Race preparation presentation system and race preparation presentation method

Abstract

In a race preparation presentation system 100, a registration storage unit stores participation registration information indicating registration for participation in a race as input by a participant and participant information indicating the participant. A preparation information storage unit stores, in association with the participation registration information and the participant information, preparation information input by the participant as preparation items including objects to be prepared for use in the race. An input acquisition unit 54 acquires an input for registration, for participation in a race, from a participation applicant. An association analysis unit 56 determines, as recommended items, preparation items associated with the race in which the participation applicant registers to participate. A preparation item presentation unit 58 presents the determined recommended items to the participation applicant.

Description

Race preparation presentation system and race preparation presentation method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a system and method for presenting race preparation information, and more particularly to a technique for presenting information related to a race.

[0002] A technology is known that extracts belongings information associated with past behavior information corresponding to future behavior information based on past behavior information regarding the behavior of each of multiple users in their past travel plans, belongings information regarding the belongings that the user carried when the behavior was taken, and future behavior information regarding the user's future behavior (e.g., Patent Document 1).

[0003] Patent No. 6450143

[0004] However, in Patent Document 1, information on the user's past actions and the items the user was carrying when they took those actions is required.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in light of these circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a technology for presenting information that contributes to race preparations.

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, a race preparation presentation system according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a registration memory unit that stores participation registration information indicating the registration to participate in the race entered by the participant and participant information indicating the participant; a preparation information memory unit that stores preparation information entered by the participant as preparation items including items to be prepared for use in the race in association with the participation registration information and the participant information; an input acquisition unit that acquires input for registration to participate in the race by the prospective participant; an associated analysis unit that determines, as recommended items, preparation items related to the race for which the prospective participant is registered; and a preparation item presentation unit that presents the determined recommended items to the prospective participant.

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a race preparation presentation method, which includes the steps of: acquiring, via a network, an entry for registration to participate in a race from a prospective participant; reading from an area storing preparation information entered by participants of past races as preparation items including items to be prepared for use in the race; determining, as recommended preparation items, the preparation items related to the race for which the prospective participant is registering; and presenting, via the network, the determined recommended items to the prospective participant.

[0008] In addition, any combination of the above components, or mutual substitution of the components or expressions of the present disclosure between methods, devices, programs, temporary or non-temporary recording media on which programs are recorded, systems, etc., are also valid aspects of the present disclosure.

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a technology for presenting information that contributes to preparation for a race.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the basic configuration of a race preparation presentation system. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing each component of a race preparation presentation server. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of race information. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of preparation information. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a screen for presenting recommended items to a user. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the process of presenting recommended preparation items to those wishing to participate in a race. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a schematic representation of a solicitation flow for accommodation reservations. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the basic configuration of a race preparation presentation system in a second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram showing each component of a race participation registration server.

[0011] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments and modifications, the same or equivalent components will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions will be omitted where appropriate.

[0012] First Embodiment When participating in a race such as a marathon or trail running, there are many things to prepare and things to do for each race. The things to prepare include, for example, the clothes and shoes to wear on the day of the race, the equipment to wear, belongings, energy foods, supplements, etc. The things to prepare also include, for example, arranging accommodation and transportation, planning meals, and planning strategies and training.

[0013] Races may include marathons, trail running, as well as running, walking, mountain climbing, swimming, cycling, triathlon, orienteering, rogaining, outdoor sports, and other events.

[0014] Race preparations vary depending on the type, content, time of year, course, and climate of the race. Race preparations also vary depending on the level, experience, and preferences of the participants. Items are often selected based on convenience, functionality, and lightness, but may also be selected based on design. Preparations also vary depending on the location of the race and the area where participants live.

[0015] The more racing experience a user has, the more smoothly they can prepare based on their own experience or by creating patterns. However, even if they have a lot of racing experience, it does not necessarily mean that they are familiar with the latest functions and designs of products, and there are many cases where information from others is helpful, such as information on accommodation, transportation, and the latest training methods. On the other hand, users with less racing experience often find race preparation more difficult than those with more racing experience, and so information based on the actual experiences of others is essential.

[0016] Even if you prepare based on ample experience and by fully referring to information from others, as the day of the race approaches, the weather forecast can suddenly and unexpectedly change. You may also be forced to change your plans due to changes in your own physical condition or injury. Depending on the race, such as trail running, course changes or course shortening may be announced close to the day of the race due to weather or other circumstances. You may need to quickly purchase clothing and equipment just before the race to adapt to changes in weather, etc. In these cases, too, information from others can be useful.

