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

Abstract

An information processing device (1, 1A) includes an assessment unit (12-2, 20) that acquires information on an object of a user through a network N, and acquires a purchase price based on the information on the object at the time of purchasing the object, a contract unit (12-3, 21) that gives a notification of a purchase price, a lease charge when leasing the object to be purchased to a user, and various conditions relating to a lease contract through the network (N), and accepts the lease contract, and a contract management unit (12-5, 22) that pays the purchase price to a user, accepts payment of the lease charge, and manages a lease charge payment situation. A user can raise a fund corresponding to the purchase price with easy means of transmitting information on the object through the network (N).

Description

Information Processing Apparatus, Information Processing System, Information Processing Method, and Program

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing system, an information processing method, and a program that provide services to users.

[0002] Currently, there are the following two typical methods for a user to raise funds by using the items they own. The first method is to list items in an auction, sell them in a flea market, sell them to a recycling shop, or use other means to have their belongings bought, and raise the purchase amount as funds. The second method is to pawn an item and raise funds equivalent to the appraised value. Both methods are recognized by many people and can be said to be widely popular.

[0003] However, the first method requires selling the item. Therefore, after the user sells the item, the item will not remain in the user's hands, and the user will no longer be able to use the item in the future, which is a problem. Also, in the second method, the user retains the ownership of the item. However, until the user pays a predetermined amount to retrieve the item, similar to the first method, the item will not remain in the user's hands and the user cannot use it, which is a problem. Furthermore, in the second method, the user needs to go to the store during business hours (or have the appraiser come to their home), hand the item to the appraiser in person face-to-face, and the appraiser directly appraises the item. This procedure is burdensome for the user and the user cannot easily use it.

[0004] The present invention was made to solve such problems, and aims to provide a new service that allows a user to raise funds while maintaining the state where the item can be used and can be easily utilized.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention acquires information about an object owned by the user, acquires a purchase price based on the acquired information about the object, notifies the user of the acquired purchase price, the lease fee for leasing the purchased object to the user, and the terms and conditions of the lease agreement, accepts the lease agreement, pays the purchase price to the user and accepts the payment of the lease fee, and manages the user's lease payment status based on the lease agreement.

[0006] The present invention also comprises a receiving unit, an assessment unit, a contracting unit, a money transfer management unit, and a contract management unit. The receiving unit receives information from the user about the object for which they wish to receive the service, as well as information about the user's personal details. The assessment unit derives the purchase price based on the information about the item received by the receiving unit and the personal details transmitted at the same time. The contracting unit communicates the purchase price determined by the assessment unit, the lease fee for leasing the item to the user, and the terms and conditions of the contract to the user, and executes the contract. The contract management unit manages the payment status of the lease contracts entered into by the contracting unit, transfers ownership to the user upon maturity, and, in the event of default on lease payments or if the user requests termination of the lease contract, arranges for the collection of the leased item and takes steps to complete the lease contract.

[0007] In the aforementioned contract management department, even if a user defaults on lease payments, the department can continue or suspend the lease agreement based on the user's circumstances and propose an extension of the payment acceptance period to the user. Even if a user is unable to make payments as per the contract for any reason, the department will quantify the user's past usage history from multiple perspectives, measure how much that value exceeds the standard, and take measures such as granting a special grace period depending on the situation. This will help lower the psychological barrier for users when providing this service, which has previously been mainly targeted at real estate, automobiles, and corporations, to general users via a communication network.

[0008] According to the present invention configured as described above, users can procure funds equivalent to the purchase price by simply transmitting information about their owned items via a network, without having to actually visit a store or interact face-to-face with an appraiser. Furthermore, the provision of the purchase price to the user is based on a lease agreement that is concluded after the purchase price, lease fees, and various terms and conditions of the lease agreement are presented to the user via the network. As a result, users can procure funds while maintaining the usable condition of the items, provided they pay the lease fees.

[0009] This is a diagram showing an example configuration of an information processing system according to the first embodiment. This is a diagram showing an example configuration of an information processing device according to the first embodiment. This is a flowchart showing the processing procedure executed by the information processing device. This is a diagram showing an example configuration of an information processing system according to the second embodiment. This is a diagram showing an example configuration of an information processing device and a user terminal according to the second embodiment. This is a diagram showing the contents of records in each database. This is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the information processing system. This is a diagram showing an example of an item classification tree. This is a diagram showing various screens displayed on the user terminal. This is a diagram showing various screens displayed on the user terminal. This is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of an information processing system. This is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of an information processing system. This is a diagram showing a screen displayed on the user terminal.

[0010] <First Embodiment> A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0011] 《1. Configuration of Information Processing System 100》 The configuration of the information processing system 100 will be explained using Figure 1. The present invention provides a service for purchasing an object from a user and leasing it to the user. Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the information processing system 100 according to an embodiment. The information processing system 100 includes an information processing device 1, a user terminal 2, a guarantee underwriter server device 3, and a market price information DB device 4. These various devices are connected to each other via a network N so as to be communicative.

[0012] The information processing device 1 is a computer that has the function of sending and receiving files and data to and from user terminals 2, guarantee underwriter server devices 3, and market information DB devices 4 via a network N. It comprises a data input unit 6 such as a keyboard and mouse, a display unit 7 such as a monitor for displaying data, a communication unit 11 for sending and receiving data via the network N, a storage unit 13 for storing various data, files, and processing programs, and a control unit 12 for controlling the processing unit according to the processing programs stored in the storage unit 13.

[0013] The information processing device 1 is not necessarily composed of a single computer. It is also conceivable that information processing is performed by multiple computers or servers connected directly or via a network N and working together.

[0014] User terminal 2 is an information terminal owned by the user, such as a smartphone or personal computer, which can receive and send information and services by downloading an application program for using the service or by communicating with information processing device 1 via the network N through an internet browser.

[0015] The guarantee underwriter server device 3 can communicate with the information processing device 1 via the network N, enabling the transmission and reception of information. The user transmits personal information, information about the item to be leased after purchase, and its value to the guarantee underwriter server device 3 for review by the guarantee underwriter. The connected company is not necessarily limited to one; in some cases, the user may connect to the computers of multiple companies to utilize their services.

[0016] The market price information database device 4 can communicate with the information processing device 1 via the network N, enabling the transmission and reception of information. It is a database device for market price information of goods, mainly movable property, and based on information such as brand names, product names, and rankings of the appearance transmitted from the information processing device 1, it represents the market price information numerically and transmits it to the information processing device 1.

[0017] 《2. Configuration of Information Processing Device 1》 Next, the configuration of the information processing device 1 will be explained using Figure 2. This shows the configuration of the information processing device 1 according to the embodiment, and only the components necessary for the explanation are shown, with general components omitted.

[0018] The information processing device 1 includes a communication unit 11, a control unit 12, and a storage unit 13.

[0019] The communication unit 11 is connected to the network N and transmits and receives information between the user terminal 2, the guarantee underwriter server device 3, and the market information DB device 4 via the network N.

[0020] The control unit 12 is a controller and is realized by the execution of various programs stored in the memory device. As shown in Figure 2, it has an assessment unit 12-2, a contract unit 12-3, and a contract management unit 12-5.

[0021] The memory unit 13 is implemented by a storage device such as a hard disk drive, and in the example shown in Figure 2, it stores user information 13-1, object information 13-2, lease payment status 13-3, lease usage history 13-4, and lease item return evaluation 13-5.

[0022] The assessment unit 12-2 receives personal information of the user and information of the object for which the service is to be provided, and stores the respective information in user information 13-1 and object information 13-2.

[0023] The information about the object receiving the service includes its genre, brand name, product name, a ranking of its external condition, and a photograph of the object taken with user terminal 2. The amount of information transmitted varies depending on the genre of the item.

[0024] The assessment unit 12-2 reads the information stored in user information 13-1 and checks whether there is any data in the lease usage history 13-4 and the lease item return evaluation 13-5 that corresponds to this user.

[0025] If applicable, the scoring system described later will be used, and if the user's score falls below a certain level, a message indicating that the application is not accepted will be displayed on screen 19 of user terminal 2.

[0026] If there are no matching items, or if there are matching items and the user exceeds a certain score according to the scoring described later, the information of the item for which the service is to be received, stored in the item information 13-2, is read, and the purchase price is calculated. When calculating the purchase price, a query is made to the market price information DB device 4 via the network N through the communication unit. The market price information DB device 4 is a database for obtaining market price information in the used market for various manufacturers and various products. The purchase price is determined by multiplying the amount information obtained from this database by a predetermined rate. However, it is not mandatory to use the score to determine whether or not to accept the request, and a configuration without this is also acceptable.

[0027] The contract unit 12-3 reads the purchase price derived by the assessment unit 12-2, the user information stored in the user information 13-1, and the information of the object for which the service is to be received stored in the object information 13-2, and queries the guarantee underwriter server device 3.

[0028] If the guarantee company accepts the guarantee, the purchase price determined by the assessment unit 12-2, the lease fee calculated by multiplying that price by a predetermined rate, and the terms and conditions of the contract are displayed on the screen 19 of the user terminal 2. The same screen also includes a button indicating that the purchase / lease should be executed. When the user presses this button, the purchase / lease contract is concluded. However, acceptance of the guarantee by the guarantee underwriter is not mandatory, and the system may proceed with the process by presenting the purchase price and other details to the user without requiring an assessment by the guarantee underwriter (it is perfectly acceptable to use some alternative means).

[0029] The contract management department 12-5 immediately pays the user the purchase price agreed upon by the contract department 12-3. The amount is reflected in the digital wallet stored in the user information 13-1, and the user can use this amount as electronic money to purchase goods. In addition, they can use the withdrawal function to transfer the money to a bank account or withdraw currency from affiliated ATMs.

[0030] In addition, the system receives lease payments from users. The date, time, and amount of the payment are stored in the lease payment receipt status 13-3.

[0031] The contract management department 12-5 reads information from user information 13-1, subject item information 13-2, and lease payment receipt status 13-3, and supervises whether the lease contract is progressing appropriately. When lease payments are made without delay and the lease reaches its maturity date, the lease contract is terminated, ownership of the leased item is transferred to the user, and this is notified to the screen 19 of the user terminal 2. When the lease contract is terminated, this fact is stored in the lease usage history 13-4.

[0032] If a user requests termination of the lease agreement during the lease term, procedures are taken to retrieve the leased item from the user in order to terminate the lease agreement. After the lease agreement is terminated, information is read from the item information 13-2 and the lease payment status 13-3, and stored in the lease usage history 13-4 along with data indicating how the contract was terminated.

[0033] If lease payments are delayed during the lease contract period, the data stored in the lease usage history 13-4 and the lease item return evaluation 13-5 will be read, and according to the scoring described later, if the user exceeds a certain score, a message will be displayed on the screen 19 of the user terminal 2 indicating that the lease payment acceptance period can be extended.

