable information and inventory information; a determination unit which makes a determination, based on the supply-demand parameter, as to at least one of whether the supply-demand relationship is in a struggling state or not and whether the supply-demand relationship is in a suffering state or not; and a sign processing unit which displays information on a sales mode of the fruit and vegetable in the store when there are fruit and vegetable for which the supply-demand relationship is in the struggling state or the suffering state. The suffering state indicates that a profit rate of fruit and vegetable is decreasing due to excess supply of the fruit and vegetable in a store. The struggling state indicates that the profit rate of the fruit and vegetable is decreasing due to deficient supply of the fruit and vegetable in the store.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing system, an information processing method, and an information processing program. Background Art

[0002] The following documents are cited as prior art. Prior Art Documents Patent Documents

[0003] Patent Document 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2020-60917 Summary of the Invention Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the display content in the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1 is limited only to price reduction plans for products. Therefore, there is still room for improvement in order to provide display for improving the profit margin in a store. Means for Solving the Problem

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, an information processing system is provided. This information processing system includes a processor capable of executing a program so as to perform the following steps: In the acquisition step, information about fruits and vegetables sold in stores and inventory information about the inventory of fruits and vegetables in stores are acquired. In the derivation step, supply and demand parameters that correlate with the supply and demand relationship of fruits and vegetables are derived based on the acquired fruit and vegetable information and inventory information. In the determination step, at least one of the following is determined based on the supply and demand parameters: whether the supply and demand relationship is in a struggling state or in a troubled state. Here, a struggling state indicates a state in which the profit margin of fruits and vegetables is decreasing due to a shortage of supply of fruits and vegetables in stores. A troubled state indicates a state in which the profit margin of fruits and vegetables is decreasing due to an oversupply of fruits and vegetables in stores. In the display processing step, if there are fruits and vegetables for which the supply and demand relationship has been determined to be in a struggling state or a troubled state, information about the sales pattern of those fruits and vegetables in stores is displayed.

[0006] Such an information processing system can help improve the profit margin of the produce in question at the store. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This diagram shows the hardware configuration of information processing system 1. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the information processing device 2. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of user terminal 3. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of the functional components of the processor 23. [Figure 5] This is an activity diagram showing an example of the information processing flow performed in Information Processing System 1. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of the first image IM1 displayed on the display unit 34. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of the second image IM2 displayed on the display unit 34. [Figure 8]This figure shows an example of the third image IM3 displayed on the display unit 34. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The various features shown in the embodiments below can be combined with each other.

[0009] Incidentally, the program for implementing the software appearing in this embodiment may be provided as a non-transitory computer-readable medium, or it may be provided so that it can be downloaded from an external server, or it may be provided so that the program is launched on an external computer and its functions are realized on a client terminal (so-called cloud computing).

[0010] Furthermore, in this embodiment, "part" may include, for example, hardware resources implemented by circuits in a broad sense, and the information processing of software that can be specifically realized by these hardware resources. In addition, various types of information are handled in this embodiment, and these types of information can be represented, for example, by the physical values ​​of signal values ​​representing voltage and current, the high or low values ​​of signal values ​​as a set of binary bits composed of 0s or 1s, or by quantum superposition (so-called qubits), and communication and calculations can be performed on circuits in a broad sense.

[0011] Furthermore, a circuit in a broad sense is a circuit realized by combining at least a suitable combination of circuits, circuits, processors, and memory. In other words, it includes application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (for example, simple programmable logic devices (SPLDs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)), etc.

[0012] 1. Hardware Configuration This section describes the hardware configuration.

[0013] <Information Processing System 1> Figure 1 shows the hardware configuration of information processing system 1. Information processing system 1 comprises an information processing device 2, a user terminal 3, and a database DB1. The information processing device 2, the user terminal 3, and the database DB1 are configured to communicate with each other via a telecommunications line. In one embodiment, information processing system 1 consists of one or more devices or components. For example, if it consists only of the information processing device 2, then information processing system 1 can be the information processing device 2. These components will be described below.

[0014] <Database DB1> The database DB1 stores reference information IF0 as various types of information. The information processing device 2 included in the information processing system 1 is configured to be able to reference the reference information IF0 stored in the database DB1 via a telecommunication line. The database DB1 may include public information accessible to the public free of charge, trade secret data including trade secrets managed as confidential information, and limited provision information accessible only to some users. The database DB1 may be divided into a plurality of parts according to the management status of these pieces of information.

[0015] <Information Processing Device 2> Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the information processing device 2. The information processing device 2 includes a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a processor 23, and these components are electrically connected inside the information processing device 2 via a communication bus 20. Each component will be further described below.

[0016] The communication unit 21 is preferably a wired communication means such as USB, IEEE1394, Thunderbolt (registered trademark), wired LAN network communication, etc. However, it may also include wireless LAN network communication, mobile communication such as 3G / LTE / 5G, BLUETOOTH (registered trademark) communication, etc. as needed. That is, it is more preferable to implement the communication unit 21 as a set of these plurality of communication means. In other words, the information processing device 2 may communicate various types of information from the outside via the communication unit 21 and a network.

[0017] The storage unit 22 stores various types of information defined by the foregoing description. The storage unit 22 may be implemented as, for example, a storage device such as a solid state drive (SSD) that stores various programs related to the information processing device 2 executed by the processor 23, or as a memory such as a random access memory (RAM) that stores temporarily necessary information (arguments, arrays, etc.) related to the calculation of the program. The storage unit 22 stores various programs, variables, and the like related to the information processing device 2 executed by the processor 23.

[0018] The processor 23 processes and controls the overall operation related to the information processing apparatus 2. The processor 23 is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) not shown in the drawings. The processor 23 implements various functions related to the information processing apparatus 2 by reading a predetermined program stored in the storage unit 22. That is, information processing by software stored in the storage unit 22 is specifically implemented by the processor 23, which is an example of hardware, and thus can be executed as each functional unit included in the processor 23. These will be described in further detail in the next section. Note that the number of the processor 23 is not limited to one, and the present invention may be implemented such that a plurality of processors 23 are provided for each function. A combination of these may also be adopted.

[0019] <User Terminal 3> Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the user terminal 3. The user terminal 3 includes a communication unit 31, a storage unit 32, a processor 33, a display unit 34, and an input unit 35, and these components are electrically connected inside the user terminal 3 via a communication bus 30. Descriptions of the communication unit 31, the storage unit 32, and the processor 33 are omitted since they are the same as the descriptions of each unit in the information processing apparatus 2.

[0020] The display unit 34 may be included in the housing of the user terminal 3 or may be externally attached. The display unit 34 displays a screen of a graphical user interface (GUI) operable by a user. It is preferable that, for example, display devices such as CRT displays, liquid crystal displays, organic EL displays, and plasma displays are selectively used depending on the type of the user terminal 3.

[0021] The input unit 35 may be included in the casing of the user terminal 3 or it may be an external component. For example, the input unit 35 may be integrated with the display unit 34 and implemented as a touch panel. If it is a touch panel, the user can input tap operations, swipe operations, etc. Of course, instead of a touch panel, a switch button, mouse, QWERTY keyboard, etc., may be used. In other words, the input unit 35 receives operation input made by the user. This input is transferred as a command signal to the processor 33 via the communication bus 30, and the processor 33 can execute predetermined controls and calculations as needed.

[0022] 2. Functional configuration of the information processing device 2 Figure 4 shows an example of the functional components of the processor 23. As shown in Figure 4, the processor 23 includes an acquisition unit 231, an extraction unit 232, a determination unit 233, a specification unit 234, and a display processing unit 235.

