Customer guidance system, customer guidance method, and recording medium

Abstract

A customer guidance system according to the present disclosure comprises: an analysis means for analyzing a customer response to an advertisement displayed on a screen of a display device on the basis of a detection result related to an action of the customer in a store; an acquisition means for acquiring product information indicating a product related to the advertisement that has received the customer response, and display position information indicating the location of display of the product; an identification means for identifying a position of the customer; a determination means for determining a region at / to a predetermined distance from the customer as a position of projection by a projector on the basis of the position of the customer; and a control means for controlling the projector so as to project the product information onto the projection position in a manner that guides the customer to the display location on the basis of the display position information.

Description

Customer guidance system, customer guidance method, and recording medium

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a customer guidance system and the like.

[0002] In some cases, stores employ various methods to guide customers to product display locations. For example, in Patent Literature 1, content for guiding customers to the locations within the store where products are displayed is projected onto signage installed in the store.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-174222

[0004] Customers may purchase products influenced by advertisements they view in a store. However, even if the fixed signage of Patent Document 1 guides customers to the display location of a product related to an advertisement that made a favorable impression on them, the customers may not go to the display location of the product.

[0005] One of the objects of the present disclosure is to provide a customer guidance system or the like that increases the likelihood that customers in a store will head to a display location of an advertised product.

[0006] A customer guidance system in one aspect of the present disclosure includes an analysis means for analyzing a customer's response to an advertisement displayed on a display device screen based on detection results regarding the customer's behavior in a store; an acquisition means for acquiring product information indicating the product related to the advertisement to which the customer responded and display location information indicating the display location of the product; an identification means for identifying the customer's location; a determination means for determining an area a predetermined distance from the customer as a projection position by a projector based on the customer's location; and a control means for controlling the projector to project the product information at the projection position in a manner that guides the customer to the display location based on the display location information.

[0007] A customer guidance method in one aspect of the present disclosure analyzes customer responses to advertisements displayed on a display device screen based on detection results regarding customer behavior in a store, obtains product information indicating the products related to the advertisements to which the customer responded and display location information indicating the display locations of the products, identifies the customer's location, determines an area a predetermined distance from the customer as a projection location for a projector based on the customer's location, and controls the projector to project the product information at the projection location in a manner that guides the customer to the display location based on the display location information.

[0008] A program according to one aspect of the present disclosure causes a computer to execute a process of analyzing a customer's response to an advertisement displayed on a screen of a display device based on a detection result regarding the customer's behavior in a store, acquiring product information indicating a product related to the advertisement to which the customer responded and display position information indicating a display location of the product, identifying the customer's location, determining an area a predetermined distance from the customer as a projection position for a projector based on the customer's location, and controlling the projector to project the product information at the projection position in a manner to guide the customer to the display location based on the display position information. The program may be stored in a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium.

[0009] One example of the effect of the present disclosure is to increase the likelihood that customers in a store will head to the display area of ​​the product related to the advertisement.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a customer guidance system according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of devices and a storage unit connected to a customer guidance system according to an embodiment; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the installation of each device in a store; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the installation of a camera and a projector in a store; FIG. 5 is a table showing an example of data stored in an advertisement storage unit; FIG. 6 is a table showing an example of data stored in a customer information storage unit; FIG. 7 is a table showing an example of data stored in a product information storage unit; FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of a customer guidance system according to an embodiment; FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a computer;

[0011] The customer guidance system 100 according to the present disclosure can use a projector to guide customers to product display locations in a store that display an advertisement to which the customer responded. A case will be described below in which a customer's response to an advertisement is analyzed by detecting the customer's gaze toward the advertisement. However, the customer's response to an advertisement can also be analyzed by detecting other behaviors that indicate the customer is viewing the advertisement, such as the customer turning their head toward the advertisement or pointing at the advertisement.

[0012] The configuration of a customer guidance system 100 according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The customer guidance system 100 according to one embodiment includes an analysis unit 101, an acquisition unit 102, an identification unit 103, a determination unit 104, and a control unit 105. Each functional block will be described later.

[0013] Examples of devices and storage units connected to the customer guidance system 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 2 . The customer guidance system 100 is communicatively connected to one or more projectors 40 via a communication network, either wired or wirelessly. The customer guidance system 100 is further communicatively connected to a display device 20, a display control device 21, cameras 30, 31, an advertisement storage unit 51, a customer information storage unit 52, and a product information storage unit 53 as necessary. Note that each device and each storage unit may be realized by a device separate from the hardware that realizes the customer guidance system 100, or may be realized by the hardware that realizes the customer guidance system 100. For example, the customer guidance system 100 may have the functionality of the display control device 21.

[0014] The display device 20 displays advertisements to customers. The display device 20 may be, for example, a digital signage installed in a store. Alternatively, the display device 20 may be a display mounted on a cart used by customers.

[0015] The display control device 21 controls the display on the display device 20. For example, the display control device 21 displays advertisements stored in the advertisement storage unit 51 on the display device 20. The display control device 21 may repeatedly display the advertisements stored in the advertisement storage unit 51 in order. The display control device 21 may recognize the attributes and facial features of customers who are in a position where they can view the display device 20 from images captured by a camera 30 that photographs the customers. In this case, the display control device 21 may control the advertisements to be displayed according to the customer's attributes, such as age group and gender. Furthermore, when a customer can be identified by facial recognition, the display control device 21 may control the advertisements to be displayed according to the customer's purchase history. The display device 20, the display control device 21, and the advertisement storage unit 51 are connected via a communication network. The display device 20 and the display control device 21 may be realized as an integrated device or as separate devices.

[0016] Cameras 30 and 31 are installed to capture images of customers in the store. Camera 30 is installed in a position where it can capture an image that allows the line of sight of customers viewing display device 20 to be recognized. Camera 31 is installed in a position where it can capture an image that allows the position of customers to be recognized. Camera 31 is installed to capture images of customers who are at least within the projection range of projector 40. The projection range of projector 40 refers to the range into which projector 40 can project content when the position at which projector 40 projects content is variable. When multiple projectors 40 are installed, cameras 31 are installed to capture images of customers who are within the projection range of each projector 40. However, cameras 31 that capture a range outside the projection range may also be installed in the store.