[0017] Therefore, when a user registers to participate in a race, in addition to the registration information and the participant's own information, the user is required to enter information about the items and preparations to be made for each race (hereinafter, "items to be prepared" and "preparation" are collectively referred to as "preparation items"), as well as information about the user and their racing experience. The entered information about the preparation items (hereinafter, "preparation information") is stored on the server and managed in association with participant information, racing experience information, etc.

[0018] When a new user registers to participate in a race, preparation items related to the race are extracted from the preparation information stored on the server based on the new participating user's racing experience and presented to the user. The user uses the presented information on preparation items as a reference to create their own list of preparation items and prepare for the race. The list of preparation items created here is also stored on the server. The more information on preparation items is accumulated in this way, the easier it will be to utilize it as big data. A learning model can be created that learns the correlation between information on preparation items and information such as race content and racing experience, and a recommended list of preparation items for each user and race can be created and presented based on the learning model.

[0019] FIG. 1 shows the basic configuration of a race preparation presentation system 100. The race preparation presentation system 100 mainly includes a user terminal 10 and a race preparation presentation server 50. The race preparation presentation server 50 has the functions of presenting race preparation items and processing the race registration procedure. As an alternative, the function of processing the race registration procedure may be implemented as a server separate from the race preparation presentation server 50 and included in the race preparation presentation system 100. The race preparation presentation system 100 may further include a product sales site that sells products as preparation items online, a travel reservation site that arranges accommodation and transportation as preparation items, an insurance application site that selects sports insurance, etc., and an affiliated server 90 that is configured to enable inquiries about personal information associated with these services. The product sales site may be a site operated by a product manufacturer for direct sales. Alternatively, it may be the site of an EC (Electronic Commerce) mall that specializes in online product sales intermediation. The travel reservation site may be a site operated by a travel agency. Alternatively, it may be a site operated by an OTA (Online Travel Agent), a business that specializes in online travel reservation intermediation.

[0020] The race preparation presentation server 50 and the partner server 90 are server computers connected to multiple user terminals 10 via a network 80, such as the Internet or a local area network (LAN). The race preparation presentation server 50 may be configured as a single server computer or as a combination of multiple server computers. A single server computer may be configured to integrate some or all of the functions of the race preparation presentation server 50 and the partner server 90. The user terminal 10 is a terminal operated by the user and may be an information terminal such as a smartphone or tablet terminal owned by the user, or may be a personal computer. The user terminal 10 is configured as a combination of hardware, such as a microprocessor, a touch panel, a memory, and a communication module.

[0021] The term "race preparation presentation system" in the claims may refer to the entire race preparation presentation system 100, or may refer to only the race preparation presentation server 50. Alternatively, the "race preparation presentation system" may refer to a combination of the race preparation presentation server 50 and at least one of the user terminal 10 and the partner server 90, or may be realized by distributing or duplicating characteristic functions and functions for storing characteristic information such as personal information among the race preparation presentation server 50, the partner server 90, and the user terminal 10.

[0022] A user who wishes to participate in a race operates the user terminal 10 to access the race registration site built on the race preparation presentation server 50 and completes the procedure for registering to participate in the race. During the race registration process, the user enters information identifying the user and information required for registration. At this time, preparation items appropriate for the race for which the user is registering are presented to the user as recommended items. Note that the user's information and the information required for registration may be obtained by querying a separate server for personal information of the user recorded on that server, such as membership information recorded for another service. The race preparation presentation server 50 stores information on preparation items entered by other registered participants and past participants, and extracts preparation items relevant to the race for which the user is registering to determine the recommended items. The user can select preparation items from the recommended items or determine their own preparation items while referring to the recommended items.

[0023] By further inputting information indicating the user's own racing experience and competitive level, more suitable preparation items are extracted based on the user's own racing experience and competitive level and are presented as recommended items.

[0024] 2 is a functional block diagram showing the components of the race preparation presentation server 50. In FIG. 2, functional blocks that are realized by cooperation of various hardware and software configurations are depicted for the race preparation presentation server 50. Therefore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that these functional blocks can be realized in various forms using only hardware, only software, or a combination thereof.