[0023] The acquisition unit 231 is configured to execute acquisition steps. The acquisition unit 231 is configured to acquire information from the user terminal 3 or other devices. In particular, the acquisition unit 231 is configured to acquire reference information IF0 from the database DB1. Furthermore, the acquisition unit 231 is configured to acquire various information by reading various information stored in the storage area, which is at least a part of the memory unit 22, and writing the read information to the work area, which is at least a part of the memory unit 22. The storage area is, for example, the area of ​​the memory unit 22 that is implemented as a storage device such as an SSD. The work area is, for example, the area that is implemented as memory such as RAM.

[0024] The derivation unit 232 is configured to execute derivation steps. The derivation unit 232 is configured to derive various parameters based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit 231. Furthermore, the derivation unit 232 is configured to make its own derivation results available for use in the derivation process.

[0025] The determination unit 233 is configured to execute a determination step. Based on the acquisition results from the acquisition unit 231 and the derivation results from the derivation unit 232, the determination unit 233 is configured to execute various determinations.

[0026] The identification unit 234 is configured to execute specific steps. Based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit 231, the derivation results of the derivation unit 232, and the determination results of the identification unit 234, the identification unit 234 is configured to identify various conditions and targets.

[0027] The display processing unit 235 is configured to execute display control steps. Based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit 231 and the information identified by the determination unit 233, the display processing unit 235 is configured to execute display control on the display unit 34. The user can view this information through the display unit 34 of the user terminal 3 or other devices. In such a case, for example, the display processing unit 235 controls the display of visual information such as screens, images including still images or videos, icons, and messages on the display unit 34 of the user terminal 3. The display processing unit 235 may generate only rendering information for displaying visual information on the user terminal 3. The display processing unit 235 may also display the acquired or identified information to the user without going through the user terminal 3 or other devices.

[0028] 3. Regarding information processing This section describes the information processing performed by the aforementioned information processing system 1. The information processing system 1 determines, through information processing, whether the supply and demand relationship ST1 of fruits and vegetables sold at a particular store is in a struggling state ST2, a troubled state ST3, or a proper state ST4. Based on this determination, the information processing system 1 displays the determination result and improvement measures on the display unit 34. In this way, the information processing system 1 provides the user with objective indicators of the sales status of fruits and vegetables and improvement measures. Furthermore, by performing the information processing, the information processing system 1 of this embodiment displays information regarding the work schedules of store staff, particularly back-office staff who manage fruits and vegetables and floor staff, according to the supply and demand relationship ST1.

[0029] The stores to which Information Processing System 1 applies are any stores that sell produce to third parties, such as direct-from-the-farm markets, stores and markets of intermediate wholesalers that supply purchased produce to retailers, and retail stores that sell produce purchased from wholesalers to consumers. Note that "store" is not limited to physical stores such as supermarkets and convenience stores, but may include any store that may hold inventory of produce in a warehouse, such as a pop-up store or a virtual store. Examples of pop-up stores include open-air markets and flea markets. Examples of virtual stores include mail-order businesses and internet shopping. The following explanation describes a case where a store handles multiple types of produce, but the same principles apply to a case where a store handles only one type of produce.

[0030] <Supply and demand relationship ST1, struggling state ST2, troubled state ST3, appropriate state ST4> Supply and demand relationship ST1 represents the supply and demand for a particular fruit or vegetable, or the balance between the two. As the supply of a particular fruit or vegetable exceeds its demand, stores are more likely to run out of stock of that fruit or vegetable. Also, as demand exceeds supply, the value of that fruit or vegetable in the procurement market increases. Consequently, the price of that fruit or vegetable rises, forcing stores to raise their selling prices due to the increased procurement costs. However, when the selling price of a fruit or vegetable rises in a store, sales of that fruit or vegetable decline, which can result in a decrease in sales. As a result, supply and demand relationship ST1 reaches a state of struggle ST2. State of struggle ST2 is a state in which the profit margin of fruits and vegetables decreases due to a shortage of supply in stores. State of struggle ST2 can also be described as a state in supply and demand relationship ST1 where the difference between the supply and demand of a fruit or vegetable exceeds a predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold is determined, for example, by the acceptable range in store operations.

[0031] Conversely, as the demand for a particular fruit or vegetable increases relative to its supply, stores are more likely to accumulate excess inventory of that fruit or vegetable. Furthermore, when the supply of a fruit or vegetable exceeds its demand, its value in the procurement market decreases. Consequently, its price falls. However, for stores, a price decrease reduces procurement costs, which might seem to improve profit margins from selling the fruit or vegetable. But if a store maintains its selling price despite the decrease in procurement costs, it will face price competition with other stores, leading to poor sales. Therefore, store staff may be forced to lower the selling price of the fruit or vegetable. As a result, supply-demand relationship ST1 progresses to a problematic state ST3. Problematic state ST3 indicates a situation where the profit margin of fruits and vegetables is decreasing due to an oversupply of the fruit or vegetable at the store. Problematic state ST3 can also be described as a state where the difference between supply and demand in supply-demand relationship ST1 falls below a predetermined threshold. This predetermined threshold is determined, for example, by the acceptable range in store operations. For the sake of explanation, a supply and demand relationship ST1 that is neither a struggling state ST2 nor a troubled state ST3 will be called an appropriate state ST4. An appropriate state ST4 is a supply and demand relationship ST1 in which the balance between supply and demand is appropriate. An appropriate state ST4 can also be said to be a supply and demand relationship ST1 in which the balance between supply and demand is within the acceptable range for the store staff.

[0032] 3.1. Information Processing Flow Figure 5 is an activity diagram showing an example of the flow of information processing performed in information processing system 1. Note that this information processing may include any exception handling not shown. Exception handling includes interrupting the information processing or omitting individual processes. The selections or inputs made in this information processing may be based on user operation or may be performed automatically without user operation.

[0033] [Activity A1] First, in Activity A1, the acquisition unit 231 acquires produce information IF1 and inventory information IF2. The acquisition unit 231 in this embodiment further acquires staff information about the store's staff. The staff information includes, for example, an identification ID assigned to each staff member, the staff member's name, the store to which the staff member belongs, the tasks the staff member can perform (e.g., cashiering, stocking shelves, inventory management, etc.), the staff member's basic salary, and the staff member's available working hours. The staff information in this embodiment includes at least the work schedule performed by the store's staff. The work schedule includes, for example, attendance schedules and task schedules. Attendance schedules include, for example, the staff member's start time, end time, break start time, and break end time. Task schedules include, for example, the start time of execution for each task assigned to the staff member, the planned end time, and the number of people assigned to that task.

[0034] <Produce Information IF1> The Produce Information IF1 is information about produce sold in stores. Produce Information IF1 includes, for example, the type of produce, origin, sales location, producer, distributor, expiration date, and storage period. Furthermore, Produce Information IF1 includes forecast information regarding future forecasts for produce. This forecast information includes, for example, the forecast harvest volume, forecast purchase price, forecast distribution price, and forecast order volume. In this embodiment, Produce Information IF1 includes at least the forecast demand for produce in stores. The Derivation Unit 232 may derive information regarding forecast demand based on static information such as map information and population information, or dynamic information such as pedestrian flow information, traffic volume information, and weather information. In particular, it is preferable to use satellite observation information observed by artificial satellites as the traffic volume information and weather information used in deriving forecast demand. This incorporates a comprehensive perspective into the derivation of forecast demand, reducing the possibility of the derived forecast demand remaining at a local optimum and increasing the possibility of it becoming an overall optimum. Any method can be used to derive the predicted demand, such as simulations based on mathematical models or machine learning. Furthermore, the predicted demand is not limited to that derived by the derivation unit 232, but may also be derived by an external server other than the information processing system 1, or may be predetermined by the user. The produce information IF1 is stored as reference information IF0 in the database DB1, for example. In this case, the acquisition unit 231 acquires the produce information IF1 from the database DB1.