[0017] The camera 30 that captures an image that allows the line of sight of a customer to be recognized and the camera 31 that captures an image that allows the position of a customer to be recognized may be separate cameras or a single camera. For example, the cameras 30 and 31 are installed on the ceiling, wall, shelf, etc. of a store. When the display device 20 is a display mounted on a cart, the camera 30 may be mounted on the cart so as to capture an image that allows the line of sight of a customer viewing the display device 20 to be recognized. When the camera 30 is mounted on a cart, the camera 30 and the display device 20 may be realized as an integrated device.

[0018] The projector 40 projects information for customers in the store. The projector 40 is installed on the ceiling, shelves, or the like in areas in the store where customers circulate. The projector 40 may be installed in one location in the store, or in multiple locations in the store. For example, the projector 40 projects information onto the floor, walls, shelves, or the like of the store. In the projector 40 according to the present disclosure, the information to be projected and the position at which the information is projected are controlled by the customer guidance system 100. The customer guidance system 100 can change the projection position by controlling a motor that changes the orientation and position of the projector 40 itself. The customer guidance system 100 can also change the projection position by controlling the orientation and position of mirrors and lenses provided in the projector 40.

[0019] FIG. 3 shows an example of how each device is installed in a store. In the example of FIG. 3, a customer views a display device 20 installed in the store. A camera 30 captures an image of the customer viewing the display device 20. In the example of FIG. 3, the camera 30 also serves as a camera 31 that captures an image that allows the customer's position to be recognized. A projector 40 projects information to customers who are near the display device 20. However, the installation location of the projector 40 is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 3. The projector 40 may be installed in a location away from the display device 20.

[0020] Fig. 4 shows another example of how the camera 31 and the projector 40 are installed. The camera 31 and the projector 40 in Fig. 4 are installed, for example, at a location distant from the display device 20 in Fig. 3. When the projector 40 is installed at a location distant from the display device 20, the camera 31 and the projector 40 do not need to be installed near the display device 20.

[0021] The advertisement storage unit 51 stores an advertisement ID (identifier) ​​that identifies an advertisement and a product ID that identifies a product related to the advertisement in association with each other. The product related to the advertisement includes the advertised product or a product used in combination with the advertised product. If the advertised product is an ingredient, the product used in combination with the advertised product includes other ingredients for a dish that uses the advertised product. The product ID may be an in-store code, a JAN (Japanese Article Number) code, an EAN (European Article Number) code, or a UPC (Universal Product Code). The product ID may be a PLU (Price Look Up) code. The product IDs of multiple products may be stored in association with one advertisement.

[0022] FIG. 5 shows an example of data stored in the advertisement storage unit 51. The advertisement storage unit 51 may further store advertisement data including videos or images to be displayed to customers. The advertisement storage unit 51 may also store target attributes of the advertisement and the display time of the advertisement. The target attributes of the advertisement include, for example, information on the age group or gender that is likely to purchase the advertised product after viewing the advertisement. The display time indicates the length of the advertisement.

[0023] The customer information storage unit 52 includes information for identifying customers and information for identifying advertisements to which the customers responded. The customer information storage unit 52 may further store information such as the results of detecting customer behavior in the store, the results of analyzing responses to advertisements, customer attributes, or customer purchase history. The customer information storage unit 52 may be provided as needed.

[0024] The stored detection results of customer behavior are, for example, the detection results of the behavior of directing one's gaze toward the display device 20, detected by an arbitrary detection device. Using image-based gaze estimation technology, the detection device detects, from an image captured by the camera 30, that the customer has directed their gaze toward the display device 20 displaying an advertisement. The time, duration, number of times, etc., that the customer directed their gaze toward the display device 20, detected by the detection device, may be stored as the detection results. The detection device may be a device separate from the devices constituting the customer guidance system 100 and may be a device that receives images from the camera 30. Alternatively, the customer guidance system 100 may have the function of a detection device that detects customer behavior and registers the detection results in the customer information storage unit 52. The detection device may also be a device integrated with the camera 30 or the display device 20.

[0025] The customer information storage unit 52 may store the analysis results of customer responses analyzed by the customer guidance system 100. Responses to advertisements are analyzed using the detection results of customer behavior. The analysis results of customer responses include, for example, viewing an advertisement, the time spent viewing the advertisement, the number of times the advertisement is viewed, or the facial expression of the customer who viewed the advertisement. FIG. 6 shows an example of customer responses to advertisements stored in the customer information storage unit 52. FIG. 6 shows a specific example of the analysis results of one customer's response to one advertisement.

[0026] The product information storage unit 53 stores product information indicating a product and display position information indicating a display location of the product, in association with a product ID. The product information indicates, for example, the type or characteristics of the product. The product information includes, for example, a product name, a product image, a product logo, or a product category. While the classification method for product categories is not particularly limited, product categories include, for example, alcoholic beverages, dairy products, and seasonings. The display position information includes information indicating the location of a shelf on which the product is displayed in the store. Information indicating the shelf position may include shelf identification information such as a shelf lane number, the name of the area in which the shelf is installed, or information indicating the shelf position on a store map. The display position information may also include the position of the product on the shelf. For example, when a shelf is divided into multiple areas, the position on the shelf may be indicated by the area in which the product is displayed. The position on the shelf may also be indicated in the form of coordinates based on a predetermined position on the shelf. An example of data stored in the product information storage unit 53 is shown using FIG. 7 . The product ID stored in the product information storage unit 53 and the product ID stored in the advertisement storage unit 51 are associated with each other.

[0027] Next, each functional block of the customer information system 100 will be described.