[0034] If the user falls below a certain score, the lease agreement will be terminated, and procedures will be taken to retrieve the leased item from the user. After the lease agreement is terminated, information will be read from the item information 13-2 and the lease payment status 13-3, and stored in the lease usage history 13-4 along with data indicating how the contract was terminated.

[0035] User information 13-1 stores the user's personal information and digital wallet information.

[0036] Object information 13-2 stores information about the leased object.

[0037] Lease payment receipt status 13-3 stores information on the amount received as lease payment and the date and time of receipt.

[0038] Lease usage history 13-4 records the user's frequency of using this service, the timing of lease payments, and past lease contract breach rates.

[0039] Lease Item Return Evaluation 13-5 accepts entries for recording whether the returned lease item is genuine, whether there are any discrepancies with the declared category, whether the external condition matches the declared information, whether there are any malfunctions, and whether it was returned on time.

[0040] The scoring is based on data stored in the lease usage history 13-4 and the lease item return evaluation 13-5. Each item has a baseline score; exceeding the baseline results in positive points, while falling below the baseline results in negative points, and the total score is used to determine the final score.

[0041] 《3. Processing Procedure of Information Processing Device 1》 Next, the processing procedure executed by the information processing device 1 will be described. Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure executed by the information processing device 1 according to the embodiment.

[0042] After receiving information about the object and the individual from a user who wishes to use the service and accepting the application (Step S301), the customer's usage history is reviewed, and if there are no problems with the score according to the scoring described above, the purchase price is calculated (Step S302, YES), and a guarantee acceptance review is requested (Step S303).

[0043] If there is a problem with the score in the step of reviewing the customer's usage history (step S302, NO), a screen notifying non-acceptance is displayed on the screen 19 of the user terminal 2 (step S3001), and the transaction fails (step S3002).

[0044] In the guarantee acceptance review in step S303, if guarantee acceptance is not approved (step S303, NO), a screen notifying non-acceptance is displayed on the screen 19 of the user terminal 2 in the same manner as above (step S3001), and the transaction fails (step S3002).

[0045] In the guarantee acceptance review in step S303, if guarantee acceptance is approved (step S303, YES), the purchase amount, lease fee, and contract details are displayed on the screen 19 of the user terminal 2 (step S304), and at the same time, a button stating that the purchase / lease is to be executed is also displayed (step S305).

[0046] When the user sends a response to execute the purchase / lease (step S305, YES), the purchase / lease contract is concluded (step S306), and the purchase price is paid to the digital wallet stored in the user information 13-1 in the information processing device 1 (step S307).

[0047] In step S305, if the user sends a cancellation response (step S305, NO), the transaction fails (step S3002).

[0048] Simultaneously with the payment in step S307, the lease contract is started, and the user is obligated to pay the lease fee (step S308). During the lease contract, the user can freely request to cancel the lease contract (step S309, YES). In that case, the user needs to return the leased item to the service provider (step S3003). If the recovered item is the same as the one declared at the time of contract (step S3004, YES), the lease contract ends (S315). However, if the recovered item is different from the one declared at the time of contract (step S3004, NO), it is a lease contract violation (step S3005).

[0049] When the service provider does not receive a request from the user to terminate the lease contract (step S309, NO), and when the lease payment is received as per the contract and the expiration date is reached (step S310, YES), the ownership is transferred to the user (step S314), and a message to that effect is displayed on the screen 19 of the user terminal 2, and the lease contract ends (step S315).

[0050] When the lease payment cannot be received as per the contract (step S310, NO), and when the score exceeds a certain standard according to the above-mentioned scoring, a message is sent to the user terminal 2 to inform the user that the lease payment period can be extended (step S311). If the user shows a negative response (step S311, NO), the user returns the leased item to the service provider (step S3003) (the subsequent processes are as described above).

[0051] In step S311, if the user shows a positive response (step S311, YES), the lease payment period is extended (step S312). The extended period is calculated using the above-mentioned score. If the lease payment is made within the extended period and there are no further payment delays and the expiration date is reached (step S313, YES), the ownership is transferred to the user (step S314), and a message to that effect is displayed on the screen 19 of the user terminal 2, and the lease contract ends (step S315).

[0052] In step S313, if there are still payment delays, a message is sent to the user terminal 2 to inform the user that the leased item will be recovered (step S313, NO), and the user returns the leased item to the service provider (step S3003) (the subsequent processes are as described above).

[0053] When the lease payment cannot be received as per the contract (step S310, NO), and when the score is below a certain standard according to the above-mentioned scoring, a message is sent to the user terminal 2 to inform the user that the leased item will be recovered (step S311, NO), and the user returns the leased item to the service provider (step S3003) (the subsequent processes are as described above).

[0054] <Second Embodiment> Next, a second embodiment will be described. In the following description of the second embodiment, the same reference numerals will be used for elements that are the same as in the first embodiment, and their detailed descriptions will be omitted. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the information processing system 100A according to this embodiment, and Figure 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the information processing device 1A according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 4, the information processing system 100A consists of an information processing device 1A, a user terminal 2A, a guarantee underwriter server device 3A, and a market information DB device 4A, and each device is connected to the network N.

[0055] As is clear from comparing Figure 2 and Figure 5, the information processing device 1A includes a control unit 12A in place of the control unit 12 according to the first embodiment, and a storage unit 13A in place of the storage unit 13 according to the first embodiment. The control unit 12A includes a processing unit such as a CPU, a primary storage device such as ROM, a secondary storage device such as RAM, and other hardware. The control unit 12A performs various arithmetic and information processing through cooperation between hardware and software, for example, the CPU reading a program stored in ROM into RAM and executing it. As shown in Figure 5, the control unit 12A includes an assessment unit 20 in place of the assessment unit 12-1 according to the first embodiment, a contract unit 21 in place of the contract unit 12-3 according to the first embodiment, and a contract management unit 22 in place of the contract management unit 12-5 according to the first embodiment. The control unit 12A also includes a usage history verification unit 23. The storage unit 13A stores a user information database 25, an application management database 26, an item photography method database 27, and a contract management database 28. The data stored in the memory unit 13A will be described later.

[0056] As shown in Figure 5, the user terminal 2A comprises a terminal-side communication unit 30, a terminal-side control unit 31, and a terminal-side display unit 32. The terminal-side communication unit 30 communicates with devices connected to the network N according to the protocol. The terminal-side control unit 31 includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and performs various calculation / information processing through the cooperation of hardware and software. The terminal-side display unit 32 displays various images on a display device installed in or connected to the user terminal 2A, under the control of the terminal-side control unit 31.

[0057] Here, the information processing device 1A works in cooperation with each device constituting the information processing system 100A to provide the following service (hereinafter referred to as "the Service") to the user. Specifically, we assume a user who wants to raise a lump sum of money as quickly as possible based on items they own. This user sells the items to the service provider that provides the Service at the purchase price offered by the company and receives the purchase price (raises funds). On the other hand, the user does not hand over the items to the service provider, but instead enters into a lease agreement with the service provider for those items. As a result, the items remain in the user's possession, while ownership of the items is transferred to the service provider, and a situation is established where the items are leased from the service provider to the user based on the lease agreement.

[0058] When entering into a lease agreement, the service provider will provide the user with a schedule outlining when and how much the lease payments will be due. The user will generally pay the lease payments according to this schedule. After completing all lease payments, the user can terminate the lease agreement by buying back the item at its residual value, or by returning the item to the service provider (other actions are also possible, but will be discussed later). The user can also terminate the lease agreement by returning the item to the service provider before completing all lease payments.

[0059] The information processing device 1A systematically realizes the provision of the above-described service in cooperation with each device that constitutes the information processing system 100A. Furthermore, the information processing device 1A enables users to easily use the service with minimal burden through its unique configuration, which will be described below. The operation of each device in the information processing system 100A will be explained in order below, divided into the service application scene, the contract scene, the contract management scene, and the usage history verification scene.

[0060] In the following description, user terminal 2A is assumed to be a smartphone equipped with a camera function and a GPS-based location detection function. As is well known, a smartphone is a tablet-type terminal with a large touch panel 19A (Figure 4) on the front, and can download desired applications using an application download service. In the following description, a user who intends to use or is using this service is referred to as a "target user," and an item sold by a target user using this service is referred to as a "target item." A target item corresponds to the "subject matter" in the claims.

[0061] <Service Application Scene> First, the operation of each device of the information processing system 100A in the service application scene will be explained. The service application scene is the scene from when the target user applies to use the service until the purchase price of the target item is derived by the assessment unit 20. Prior to applying to use the service, the target user downloads a dedicated application (hereinafter referred to as the "dedicated app") to the user terminal 2A. The dedicated app is an application that has at least the function of providing various screens (user interface) related to the service. Furthermore, the target user registers as a member using the screen provided by the dedicated app. As a result of member registration, a unique user ID is assigned to each target user, and the target user's record is registered in the user information database 25.

[0062] Figure 6(A) shows the contents of one record in the user information database 25. As shown in Figure 6(A), one record in the user information database 25 includes a user ID, basic user information, user score, purchase price provision method information, and lease payment receipt method information. Basic user information for a given user includes the user's telephone number, email address, address, and other information necessary for member registration. The contents of the user score, purchase price provision method information, and lease payment receipt method information will be described later.

[0063] In this embodiment, member registration is performed using a dedicated application, but it may also be performed by entering various information on a web page displayed when accessing the service provider's site via a browser. Furthermore, the timing of member registration does not have to be as exemplified in this embodiment; for example, it may be performed when the target user first applies for a lease agreement (the application for a lease agreement will be described later).

[0064] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the information processing device 1A and the user terminal 2A in a service application scenario. In Figure 7, (A) shows the operation of the user terminal 2A, and (B) shows the operation of the information processing device 1A. When applying to use this service, the target user launches a dedicated application on the user terminal 2A. In response to the launch of the dedicated application, the terminal-side control unit 31 of the user terminal 2A displays the home screen on the touch panel 19A. In the following description, even if not specifically explained, the terminal-side control unit 31 obtains the necessary information from the functional blocks of the information processing device 1A when displaying the screen on the touch panel 19A.

[0065] As shown in Figure 7(A), the target user performs a predetermined operation to instruct the home screen or a predetermined screen accessed from the home screen to begin applying for the use of this service. In response to this instruction, the terminal-side control unit 31 sends a service commencement notification, including the user ID, to the information processing device 1A (step SA1). Although details are omitted here, communication between the user terminal 2A and the information processing device 1A is achieved by establishing a connection according to the communication protocol used and then using an appropriate method in accordance with the communication protocol. For example, the service commencement notification in step SA1 is sent from the user terminal 2A to the information processing device 1A as an HTTP request over a TCP connection.