[0035] <Inventory Information IF2> Inventory Information IF2 is information about the inventory of fruits and vegetables in the store. Inventory Information IF2 includes, for example, the total number of fruits and vegetables in the store, the number of fruits and vegetables displayed on the sales floor, and the number of fruits and vegetables stored in the back room. Inventory Information IF2 also includes fluctuations in these quantities, i.e., the number of fruits and vegetables purchased and the number of fruits and vegetables sold. Furthermore, Inventory Information IF2 may also include time-series information about fruits and vegetables, such as the purchase date of the inventory and the expiration date of the inventory (e.g., best before date, expiration date, etc.). Inventory Information IF2 is stored, for example, in a database DB1 or on a server owned by the store. In this case, the acquisition unit 231 acquires Inventory Information IF2 from the database DB1 or the like. The acquisition unit 231 may also acquire Fruit and Vegetable Information IF1 and Inventory Information IF2 through user input.

[0036] [Activity A2] Next, the process proceeds to activity A2, where the derivation unit 232 derives the supply and demand parameters for fruits and vegetables based on the fruit and vegetable information IF1 and inventory information IF2 acquired in activity A1. The supply and demand parameters are parameters corresponding to the supply and demand relationship ST1. The supply and demand parameters increase as supply increases relative to demand. In other words, the supply and demand parameters have a positive correlation with the supply and demand relationship ST1. The method of deriving the supply and demand parameters is arbitrary. For example, the derivation unit 232 may derive the supply and demand parameters based on a lookup table showing the relationship between the supply and demand parameters and the fruit and vegetable information IF1 and inventory information IF2, or it may derive the supply and demand parameters by inputting the acquired various information into a pre-trained learner. The learner accepts quantitative information regarding the demand for fruits and vegetables (e.g., the number of fruits and vegetables sold, sales, etc.) as training data for the fruit and vegetable information IF1 and inventory information IF2, which include the predicted demand for fruits and vegetables. The learning device then sets supply and demand parameters as parameters that show the correlation between the received fruit and vegetable information IF1 and inventory information IF2 and quantitative information regarding the demand for fruits and vegetables. The learning device performs learning using the correlation between various pieces of information expressed as such supply and demand parameters as training data. The algorithm used for learning is arbitrary and can include, for example, a convolutional neural network (CNN) or a recurrent neural network (RNN). The learning device may also perform learning using methods other than supervised learning, such as unsupervised learning or reinforcement learning. The learning device may be stored in the information processing device 2 or in an external server other than the information processing device 2. The learning device can also be described as a device or program that can perform operations corresponding to the projection of a feature space, which is composed of features extracted from the input information (for example, fruit and vegetable information IF1 and inventory information IF2), onto supply and demand parameters that represent the supply and demand relationship ST1.

[0037] Furthermore, the training data includes whether the supply and demand relationship ST1 indicated by the various pieces of information is a struggling state ST2, a troubled state ST3, or an appropriate state ST4. Whether the supply and demand relationship ST1 is one of the various states ST2 to ST4 may be set in advance by the user or derived by the derivation unit 232. Also, if the training data does not contain information about the supply and demand relationship ST1, the learning device itself may derive information about the supply and demand relationship ST1. In this case, it is preferable that the information processing device 2 is configured so that the derivation result can be modified by the user.

[0038] [Activity A3] Next, the process proceeds to activity A3, and the derivation unit 232 derives the struggling region R1 and the troubled region R2. The struggling region R1 is the range of supply and demand parameters when the supply and demand relationship ST1 is in the struggling state ST2. The troubled region R2 is the range of supply and demand parameters when the supply and demand relationship ST1 is in the troubled state ST3. From the above-mentioned supply and demand parameters and the properties of the struggling state ST2 and the troubled state ST3, the struggling region R1 is located in a region where the supply and demand parameters are smaller than those of the troubled region R2. In this embodiment, it is assumed that there is no overlap between the struggling region R1 and the troubled region R2, and the appropriate region R3 is located between the struggling region R1 and the troubled region R2. The appropriate region R3 is the range of supply and demand parameters when the supply and demand relationship ST1 is in the appropriate state ST4. The method for deriving the struggling region R1 and the troubled region R2 is arbitrary, but for example, the derivation unit 232 performs the derivation using the learning device described above. As a result of the learning, the learning device is configured to derive the struggling region R1 corresponding to the struggling state ST2 and the troubled region R2 corresponding to the troubled state ST3, based on the relationship between various information and the supply and demand relationship ST1. The derivation unit 232 acquires the struggling region R1 and the troubled region R2 derived by the learning device. Thus, the derivation unit 232 derives the struggling region R1 and the troubled region R2 using the learning device.

[0039] Furthermore, the derivation unit 232 of this embodiment derives the degree of the struggling state or the troubled state based on the supply and demand parameters derived in activity A2 and the struggling region R1 and troubled region R2 derived above. Hereinafter, for the sake of convenience in explanation, the degree of the struggling state will be referred to as the "degree of struggling," and the degree of the troubled state will be referred to as the "degree of trouble."

[0040] <Degree of struggle> The degree of struggle is an indicator of how severe the struggle state ST2 is in the supply and demand relationship ST1, which is represented by the supply and demand parameters. The degree of struggle is represented, for example, by the difference between the supply and demand parameters and the upper limit of the struggle region R1. Note that the degree of struggle is considered zero when the supply and demand parameters are greater than or equal to the upper limit of the struggle region R1. A degree of struggle of zero indicates that the supply and demand relationship ST1 is not in a struggle state ST2.

[0041] <Degree of worry> The degree of distress is an indicator that shows how serious the distress state ST3 is in the supply-demand relationship ST1, which is represented by the supply-demand parameters. The degree of distress is represented, for example, by the difference of the supply-demand parameters relative to the lower limit of the distress region R2. Note that the degree of distress is zero when the supply-demand parameters are below the lower limit of the distress region R2. A distress degree of zero indicates that the supply-demand relationship ST1 is not in a distress state ST3. The specific forms of the degree of struggle and the degree of distress are not limited to these and are arbitrary.

[0042] [Activity A4] The determination unit 233 makes a determination of the supply and demand relationship ST1 based at least on the produce information IF1 and the inventory information IF2. More specifically, the determination unit 233 makes a determination based on the predicted demand included in the produce information IF1 and the inventory information IF2. In this embodiment, the determination unit 233 makes the determination depending on whether the derived supply and demand parameter is included in the derived struggling region R1, troubled region R2, or appropriate region R3. If the supply and demand parameter is included in the struggling region R1, the determination unit 233 determines that the supply and demand relationship ST1 is in a struggling state ST2. If the supply and demand parameter is included in the troubled region R2, the determination unit 233 determines that the supply and demand relationship ST1 is in a troubled state ST3. If the supply and demand parameter is included in the appropriate region R3, the determination unit 233 determines that the supply and demand relationship ST1 is in an appropriate state ST4. If there are multiple fruits and vegetables to be judged, the judgment unit 233 performs the judgment for each of the multiple fruits and vegetables.