[0028] The analysis unit 101 analyzes customer responses to advertisements displayed on the screen of the display device 20 based on the detection results regarding customer behavior in the store. The analysis unit 101 may acquire the detection results of customer behavior from a detection device that is a device separate from the customer guidance system 100. The analysis unit 101 may acquire the detection results of customer behavior stored in the customer information storage unit 52. Alternatively, the analysis unit 101 may acquire the detection results of customer behavior detected by a detection unit (not shown) included in the customer guidance system 100.

[0029] The analysis unit 101 analyzes which advertisement the customer responded to based on the detection result of the customer's behavior. The analysis unit 101 acquires a detection result including, for example, the time when the customer directed their gaze toward the display device 20. The analysis unit 101 then acquires information about the advertisement that was displayed at the time when the customer directed their gaze from the display control device 21. The analysis unit 101 analyzes that the customer responded to the advertisement that was displayed at the time when the customer directed their gaze toward the display device 20.

[0030] The analysis unit 101 may further analyze the advertisement viewing time and the number of times the advertisement is viewed as the customer's response, using the detection result including the time or number of times the customer directed their gaze toward the display device 20. The advertisement viewing time is the time during which the customer directed their gaze toward the display device 20 while a specific advertisement was displayed. The number of times the advertisement was viewed is the number of times the customer directed their gaze toward the display device 20 while a specific advertisement was displayed. The analysis unit 101 may analyze that the customer responded to the advertisement when the customer viewed the advertisement for a predetermined time or more, such as three seconds or more. The analysis unit 101 may also analyze that the customer responded to the advertisement when the customer viewed the advertisement a predetermined number of times or more, such as two or more times.

[0031] The analysis unit 101 may further analyze what kind of facial expression the customer made after viewing any advertisement, using the detection result of the facial expression of the customer who directed his or her gaze toward the display device 20. The facial expression of the customer is detected, for example, by the detection device that detects the customer's movements.

[0032] The analysis unit 101 may analyze the degree of customer response using the advertisement viewing time, the number of times the advertisement is viewed, or the detection results of the customer's facial expressions. The degree of response may be expressed, for example, as a binary value indicating whether the response is strong or weak, or may be expressed in more stages. A stronger response indicates, for example, a stronger customer interest or concern. The analysis unit 101 may analyze that the longer a customer views an advertisement or the more times the advertisement is viewed, the stronger the customer's response to the advertisement. The analysis unit 101 may analyze that the customer has responded to the advertisement to a predetermined degree when the customer views the advertisement for a predetermined time or more than a predetermined number of times. The analysis unit 101 may analyze the degree of customer response to the advertisement based on the detection results of facial expressions such as joy, surprise, and displeasure. For example, the analysis unit 101 may analyze that the customer's response is strong when a positive facial expression is detected.

[0033] The acquisition unit 102 acquires product information indicating the product related to the advertisement to which the customer responded, and display position information indicating the display location of the product. The acquisition unit 102 acquires, for example, the product information and the display position information from the product information storage unit 53. The acquisition unit 102 also acquires, for example, at least one of the product name, product image, product category, and product logo as the product information. Such product information indicates the type or characteristics of the product. The acquisition unit 102 acquires, as the display position information, information indicating the position of the shelf on which the product is displayed in the store. The acquisition unit 102 may further acquire, as the display position information, the position of the product on the shelf.

[0034] The acquisition unit 102 may acquire product information and display location information for products related to one or more advertisements to which the customer responded highly, among the advertisements to which the customer responded, based on the analysis result by the analysis unit 101. For example, the acquisition unit 102 may acquire product information and display location information for products related to one or more advertisements whose viewing time or number of views is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. When there are multiple products related to advertisements to which the customer responded, the acquisition unit 102 may acquire product information and display location information for each of the multiple products.

[0035] When a customer responds to multiple advertisements, the acquisition unit 102 may acquire product information and display location information for products related to each advertisement. Alternatively, when a customer responds to multiple advertisements, the acquisition unit 102 may acquire product information and display location information for products related to one or more predetermined number of advertisements in descending order of the customer's response.

[0036] The acquisition unit 102 may acquire product information and display location information of products that are likely to be purchased together with the product in addition to the product related to the advertisement to which the customer responded. High-priced products that are likely to be purchased together may be set in advance for each customer based on the customer's purchase history. Alternatively, products that are likely to be purchased together for each product may be stored in advance in the product information storage unit 53, etc.

[0037] When a customer responds to multiple advertisements or when multiple products are associated with an advertisement, the acquisition unit 102 may acquire product information and display position information for a predetermined number of products for one customer. For example, the acquisition unit 102 may acquire information for each product for one customer. The acquisition unit 102 may use the location identified by the identification unit 103 (described later) to acquire product information and display position information for a predetermined number of products in order of proximity to the display location from the customer's location. When a customer removes a product for which product information has been acquired from a shelf, the acquisition unit 102 may acquire product information and display position information for products other than the removed product. The removal of a product by a customer can be recognized by any method. When the identification unit 103 recognizes that a customer has passed by a product display location, the acquisition unit 102 may treat the product as having been removed by the customer.

[0038] The identification unit 103 identifies the position of the customer. A method for the identification unit 103 to identify the position of the customer using an image captured by the camera 31 will be described below. For example, the identification unit 103 detects a customer within the projection range of the projector 40 based on an image captured of the customer within the projection range of the projector 40, and identifies the position of the customer. The identification unit 103 may identify the position of the customer within the projection range of the projector 40.

[0039] 3, a single camera can be used for both camera 30, which captures an image that allows the line of sight of a customer to be recognized, and camera 31, which captures an image that allows the position of a customer within the projection range to be recognized. In such a case, identification unit 103 uses the images captured by cameras 30 and 31 to identify the position of a customer who is directing their gaze toward display device 20, thereby identifying the position of a customer who responded to an advertisement.