[0066] As shown in Figure 7(B), the assessment unit 20 of the information processing device 1A receives a notification of commencement of use and obtains a user ID (step SB1). The assessment unit 20 refers to the user information database 25, identifies the record of the target user, and obtains a user score from the identified record (step SB2). The user score for a given user is a score that is considered to be higher the lower the probability that the user will commit a violation (described later), based on the user's usage history of this service. As will become clear later, the usage history verification unit 23 sets the value of the user score based on each user's usage history of this service.

[0067] Next, the assessment unit 20 determines whether the user score obtained in step SB2 (= the user score of the target user) exceeds a predetermined threshold (step SB3). If the user score is lower than the threshold, it means that the probability of the user committing a violation is considerably high considering the user's usage history, and the threshold is set accordingly. If the score does not exceed the threshold (step SB3: NO), the assessment unit 20 communicates with the terminal-side control unit 31 and displays a message that the application cannot be accepted on the touch panel 19A of the user terminal 2A (step SB4). If the score exceeds the threshold (step SB3: YES), the assessment unit 20 generates a unique application ID for each application and creates one record in the application management database 26 (step SB5).

[0068] Figure 6(B) shows the contents of one record in the application management database 26. The application management database 26 is a database that manages applications made by each user. As shown in Figure 6(B), one record in the application management database 26 contains an application ID, a user ID, deepest classification information, shooting location information, and a group of shooting data. Hereinafter, applications made by target users will be referred to as "target applications". For a record of a target application, the application ID is the application ID of the target application (the application ID generated in step SB5), and the user ID is the user ID of the target user. The contents of the other information will be described later. The deepest classification information, shooting location information, and group of shooting data are currently null values.

[0069] After processing in step SB5, the assessment unit 20 and the terminal-side control unit 31 work together to perform the deepest classification identification process (steps SA2 and SB6). Before describing the deepest classification identification process, the terms "item classification" and "deepest classification" in this embodiment will be explained. In this embodiment, a tree structure of item classification (hereinafter referred to as the "item classification tree") is predefined for items that are the subject of purchase in this service. Figure 8 is a diagram showing an example of the item classification tree. The item classification tree will be explained below using Figure 8. However, the item classification tree illustrated in Figure 8 is greatly simplified for the sake of explanation. In the example in Figure 8, two item classifications, laptop computer (item classification) and bag (item classification), are defined at one level below the root node for the purpose of broadly classifying items. In the following explanation, when expressing the hierarchical state of item classification, the root node is assumed to exist and may be omitted. Also, in this embodiment, the bag is assumed to be a branded item.

[0070] At the level below Notebook PCs (item classification), focusing on the OS, two item classifications are defined: Windows (item classification) and MacOS (item classification) (however, both Windows and MacOS are registered trademarks). Furthermore, at the level below Notebook PCs (item classification) > Windows (item classification), focusing on manufacturers that sell Windows notebook PCs, two item classifications are defined: Manufacturer MK1 (item classification) and Manufacturer MK2 (item classification). Also, at the level below Notebook PCs (item classification) > MacOS (item classification), focusing on series of MacOS notebook PCs, two item classifications are defined: Series S1 (item classification) and Series S2 (item classification). Finally, at the level below Bags (item classification), focusing on bag brands, three item classifications are defined: Brand B1 (item classification), Brand B2 (item classification), and Brand B3 (item classification).

[0071] In the example shown in Figure 8 above, the item classification corresponding to the leaf node of the item classification tree corresponds to the "deepest classification." For example, "Notebook computer (item classification) > Windows (item classification) > Manufacturer MK1 (item classification)" is an independent "deepest classification," and "Bag (item classification) > Brand B3 (item classification)" is also an independent "deepest classification." The deepest classification corresponds to the "classification" in the claims. As is clear from the above explanation, "item classification" refers to each classification when classifying a higher level into two or more at a given hierarchical level.

[0072] In the deepest classification identification process, the assessment unit 20 causes the terminal-side control unit 31 to display the second-layer item classification selection screen G9A (Figure 9(A)) on the touch panel 19A of the user terminal 2A. Figure 9(A) is an example of the second-layer item classification selection screen G9A. The second-layer item classification selection screen G9A is a screen that displays a list of icons representing each of the second-layer item classifications. Each icon can be selected by touch operation. The second-layer item classifications broadly classify the items that are eligible for purchase in this service, and a sufficient number of categories are provided so that any item eligible for purchase in this service belongs to one of the item classifications. The user selects an item classification by touching the icon corresponding to the item classification of the item. The terminal-side control unit 31 notifies the assessment unit 20 of the selected item classification.

[0073] In response to the notification, the assessment unit 20 causes the terminal-side control unit 31 to display a screen showing icons representing each of the item classifications one level below the selected item classification (second-level item classification). The user selects an item classification by touching one of the icons. In this manner, once the user selects an item classification on a screen, a screen displaying a list of item classifications one level below the selected item classification is displayed on the touch panel 19A, and the user selects an item classification again. This process is repeated until the user selects the deepest classification.

[0074] For example, suppose the hierarchical structure of the item classification follows the item classification tree illustrated in Figure 8, and the target item is a "notebook computer with Windows as the OS and manufacturer MK1." In this case, referring to Figure 9, the target user selects the icon B9A1 representing notebook computer (item classification) on the second-layer item classification selection screen G9A (Figure 9(A)). Accordingly, screen G9B (Figure 9(B)) for selecting the item classification related to the OS is displayed. On this screen G9B (Figure 9(B)), the target user selects the icon B9B representing Windows (item classification). Accordingly, screen G9C (Figure 9(C)) for selecting the item classification related to the manufacturer is displayed. On screen G9C (Figure 9(C)), the target user selects the icon B9C representing manufacturer MK1. Thus, the deepest classification is selected by the target user. The deepest classification selected by the target user is notified from the terminal-side control unit 31 to the assessment unit 20.

[0075] For example, suppose the hierarchical structure of item classification follows the item classification tree illustrated in Figure 8, and the target item is a "bag whose brand is brand B3". In this case, referring to Figure 9, the target user selects the icon B9A2 representing "bag" (item classification) on the second-layer item classification selection screen G9A (Figure 9(A)). Accordingly, screen G9D (Figure 9(D)) for selecting the item classification related to the brand of the bag is displayed, and the target user selects the icon B9D representing brand B3 (item classification) on this screen G94 (Figure 9(D)). Thus, the deepest classification is selected by the target user. The deepest classification selected by the target user is notified from the terminal-side control unit 31 to the assessment unit 20.

[0076] The above describes the deepest classification identification process performed by the assessment unit 20 and the terminal-side control unit 31. The assessment unit 20 identifies the deepest classification of the target item through this deepest classification identification process. Based on the identified deepest classification, the assessment unit 20 updates the deepest classification information in the application management database 26 (step SB7). Hereinafter, the deepest category of the target item will be referred to as the "target deepest classification". After the deepest classification identification process is executed, the terminal-side control unit 31 uses the location detection function of the user terminal 2A to acquire information indicating the current location of the user terminal 2A (≒ the current location of the target user) (hereinafter referred to as "shooting location information") and transmits it to the information processing device 1A (step SA3). In step SA3, the terminal-side control unit 31 displays a predetermined dialog on the touch panel 19A to notify the target user that the dedicated application will use the location detection function to acquire the current location of the user terminal 2A, and obtains permission from the target user. As will become clear later, in this embodiment, a lease agreement cannot be concluded unless the location where the item was photographed and the location where the contract application was made are the same. Based on this, the terminal-side control unit 31 may notify the user of this fact under the control of the assessment unit 20.

[0077] As shown in Figure 7(B), the assessment unit 20 acquires the shooting location information and updates the value of the shooting location information in the application management database 26 (step SB8). Next, the assessment unit 20 and the terminal-side control unit 31 cooperate to execute the shooting data acquisition process (steps SA4, SB9). The shooting data acquisition process will be described in detail below. As mentioned above, in this embodiment, the deepest classification is defined according to the item classification tree, and each item belongs to one of the deepest classifications. In this embodiment, the method by which the shooting data must be taken is predetermined for each deepest classification. Hereinafter, the method used to photograph an item will be referred to as the "item shooting method". There may be multiple item shooting methods defined for one deepest classification (in this embodiment, there are basically multiple for reasons to be explained later).

[0078] As will become clear later, the photographic data is used to derive the purchase price of the items. Furthermore, one or more item photography methods for a given deepest classification are defined with the view that data with appropriate content will be prepared as photographic image data used to derive the purchase price of the items belonging to that deepest classification. In particular, in this embodiment, the item photography method is defined with the following four points in mind. Note that in the following explanation, the deriving of the purchase price may be referred to as "assessment" as appropriate.

[0079] Perspective P1: Ensure that the external appearance of the item is photographed. Perspective P2: Ensure that areas where visible deterioration that may affect the assessment, such as scratches, dirt, wear, dents, or missing parts, may appear or are likely to appear, are photographed. Perspective P3: For devices capable of displaying system information (assuming a device with some kind of OS installed), ensure that the system information displayed on the display unit (e.g., a touch panel on a tablet device or a display panel on a laptop computer; it may also be a connected external display device) is photographed. System information refers to information that lists various specifications and statuses of the device, such as the OS name, OS version, processor type, and computer model number. Perspective P4: If the item contains elements that can be used for authenticity determination by image processing, ensure that these elements are photographed. Elements that can be used for authenticity determination include, for example, logos, patterns, marks, or distinctive two-dimensional or three-dimensional shapes attached to the item, and in some cases, the entire item (e.g., the three-dimensional shape of the entire item) rather than just a part of the item may be the subject of authenticity determination.

[0080] Hereinafter, the attributes of the photographic data generated by photography based on viewpoint P1 will be referred to as "external photographic data," the attributes of the photographic data generated by photography based on viewpoint P2 will be referred to as "status determination photographic data," the attributes of the photographic data generated by photography based on viewpoint P3 will be referred to as "system information photographic data," and the attributes of the photographic data generated by photography based on viewpoint P4 will be referred to as "authenticity determination photographic data." A single photographic data may have multiple attributes. For example, a single photographic data may have attributes of both "external photographic data" and "status determination photographic data."

[0081] In the image data acquisition process, the user is guided through the shooting procedure as appropriate, so that the item is photographed using the item shooting method corresponding to the deepest classification. The user then takes the photograph according to the guidance, and the generated image data is acquired by the assessment unit 20. Below, an example of the operation of the assessment unit 20 and the terminal-side control unit 31 in the image data acquisition process will be described, assuming that the deepest classification is "Notebook computer (item classification) > Windows (item classification) > Manufacturer MK1 (item classification)". It is assumed that when the deepest classification is "Notebook computer (item classification) > Windows (item classification) > Manufacturer MK1 (item classification)", the item shooting method should generate external image data, condition determination image data, and system information image data.