[0043] [Activity A5] In Activity A4, if it is determined that the supply-demand relationship ST1 of a certain fruit or vegetable is in a struggling state ST2 or a troubled state ST3, the process proceeds to Activity A5. In such a case, it can also be said that there are fruits or vegetables for which the supply-demand relationship ST1 has been determined to be in a struggling state ST2 or a troubled state ST3. In Activity A5, the information processing device 2 determines the search conditions. The search conditions are the range within which changes to the various conditions used to derive the supply-demand parameters, such as the fruit and vegetable information IF1 and inventory information IF2, are permitted. For example, the search conditions indicate the range within which changes to the number of fruits and vegetables purchased, the number of fruits and vegetables sold, and the selling price are permitted. This search range may be set appropriately based on the fruit and vegetable information IF1 and inventory information IF2 acquired by the information processing device 2, or it may be set in advance by the user.

[0044] [Activity A6] Next, the process moves to Activity A6, where the derivation unit 232 derives virtual supply and demand parameters based on the search conditions determined in Activity A5. Virtual supply and demand parameters are those obtained when the acquired information (for example, produce information IF1 or inventory information IF2) is virtually changed under the search conditions. Virtual supply and demand parameters correspond to the virtual supply and demand relationship ST1 derived by the information processing system 1. For the sake of explanation, the virtual supply and demand relationship ST1 corresponding to the virtual supply and demand parameters will be referred to as virtual supply and demand relationship ST1a below.

[0045] [Activity A7] Next, the process proceeds to activity A7, where the identification unit 234 identifies a resolution condition from among the search conditions. A resolution condition is a condition within the search conditions that causes the virtual supply and demand relationship ST1a to change from a struggling state ST2 or a troubled state ST3 to a proper state ST4. For example, the information processing device 2 determines the conditions for deriving virtual supply and demand parameters within the range of the search conditions based on a predetermined step width. The information processing device 2 then inputs each of the determined conditions into the learning device. As a result, the learning device outputs supply and demand parameters from the input conditions. The information processing device 2 acquires the supply and demand parameters output from the learning device as virtual supply and demand parameters. The information processing device 2 performs the same judgment process as described in activity A4 on the acquired virtual supply and demand parameters to determine whether the virtual supply and demand relationship ST1a corresponding to the virtual supply and demand parameters is in a struggling state ST2, a troubled state ST3, or a proper state ST4. Note that the above process is merely an example and is not limited to this. For example, if the conditions under which the virtual supply and demand relationship ST1a becomes the appropriate state ST4 cannot be identified, the information processing device 2 may identify the conditions under which the fluctuation range of the virtual supply and demand parameters is maximized, instead of the resolution conditions.

[0046] [Activity A8] Next, the process proceeds to activity A8, where the identification unit 234 identifies a sales method corresponding to the conditions identified in activity A7 (e.g., resolution conditions). The sales method includes, for example, the number of fruits and vegetables to be purchased, the display method (e.g., the number of items on display and their display locations), and the selling price. For example, the identification unit 234 may identify the selling price included in the identified resolution conditions as the sales method. Alternatively, the derivation unit 232 may derive predicted demand based on the identified resolution conditions, and the identification unit 234 may identify the display method that maximizes the probability of selling fruits and vegetables with respect to the derived predicted demand. Therefore, the sales methods identified in this embodiment are not limited to price reductions for fruits and vegetables. This helps to suppress a decline in the profit margin of fruits and vegetables.

[0047] [Activity A9] Next, the process proceeds to Activity A9, where the display processing unit 235 executes the first display process to display information regarding the sales method of the produce in the store on the display unit 34. For example, if there is produce for which the supply and demand relationship ST1 is determined to be in a struggling state ST2 or a troubled state ST3, the display processing unit 235 displays the display location of the produce in the store on the display unit 34 as the sales method. Alternatively, if there is produce for which the supply and demand relationship ST1 is determined to be in a struggling state ST2 or a troubled state ST3, the display processing unit 235 displays at least the candidate products that will be sold in combination with the produce on the display unit 34 as the sales method. This sales method is, for example, one that was identified in Activity A8. Furthermore, if the supply and demand relationship ST1 of a certain fruit or vegetable is in an appropriate state ST4 in Activity A4, in other words, if the supply and demand relationship ST1 of a certain fruit or vegetable is not in a struggling state ST2 or a troubled state ST3, the information processing device 2 skips the processing of Activities A5 to A8 for that fruit or vegetable and proceeds to Activity A9. The skipping of Activities A5 to A9 may also be performed if the supply and demand relationship ST1 of all fruits and vegetables is in an appropriate state ST4.

[0048] Furthermore, the display processing unit 235 may display candidate sales methods depending on the frequency with which the system determines that the customer is in a struggling state ST2 or a troubled state ST3. For example, if the number of days in a given month that a customer is in a struggling state ST2 or a troubled state ST3 exceeds a predetermined number of days, the system may display candidate sales methods. This reduces the burden on store staff of having to consider changing sales methods on a case-by-case basis when a customer is in a struggling state ST2 or a troubled state ST3, rather than a chronic one.

[0049] [Activity A10] After the processing of Activity A9 is completed, User Terminal 3 receives a specification from the user (for example, a store staff member or manager) regarding the displayed sales method. [Pier A11] When the process proceeds to activity A11, the identification unit 234 identifies the tasks necessary for selling produce in the specified sales manner, based on the acquired staff information and the degree of struggle or distress derived. The specified sales manner is also the sales manner displayed on the display unit 34. The tasks include, for example, the type of task, the execution time of the task, and the priority of the task. These tasks may be set individually for each type of produce. The type of task may include, for example, tasks performed for each type of produce, such as purchasing, wholesaling, displaying, replenishing, and checking inventory, as well as tasks performed independently of produce, such as operating the cash register, cleaning the floor, and cooking. The execution time of the task may include the start time of the task, the scheduled end time of the task, and the notification time of the task. The information processing device 2 may use the acquisition unit 231 to appropriately acquire information about these tasks from reference information IF0 stored in advance in the database DB1 or the like, and use it for the above identification. In this embodiment, the identification unit 234 further identifies the target staff based on the identified tasks and the acquired staff information. The target staff are those who can perform the specified task. The identification unit 234 identifies, for example, staff whose duties include the specified task as target staff. At this time, the acquisition unit 231 obtains the target staff's work schedule from the acquired staff information.

[0050] [Activity A12] Next, the process proceeds to activity A12, where the identification unit 234 identifies a virtual work schedule, which is a hypothetical work schedule for when the target staff member performs the task, based on the acquired staff member's work schedule and the identified task. The identification unit 234 identifies the virtual work schedule by optimizing a predetermined objective function based on various variables such as the target staff member's existing work schedule, the time required for the identified task, and buffer periods between tasks (such as break times and travel times). The method of selecting the objective function is arbitrary, but for example, the distance representing the degree of difference between the existing work schedule and the virtual work schedule can be used as the objective function. This prioritizes the identification of virtual work schedules with small changes from the existing work schedule, making it easier to propose virtual work schedules that are less burdensome for the staff member. The identification unit 234 may use any method, such as the steepest descent method, stochastic gradient descent (SGD), momentum SGD, or Newton's method, to minimize the objective function, i.e., identify the virtual work schedule.