[0040] The camera 30 capturing an image that allows the customer's gaze to be recognized and the camera 31 capturing an image that allows the customer's position to be recognized may be separate cameras. In such cases, the identification unit 103 associates the customer whose position has been identified with the customer whose response to the advertisement has been analyzed. For example, the identification unit 103 identifies the customer's position in an image captured by the camera 31 at the same time as the camera 30 captures the customer whose response to the advertisement has been analyzed. The identification unit 103 then identifies the customer who appears in the camera 31 at a position within the camera 30's capture range in the image captured by the camera 31 as the customer whose response has been analyzed. In this case, the identification unit 103 may identify the customer whose position in the image captured by the camera 31 corresponds to the position of the customer who appears in the image captured by the camera 30 as the same customer. This makes it possible to associate the customers even when multiple customers are captured within the camera 30's capture range. Assume that images of the faces and bodies of customers viewing the display device 20 and the customers whose positions have been identified are captured. At this time, the identification unit 103 may associate the customer whose location has been identified with the customer whose reaction has been analyzed, using the results of facial authentication based on each image or the results of image comparison. The camera that captures the face and body images may be the camera 30 or 31, or may be provided separately.

[0041] When a customer moves, the identification unit 103 can track the customer by continuing to identify the customer's position in the images captured by the camera 31. The identification unit 103 may track the customer using images captured by multiple cameras 31. Then, the identification unit 103 may identify that the customer has left the projection range of the projector 40.

[0042] The identification unit 103 may further identify the orientation of the customer from the image. For example, the identification unit 103 detects the face of the customer from the image and identifies the direction in which the face of the customer is facing as the orientation of the customer.

[0043] The identification unit 103 may further identify the customer's location in the store. The shooting range of the camera 31 is associated with a location in the store in advance, thereby identifying the location in the store of a customer who is within the shooting range. By identifying the location in the store, the identification unit 103 can calculate a route from the customer's location to the product display location. The identification unit 103 may calculate the distance from the customer's location to the product display location. The identification unit 103 may also identify a positional relationship between the customer's location and the product display location. The positional relationship between the customer's location and the product display location indicates the direction from the customer's location to the product display location. The positional relationship is represented, for example, by the direction of a straight line connecting the customer's location and the display location. The identification unit 103 may identify a positional relationship including the distance of a straight line connecting the customer's location and the display location.

[0044] The determination unit 104 determines an area within a predetermined distance from the customer as the projection position of the projector 40 based on the customer's location identified by the identification unit 103. The area within a predetermined distance from the customer is an area within a range where the customer can recognize that the projection content is directed at them. The area within a predetermined distance from the customer is, for example, within a radius of one meter from the customer's standing position, but is not limited to this. An area within a range of one meter or less or one meter or more from the customer's standing position may also be set as the area within a predetermined distance from the customer. For example, the determination unit 104 determines a specific position such as a floor, wall, or product shelf as the projection position. If multiple projectors 40 are installed in a store, the determination unit 104 determines which projector 40 to use as the projection position based on the customer's location in the store.

[0045] The determination unit 104 may determine, as the projection position, the side of an area within a predetermined distance from the customer that the customer is facing (in front of the customer) based on the customer's orientation. This increases the likelihood that the customer will be able to see the projection content. The determination unit 104 may determine, as the projection position, the side of an area within a predetermined distance from the customer that is closer to the product display location based on the positional relationship between the customer's position and the product display location acquired by the acquisition unit 102. For example, if the product display location is to the right of the customer's position, the determination unit 104 may determine, as the projection position, the side of the area that the customer is facing and that is closer to the display location. For example, the determination unit 104 may determine, as the projection position, the position closest to the display location within the range in front of the customer within a circle with a radius of 1 meter centered on the customer.

[0046] When the customer moves, the determination unit 104 re-determines the projection position based on the new customer position identified by the identification unit 103. This allows the projection position of the projector 40 to be changed in real time in accordance with the customer's movement. When the customer moves out of the projection range of the projector 40, the determination unit 104 determines to stop projection.

[0047] If the projector 40 can shine light onto the shelf where the product is located, the determination unit 104 may determine the position of the product on the shelf as the projection position by the projector 40. For example, if the projector 40 can project an image indicating the position of the product, such as a round shape or a frame, onto the position of the product on the shelf, the determination unit 104 determines a specific position on the shelf as the projection position. For example, the determination unit 104 determines the position of the product on the shelf stored in the product information storage unit 53 as the projection position.

[0048] The determination unit 104 may determine the projection position based on whether a predetermined movement is required from the customer's location to the display location. The predetermined movement is, for example, movement of a predetermined distance or more. When the determination unit 104 determines that the predetermined movement is not required based on the route from the customer's location to the display location identified by the identification unit 103, the determination unit 104 determines the position of the product on the shelf as the projection position. Then, for example, when the determination unit 104 determines that the predetermined movement is required, the determination unit 104 determines a specific position on the floor according to the customer's location as the projection position. By determining a position on the shelf as the projection position, the determination unit 104 can specifically indicate the display location of the product. By determining a position on the floor as the projection position, the determination unit 104 can indicate the route to the display location of the product. Note that when the predetermined movement is not required, the determination unit 104 may determine both the projection position on the floor and the projection position on the shelf.

[0049] The control unit 105 controls the projector 40 to project the product information acquired by the acquisition unit 102 at the projection position determined by the determination unit 104, based on the product display location acquired by the acquisition unit 102, in a manner that guides customers to the display location. The control unit 105 projects product information such as product names, product images, product categories, and product logos. The manner of guiding customers to the display location is a manner in which customers are informed of the display location and are able to head to the display location. The control unit 105 projects the product information in a manner that guides customers to the display location by changing at least one of the projection content or the projection position depending on the product display location. As a manner of guiding customers to the display location, the control unit 105 may project text indicating the location of a shelf on which the product is displayed, simultaneously with or alternately with the product information. As the text indicating the shelf location, shelf identification information such as a shelf lane number or the name of the area in which the shelf is installed may be projected. When a plurality of projectors 40 are installed in a store, the control unit 105 controls the projectors 40 so that the projection position determined by the determination unit 104 is within the projection possible range.