[0082] First, the assessment unit 20 refers to the item photography method database 27 stored in the storage unit 13A and obtains item photography method-related data corresponding to the deepest classification of the target. The item photography method database 27 is a database in which item photography method-related data is registered for each deepest classification. The item photography method-related data includes drawing data (HTML files, data for generating HTML files, etc.) for various screens that the assessment unit 20 displays on the terminal-side control unit 31 during the photography data acquisition process. The processing of the assessment unit 20 in the photography data acquisition process described below is executed based on the item photography method-related data corresponding to the deepest classification of the target.

[0083] The assessment unit 20 causes the terminal-side control unit 31 to display screen G10A as shown in Figure 10(A). Screen G10A in Figure 10(A) displays an illustration of a closed laptop being photographed, along with text instructing the user to photograph the top surface of the laptop while it is closed. The screen in Figure 10(A) also displays a button B10A to instruct the user to start taking a picture, and the user operates button B10A when ready to take a picture. In response to the operation of button B10A, the terminal-side control unit 31 uses the API provided by the OS to enable the camera function of the user terminal 2A and, in cooperation with the assessment unit 20, displays screen G10B as shown in Figure 10(B) on the touch panel 19A. Screen G10B in Figure 10(B) displays a frame overlaid on the image captured by the user terminal 2A's camera, along with text instructing the user to take a picture with the top surface of the laptop (the target item) within the frame. The target user performs a photo shoot while screen G10B in Figure 10(B) is displayed, and photo data is generated accordingly. The attributes of the photo data generated here are "exterior photo data" and "status determination photo data".

[0084] When the screen shown in Figure 10(B) is displayed and shooting is performed, the terminal-side control unit 31 works in cooperation with the assessment unit 20 to display the screen G10C shown in Figure 10(C) on the touch panel 19A. The screen G10C in Figure 10(C) displays an illustration of taking a picture of an open laptop computer, along with text instructing the user to open the laptop computer and start it up before taking the picture. The screen in Figure 10(C) also displays a button B10C to instruct the user to start shooting, and the user operates button B10C when they are ready to shoot. In response to the operation of button B10C, the terminal-side control unit 31 enables the camera function of the user terminal 2A and, in cooperation with the assessment unit 20, displays a screen as shown in Figure 10(B) with a frame line and shooting precautions on the captured image. The user performs shooting when this screen is displayed, and shooting data is generated accordingly. The attributes of the generated shooting data are "exterior shooting data" and "status determination shooting data".

[0085] When the target user initiates a photo shoot, the terminal-side control unit 31, in cooperation with the assessment unit 20, displays the screen G10D shown in Figure 10(D) on the touch panel 19A. The screen G10D in Figure 10(D) displays the procedure for displaying system information on the laptop's display (however, the content is simplified in Figure 10(D)). The screen G10D in Figure 10(D) also displays a button B10D to instruct the user to start the photo shoot. The target user follows the procedure displayed on the screen G10D in Figure 10(D) to ensure that system information is displayed on the laptop's display, and then touches button B10D when ready to shoot. In response to the touch of button B10D, the terminal-side control unit 31 activates the camera function of the user terminal 2A and, in cooperation with the assessment unit 20, displays a screen as shown in Figure 10(B) with a frame and shooting precautions on the captured image. The target user then takes a photo while this screen is displayed, and the photo shoot data is generated accordingly. The attribute of the generated photo shoot data is "system information photo shoot data".

[0086] When the target user performs a photograph, the assessment unit 20 displays the confirmation screen G11 shown in Figure 11 on the touch panel 19A via the terminal-side control unit 31. As shown in Figure 11, the confirmation screen G11 displays three photographic images based on the three photographic data generated by the photograph (see area AR111). The target user can retake any photographic data. The confirmation screen G11 also displays points to note when proceeding with the contract application (see area AR112). These points include information that the photographed item belongs to the target user and that the condition of the item is appropriate. The confirmation screen G11 also displays a send instruction button B11 for instructing the transmission of the photographic data. In response to the operation of the send instruction button B11, a notification containing the three photographic data is sent from the terminal-side control unit 31 to the assessment unit 20. The assessment unit 20 receives the notification, acquires the three photographic data, and stores these photographic data as a group of photographic data in the record of the target application in the application management database 26. In other words, the image data set is information that includes one or more image data points generated based on the user's shooting.

[0087] The above describes an example of the operation of the assessment unit 20 and the terminal-side control unit 31 in the shooting data acquisition process when the deepest classification of the target is "notebook computer (item classification) > Windows (item classification) > Manufacturer MK1 (item classification)". In the shooting data acquisition process, the target user is appropriately guided according to the deepest classification of the target so that shooting data corresponding to the deepest classification of the target is generated. That is, the assessment unit 20 displays a screen on the user terminal 2A that shows the shooting method according to the deepest classification of the target item (classification of the target item). For example, suppose the deepest classification is "bag (item classification) > brand B3 (item classification)". And suppose that four methods are defined for photographing the item of this deepest classification: a first method of photographing the entire area of ​​one side of the bag, a second method of photographing the entire area of ​​the other side of the bag, a third method of photographing the inside with the bag open, and a fourth method of enlarging and photographing the logo attached to a predetermined position on one side of the bag. The first to third methods are based on viewpoints P1 and P2, and the fourth method is based on viewpoint P4. In this case, during the image acquisition process, the assessment unit 20 and the terminal-side control unit 31 display a screen on the user terminal 2A showing the shooting method according to the classification of the object, so that shooting is performed using each of the first to fourth methods, and appropriately guide the target user.

[0088] The above describes the image data acquisition process performed by the assessment unit 20 and the terminal-side control unit 31. As a result of the above image data acquisition process, one or more image data points are added to the image data group of the target application record in the application management database 26. After the image data acquisition process is completed, the assessment unit 20 performs the assessment process (step SB10). Figure 12 is a flowchart showing the details of the assessment process.

[0089] As shown in Figure 12, the appraisal unit 20 performs item identifier identification processing (step SC1). Here, the market price information DB device 4A has a database in which item identifiers and market prices for purchase are registered in association with each type of item. In this embodiment, the market price for a particular item refers to the general market price at which that item is purchased in the used goods market. The term "purchase price" is used to distinguish it from the "acceptance price" derived by the appraisal unit 20. In other words, the item identifier is the smallest unit of identification information for which market prices for purchase are managed in the market price information DB device 4A. For example, for a bag, the model number corresponds to the item identifier, and for a laptop computer and other electrical appliances, the model number (sometimes expressed as model or type) corresponds to the item identifier (this is just an example, and other information may be used as the item identifier for bags and laptop computers as well). In this embodiment, in the item identifier identification processing, the appraisal unit 20 identifies the item identifier of the target item by image processing targeting one or more photographic data included in the group of photographic data.

[0090] The following describes an example of the item identifier identification process performed by the assessment unit 20, assuming the target item is a bag and the bag's model number corresponds to the item identifier. First, the assessment unit 20 recognizes that the item is a bag and the bag's brand based on the deepest classification information (information indicating the deepest classification of the target item) of the target application record in the application management database 26 (the deepest classification for bags shall include at least the item classification related to the brand). Here, the storage unit 13A stores a database in which template data for each model number is registered for each bag brand. The assessment unit 20 targets the appearance photographic data included in the photographic data group and identifies the model number by performing template matching using each of the template data corresponding to the brand of the target item.

[0091] Template matching is performed appropriately based on existing techniques (for example, template matching using template data that retains pixel values, chamfer matching, or active search using histogram information) after preprocessing has been applied to the exterior image data, including noise removal and size / angle correction (however, size / angle correction may also be performed on the template data). However, the method of identifying the model number using the exterior image data is not limited to the example method. For example, it may be a method that uses feature matching, or a combination of template matching and feature matching. Alternatively, it may be performed using a model that takes exterior image data as one of its inputs and outputs the corresponding model number (or the probability of each model number being applicable). In this case, the model may be a model that has been trained using a predetermined machine learning method (for example, deep learning).

[0092] Next, we will explain an example of the item identifier identification process by the assessment unit 20, assuming that the target item is a laptop computer and the laptop's model number corresponds to the item identifier. The assessment unit 20 recognizes that the item is a laptop computer based on the deepest classification information (information indicating the deepest classification of the target item) of the target application record in the application management database 26. Then, the assessment unit 20 performs optical character recognition (image processing) on ​​the system information image data included in the image data group to identify the part of the string that indicates the model number and to identify the model number. This process corresponds to image processing analysis of the image data. For example, the assessment unit 20, taking into account that in system information, combinations of items and item values ​​are basically arranged side by side, first identifies the string used as the item for the model number (for example, system model, model, type, etc.), and then identifies the item value associated with the identified string as the model number.

[0093] After identifying the item identifier through the item identifier identification process, the assessment unit 20 determines whether or not the image data group contains image data for authenticity determination (step SC2). Whether or not the image data group contains image data for authenticity determination depends on the deepest classification. If the image data group does not contain image data for authenticity determination (step SC2: NO), the assessment unit 20 proceeds to step SC6. On the other hand, if the image data group contains image data for authenticity determination (step SC2: YES), the assessment unit 20 executes the authenticity determination process (step SC3).

[0094] The authenticity determination process is a process that determines whether or not a target item is genuine (authentic) through image processing. The authenticity determination process corresponds to the analysis of one or more photographic data by image processing. In the authenticity determination process of step SC3, the appraisal unit 20 determines whether or not the target item is genuine through image processing based on the authenticity determination photographic data. Hereinafter, let's assume that the target item is a bag, and the authenticity determination photographic data is photographic data generated by photographing a logo attached to a predetermined position on the bag. In this case, the appraisal unit 20 analyzes the authenticity determination photographic data from the perspective of whether or not the logo recorded as an image in the authenticity determination photographic data is genuine as the logo of a bag with the model number (= model number of the target item) identified in step SC1, and determines whether or not the target item is genuine. The analysis of the authenticity determination photographic data is performed from various perspectives. For example, the analysis of the authenticity determination photographic data is performed by determining the validity of the shape of the logo, the validity of the color of the logo, and the validity of the position of the logo.