[0051] [Pier A13] After the processing of Activity A12 is completed, the process proceeds to Activity A13. In Activity A13, the display processing unit 235 executes a second display process to display the identified virtual work schedule on the display unit 34. In this embodiment, the display processing unit 235 displays the virtual work schedule of the target staff member to the target staff member's user terminal 3. The target staff member's user terminal 3 receives input from the target staff member indicating whether or not the target staff member is able to respond to the virtual work schedule displayed on the display unit 34. If the user terminal 3 receives input from the target staff member indicating that they are able to respond, the information processing device 2 updates the work schedule of the store staff and displays the updated work schedule on each staff member's display unit 34. On the other hand, if the user terminal 3 receives input from the target staff member indicating that they are unable to respond, the information processing device 2 updates the staff information and performs the identification of the virtual work schedule in Activity A12 again. As a result, the information processing system 1 can promote store operations that respect the wishes of the staff.

[0052] If no sales method is specified in Activity A10, the display processing unit 235 may skip the processing of Activities A11 and A12 and proceed directly to the processing of Activity A12. In this case, the display content is arbitrary, but the display processing unit 235 may, for example, display the staff's normal work schedule on the display unit 34.

[0053] 3.2. Images displayed as a result of the first display process This section describes the first image IM1 and the second image IM2 that are displayed on the display unit 34 as a result of the first display processing described above.

[0054] <First image IM1> Figure 6 shows an example of the first image IM1 displayed on the display unit 34. The first image IM1 is an image that presents the sales status of a certain fruit and vegetable and suggestions for improvement to the store staff, who act as users. The first image IM1 includes a supply and demand relationship display area 4, a past status display area 5, a first display configuration display area 6, and an improvement suggestion display area 7.

[0055] <Supply and Demand Display Area 4> The supply and demand relationship display area 4 displays the current supply and demand relationship ST1 for a particular fruit or vegetable (for example, carrots). In this embodiment, the number of fruits and vegetables on display is used as a parameter to indicate the supply and demand relationship ST1. The supply and demand relationship display area 4 includes a display indicator 41, a first parameter display area 42, a second parameter display area 43, and a supply and demand relationship notification area 44.

[0056] <Display Indicator 41> The display indicator 41 is visual information that displays, in a manner visible to the user, whether the current sales status falls into a struggling state ST2, a troubled state ST3, or a good state ST4. In this embodiment, the display indicator 41 is a graph that extends to the left and right of the display unit 34. The display indicator 41 includes a reference axis 411, a struggling area display area 412, a troubled area display area 413, one first marker 414, and at least one second marker 415.

[0057] <Reference axis 411> The reference axis 411 serves as a reference for displaying the relative position of the current supply-demand relationship ST1 with respect to the struggling state ST2 or troubled state ST3. In this embodiment, the reference axis 411 extends linearly across the left and right sides of the display unit 34.

[0058] <Struggling area display area 412, Worrying area display area 413> The struggling area display area 412 displays the area corresponding to the struggling area R1 on the reference axis 411. The troubled area display area 413 displays the area corresponding to the troubled area R2 on the reference axis 411. On the reference axis 411, areas that do not correspond to either the struggling area display area 412 or the struggling area display area 413 correspond to the case where the supply and demand relationship ST1 is in the appropriate state ST4.

[0059] The struggling area display area 412 and the troubled area display area 413 are each displayed along the reference axis 411. The display mode of the struggling area display area 412 is different from the display mode of the troubled area display area 413. In this embodiment, the color of the struggling area display area 412 is different from the color of the troubled area display area 413. These differences in display modes can be arbitrary, other than color, such as outlines or shapes, as long as they are visually distinguishable by the user.

[0060] <First landmark 414> The first marker 414 indicates the current sales status of a particular fruit or vegetable in a given store on the reference axis 411. In this embodiment, it is a triangular marker on the reference axis 411 that indicates the position corresponding to the current inventory level of the fruit or vegetable in the store. The first marker 414 moves from right to left as the inventory level of the fruit or vegetable decreases. The inventory level of the fruit or vegetable may be calculated, for example, based on accounting information from the store's POS register, or obtained from a known inventory management system.

[0061] <Second landmark 415> The second marker 415 indicates various setting values ​​related to the inventory quantity of fruits and vegetables on the reference axis 411. These various setting values ​​include, for example, the initial inventory quantity for the day, the sales target quantity for the day, and the inventory quantity for which automatic ordering is performed. These setting values ​​may be automatically set by the information processing device 2 or arbitrarily set by the user. The second marker 415 is positioned at a location corresponding to these setting values. In this embodiment, the second marker 415 is triangular in shape. Furthermore, the second marker 415 in this embodiment is displayed in a different manner from the first marker 414. This allows the user to easily distinguish between the current sales status indicated by the first marker 414 and the various setting values ​​indicated by the second marker 415.

[0062] <First parameter display area 42> The first parameter display area 42 displays the produce information IF1 at the store as a number or string. In this embodiment, the first parameter display area 42 displays the initial inventory quantity of produce, the current inventory quantity, the selling price of produce, and the estimated cost of produce. Because the selling cost and estimated cost are displayed in a list in the first parameter display area 42, store staff can more easily perform their duties while being aware of the gross profit of the produce.

[0063] <Second parameter display area 43> The second parameter display area 43 displays information regarding the time or frequency of sales of the produce. This time information includes, for example, the target time when the number of produce sales reaches the target value (the so-called target sales achievement time) and the expected time when the number of sales reaches the target value (the so-called expected sales achievement time). As an example of how the expected sales achievement time is derived, the derivation unit 232 first derives the expected sales per time period based on the correlation between the number of sales and the predicted demand. Next, the derivation unit 232 compares the cumulative predicted sales, obtained by accumulating the expected sales per time period over time, with the target sales to derive the time when the cumulative predicted sales reach the target sales as the expected sales achievement time. Note that the method for deriving the expected sales achievement time is merely an example and is not limited to this.

[0064] <Supply and Demand Notification Area 44> The supply and demand relationship notification area 44 displays visual information that notifies store staff whether the current supply and demand relationship ST1 is in a struggling state ST2 or a troubled state ST3. For example, if the supply and demand relationship ST1 is in a struggling state ST2 in activity A4, the string "Struggling state!" will be displayed in the supply and demand relationship notification area 44. On the other hand, if the supply and demand relationship ST1 is determined to be in a troubled state ST3 in activity A4, the string "Troubled state!" will be displayed in the supply and demand relationship notification area 44. The supply and demand relationship notification area 44 can be implemented in any manner using different colors, outlines, etc., as long as it is possible to visually confirm which state the supply and demand relationship ST1 is in.

[0065] <Past Status Display Area 5> The past status display area 5 displays the history of past supply and demand relationships ST1. In this embodiment, the past status display area 5 displays the state of the supply and demand relationship ST1 on a daily basis during a given month. The display mode is arbitrary, but in this embodiment, the past status display area 5 displays a monthly calendar, and the areas displaying the corresponding days on each calendar are displayed as the struggling status display area 51 and the troubled status display area 52.

[0066] <Area 51 for displaying struggling state, area 52 for displaying troubled state> The struggling state display area 51 indicates the day when the store closed for the day while the supply and demand relationship ST1 was in a struggling state ST2. The troubled state display area 52 indicates the day when the store closed for the day while the supply and demand relationship ST1 was in a troubled state ST3. As a result, the past state display area 5 can show time-series information such as the frequency of the store closing for the day while the supply and demand relationship ST1 was in a struggling state ST2 or troubled state ST3. The day when the store closed for the day while the supply and demand relationship ST1 existed can also be said to be the day when the store's closing time passed while the supply and demand relationship ST1 existed. The struggling state display area 51 and the troubled state display area 52 are displayed in different display modes. The display mode of the struggling state display area 51 is correlated with the display mode of the struggling state display area 412. Specifically, the struggling state display area 51 is displayed in the same or similar colors as the struggling state display area 412. Similarly, the display mode of the troubled state display area 52 is correlated with the display mode of the troubled area display area 413.