[0050] The control unit 105 may control the projector 40 to project product information in a manner that guides the customer to the display location based on the positional relationship between the customer's position and the display location. For example, the control unit 105 may project an arrow or text indicating a direction from the customer's position to the display location together with the product information based on the positional relationship. The control unit 105 may project the product information and the arrow or text simultaneously or alternately. The control unit 105 may also project the distance to the display location. The control unit 105 may also control the projector 40 to move the projection content toward the display location based on the positional relationship between the customer's position and the display location. That is, the projection position changes within the range determined by the determination unit 104 by movement of the projector 40 or movement of a lens or mirror provided in the projector 40. For example, if the display location of a product is to the right of the customer's position, the control unit 105 controls the projector 40 to repeatedly move the projection content to the right. The movement of the projection content increases the likelihood that the customer will pay attention to the projection content.

[0051] The control unit 105 may control the projector 40 to project product information in a manner that guides the customer to the display location, based on the route from the customer's location to the display location. For example, the control unit 105 may project an arrow or directional text indicating the direction the customer should move to get to the display location, along with the product information, based on the route. At this time, the control unit 105 may also project the distance to the display location. The control unit 105 may also control the projector 40 to move the projection content in the direction the customer should move. For example, if a customer first walks along an aisle to get to the display location and then turns left, the control unit 105 controls the projector 40 to similarly move the projection content in the direction along the aisle and then move left, repeating this series of movements.

[0052] The control unit 105 may control whether to project product information or an image indicating the product's location based on whether a predetermined movement is required from the customer's location to the display location. For example, if a predetermined movement is required, the control unit 105 projects product information in a manner that guides the customer to the display location. If a predetermined movement is not required, the control unit 105 projects an image indicating the product's location. Note that the control unit 105 may also project product information even if a predetermined movement is not required. Alternatively, the control unit 105 may control the projector 40 to project product information when the determination unit 104 determines the floor as the projection position, and to project an image indicating the product's location when the determination unit 104 determines the product's location as the projection position. When the determination unit 104 determines the projection position of the product on the shelf, the control unit 105 controls the projector 40 to project an image indicating the product's location, such as a round shape or a frame, at the projection position determined by the determination unit 104. Projecting an image indicating the product's location on the shelf allows the customer to easily find the product.

[0053] When the acquisition unit 102 acquires product information for multiple products, the control unit 105 may cause the projector 40 to simultaneously project the product information for the multiple products. For example, the control unit 105 may project the product information for the advertised product largest, and project the product information for a product that is likely to be purchased together with the advertised product smaller. The control unit 105 may also project the product information for a product that is closest to the display location from the customer's location largest, and project the other products smaller. When a customer removes a product for which the acquisition unit 102 acquired product information from a shelf, the control unit 105 may project the product information for the removed product smaller, and project the product information for the other products larger. The control unit 105 may project information guiding the customer to the display location of the product that is projected largest.

[0054] The control unit 105 may project product information in different modes depending on the level of response of the customer to the advertisement. The control unit 105 may control the projection content so that the amount of information increases as the level of response to the advertisement increases. For example, the control unit 105 may project both product names and product images when the level of response to the advertisement is high, and may project product categories when the level of response is low. Furthermore, the control unit 105 may project product information for multiple products when the level of response to the advertisement is high, and project product information for one product when the level of response is low.

[0055] As described above, each configuration of the customer guidance system 100 according to one embodiment has been described.

[0056] Next, an example of the operation of the customer guidance system 100 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 8. The customer guidance system 100 may start the process of Fig. 8 in response to the detection of a customer in front of the display device 20 and the detection of the customer's movement.

[0057] The analysis unit 101 analyzes the customer's response to the advertisement displayed on the screen of the display device 20 based on the detection result regarding the customer's behavior in the store (step S1). The acquisition unit 102 acquires product information regarding the advertisement to which the customer responded and display location information indicating the display location of the product (step S2).

[0058] The identification unit 103 identifies the location of the customer (step S3). For example, in step S3, the identification unit 103 detects a customer within the projection range of the projector 40 based on an image of the customer within the projection range of the projector 40, and identifies the location of the customer. The identification unit 103 also associates customers who have responded to the advertisement with customers whose locations have been identified.

[0059] Based on the customer's position identified by the identifying unit 103, the determining unit 104 determines an area at a predetermined distance from the customer as the projection position of the product information acquired by the acquiring unit 102 (step S4).

[0060] The control unit 105 controls the projector 40 to project the product information at the projection position determined by the determination unit 104 in a manner that guides the customer to the display location based on the display position information acquired by the acquisition unit 102 (step S5).

[0061] With the above, the customer guidance system 100 ends the operation of Fig. 8. Note that the operation of the customer guidance system 100 is not limited to the above example. Step S3 may be executed before step S2. Furthermore, after step S5, if the identification unit 103 detects the movement of the customer, steps S3 to S5 may be repeated.

[0062] Even if a customer responds to an advertisement, they may not go to the display location of the advertised product. One possible reason for this is that the customer does not know where the product is displayed. Also, even if the display location is guided to by the display device 20 that displays the advertisement, the customer may not go to the display location. Possible reasons for this include, for example, the location where the advertisement was viewed being far from the display location, or the customer having forgotten about the advertisement.

[0063] According to one embodiment, the control unit 105 controls the projector 40 to project product information indicating the product in a manner that guides the customer to the product display location based on the display location information of the product related to the advertisement to which the customer responded. Therefore, according to one embodiment, the likelihood that the customer will head to the display location of the product related to the advertisement to which the customer responded can be increased compared to when the customer guidance system 100 is not used. Furthermore, according to one embodiment, even if the customer is not in a position where the display location can be seen, the customer can be prompted to head to the display location. Furthermore, because the product information indicating the product is projected, the customer can understand which product display location they are being guided to.

[0064] If the projector 40 is installed at a location away from the display device 20, the control unit 105 can project the product information to remind customers of the advertisement.

[0065] Furthermore, according to one embodiment, the determination unit 104 determines the vicinity of the customer as the projection position of the product information indicating the product, based on the customer's location. This increases the likelihood that the customer will be able to view the projected content.