[0095] The validity of the logo's position refers to whether the location where the logo is placed matches that of the genuine item. When the validity of the logo's position is to be determined, the user is guided during the photography process to ensure that the item is photographed in a way that allows for the determination of the logo's relative position and size to the entire item. The validity of the logo's shape and position can be determined, for example, by pattern matching using template data corresponding to genuine logos prepared in advance, or by feature matching. The validity of the logo's color can be determined, for example, by analyzing a histogram of color components or by analyzing the distribution of each color component in the image. In the actual process of determining whether an item is genuine or not based on the analysis of the photographic data used for authenticity determination, a model is prepared that takes the photographic data used for authenticity determination as one of its inputs and outputs information indicating whether it is genuine or not (or information indicating the possibility of it being genuine), and this model is used for execution. In this case, the model can be a model that has been trained using a predetermined machine learning method (e.g., deep learning).

[0096] The above describes the authenticity determination process when the item is a bag and the photographic data for authenticity determination includes an image of the logo attached to a predetermined location on the bag. In the authenticity determination process, the photographic data for authenticity determination is analyzed by image processing using an appropriate method depending on the item and the object to be authenticated, and it is determined whether or not it is genuine.

[0097] After the authenticity determination process is executed, the appraisal unit 20 determines whether or not the item was determined to be genuine in the authenticity determination process (step SC4). If it is determined that the item is not genuine (step SC4: NO), the appraisal unit 20 communicates with the terminal-side control unit 31 and displays a message indicating that the item cannot be accepted on the touch panel 19A of the user terminal 2A (step SC5). In other words, if the appraisal unit 20 determines that the item is not genuine as a result of the authenticity determination, it does not derive a purchase price and executes the corresponding process. On the other hand, if it is determined to be genuine (step SC4: YES), the appraisal unit 20 sends an inquiry notification including the item identifier to the market price information DB device 4A (step SC6).

[0098] An inquiry notification is a notification to inquire about the market price for the item indicated by the item identifier. It should be noted that the information transmitted from the assessment unit 20 to the market price information DB device 4A in connection with the inquiry notification is not limited to the item identifier. For example, if the transmission of a group of captured image data (or one or more captured images included in the group of captured image data) is requested, the group of captured image data will also be transmitted. Furthermore, if the transmission of predetermined information obtained by optical character recognition targeting system information captured data (e.g., information about the processor or information about the storage device) is requested, that predetermined information will also be transmitted.

[0099] The market price information DB device 4A, upon receiving an inquiry notification, refers to the corresponding database and recognizes the market price for the item indicated by the item identifier included in the inquiry notification. The market price information DB device 4A then transmits the recognized market price for the item to the appraisal unit 20. The appraisal unit 20 receives the market price for the item transmitted by the market price information DB device 4A (step SC7). The appraisal unit 20 then performs a condition determination process (step SC8). The condition determination process is described in detail below. In the condition determination process, the appraisal unit 20 acquires photographic data for condition determination from the group of photographic data. The appraisal unit 20 then performs an appearance inspection process using image processing on the acquired photographic data for condition determination and detects the item condition level (the "degree of deterioration" in the claims).

[0100] The item condition level is a level that indicates how close an item is to new condition (how little deterioration it has) by considering the condition of deterioration-related elements such as scratches, dirt, dents, wear, and missing parts. There are five values ​​for the item condition level, ranging from level L5, which indicates the closest to new condition (least deterioration), to level L1, which indicates the furthest from new condition (most deterioration). The assessment unit 20 uses an existing image processing algorithm related to the visual inspection process to derive the item condition level, reflecting the condition of deterioration-related elements such as scratches, dirt, dents, wear, and missing parts. The data necessary for executing the condition determination process is prepared in advance. The data necessary for executing the condition determination process is, for example, template data for each model number when pattern matching is performed using template data corresponding to the item's model number. Alternatively, at least a part of the condition determination process may be configured to be performed using a machine learning model. Note that the condition determination process corresponds to image processing analysis of one or more captured data.

[0101] After executing the condition determination process, the appraisal unit 20 derives the purchase price (step SC9) by multiplying the market price received from the market price information DB device 4A in step SC7 by a coefficient corresponding to the condition level of the item. The coefficient corresponding to the condition level of the item is adjusted so that it is larger the higher the condition level of the item (the less deteriorated the item is and the closer it is to new) and smaller the lower the condition level of the item (the more deteriorated the item is and the further it is from new). By deriving the purchase price by multiplying the market price of the purchase price by the coefficient corresponding to the condition level of the item, the purchase price can be made to be a value close to the actual value of the item, taking into account the condition of the item.

[0102] The method for deriving the purchase price based on the condition level of the item is not limited to the method exemplified in this embodiment. Furthermore, the indicator showing the degree of deterioration of the item is not limited to the item condition level (five levels); for example, it could be a score.

[0103] <Modified Operation of Each Device in the Service Application Scene> Next, modified operation of each device in the service application scene will be described. In this embodiment, the purchase price was derived by the information processing of the assessment unit 20 based on the group of photographed data and other information. That is, the assessment unit 20 derived and obtained the purchase price itself. In this regard, it is also possible that a person in charge at the service provider company or another person performs an assessment based on the information acquired by the assessment unit 20 via the network (in this embodiment, the group of photographed data and the deepest classification information) to derive the purchase price, input it to the information processing device 1A via the data input unit (this may be done by other means), and the assessment unit 20 obtains it. This configuration corresponds to the configuration of "an assessment unit that acquires information about an object owned by a user via a network and acquires the purchase price when purchasing the object based on the acquired information about the object."

[0104] Furthermore, the information that the appraisal unit 20 acquires via the network N as information about the object owned by the user is not limited to photographic data; for example, it may be text data in which the information necessary for appraising the object is recorded as a string. In other words, the "information about the object owned by the user" acquired by the appraisal unit 20 via the network N only needs to be the information necessary for the calculation / information processing when the appraisal unit 20 derives the purchase price through calculation / information processing, and only needs to be the information necessary for the person who derives the purchase price.

[0105] In this embodiment, the assessment unit 20 analyzes the photographic data to identify the item identifier, but it is also possible to have the user input the item identifier. However, in many cases the user does not know the item identifier, and the task of looking up the item identifier and inputting it accurately can be difficult, so this embodiment has an advantage in that it places less burden on the user.

[0106] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the assessment unit 20 analyzes the photographic data to determine the item condition level, but it is also possible to have the user input the item condition level. However, if the user inputs the item condition level, the condition of the item will be judged subjectively by the user, which may lead to individual differences in evaluation (even if the items are in exactly the same condition, different users may assign different item condition levels to them), and in this respect, this embodiment has an advantage.

[0107] In this embodiment, the deepest classification was specified by the user. In this regard, the following configuration may also be used. That is, the assessment unit 20 guides the user to photograph the entire item (or a distinctive part) and acquires the photographic data thus taken. Next, the assessment unit 20 analyzes the acquired photographic data and identifies the deepest classification of the item. After that, the assessment unit 20 guides the user to take photographs according to the item photography method corresponding to the deepest classification. The above configuration is also acceptable.

[0108] In this embodiment, the appraisal unit 20 transmits the item identifier of the target item to the market price information DB device 4A, obtains the market price for the purchase price of the target item from the market price information DB device 4A, corrects this based on the item condition level, and derives the purchase price. In this regard, the following configuration may also be used. That is, the appraisal unit 20 transmits the item condition level along with the item identifier to the market price information DB device 4A. The market price information DB device 4A takes the item condition level into consideration to identify the market price for the purchase price corresponding to the item identifier and transmits this to the appraisal unit 20. The appraisal unit 20 obtains the received market price for the purchase price (derived in the market price information DB device 4A with the item condition level reflected) as the purchase price.

[0109] Furthermore, for items from which system information image data can be obtained, the assessment unit 20 may derive the purchase price by reflecting the information obtained by optical character recognition (image processing) of the data. For example, if there are components of a device such as a processor or memory device that can be evaluated as increasing (or decreasing) the value of the item, the purchase price may be adjusted to reflect those points.

[0110] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the authenticity of the target item was determined by an authenticity determination process performed by the appraisal unit (analysis of one or more photographic data points using image processing). In this regard, the configuration may be such that a human (for example, a representative of the service provider company) makes the final authenticity determination based on the results of the authenticity determination process (analysis results) of the appraisal unit. In this configuration, the appraisal unit may output information indicating the possibility of the item being genuine (or counterfeit) as a result of the image processing analysis. This configuration can improve the accuracy of authenticity determination and further reduce the human burden related to authenticity determination.

[0111] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the state determination of the target item was performed by the assessment unit's state determination process (analysis by image processing of one or more captured data). In this regard, the final state determination may be made by a human based on the results of the assessment unit's state determination process (analysis results). This configuration can improve the accuracy of state determination and further reduce the human burden related to state determination. Note that the order of processing in the service application scene is not limited to the order exemplified in this embodiment. This is also true for other scenes.

[0112] <Contract Scene> Next, the operation of each device in the information processing system 100A during the contract scene will be explained. The contract scene is the scene from when the purchase price is derived until a lease agreement is concluded between the target user and the service provider based on this purchase price. Figure 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of the user terminal 2A and the information processing device 1A during the contract scene, where (A) shows the operation of the user terminal 2A and (B) shows the operation of the information processing device 1A.

[0113] As shown in Figure 13(B), the contract unit 21 of the information processing device 1A issues a unique contract ID for each contract and generates one record in the contract management database 28 (step SE1). Figure 6(C) shows the contents of one record in the contract management database 28. Hereinafter, a contract concluded between the target user and the service provider will be referred to as the "target contract". As shown in Figure 6(C), one record in the contract management database 28 includes a contract ID, application ID, user ID, payment schedule information, remaining price information, extended payment schedule information, extended remaining price information, contract location information, contract completed flag, payment status management data, contract termination flag, returned item evaluation value, and violation flag. The contents of each piece of information will be described later. At this stage, the payment schedule information, remaining price information, extended payment schedule information, extended remaining price information, contract location information, and returned item evaluation value are null values. Also, at this stage, the contract completed flag, contract termination flag, and violation flag are turned off.

[0114] Next, the contract unit 21 sends a warranty acceptance inquiry notice to the warranty underwriter server device 3, which includes information indicating the purchase price obtained by the assessment unit 20, information about the target user, a group of photographic data, and the item identifier of the target item (step SE2). The types and content of information to be included in the warranty acceptance inquiry notice should be determined based on the agreement with the warranty underwriter and are not limited to those exemplified in this embodiment. For example, if the warranty underwriter does not require the item identifier of the target item, that information will not be included in the warranty acceptance inquiry notice. In addition, information about the user is considered to be information necessary for the warranty underwriter to recognize the user, and as an example, it may be the record of the target user in the user information database 25 (or information in part of the record).