[0067] <Display area 6 for the first display configuration> The first display configuration display area 6 displays information regarding the display configuration of fruits and vegetables in the store. For example, the first display configuration display area 6 displays a map showing the store layout, the display location of fruits and vegetables on the map, the number of items on display, etc. The first display configuration display area 6 in this embodiment includes a display location display area 61 and a notification marker 62.

[0068] <Display position display area 61> The display location display area 61 indicates the display location of fruits and vegetables on a map showing the store layout in a manner that can distinguish it from locations where the fruits and vegetables are not displayed (for example, by a different color or outline). The display manner of the display location display area 61 in this embodiment changes according to the number of items displayed at each display location. Specifically, the display location display area 61 is configured to change color to a warning color as the number of items decreases: green when the number of items is equal to or greater than a first threshold, yellow when it is equal to or greater than a second threshold but less than the first threshold, and red when it is less than the second threshold. The first threshold is a boundary value that indicates whether or not there is a margin in the number of items displayed relative to the predicted demand. The second threshold is a boundary value that indicates whether or not there is a possibility of running out of fruits and vegetables depending on the number of items displayed and the number of items sold. The first threshold and the second threshold may be set by the store staff, or they may be derived each time by the information processing device 2.

[0069] <Notification Mark 62> The notification marker 62 is a marker that indicates an area within the display position display area 61 where there is a possibility of stock running out. In this embodiment, the notification marker 62 is assigned to areas where the number of items on display falls below the second threshold. The notification marker 62 may also be assigned to the display position display area 61 where the number of items on display has become zero.

[0070] <Improvement proposal display area 7, detail display area 71> The improvement suggestion display area 7 displays information related to the sales method identified in activity A8. For example, the improvement suggestion display area 7 displays sales methods identified in activity A8, such as changes in sales price, changes in automatic order quantities, changes in display location, and changes in sales methods. The improvement suggestion display area 7 includes the detail display area 71. The detail display area 71 is a UI for displaying details of each sales method on the display unit 34, and is, for example, a button-type object as shown in the figure. The detail display area 71 may use a text hyperlink instead of a button-type object. In this embodiment, when the detail display area 71 is operated, the display unit 34 displays the second image IM2 instead of the first image IM1.

[0071] <Second image IM2> Figure 7 shows an example of the second image IM2 displayed on the display unit 34. In this embodiment, the second image IM2 shows the display configuration of fruits and vegetables among the sales configurations displayed in the improvement suggestion display area 7. The second image IM2 includes a second display configuration display area 8, a third display configuration display area 9, and an execution specification area EX1.

[0072] <Second display mode display area 8> The second display mode display area 8 displays the sales mode identified in Activity A8. For example, the second display mode display area 8 displays a map showing the store layout, similar to the first display mode display area 6. The second display mode display area 8 includes the existing display area 81 and the proposed display area 82.

[0073] <Existing display area 81> The existing display area 81 displays information regarding the current display arrangement of fruits and vegetables in the store. The display arrangement of the existing display area 81 is arbitrary, but for example, it is the same as that of the display position display area 61.

[0074] <Proposal display area 82> The proposed display area 82 displays information about the display configuration identified in Activity A8 as visual information. This information includes, for example, the display location, timing, method, and number of fruits and vegetables. The display configuration of the proposed display area 82 may be changed according to this information. The proposed display area 82 may also be configured to display multiple candidate display configurations. This makes it easier for store staff to adopt flexible display configurations that suit the store's specific circumstances.

[0075] <Third display mode display area 9> The third display mode display area 9 displays numerical or textual information related to the display mode shown in the proposed display area 82. In this embodiment, the third display mode display area 9 displays the number of items to be displayed for each display position, the display area, and candidate products to be sold in combination with the produce (adjacent products in the figure). The third display mode display area 9 may also display the probability of escaping the struggling state ST2 or troubled state ST3 (expected struggling escape rate in the figure) by adopting the sales mode displayed in the display unit 34. This provides an indicator for deciding whether or not to adopt the display mode. This probability is derived, for example, based on the forecasting accuracy of the demand forecast.

[0076] <Execution Designation Area EX1> The execution specification area EX1 is a UI for specifying the sales method, and is, for example, a button-type object as shown in the diagram. The detail display area 71 may use a text hyperlink instead of a button-type object. Users, including store staff, can input the sales method specification in Activity A10 by operating the detail display area 71. As the detail display area 71 is operated, the above information processing proceeds from Activity A10 to Activity A11. This triggers a second display process, and the image displayed on the display unit 34 changes from the second image IM2 to the third image IM3. This specification may be performed automatically by the information processing device 2.

[0077] 3.3. Images displayed as a result of the second display process This section describes the third image IM3 that is displayed on the display unit 34 as a result of the second display processing.

[0078] <Third image IM3> Figure 8 shows an example of a third image IM3 displayed on the display unit 34. The third image IM3 in this embodiment is for presenting a work schedule and a virtual work schedule to the target staff member. The third image IM3 includes a staff information display area 10, a schedule display area 11, and a notification area 12.

[0079] <Staff information display area 10> The staff information display area 10 displays at least a portion of the acquired staff information. The staff information displayed in the staff information display area 10 includes the staff member's name, identification ID, affiliated store, store ID, identification ID of the user terminal 3 being used, and the tasks they are capable of performing. The staff information display area 10 is also configured to display the staff member's attendance (so-called shifts) for a predetermined period (for example, one month or one year).

[0080] <Schedule display area 11> The schedule display area 11 displays information about the staff's work schedule. This information includes the task name, the time to perform the task (start and end times), the timing of notifications for each task, and the importance level of the task. The schedule display area 11 may also display information about the produce subject to the task (e.g., the name of the produce). If there are multiple produce subjects for a task, the schedule display area 11 may be configured to display a separate work schedule for each produce. The schedule display area 11 includes a work schedule display area 111 and a virtual work schedule display area 112. The work schedule display area 111 displays the work schedule before it is identified in activity A12. The virtual work schedule display area 112 displays the virtual work schedule identified in activity A12. The virtual work schedule display area 112 may only display the virtual work schedules identified in activity A12 that are assigned to the target staff member who is a user of user terminal 3. The virtual work schedule display area 112 of this embodiment is configured to be visually distinguishable from the work schedule display area 111 by having different display characteristics such as color and outline.

[0081] The virtual work schedule display area 112 may be configured to allow the target staff member to input whether or not they can perform the virtual work schedule. This input can be achieved, for example, by an operation on the virtual work schedule display area 112. If the target staff member inputs that they can perform the virtual work schedule, the existing work schedule is updated with the virtual work schedule, and the updated content is reflected in the work schedule display area 111. Note that if the second display process is performed without specifying a sales method in activity A10, the display in the virtual work schedule display area 112 may be omitted.

[0082] <Notification area 12> The notification area 12 displays notifications for the most recent tasks. The notification area 12 includes at least one response area 121. The response area 121 is a UI in which staff can input their response to the notified most recent task, and is, for example, a button-shaped object as shown in the diagram. In this embodiment, the response area 121 includes an area for responding that the most recent task is executable, an area for requesting further notification, and an area for requesting assistance. When the response area 121 for requesting assistance is operated, processing is performed to increase the number of people available to handle the current task being performed by the staff. This processing can take any form, such as broadcasting a request for assistance with the task within the store. Alternatively, as part of this processing, the identification unit 234 may perform the processing of activity A12 on the set task as an identified task, thereby re-identifying the virtual work schedule and then performing the second display processing again. This makes it easier to set a work schedule that is in line with the actual work situation of the staff.