[0066] [Modifications] Various modifications are possible to the above-described customer guidance system 100. Modifications of the customer guidance system 100 will be described below.

[0067] In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which the analysis unit 101 analyzes the response to the advertisement using customer behavior detected from images captured by the camera 30. However, for example, when analyzing responses as described below, the images from the camera 30 do not need to be used. Therefore, the camera 30 that captures images that allow the customer's line of sight to be recognized may be provided as needed.

[0068] The analysis unit 101 may analyze a response to an advertisement using the detection result of a customer's operation on the display device 20. For example, when an advertisement is displayed on the display device 20, which is a touch panel, the display device 20 detects an operation of tapping on the advertisement. When a customer taps on the advertisement, the display control device 21 may cause the display device 20 to display details of the advertised product, such as the product name, price, and product display location. When a customer taps on the advertisement, the display control device 21 may also display information about products that are likely to be purchased together with the advertised product. The display device 20 may detect an operation of closing each of the screens of the advertisement, the details of the advertised product, and the information about other products. The detection result on the display device 20 is transmitted to the analysis unit 101. The analysis unit 101 may analyze that the customer has responded to the advertisement when the customer taps on the advertisement. Furthermore, the analysis unit 101 may analyze that the customer has responded to the advertisement when the viewing time of the details of the advertised product displayed after tapping on the advertisement is longer than a predetermined threshold. Furthermore, the analysis unit 101 may analyze that the customer has responded to the advertisement when the viewing time of the details of the advertised product displayed after tapping on the advertisement is longer than a predetermined threshold. Furthermore, the analysis unit 101 may analyze that the longer the viewing time of the details of the advertised product, the greater the response.

[0069] The analysis unit 101 may analyze the reaction to the advertisement using the detection results of both the action of directing the gaze toward the advertisement and the operation on the display device 20 that displays the advertisement.

[0070] In the above embodiment, the case where the identification unit 103 uses an image captured by the camera 31 to identify the location of a customer is described. The identification unit 103 may use information transmitted from a communication device mounted on the customer's smartphone or cart or shopping basket to identify the location of a customer who responded to an advertisement in the store. When identifying the location of a customer as described below, the image from the camera 31 does not need to be used. Therefore, the camera 31 that captures an image that allows the customer's location to be recognized may be provided as needed.

[0071] The identification unit 103 identifies the location of a customer, for example, by using the results of a signal received by a smartphone or communication device from a beacon or access point installed in the store. The identification unit 103 identifies a customer who responded to an advertisement by having the customer's smartphone or the like receive a signal from a beacon installed near the display device 20. Furthermore, the identification unit 103 identifies a customer who is within the projection range of the projector 40 by having the customer's smartphone or the like receive a signal from a beacon installed near the projection range of the projector 40. In this way, the identification unit 103 can identify that the customer who responded to the advertisement displayed on the display device 20 and the customer who is within the projection range of the projector 40 are the same person.

[0072] When the customer's location is identified by the above method, the identification unit 103 may track the customer's location over time to identify the customer's direction of travel, and estimate the direction of travel as the customer's orientation. Alternatively, the identification unit 103 may use the detection results of a geomagnetic sensor mounted on a smartphone or a communication device to identify the customer's orientation based on the direction the customer faces relative to the North Pole.

[0073] In the above embodiment, the analysis unit 101 analyzes customer responses to advertisements displayed on the screen of the display device 20. However, the analysis unit 101 may analyze customer responses to advertisements that are printed and posted in a store. In this case, the display device 20 may be provided as needed.

[0074] [Hardware Configuration] In each of the above-described embodiments, each component of the customer guidance system 100 represents a functional block. Some or all of the components of the customer guidance system 100 may be realized by any combination of a computer 500 and a program.

[0075] Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a computer 500. Referring to Fig. 9, the computer 500 includes, for example, a processor 501, a read only memory (ROM) 502, a random access memory (RAM) 503, a program 504, a storage device 505, a drive device 507, a communication interface 508, an input device 509, an output device 510, an input / output interface 511, and a bus 512.

[0076] The processor 501 controls the entire computer 500. The processor 501 may be, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The number of processors 501 is not particularly limited, and there may be one or more processors 501.

[0077] The program 504 includes instructions for implementing each function of the customer guidance system 100. The program 504 is stored in advance in the ROM 502, RAM 503, or storage device 505. The processor 501 implements each function of the customer guidance system 100 by executing the instructions included in the program 504. The RAM 503 may also store data to be processed in each function of the customer guidance system 100.

[0078] The drive device 507 reads and writes data from and to the recording medium 506. The communication interface 508 provides an interface with a communication network. The input device 509 is, for example, a mouse or keyboard, and accepts information input from an administrator or the like. The output device 510 is, for example, a display, and outputs (displays) information to an administrator or the like. The input / output interface 511 provides an interface with peripheral devices. The bus 512 connects these hardware components. The program 504 may be supplied to the processor 501 via a communication network, or may be stored in advance on the recording medium 506, read by the drive device 507, and supplied to the processor 501.

[0079] It should be noted that the hardware configuration shown in FIG. 9 is an example, and other components may be added, or some components may not be included.

[0080] There are various variations in the method of realizing the customer information system 100. For example, the customer information system 100 may be realized by any combination of different computers and programs for each component. Furthermore, multiple components of the customer information system 100 may be realized by any combination of a single computer and program.

[0081] Furthermore, at least a part of the customer information system 100 may be provided in the form of SaaS (Software as a Service). That is, at least a part of the functions for realizing the customer information system 100 may be executed by software executed via a network.

[0082] Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to the embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments. Various modifications that can be understood by those skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present disclosure within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the configurations in the respective embodiments can be combined with each other without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0083] Some or all of the above embodiments may be described as, but are not limited to, the following supplementary notes.