[0115] Upon receiving the guarantee acceptance inquiry notification, the guarantee underwriter server device 3 determines whether or not the guarantee company can accept the guarantee. This determination may include human intervention. The guarantee underwriter server device 3 transmits information indicating the determination result to the contract unit 21. The contract unit 21 receives this information and determines, based on this information, whether or not the guarantee company has determined that it can accept the guarantee (step SE3). If the guarantee company has not determined that it can accept the guarantee (step SE3: NO), the contract unit 21 communicates with the terminal-side control unit 31 and displays a message indicating that acceptance is not possible on the touch panel 19A of the user terminal 2A (step SE4). If the guarantee company has determined that it can accept the guarantee (step SE3: YES), the contract unit 21 executes the lease contract condition setting process (step SE5). The lease contract condition setting process will be described in detail below.

[0116] In the lease contract terms setting process, one or more payment dates for which lease fees should be paid, and the lease fees to be paid on each payment date are set. Hereafter, the lease fees paid on each payment date will be specifically referred to as "lease payments." Furthermore, the combination of each payment date and each lease payment to be paid on each payment date, assuming the lease contract is not extended, will be called the "payment schedule." For example, a payment schedule might be: usage fee: 5,000 yen on January 1, 2020; usage fee: 5,000 yen on February 1, 2020; usage fee: 5,000 yen on March 1, 2020.

[0117] In this embodiment, a model is prepared in advance that takes at least the lease fee (hereinafter referred to as "total lease fee"), which is the purchase price multiplied by a predetermined lease rate, the model number, and the item condition level as inputs, and outputs a payment schedule. This model is designed to set the scheduling and payment lease fees and output the payment schedule, reflecting the total lease fee, model number, and item condition level. The contract unit 21 sets the payment schedule by inputting the total lease fee, model number, and item condition level into the model and obtaining the output of the model. In addition, the lease contract condition setting process sets the residual price of the item when the payment schedule is completed. The contract unit 21 sets the residual price using a model that takes at least the model number, item condition level, and payment schedule as inputs and outputs the residual price. This model is designed to set an appropriate residual price that takes into account the model number, item condition level, and payment schedule.

[0118] In the lease contract conditions setting process, the payment dates and the lease payments to be paid on each payment date are set, assuming the lease contract is extended after all lease payments have been made according to the payment schedule. Hereinafter, the combination of each payment date after the lease contract has been extended and each amount of lease payments to be paid on each payment date is referred to as the "post-extension payment schedule." The contract unit 21 sets the post-extension payment schedule using a model that outputs the post-extension payment schedule reflecting the total lease payments, model number, and item condition level, similar to the payment schedule. In addition, the lease contract conditions setting process sets the residual value of the item when the post-extension payment schedule is completed (hereinafter referred to as the "post-extension residual value"). The contract unit 21 sets the residual value using a model that takes the model number, item condition level, payment schedule, and post-extension payment schedule as inputs and outputs the post-extension residual value.

[0119] The contract unit 21 updates the values ​​of the payment schedule information, residual price information, extended payment schedule information, and extended residual price information of the record of the target contract in the contract management database 28 based on the results of the lease contract condition setting process. In this embodiment, the payment schedule, extended payment schedule, residual price, and extended residual price are set using a model, but these information may be set by other methods. For example, the information may be set and entered manually by a person in charge at the service provider company, or the information may be set by information processing such as using a model, and then the content may be manually adjusted.

[0120] After executing the lease contract condition setting process, the contract unit 21 notifies the user terminal 2A via push notification that the assessment is complete and that it is possible to conclude a lease contract (step SE6). As is well known, push notifications are sent to the target device regardless of whether the application (in this example, a dedicated app) is running or not, and depending on the user's settings, the message may be displayed on the lock screen or a badge may be displayed on the icon. Permission for push notifications is obtained from the target user in advance, and the necessary information for push notifications (such as device identification information (device token) issued by the push notification system) is obtained in advance.

[0121] As shown in Figure 13(A), the terminal-side control unit 31 of the user terminal 2A displays a message in response to a push notification (step SD1). The target user, upon seeing the message, recognizes that the assessment is complete and that it is possible to conclude a lease agreement. After launching the dedicated application, they perform a predetermined operation to instruct the display of the confirmation screen G14 (Figure 14). In response to this instruction, the terminal-side control unit 31 works in cooperation with the contract unit 21 to display the confirmation screen G14 on the touch panel 19A (step SD2). In the following description, the process in which a function block of the information processing device 1A notifies the user terminal 2A of a message via push notification, the target user instructs the launch of the dedicated application and the display of a predetermined screen based on the message, and the terminal-side control unit 31 and the function block work together to display the predetermined screen on the touch panel 19A in response to this instruction will simply be described as "the function block sends a push notification, and the terminal-side control unit 31 works with the function block to display a predetermined screen." In this embodiment, the notification is made via push notification, but it may also be made by other means such as email.

[0122] Figure 14 shows the confirmation screen G14. As shown in Figure 14, the purchase price is displayed on the confirmation screen G14 (see area AR141). The usage period is also displayed on the confirmation screen G14 (see area AR142). The usage period refers to the period from today until the lease payments are completed (i.e., until the final payment date). The payment schedule is also displayed on the confirmation screen G14 (see area AR143). Furthermore, the confirmation screen G14 displays information indicating the following three actions that the user can take after paying the lease fees according to the payment schedule and after the usage period has elapsed (see area AR144).

[0123] The first action is to buy back the item by paying its residual value, and the information indicating this action will display the residual value. Hereafter, the first action will be referred to as the "item buyback action". The second action is to extend the lease agreement. If you take the second action, you will pay the lease payments according to the extended payment schedule, and accordingly, the extended payment schedule will be displayed on confirmation screen G14 (see area AR145). In the area where the extended payment schedule is displayed, two possible actions that can be taken after the extended payment schedule is completed will be displayed (see area AR146). Hereafter, the second action will be referred to as the "lease extension action". The third action is to release the item. Hereafter, the third action will be referred to as the "item release action".

[0124] Each of the three pieces of information indicating an action is associated with a checkbox, and the user can select which action to take by checking the corresponding checkbox. However, the action to be taken after the payment schedule is completed can be selected not at this time, but after the lease agreement is concluded, and can also be changed retrospectively. The information regarding the usage period, payment date, and the information that can be taken when the payment schedule is completed, as displayed on confirmation screen G14, corresponds to the "terms and conditions of the lease agreement" in the claims. In other words, the contract unit 21 notifies the user of contract-related information, including the purchase price obtained by the assessment unit 20, the lease fee when leasing the purchased item to the user, and the terms and conditions of the lease agreement, via the network N.

[0125] As shown in Figure 14, the confirmation screen G14 displays a button B14 for instructing the user to apply for a lease agreement. A note is also displayed corresponding to button B14, stating that the lease agreement application (i.e., operation of button B14) should be performed at the location where the item was photographed (see area AR147). If the user agrees with the information displayed on the confirmation screen G11, they touch button B14. Of course, the user can choose not to apply for a lease agreement. When button B14 is operated, the terminal-side control unit 31 uses the user terminal 2A's location detection function to acquire information indicating the current location of the user terminal 2A (i.e., the user's current location) (hereinafter referred to as "contract location information") and transmits it to the contract unit 21 (step SD3). The contract unit 21 receives the contract location information and updates the value of the contract location information in the record of the target contract in the contract management database 28 (step SE7).

[0126] Next, the contract unit 21 obtains the shooting location information of the record of the target application in the application management database (step SE8). Then, the contract unit 21 determines whether the location indicated by the shooting location information (shooting location) and the location indicated by the contract location information (contract location) are identical (step SE9). For the location indicated by the shooting location information and the location indicated by the contract location information to be identical means that the location indicated by the shooting location information and the location indicated by the contract location information are close enough to be considered to be located in the same space. For example, identity is determined when the distance between the location indicated by the shooting location information and the location indicated by the contract location information falls below a threshold.

[0127] If the two parties are identical (Step SE9: YES), the contract unit 21 and the terminal-side control unit 31 work together to execute the contract acceptance process (Step SD4, SE10). More specifically, the contract unit 21 controls the terminal-side control unit 31 to display a screen on the touch panel 19A showing the terms of service and a button to be touched if the user agrees to the terms of service. The user checks the contents of the service agreement displayed on the screen and touches the button if they agree to the contents. When the button is touched, the terminal-side control unit 31 notifies the contract unit 21 of this. The contract unit 21 turns on the contracted flag in the contract management database 28. The process of turning on the contracted flag corresponds to the process of accepting the lease agreement. As a result, a purchase agreement and a lease agreement are concluded between the user and the service provider, and the user's application for the lease agreement is completed.

[0128] On the other hand, if there is no identity (Step SE9: NO), the contract unit 21 does not accept the lease agreement and the contract for the purchase of the item, and executes the corresponding process (Step SE11). For example, instead of the screen displaying the terms of use, the contract unit 21 displays the following screen on the terminal-side control unit 31. The screen displays information that because the location where the item was photographed is different from the current location, it is not possible to conclude a purchase agreement or a lease agreement at this time, and that the user should move to the location where the item was photographed and operate the system.

[0129] In this embodiment, if the location where the photograph of the target item was taken and the location where the contract-related work (specifically, the operation of button B14 on confirmation screen G11; hereinafter referred to as "contract-related work") was performed are not the same, the contract unit 21 will not accept the lease agreement (i.e., the target user cannot enter into a purchase agreement or a lease agreement). This is for the following reasons: The target item must be owned by the target user, and when using this service, it is assumed that both the photograph of the target item and the contract-related work will be performed at home or in a private space where personal belongings can be placed (hereinafter referred to as "home, etc."), and the user will be informed that this should be done. If both the photograph of the target item and the contract-related work are performed at home, etc., the location where the photograph of the target item was taken and the location where the contract-related work was performed will be the same.

[0130] Based on this, if the locations are identical, the contract department 21 will assume that both the photography of the target item and the contract-related work were carried out at the user's home, etc., and will accept the purchase contract and lease contract. On the other hand, if the locations are not identical, the contract department 21 will not accept the purchase contract and lease contract, assuming that, for example, the user may have photographed an item that is not their property and is located somewhere other than their home, etc., and that the contract-related work may have been carried out at a location other than that. This configuration contributes to ensuring that each contract is concluded only when the photographed target item is owned by the user, given the unique circumstances of this service in which the user does not need to hand over the target item to the appraiser in person, but only needs to transmit the photographic data based on the photographic results via the network N. This can be considered a unique innovation that takes into account the unique circumstances of this service.

[0131] In this embodiment, the decision to conclude each contract is made based on whether the location where the target item was photographed is the same as the location where the contract-related work was performed. However, the following configuration may also be used. Specifically, the contract unit 21 acquires the location where the photograph was taken, as well as the location indicated by the address pre-registered as the user's home, etc. (a location pre-registered as a location related to the user). If the locations are not the same, the contract is not accepted. With this configuration, each contract is accepted only if the photograph of the target item was taken at the user's home, etc., which reduces the possibility that items not owned by the user may be handled by this service. In this configuration, the user is notified that the photograph should be taken at the address pre-registered.