[0083] 4. Others The above information processing may be performed on a single, independent store, or on an entire group of stores (for example, a chain store or a shopping street).

[0084] In the above information processing, supply and demand parameters are derived for each type of produce; however, supply and demand parameters may also be derived for a category that encompasses multiple types of produce.

[0085] The above-described information processing method is merely an example and is not limited thereto. For example, in the above-described information processing, the first display processing and the second display processing may be performed as part of a series of information processing methods, or as separate information processing methods.

[0086] In the processing of activity A4 described above, the determination unit 233 does not need to determine whether the supply and demand relationship ST1 is in a struggling state ST2, a troubled state ST3, or a suitable state ST4. For example, the determination unit 233 only needs to determine, based on the supply and demand parameters, whether the supply and demand relationship ST1 of the fruits and vegetables is in a struggling state ST2 or a troubled state ST3.

[0087] The information processing device 2 may be on-premise or in a cloud-based configuration. In the case of a cloud-based information processing device 2, for example, the above-mentioned functions and processing may be provided in the form of SaaS (Software as a Service) or cloud computing.

[0088] In the above embodiment, the information processing device 2 performed various storage and control functions, but instead of the information processing device 2, multiple external devices may be used. That is, various information and programs may be distributed and stored across multiple external devices using blockchain technology or the like.

[0089] The embodiments of this model are not limited to the information processing system 1, but may also be an information processing method or an information processing program. The information processing method includes each step of the information processing system 1. The information processing program causes at least one computer to execute each step of the information processing system 1.

[0090] The above-mentioned information processing system 1, etc., may be provided in any of the following embodiments.

[0091] (1) An information processing system comprising a processor capable of executing a program to perform the following steps: an acquisition step which acquires produce information relating to produce sold in a store and inventory information relating to the stock of produce in the store; a derivation step which derives supply and demand parameters correlated with the supply and demand relationship of the produce based on the acquired produce information and inventory information; a determination step which determines, based on the supply and demand parameters, whether the supply and demand relationship is in a struggling state or a troubled state, where the struggling state indicates a state in which the profit margin of the produce is decreasing due to a shortage of the produce in the store, and the troubled state indicates a state in which the profit margin of the produce is decreasing due to an oversupply of the produce in the store; and a display processing step which, if there is produce for which the supply and demand relationship has been determined to be in a struggling state or a troubled state, displays information regarding the sales pattern of the produce in the store.

[0092] This configuration encourages improvements in sales methods, such as the placement of produce in stores, in accordance with the supply and demand relationship. This helps stores overcome their struggling or troubled situations by improving the profit margin of the produce in those stores.

[0093] (2) In the information processing system described in (1) above, the acquisition step acquires the produce information, including the predicted demand for produce at the store, and the derivation step further derives the supply and demand parameters based on the acquired predicted demand.

[0094] With this configuration, the predicted demand included in the produce information is reflected in the determination of whether the product is in a struggling or troubled state, thereby improving the reliability of the determination.

[0095] (3) In the information processing system described in (1) or (2) above, the display processing step further displays candidates for the sales method according to the frequency with which the struggling state or the troubled state is determined in the determination.

[0096] With this configuration, the frequency of struggling or troubled states correlates with the degree of struggling or troubled states. Furthermore, the appropriate sales method may differ depending on these degrees. Therefore, this configuration makes it possible to display candidate sales methods that are appropriate for each degree.

[0097] (4) In the information processing system described in any one of (1) to (3) above, the display processing step displays the display location of the produce in the store as the sales method if there is produce for which the supply and demand relationship is determined to be in the struggling state or the troubled state.

[0098] This configuration allows for an improvement in the profit margin of struggling or underperforming produce by encouraging users to change the store layout based on the displayed display location.

[0099] (5) In the information processing system described in any one of (1) to (4) above, the acquisition step further acquires staff information relating to the staff of the store, wherein the staff information includes the work schedule performed by the staff, and in the first identification step, based on the staff information and the degree of the struggling or troubled state derived based on the supply and demand parameters, the tasks necessary for selling the produce in the displayed sales manner are identified, and in the second identification step, based on the acquired work schedule of the staff and the identified tasks, a virtual work schedule is identified, which is a virtual work schedule for when a target staff member capable of performing the task performs the task, and in the display processing step, the identified virtual work schedule is displayed.

[0100] This configuration allows for the smooth execution of the displayed sales methods.

[0101] (6) In the information processing system described in any one of (1) to (5) above, the display processing step displays, in cases where the supply and demand relationship is determined to be in the struggling state or the troubled state, at least the candidate products that will be sold in combination with the produce.

[0102] With this configuration, even if there is an oversupply or shortage of certain fruits and vegetables, profit margins can be improved by selling them in combination with other products. Therefore, it can help stores escape from a state of trouble or distress.

[0103] (7) An information processing method comprising each step of an information processing system described in any one of (1) to (6) above.

[0104] (8) An information processing program that causes at least one computer to perform each step of the information processing system described in any one of (1) to (6) above. Of course, this is not always the case.

[0105] Furthermore, please also consider the following points.

[0106] In August 2017, the "Agricultural Data Linkage Platform Council" (commonly known as the WAGRI Council) was established, and the "Agricultural Data Linkage Platform" (commonly known as WAGRI), an agricultural data platform, is expected to bring about innovation in the agricultural sector by linking various data and services.

[0107] However, using only public data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is insufficient for the information needed for daily operations, such as predicting how market prices will change.

[0108] Market prices are influenced by weather and economic trends, but farmers are not accustomed to accessing or analyzing data. Despite the critical importance of knowing when and what leafy vegetables to plant, fragmented information on produce prices leads to inefficient and reliant-on-individualized procurement processes.

[0109] As a result, this not only creates lost opportunities for profit generation, but also leads to the problem of food waste due to overproduction of crops.

[0110] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-136023 describes an index value prediction device for predicting market index values ​​of a target plant, which acquires past weather data in a specific region and features a prediction model that predicts market index values ​​from data showing past market index values ​​of non-target plants different from the target plant and data showing past market index values ​​of the target plant.

[0111] Currently, producers, manufacturers / processors, and distributors / wholesalers each face the following problems from their respective positions: Producers misjudge the balance of supply and demand, resulting in the production and disposal of unsaleable goods. Manufacturers and processors are overproducing and discarding products due to misjudging demand. Distributors and wholesalers prioritize stable supply and purchase large quantities from producers and processors, which leads to chronic oversupply.

[0112] In view of these prior art problems, the present invention aims to provide an information system, method, and program, as well as a recording medium on which the program is stored, that can support and solve the visualization and forecasting services for fruit and vegetable market prices.

[0113] In response to the aforementioned challenges, the inventor first devised a service that supports non-personnel-dependent and efficient procurement by centrally visualizing and predicting opaque fruit and vegetable market prices, thereby solving the inefficiencies, inconsistencies, and waste in the fruit and vegetable market through the aggregation and prediction of fruit and vegetable data.

[0114] By producing products that do not result in unsold inventory or price drops, we aim to improve profit margins and reduce waste simultaneously, curb overproduction, optimize market supply based on demand forecasts, reduce waste through last-minute ordering and real-time promotions, and enable customers to purchase fresh produce that reflects their latent needs.