[0084] [Supplementary Note 1] A customer guidance system comprising: an analysis means for analyzing customer responses to advertisements displayed on a display device screen based on detection results regarding customer behavior in a store; an acquisition means for acquiring product information indicating products related to the advertisements to which the customer responded and display position information indicating where the products are displayed; an identification means for identifying the customer's position; a determination means for determining an area at a predetermined distance from the customer as a projection position for a projector based on the customer's position; and a control means for controlling the projector to project the product information at the projection position in a manner that guides the customer to the display position based on the display position information.

[0085] [Supplementary Note 2] The customer guidance system described in Supplementary Note 1, wherein the determining means determines, as the projection position, an area that is closer to the display location among areas within a predetermined distance from the customer, based on a positional relationship between the customer's position and the display location.

[0086] [Supplementary Note 3] The customer guidance system according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2, wherein the specifying means specifies the orientation of the customer, and the determining means determines the direction in which the customer is facing within an area within a predetermined distance from the customer as the projection position.

[0087] [Appendix 4] The customer guidance system described in any one of Appendices 1 to 3, wherein the control means controls the projector to project the product information together with an arrow indicating the direction of the display location based on the positional relationship between the customer's position and the display location, in a manner that guides the customer to the display location.

[0088] [Appendix 5] The customer guidance system described in any one of Appendices 1 to 4, wherein the control means controls the projector to project the product information together with an arrow indicating the direction the customer should move based on the route the customer will take to move from their location to the display location, thereby guiding the customer to the display location.

[0089] [Appendix 6] The determination means determines a specific position on the floor as the projection position when a predetermined movement is required from the customer's position to the display location, and determines the display location as the projection position when the predetermined movement is not required, and the control means controls the projector to project the product information at the specific position on the floor and project an image indicating the product position at the display location. A customer guidance system described in any one of Appendices 1 to 5.

[0090] [Supplementary Note 7] The customer guidance system according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 6, wherein the analysis means analyzes the degree of response of the customer to the advertisement, and the control means projects the product information in different modes depending on the degree of response of the customer.

[0091] [Appendix 8] The customer guidance system described in any one of Appendices 1 to 7, wherein the analysis means analyzes the customer's response to the advertisement displayed on a digital signage installed in the store or a display mounted on a cart used by the customer.

[0092] [Supplementary Note 9] A customer guidance method comprising: analyzing customer responses to advertisements displayed on a display device screen based on detection results regarding customer behavior in a store; acquiring product information indicating products related to the advertisements to which the customer responded and display position information indicating where the products are displayed; identifying the customer's location; determining, based on the customer's location, an area at a predetermined distance from the customer as a projection position for a projector; and controlling, based on the display position information, the projector to project the product information at the projection position in a manner that guides the customer to the display position.

[0093] [Supplementary Note 10] The customer guidance method according to Supplementary Note 9, wherein the projection position is determined to be one of areas within a predetermined distance from the customer that is closer to the display location based on a positional relationship between the customer's position and the display location.

[0094] [Supplementary Note 11] The customer guidance method according to Supplementary Note 9 or 10, further comprising: identifying a direction of the customer; and determining, as the projection position, a direction in which the customer is facing within an area within a predetermined distance from the customer.

[0095] [Supplementary Note 12] The customer guidance method described in any one of Supplementary Notes 9 to 11, wherein the projector is controlled to project the product information together with an arrow indicating the direction of the display location based on the positional relationship between the customer's position and the display location, thereby guiding the customer to the display location.

[0096] [Supplementary Note 13] The customer guidance method described in any one of Supplementary Notes 9 to 12, wherein the projector is controlled to project the product information in a manner that guides the customer to the display location by projecting the product information together with an arrow indicating the direction in which the customer should move, based on the route taken from the customer's location to the display location.

[0097] [Supplementary Note 14] A customer guidance method as described in any one of Supplementary Notes 9 to 13, wherein if a predetermined movement is required from the customer's position to the display location, a specific position on the floor is determined as the projection position, and if the predetermined movement is not required, the display location is determined as the projection position, and the projector is controlled to project the product information at the specific position on the floor and project an image indicating the product location onto the display location.

[0098] [Supplementary Note 15] The customer guidance method according to any one of Supplementary Notes 9 to 14, further comprising: analyzing a degree of response of the customer to the advertisement; and projecting the product information in different modes depending on the degree of response of the customer.

[0099] [Supplementary Note 16] The customer guidance method according to any one of Supplementary Notes 9 to 15, further comprising analyzing the customer's response to the advertisement displayed on a digital signage installed in the store or a display mounted on a cart used by the customer.

[0100] [Supplementary Note 17] A program that causes a computer to execute the following processes: analyzing customer responses to advertisements displayed on the screen of a display device based on detection results regarding customer behavior in a store; acquiring product information indicating products related to the advertisements to which the customer responded and display position information indicating where the products are displayed; identifying the customer's location; determining, based on the customer's location, an area at a predetermined distance from the customer as a projection position for a projector; and controlling, based on the display position information, the projector to project the product information at the projection position in a manner that guides the customer to the display position.

[0101] [Supplementary Note 18] The program according to Supplementary Note 17, which causes a computer to execute a process of determining, as the projection position, an area that is closer to the display location among areas within a predetermined distance from the customer, based on a positional relationship between the customer's position and the display location.

[0102] [Supplementary Note 19] The program according to Supplementary Note 17 or 18, which causes a computer to execute a process of identifying the orientation of the customer, and determining the direction in which the customer is facing within an area within a predetermined distance from the customer as the projection position.

[0103] [Supplementary Note 20] The program described in any one of Supplementary Notes 17 to 19, which causes a computer to execute a process of controlling the projector to project the product information together with an arrow indicating the direction of the display location based on the positional relationship between the customer's position and the display location, in a manner that guides the customer to the display location.

[0104] [Supplementary Note 21] The program described in any one of Supplementary Notes 17 to 20, which causes a computer to execute a process of controlling the projector to project the product information together with an arrow indicating the direction in which the customer should move, based on a route from the customer's location to the display location, in a manner that guides the customer to the display location.