[0132] Alternatively, the following configuration may be used. Specifically, the contract unit 21 obtains the location where the photograph was taken, the location indicated by the address pre-registered as the user's home, etc. (a location pre-registered as a location related to the user), and, if the user applies for a contract after notification of contract-related information, the user's location at that time. If the location where the photograph was taken and the pre-registered location are not identical, or if the user's location at the time of application is not identical to the pre-registered location, the contract will not be accepted. With this configuration, each contract will only be accepted if both the photographing of the target item and the contract-related work are performed at the user's home, etc., thereby reducing the possibility of items not owned by the user being handled by this service. In this configuration, the user will be notified that the photograph should be taken at the pre-registered address when taking photographs and performing contract-related work.

[0133] <Contract Management Scene> Next, the contract management scene will be explained. The contract management scene is the scene from the conclusion of the contract and lease agreement for the purchase of the target item until the lease agreement is terminated. The contract management unit 22 pays the purchase price to the target user. The method of paying the purchase price to the target user is selected by the target user when they register as a member and is registered as purchase price payment method information in the target user's record in the user information database 25. When registering as a member, the control unit 12A of the information processing device 1A displays a predetermined screen on the terminal-side control unit 31 of the user terminal 2A, proposing various methods that can be selected as payment methods for the purchase price, and the target user selects one of them. The contract management unit 22 refers to the purchase price payment method information in the target user's record in the user information database 25 and, if necessary, cooperates with other systems to complete the payment of the purchase price to the target user.

[0134] One example of a payment method for the purchase price is for the service provider to transfer the purchase price to the target user via a money transfer service, and for the target user to receive the purchase price in cash or electronic money using an ATM. In this case, the necessary contract is concluded between the company providing the money transfer service and the service provider, and the contract management unit 22 is established in a state where it can execute a transfer using the money transfer service. In this case, the contract management unit 22 performs the necessary procedures with the system related to the money transfer service to transfer the purchase price and obtains from the system the information necessary for the target user to receive the purchase price using an ATM (such as a partner code to be entered into the ATM, customer number, confirmation number, etc.; hereinafter referred to as "input information").

[0135] The contract management department 22 notifies the target user of the input information via a notification using a designated screen provided by a dedicated app (in this case, push notifications may be used to prompt the user to launch the dedicated screen and display the designated screen), email, or other means. The target user enters the input information at a designated ATM and receives the purchase amount in cash or electronic money. Other payment methods include allocating the purchase amount to a digital wallet, allocating points equivalent to the purchase amount to an existing point system, bank transfer, and provision of a prepaid card.

[0136] When the target user has completed receiving the purchase amount, the contract management unit 22 detects this. The conditions for determining when the purchase amount has been received are defined for each payment method, and when the purchase amount has been received, the contract management unit 22 detects this in a predetermined manner corresponding to the payment method. For example, if the payment method is the use of the aforementioned fund transfer service, when the user receives the purchase amount using an ATM, the system related to the fund transfer service detects this and notifies the contract management unit 22. Based on this notification, the contract management unit 22 detects that the target user has completed receiving the purchase amount. Also, for example, if the payment method is the application of the purchase amount to a digital wallet, the application of points to a point system, or a transfer to an account, when the application or transfer is completed, the contract management unit 22 is notified, and based on this notification, the contract management unit 22 detects that the target user has completed receiving the purchase amount.

[0137] When the Contract Management Unit 22 detects that the target user has completed receiving the purchase price, it works in cooperation with the Terminal-Side Control Unit 31 to execute a concession confirmation process and notifies the target user of information regarding the concession. The concession confirmation process is described in detail below. In the concession confirmation process, the Contract Management Unit 22 sends a push notification, and the Terminal-Side Control Unit 31 works in cooperation with the Contract Management Unit 22 to display a concession confirmation screen. This concession confirmation screen indicates that, upon receiving the purchase price, the target user has indicated their intention to possess the target item on behalf of the service provider as an agent, and that the agent possession (indirect possession) has been transferred to the service provider. By referring to the contents of the concession confirmation screen, the target user confirms that they have indicated their intention to possess the target item on behalf of the service provider as an agent, and that the agent possession has been transferred to the service provider.

[0138] From this point forward, the target user will generally pay the lease fees according to the payment schedule. The lease fees will be paid using one method selected by the target user from several methods proposed to them at predetermined times (for example, when the user is registered, or immediately before or after the contract is concluded). Payment methods include, for example, credit card payments, payments using a deferred payment service, and bank transfers. The target user record in the user information database 25 contains lease fee payment method information, which includes the information necessary to receive the lease fees paid using the payment method selected by the target user.

[0139] The contract management unit 22 accepts lease payments and manages the payment status of users' lease payments based on the lease agreement. The contract management unit 22 manages the payment status of lease payments by target users using payment status management data from the contract management database 28. More specifically, each time a target user makes a lease payment, the contract management unit 22 detects this in cooperation with other payment-related systems and records information indicating the date and time the payment was received, as well as the amount, in the payment status management data in an appropriate manner.

[0140] Furthermore, the contract management unit 22 refers to the payment schedule information of the target contract records in the contract management database 28 and monitors whether payments are being made according to the payment schedule. To give a simplified example, in the night batch processing that takes place after the end of the day, the contract management unit 22 determines whether payments have been completed up to the previous day for each user's lease contracts for which the payment due date was the previous day.

[0141] Regarding payments by the target user, there are three possible scenarios: when payments are made according to the payment schedule (corresponding to "when payments are completed according to the specified conditions"; hereinafter referred to as "Case 1"), when the user requests termination of the lease agreement before the expiration of the usage period (corresponding to "when requested by the user"; hereinafter referred to as "Case 2"), and when payments are not made according to the payment schedule (corresponding to "when lease payments are not made according to the specified conditions"; hereinafter referred to as "Case 3"). Case 3 means that the lease payments were not made by any of the payment dates. The operation of the contract management unit 22 in each case will be explained below.

[0142] <Case 1> In Case 1, the contract management unit 22 detects when a payment is made on the final payment date. If the item buyback action is selected by the target user in Case 1, the contract management unit 22 provides the target user with the information necessary to pay the residual price, such as the residual price, payment deadline, and payment method for the residual price. Once the target user pays the residual price, ownership of the item is transferred to the target user, and the contract management unit 22 notifies the target user that ownership has been transferred. The contract management unit 22 also turns on the contract termination flag in the record of the target contract in the contract management database 28. The process of turning on the contract termination flag corresponds to the process of terminating the lease agreement. In this embodiment, the payment of lease fees and the payment of the residual price are treated as different procedures, but if the item buyback action is selected, the target user may pay the residual price in the same way as the lease fees after a predetermined interval following the payment of lease fees on the final payment date.

[0143] Furthermore, if the user has selected to extend the lease in the first case, the user will be required to pay the extended lease fee according to the extended payment schedule. The contract management unit 22 manages the payment status in the same manner as before the lease period was extended, based on the extended payment schedule information of the record of the target contract in the contract management database 28. It also handles the cases in the same manner as before the lease contract was extended, including when payments are completed according to the schedule, when payments are not made according to the schedule, and when a request for termination of the lease contract is made in the middle of the schedule.

[0144] Furthermore, in the first case, if the item release option is selected by the target user, the target user will need to return the items to the service provider. In this embodiment, a contract is made in advance with a company that provides collection services, and the items are collected from the target user using this collection service. The collection service involves a company representative going to the user's location on a date agreed upon with the user and collecting the items from the user. In this embodiment, when releasing the items, the user does not need to deliver the items to the service provider's location or bring the items to a place where they receive their packages, thus improving user convenience.

[0145] The contract management department 22 provides information about the target user to the system of the company providing the collection service and notifies the target user of the necessary information so that the collection of the target items can be carried out (arranges for the collection of the target items). Communication related to the collection may take place between the company providing the collection service and the target user.

[0146] Items collected using the collection service are brought to the service provider, where various verifications are performed by a representative of the company. These verifications focus on whether the items received from the user were the expected items and whether the condition of the items received from the user was as expected. For example, these verifications include checking whether the items were photographed, whether they were genuine, whether there were any discrepancies with the deepest classification set by the user, whether there were any malfunctions, whether there were any missing items, and whether there were any inconsistencies in the system information and photographic data. The representative determines a return item evaluation value for the items based on these verifications and inputs this value into the information processing device 1A by operating the data input unit 6. The contract management unit 22 updates the return item evaluation value in the record of the target contract in the contract management database 28 in accordance with the input of the return item evaluation value. The contract management unit 22 also turns on the contract termination flag in the record of the target contract in the contract management database 28 (terminating the contract).

[0147] It is possible that the returned items may differ from the items that were photographed, or may be deteriorated in an abnormal manner. In this case, the service provider will take appropriate action, such as contacting the user in question. The contract management unit 22 will also turn on the violation flag for the record of the relevant contract in the contract management database 28.

[0148] <Case 2> If the target user requests termination of the lease agreement during the lease period, the contract management department 22 will take steps to retrieve the target items from the target user in order to terminate the lease agreement (arrange for retrieval). The retrieval of the target items will be carried out using the collection service described above. After the retrieval of the target items, the contract management department 22 will update the returned item evaluation value in the record of the target contract in the contract management database 28 based on input from the person in charge who verified the returned items, and will turn on the violation flag as necessary, and further turn on the contract termination flag (terminate the contract).

[0149] <Case 3> If the lease payment is not made by the payment due date during the lease contract period, the contract management unit 22 turns on the violation flag for the record of the relevant contract in the contract management database 28. Furthermore, the contract management unit 22 obtains the user score for the record of the relevant user in the user information database 25 and determines whether the user score exceeds the threshold. This process is equivalent to considering whether it can be determined that the payment period can be extended based on the user's past usage history. If the user score falls below the threshold, the contract management unit 22 takes steps to retrieve the relevant item. After retrieving the relevant item, the contract management unit 22 updates the returned item evaluation value for the record of the relevant contract in the contract management database 28 based on input from the person in charge who verified the returned item, turns on the violation flag as necessary, and also turns on the contract termination flag (terminates the contract).

[0150] On the other hand, if the user score exceeds a threshold, the contract management unit 22 sends a push notification, and the terminal-side control unit 31 works with the contract management unit 22 to display an extension notification screen on the touch panel 19A. The extension notification screen displays information that the lease contract can be continued by making payments according to the newly set schedule. The extension notification screen is also configured to allow the user to select whether to continue the lease contract or return the item via touch operation.