[0025] The race preparation presentation server 50 is configured by a combination of hardware, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), memory, large-capacity storage such as an SSD (Solid State Drive) or hard disk, and a communication module. This indicates that a general-purpose hardware configuration may be used as a server computer, and the server is not limited to these configurations. It may also be implemented in the form of a cloud server, which is a virtual server built on the Internet. Similarly, the other servers described in this specification may also use general-purpose hardware configurations or cloud servers as their server computers.

[0026] A program with the following functions runs on the race preparation presentation server 50. The race preparation presentation server 50 includes, as its functions, a communication unit 52, an input acquisition unit 54, an association analysis unit 56, a preparation item presentation unit 58, an output unit 60, a model generation unit 61, and a memory unit 62. The user terminal 10 and the communication unit 52 of the race preparation presentation server 50 are connected via a network 80. The memory unit 62 includes a race information memory unit 64, a registration memory unit 66, a preparation information memory unit 68, and a model memory unit 69.

[0027] The input acquisition unit 54 acquires information regarding the user's registration to participate in the race as a prospective participant from the user terminal 10 on the network 80 via the communication unit 52. The input acquisition unit 54 acquires, in addition to the information regarding the user's registration to participate, information identifying the user himself / herself, information indicating the user's racing experience, information indicating the user's competitive level, and the like, by querying the user terminal 10 or another server such as the partner server 90. The information acquired from another server may be, for example, personal information recorded on another server in a form linked to membership information for another service.

[0028] The memory unit 62 includes a race information memory unit 64, a registration memory unit 66, and a preparation information memory unit 68. The race information memory unit 64 stores race information 70 containing details of the race. The race information 70 includes information indicating an overview of the race, such as the race event type, date and time, and location, the competition content, the competition level, and the services provided. For example, if the race event is a marathon or trail running, the race information 70 further includes information such as the distance, terrain, cumulative elevation, aid station locations, and aid station details. The race information 70 for past races includes meteorological information such as the weather, temperature, humidity, and wind speed for the day. The race information 70 is primarily provided by the race organizer, but may also be generated based on information voluntarily provided by race participants. However, for weather information for races that have not yet been held, weather forecast information may be obtained from a specified weather information server a predetermined period before the race date, for example, one week before. The weather forecast information includes information such as the weather forecast for the race date, the probability of precipitation, temperature forecast, humidity forecast, and wind speed forecast.

[0029] The registration storage unit 66 stores participation registration information 72 indicating the registration to participate in the race entered by the participant, and participant information 74 indicating the participant. The participation registration information 72 records information on people who have registered to participate for each race. If a single race has multiple categories divided by distance, participation type, etc., information on people who have registered to participate for each category is recorded. The participation registration information 72 includes information on users who have completed the participation registration procedure as would-be participants before the race is held, or information on participants in races that have been held in the past.

[0030] The participant information 74 includes account information, personal information, racing experience information, and information indicating the competitive level of a user who has registered to participate in a race. User account information includes information necessary for logging in to the race preparation presentation server 50, such as a user ID and password. The user account information is generated based on information entered during the account registration procedure when the user first uses the race preparation presentation server 50 or information obtained by querying another server. The information obtained from another server may be, for example, personal information recorded on another server in a form linked to membership information for another service.

[0031] The user's personal information may include information such as name, nickname, address, and contact information, attribute information (e.g., age, gender, etc.), physical characteristics (e.g., height, weight, body part measurements, and body composition such as muscle mass and fat mass), information on the team or organization to which the user belongs, product purchase history information, and service reservation history information. Note that some companies and organizations may impose restrictions on the use of brands, providers, colors, etc. for various products or services. For example, restrictions may be imposed to ensure uniformity regarding brands, providers, and colors, or to prioritize or avoid brands and providers for business purposes. If the user's team or organization information is registered as personal information and restrictions on the use of the team or organization are imposed, information on such restrictions may be included in the personal information. The product purchase history information may indicate the user's past product purchase history on the partner server 90, which serves as a website selling products such as running wear and running shoes. The service reservation history information may indicate the user's past service reservations on the partner server 90, which serves as a website mediating hotel and transportation reservations.