[0105] [Appendix 22] The program described in any one of Appendices 17 to 21, which causes a computer to execute the following processes: if a predetermined movement is required from the customer's position to the display location, determine a specific position on the floor as the projection position; if the predetermined movement is not required, determine the display location as the projection position; project the product information at the specific position on the floor; and control the projector to project an image indicating the product position onto the display location.

[0106] [Supplementary Note 23] The program according to any one of Supplementary Notes 17 to 22, which causes a computer to execute a process of: analyzing a degree of response of the customer to the advertisement; and projecting the product information in different modes depending on the degree of response of the customer.

[0107] [Appendix 24] The program according to any one of Appendices 17 to 23, which causes a computer to execute a process of analyzing the customer's response to the advertisement displayed on a digital signage installed in the store or a display mounted on a cart used by the customer.

[0108] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-162932, filed September 26, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

[0109] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Customer information system 101 Analysis unit 102 Acquisition unit 103 Identification unit 104 Determination unit 105 Control unit 20 Display device 21 Display control device 30, 31 Camera 40 Projector 51 Advertisement storage unit 52 Customer information storage unit 53 Product information storage unit

Claims

1. A customer guidance system comprising: an analysis means for analyzing a customer's response to an advertisement displayed on a display device screen based on detection results regarding the customer's behavior in a store; an acquisition means for acquiring product information indicating the product related to the advertisement to which the customer responded and display position information indicating the display location of the product; an identification means for identifying the customer's position; a determination means for determining an area a predetermined distance from the customer as a projection position for a projector based on the customer's position; and a control means for controlling the projector to project the product information at the projection position in a manner that guides the customer to the display location based on the display position information.

2. The customer guidance system according to claim 1, wherein the determining means determines, based on the positional relationship between the customer's position and the display location, the area closest to the display location among areas within a predetermined distance from the customer, as the projection position.

3. A customer guidance system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the identification means identifies the direction of the customer, and the determination means determines the direction in which the customer is facing within an area within a predetermined distance from the customer as the projection position.

4. A customer guidance system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the control means controls the projector to project the product information together with an arrow indicating the direction of the display location based on the relative position of the customer and the display location, thereby guiding the customer to the display location.

5. A customer guidance system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the control means controls the projector to project the product information together with an arrow indicating the direction in which the customer should move based on the route taken by the customer to the display location, thereby guiding the customer to the display location.

6. A customer guidance system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the determination means determines a specific position on the floor as the projection position when a specified movement is required from the customer's position to the display location, and determines the display location as the projection position when the specified movement is not required, and the control means controls the projector to project the product information onto the specific position on the floor and to project an image indicating the position of the product onto the display location.

7. A customer guidance system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said analysis means analyzes the degree of response of said customer to said advertisement, and said control means projects said product information in different forms depending on the degree of response of said customer.

8. The customer guidance system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the analysis means analyzes the customer's response to the advertisement displayed on a digital signage installed in the store or a display mounted on a cart used by the customer.

9. A customer guidance method comprising: analyzing a customer's response to an advertisement displayed on a display device screen based on detection results regarding the customer's behavior in a store; obtaining product information indicating the product related to the advertisement to which the customer responded and display position information indicating the display location of the product; identifying the customer's position; determining an area a predetermined distance from the customer as a projection position for a projector based on the customer's position; and controlling the projector to project the product information at the projection position in a manner to guide the customer to the display location based on the display position information.

10. The customer guidance method according to claim 9, further comprising determining, as the projection position, among areas within a predetermined distance from the customer, the area closest to the display location based on the positional relationship between the customer's position and the display location.

11. The customer guidance method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of: identifying a direction of the customer; and determining, as the projection position, a direction in which the customer is facing within an area within a predetermined distance from the customer.

12. The customer guidance method according to claim 9, further comprising controlling the projector to project the product information together with an arrow indicating the direction of the display location based on the positional relationship between the customer's position and the display location, thereby guiding the customer to the display location.

13. The customer guidance method according to claim 9, further comprising controlling the projector to project the product information in a manner that guides the customer to the display location by projecting the product information together with an arrow indicating the direction in which the customer should move based on the route taken by the customer to move from his / her position to the display location.

14. A customer guidance method as described in claim 9, further comprising the steps of: determining a specific position on the floor as the projection position when a specific movement is required from the customer's position to the display location; and controlling the projector to project the product information onto the specific position on the floor and to project an image indicating the position of the product onto the display location when the specific movement is not required.

15. The customer guidance method according to claim 9, further comprising: analyzing the degree of reaction of said customer to said advertisement; and projecting said product information in a different form according to the degree of reaction of said customer.

16. The customer guidance method according to claim 9, further comprising analyzing the customer's response to the advertisement displayed on a digital signage installed in the store or a display mounted on a cart used by the customer.

17. A non-transient recording medium for recording a program that causes a computer to execute the following processes: analyzing customer responses to advertisements displayed on the screen of a display device based on detection results regarding customer behavior in a store; acquiring product information indicating the products related to the advertisements to which the customers responded and display position information indicating the display locations of the products; identifying the customer's location; determining, based on the customer's location, an area at a predetermined distance from the customer as a projection position for a projector; and controlling the projector to project the product information at the projection position in a manner that guides the customer to the display location based on the display position information.

18. A non-transitory recording medium for recording the program described in claim 17, which causes a computer to execute a process of determining, as the projection position, an area that is closer to the display location among areas within a predetermined distance from the customer, based on the positional relationship between the customer's position and the display location.

19. A non-transitory recording medium for recording the program according to claim 17, which causes a computer to execute a process of: identifying the orientation of the customer; and determining, as the projection position, the direction in which the customer is facing within an area within a predetermined distance from the customer.

20. A non-transitory recording medium for recording the program described in claim 17, which causes a computer to execute the process of determining a specific position on the floor as the projection position when a specific movement is required from the customer's position to the display location, and determining the display location as the projection position when the specific movement is not required, projecting the product information onto the specific position on the floor, and controlling the projector to project an image indicating the position of the product onto the display location.

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