[0151] If the user chooses to return the item, the contract management unit 22 performs the procedure to retrieve the item. After retrieving the item, the contract management unit 22 updates the returned item evaluation value in the contract record in the contract management database 28 based on input from the person who verified the returned item, turns on a violation flag if necessary, and also turns on a contract termination flag (terminates the contract). On the other hand, if the user chooses to continue the lease agreement, the contract management unit 22 adjusts the payment schedule and manages the payment status of the lease payments again based on the adjusted payment schedule. Regarding the adjustment of the payment schedule, the contract management unit 22 adjusts each payment date for which the lease payments have not been completed to move it back in time. As described above, in this embodiment, if the lease payments have not been made according to the predetermined conditions, and the contract management unit 22 determines from the user's past usage history that the payment period can be extended, it proposes an extension of the lease payment period to the user.

[0152] <Usage History Verification Scene> Next, we will explain the usage history verification scene. The usage history verification scene is the scene in which the user score is set by the usage history verification unit 23. Here, as explained in the contract management scene above, records of terminated lease contracts (records with the contract termination flag turned on) are accumulated in the contract management database 28. Below, we will explain the operation of the usage history verification unit 23 assuming that there are multiple terminated lease contracts for the target user, and that each record corresponding to each terminated lease contract is registered in the contract management database 28. Hereafter, overpayment of lease fees and the return of illegal items will be collectively referred to as "violations." If a violation occurs in a lease contract, the violation flag for the record of that lease contract in the contract management database 28 will be turned on.

[0153] The usage history verification unit 23 starts the following processing at a predetermined timing. The predetermined timing is, for example, the timing when a new record with the termination flag turned on appears for the target user. First, the usage history verification unit 23 identifies the records with the contract termination flag turned on among the records for the target user registered in the contract management database 28. In this example, multiple records are identified. Next, the usage history verification unit 23 recognizes the value of the violation flag and the returned item evaluation value for each identified record. Next, the usage history verification unit 23 derives a user score using a calculation method in which the value increases as the number of violations in past lease contracts decreases and the returned item evaluation value increases. The user score derived in this way is a score that takes a higher value as the probability of the target user committing a violation is assumed to be low, based on the target user's usage history of this service. It should be noted that the method for deriving the user score is a simplified one, and other factors may be taken into account when deriving it.

[0154] As explained in detail above, in this embodiment, the information processing device 1A acquires information about the target item owned by the target user, acquires the purchase price based on the acquired information about the target item, notifies the user of the acquired purchase price, the lease fee for leasing the purchased item to the user, and the terms and conditions of the lease agreement, accepts the lease agreement, pays the purchase price to the user and accepts the payment of the lease fee, and manages the user's lease fee payment status based on the lease agreement. With this configuration of the present invention, the user can procure funds equivalent to the purchase price by the easy means of transmitting information about the target item owned by the user (photographic data in this embodiment) via the network, without actually going to a store or interacting face-to-face with an appraiser. Furthermore, the provision of the purchase price to the user is based on a lease agreement that is concluded after the purchase price based on the information about the target item is acquired, and this purchase price, lease fee, and terms and conditions of the lease agreement are presented to the user via the network. The user can procure funds while maintaining the ability to use their possessions, on the condition that they pay the lease fee.

[0155] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above embodiment is merely an example of how the present invention can be implemented, and the technical scope of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited by it. In other words, the present invention can be implemented in various ways without departing from its gist or its main features.

[0156] For example, each of the embodiments described above focuses on the information processing / calculation processing performed by each device. Even if not specifically described, necessary processing (for example, notification of information that needs to be notified to the user as required by law or regulation) will naturally be performed based on the laws, ordinances, and other regulations of the country or region where the service is provided.

[0157] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the method of payment of the purchase price from the service provider to the user, and the method of payment of lease fees from the user to the service provider, may be determined on a case-by-case basis for each contract.

[0158] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the information processing device 1 itself was equipped with the storage unit 13. However, the storage unit 13 does not need to be equipped with the information processing device 1; it may be equipped with a device externally connected to the information processing device 1, or with another server that can communicate with the information processing device 1 via the network N. The same applies to the second embodiment. In addition, in the second embodiment, the configuration may be such that the guarantee company does not accept the guarantee or the user score is not used for judgment.

[0159] 1, 1A Information Processing Device 2, 2A User Terminal 3, 3A Guarantee Company Server Device 4, 4A Market Information DB Device 11 Communication Unit 12, 12A Control Unit 12-2, 20 Assessment Unit 12-3, 21 Contract Unit 12-5, 22 Contract Management Unit 13, 13A Storage Unit 13-1 User Information 13-2 Object Information 13-3 Lease Payment Receipt Status 13-4 Lease Usage History 13-5 Lease Item Return Evaluation 100, 100A Information Processing System N Communication Network

Claims

1. An information processing device comprising: an appraisal unit that acquires information about an object owned by a user via a network and acquires a purchase price when purchasing the object based on the acquired information about the object; a contract unit that notifies the user via the network of the purchase price acquired by the appraisal unit, the lease fee when leasing the object to be purchased to the user, and contract-related information including various conditions of the lease contract, and undertakes a lease contract; and a contract management unit that pays the purchase price to the user and accepts payment of the lease fee, and manages the payment status of the user's lease fee based on the lease contract.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the contract management unit notifies the user that the lease contract has been terminated and ownership of the object has been transferred to the user when payment has been completed according to predetermined conditions.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the contract management unit arranges for the collection of the object and terminates the lease contract if the lease fee is not paid according to the specified conditions or if the user requests it.

4. The information processing device according to claim 3, characterized in that the contract management unit, in specified cases, proposes to the user an extension of the lease fee payment period if the lease fee is not paid in accordance with specified conditions.

5. The information processing device according to claim 4, characterized in that the contract management unit proposes to the user that the lease fee payment period be extended if the lease fee has not been paid in accordance with the specified conditions and if it is determined that the payment period can be extended based on the user's past usage history.

6. An information processing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the appraisal unit acquires one or more pieces of photographic data generated by photographing the object as information about the object, and acquires the purchase price based on the one or more pieces of photographic data.

7. The information processing device according to claim 6, characterized in that when a user takes a photograph to generate the photographic data, the assessment unit obtains the classification of the object prior to the photographing, and displays a screen on the user's terminal indicating the photographing method according to the classification of the object.

8. The information processing device described in claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the appraisal unit performs image processing analysis on one or more of the photographed data, and derives and obtains the purchase price by reflecting the results of the analysis, or obtains the purchase price derived by reflecting the results of the analysis.

9. The information processing device described in claim 8, characterized in that the photographed data includes data generated by photographing an object to be determined for authenticity included in the object, and the appraisal unit performs authenticity determination through image processing using an image of the object to be determined for authenticity included in the photographed data, and if the object is not genuine, does not derive or prevents the purchase price from being derived, and performs corresponding processing.

10. The information processing device of claim 9, wherein the assessment unit, when a user takes a photograph to generate the photographic data, obtains a classification of the object prior to the photographing, and in the case of a classification that includes the object to be subjected to authenticity determination, displays a screen on the user's terminal indicating a photographing method for photographing the object to be subjected to authenticity determination.

11. An information processing device as described in any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the photographed data includes data generated by photographing areas of the object where deterioration may or is likely to appear, and the appraisal unit detects the degree of deterioration from the photographed data by image processing, and derives and obtains the purchase price reflecting the detected degree of deterioration, or obtains the purchase price derived reflecting the detected degree of deterioration.

12. The information processing device described in claim 11, characterized in that when a user takes a photograph to generate the photographic data, the assessment unit obtains the classification of the object prior to the photographing, and, depending on the classification of the object, displays a screen on the user's terminal indicating a photographing method that will capture areas of the object where deterioration may or is likely to appear.

13. An information processing device as described in any one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that, when the object is a device capable of displaying system information, the photographed data includes data generated by photographing the displayed system information, and the appraisal unit performs optical character recognition on the photographed data to obtain information, and either derives and obtains the purchase price using the obtained information, or obtains the purchase price derived using the obtained information.

14. The information processing device according to claim 13, characterized in that when a user takes a photograph to generate the photographic data, the assessment unit obtains the classification of the object prior to the photographing, and if the classification corresponds to a device capable of displaying system information, displays a screen on the user's terminal indicating a photographing method in which the displayed system information will be photographed.

15. An information processing device as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 14, characterized in that the contracting unit acquires the location at the time the photograph was taken, and, if the user applies for a contract after notification of the contract-related information, acquires the user's location at that time, and does not accept the contract if the respective locations are not identical.

16. An information processing device as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 14, characterized in that the contracting unit acquires the location at the time the photograph was taken as well as a location previously registered as a location associated with the user, and does not accept the contract if the respective locations are not identical.

17. The information processing device described in any one of claims 6 to 14, characterized in that the contract unit obtains the location when the photograph was taken, a location pre-registered as a location related to the user, and, if the user applies for a contract after being notified of the contract-related information, the user's location at the time, and does not accept the contract if the location when the photograph was taken and the pre-registered location do not match, or if the user's location at the time the application is made and the pre-registered location do not match.

18. An information processing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that when the user receives the purchase price, the contract management unit detects this and notifies the user of information regarding the change in occupancy.

19. An information processing system comprising a user terminal and an information processing device connected to the user terminal via a network, wherein the information processing device has: an appraisal unit that acquires information about an object owned by the user from the user terminal via the network and acquires a purchase price when purchasing the object based on the acquired information about the object; a contract unit that notifies the user terminal via the network of the purchase price acquired by the appraisal unit, the lease fee when leasing the object to be purchased to the user, and contract-related information including various conditions of the lease contract, and undertakes the lease contract; and a contract management unit that pays the purchase price to the user and accepts payment of the lease fee, and manages the payment status of the user's lease fee based on the lease contract.

20. An information processing method comprising the steps of: an appraisal unit of an information processing device acquiring information about an object owned by a user via a network, and acquiring a purchase price for purchasing the object based on the acquired information about the object; a contract unit of the information processing device notifying the user via the network of the purchase price acquired by the appraisal unit, the lease fee for leasing the object to be purchased to the user, and contract-related information including the terms and conditions of the lease contract, and accepting a lease contract; and a contract management unit of the information processing device paying the purchase price to the user and accepting payment of the lease fee, and managing the payment status of the user's lease fee based on the lease contract.

21. A program executed on a computer of an information processing device, which causes the computer to function as: an appraisal unit that acquires information about an object owned by a user via a network and acquires the purchase price when purchasing the object based on the acquired information about the object; a contract unit that notifies the user via the network of the purchase price acquired by the appraisal unit, the lease fee when leasing the object to be purchased to the user, and contract-related information including the terms and conditions of the lease contract, and undertakes the lease contract; and a contract management unit that pays the purchase price to the user and accepts payment of the lease fee, and manages the payment status of the user's lease fee based on the lease contract.