[0115] Through API integration, we will collaborate with various companies to advance the use of data science, utilizing machine learning and various algorithms.

[0116] Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, the information processing system according to the first aspect of the present invention is a system for optimizing market supply and is characterized by comprising: an input unit into which at least one of the following data is input: market transaction data, weather data, mobile spatial data, crop growth data, external POS data, regional event data, POS data of the stores that have introduced the system, and store list data; a storage unit that stores the data input to the input unit; a prediction unit that predicts the market transaction price; and an analysis unit that performs necessary analysis for the user based on the data linkage of the data and the market transaction price predicted by the prediction unit.

[0117] In a second aspect of the present invention, the first embodiment may further include a display unit that visualizes and presents the analysis results from the analysis unit.

[0118] In a third aspect of the present invention, machine learning may be used for prediction in the prediction unit in the first or second embodiment described above.

[0119] In a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third embodiment described above, a price prediction regression model may be used for machine learning.

[0120] Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, the information processing method according to the fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in a system for optimizing market supply, at least one of the following data is input: market transaction data, weather data, mobile spatial data, crop growth data, external POS data, regional event data, POS data of the stores that have introduced the system, and store list data, and the system performs the necessary analysis for the user based on the data linkage of the input data and the predicted market transaction price.

[0121] In a sixth aspect of the present invention, the fifth aspect may further include a step of visualizing and presenting the analyzed results.

[0122] Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, the program according to the seventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in a system for optimizing market supply, the computer functions as an input unit into which at least one of the following data is input: market transaction data, weather data, mobile spatial data, crop growth data, external POS data, regional event data, POS data of the stores that have introduced the system, and store list data; a storage unit that stores the data input into the input unit; a prediction unit that predicts the market transaction price; and an analysis unit that performs the necessary analysis for the user based on the data linkage of the data and the market transaction price predicted by the prediction unit.

[0123] In an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the seventh aspect described above, the computer may further function as a presentation unit that visualizes and presents the analysis results performed by the analysis unit.

[0124] Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, the present invention can be realized as a recording medium on which a program according to the seventh or eighth aspect is stored.

[0125] The present invention can be realized in the form of an information processing system, an information processing method, a program, and a recording medium. Furthermore, while the form relating to an information processing system among the above-described forms mainly envisions a form in which the multiple inventive features constituting the information processing system are divided into multiple (or one) individual devices, and the collection of these multiple (or one) individual devices corresponds to the above-described information processing device, it is also possible to realize the present invention in a form in which the multiple inventive features are provided by a single individual device, that is, as an information processing device. In addition, although the second to fourth forms have been described above in relation to the first form, the information processing system, a similar procedure can be applied to the information processing method relating to the fifth form, the program relating to the seventh form, the recording medium relating to the ninth form, or the above-described form relating to the information processing device.

[0126] According to each aspect of the present invention, an information system is realized that provides a foundation for being attentive to the user and delivering what the user "wants" (information, goods).

[0127] Finally, while various embodiments relating to this disclosure have been described, these are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0128] 1: Information Processing System 2: Information Processing Device 3: User terminal 4: Supply and Demand Relationship Display Area 5: Past status display area 6: First display mode display area 7: Improvement suggestion display area 8: Second display mode display area 9: Third display mode display area 10: Staff information display area 11: Schedule display area 12: Notification area 20: Communications bus 21: Communications Department 22: Storage section 23: Processor 30: Communications bus 31: Communications Department 32: Storage section 33: Processor 34:Display section 35: Input section 41: Display Indicator 42: First parameter display area 43: Second parameter display area 44: Supply and Demand Notification Area 51: Struggling status display area 52: Trouble status display area 61:Display position display area 62: Notification Marker 71:Detail display area 81: Existing display area 82: Suggestion display area 111: Business schedule display area 112: Virtual task schedule display area 121: Response area 231: Acquisition Department 232: Derivation part 233: Judgment section 234: Specific part 235: Display Processing Unit 411: Reference axis 412: Struggling area display area 413: Trouble area display area 414: First landmark 415: Second landmark A1: Activities A2: Activities A3: Activities A4: Activities A5: Activities A6: Activities A7: Activities A8: Activities A9: Activities A10: Activities A11: Activities A12: Activities A13: Activities DB1: Database EX1: Execution area IF0: Reference Information IF1: Produce Information IF2: Inventory Information IM1: First image IM2: Second image IM3: Third image POS: External R1: area R2: area R3: Appropriate range ST1: Supply and demand relationship ST1a: Virtual supply and demand relationship ST2: Struggling state ST3: Troubled state ST4: Optimal condition

Claims

1. An information processing system, A processor capable of executing a program is provided so that each of the following steps is performed: In the acquisition step, information regarding produce sold at the store and inventory information regarding the inventory of said produce at the store are acquired. In the derivation step, the acquired produce information and inventory information are input into a pre-trained learner to derive supply and demand parameters that correlate with the supply and demand relationship of the produce. The learning device is configured to learn the correlation between the supply and demand parameters and the supply and demand relationship of the produce by using training data that associates the supply and demand parameters with past produce information and inventory information, and to output the supply and demand parameters by taking the produce information and inventory information as input. The aforementioned attributes include struggling state, troubled state, and appropriate state. The aforementioned struggling state indicates a situation in which the profit margin of the produce is decreasing due to a shortage of the produce supply at the store. The aforementioned problematic state indicates a situation in which the profit margin of the produce is decreasing due to an oversupply of the produce at the store. The aforementioned optimal state is a state in which the profit margin is higher compared to the aforementioned struggling state or troubled state. In the determination step, based on the supply and demand parameters, a determination is made as to whether the supply and demand relationship is in a struggling state or in a troubled state, In the exploration step, if there are fruits and vegetables whose supply and demand relationship is determined to be in a struggling state or a troubled state, the conditions used to derive the supply and demand parameters are input to the learning device, within a range that allows for changes to at least one of the conditions related to the number of fruits and vegetables purchased and the selling price, thereby deriving virtual supply and demand parameters that correlate with the virtual supply and demand relationship corresponding to the determined conditions. In the display processing step, the information processing system causes the display unit of a user terminal that can communicate with the information processing system to display information regarding the sales pattern of the produce at the store, including at least one of the number of produce purchased and the selling price, which corresponds to the virtual supply and demand parameter that takes a value corresponding to the appropriate state.

2. In the information processing system described in claim 1, In the acquisition step, the produce information, including the predicted demand for produce at the store, is acquired. The information processing system further derives the supply and demand parameters based on the obtained forecast demand in the derivation step.

3. In the information processing system described in claim 1, In the acquisition step, staff information relating to the staff of the store is further acquired, and here, the staff information includes the work schedule performed by the staff. Furthermore, in the first identification step, based on the staff information and the degree of the struggling or troubled state derived from the supply and demand parameters, the tasks necessary for selling the produce in the displayed sales manner are identified. Furthermore, in the second identification step, based on the acquired work schedule of the staff and the identified task, a virtual work schedule is identified, which is a virtual work schedule for when a target staff member capable of performing the task performs the task. The information processing system further causes the specified virtual work schedule to be displayed on the display unit of a user terminal that can communicate with the information processing system in the display processing step.

4. An information processing method performed by an information processing system equipped with a processor, A method comprising each step of the information processing system described in any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. It is an information processing program, A program that causes at least one processor to perform each step of the information processing system described in any one of claims 1 to 3.

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