[0032] Race experience information includes information about races the user has participated in in the past, such as the user's finishing time for each race, and other record information. Race experience information may be entered by the user themselves, or the record information may be obtained from an external device. Race experience information may be obtained by querying a separate server through the event platform, the official website of the competition, or a sensor device (wearable or portable device) that can record the user's personal activity history. Information indicating competitive level may include running log data measured by a positioning watch or smartphone. In this case, the user's competitive level, such as running ability, is determined and recorded through analysis of the running log data. Specifically, the competitive level is determined by comparing the user's record information with the record information of participants who have previously participated in the same race on the server, and classifying the user as the same competitive level as multiple participants with similar times.

[0033] The preparation information storage unit 68 stores, as preparation items including items to be prepared for use in the race, items defined as mandatory equipment by the race organizer based on the participation registration information 72 and preparation information 76 entered by participants, in association with the participation registration information 72 and the participant information 74. The preparation information 76 is stored in the preparation information storage unit 68 together with evaluation information 78 for each of the items defined as mandatory equipment by the race organizer and the preparation items entered by participants.

[0034] The model storage unit 69 stores a prediction model 79 for extracting preparation items suitable for the race in which the user registers for participation, based on the correlations between the race information 70, participant information 74, preparation information 76, and evaluation information 78. The prediction model 79 is a model that analyzes the correlations between a large amount of data included in each of the race information 70, participant information 74, preparation information 76, and evaluation information 78 using a statistical method, such as principal component analysis or multiple regression analysis. Alternatively, the prediction model 79 may be a model that uses machine learning (e.g., deep learning). The model generation unit 61 generates the prediction model 79 using either statistical analysis or machine learning (e.g., deep learning) using a large amount of data included in each of the race information 70, participant information 74, preparation information 76, and evaluation information 78. The prediction model 79 may be a model that is fine-tuned from an existing large-scale language model using information such as the race information 70, participant information 74, preparation information 76, and evaluation information 78. Alternatively, the predictive model 79 may be a rule-based model artificially defined in advance using a large amount of data included in each of the race information 70, the participant information 74, the preparation information 76, and the evaluation information 78. A specific example of a method for generating the predictive model 79 will be described. In the first step, data such as the race information 70, the participant information 74, the preparation information 76, and the evaluation information 78 is collected. The collected information includes the participant's past race results, the preparation items used during the race, weather information, the terrain and course information of the race, etc. In the second step, preprocessing of the collected data is performed. Examples of preprocessing include data formatting, processing missing values, removing outliers, and encoding categorical data. In the third step, features suitable for constructing the predictive model 79 are selected. The data collected in the first step become features useful for predicting appropriate preparation items for the user. In the fourth step, a model suitable for the prediction content is selected. For example, a machine learning model such as a decision tree, a support vector machine (SVM), or a neural network may be used. In the fifth step, the data is applied to the selected model to train the model. In the sixth step, the trained model is evaluated and refined to improve its performance.Specifically, the prediction model 79 is evaluated using indicators such as prediction accuracy, precision, and recall, and the features and hyperparameters are adjusted to improve the prediction model 79. Through the above steps, the appropriateness of the recommended items for prospective participants is evaluated while continuously collecting data such as actual race results, feedback from participants after the race, and expert race analysis, and prediction accuracy is improved mainly in the sixth step.

[0035] The association analysis unit 56 extracts preparation items related to the race for which the prospective participant registers to participate from the preparation information storage unit 68 based on the prediction model 79. That is, the association analysis unit 56 uses the prediction model 79 to analyze the association between the preparation items and detailed information about the race included in the race information 70, information about the racing experience included in the participant information 74, information indicating the competitive level, etc., and extracts the optimal preparation items. The association analysis unit 56 determines the extracted preparation items as recommended items.

[0036] When evaluation information 78 is associated with at least some of the preparation items included in the preparation information 76, the prediction model 79 is formed so that recommended items are determined based on the priority of each preparation item according to the evaluation information 78. This allows the association analysis unit 56 to preferentially determine highly evaluated preparation items as recommended items.

[0037] When preparation items (hereinafter also referred to as "past preparation items") entered by a user who wishes to participate when they previously participated in the same race are recorded in the preparation information 76 in association with the participation registration information 72, the prediction model 79 may be configured to give higher priority to the past preparation items for each user. This allows the association analysis unit 56 to prioritize, as recommended items, items that the user likes, items that are standard items, and items that the user has experience with or has a proven track record of.

[0038] When preparation items entered by a user who wishes to participate in another race in which they have recently participated (hereinafter also referred to as "most recent preparation items") are recorded in the preparation information 76 in association with the participation registration information 72, the prediction model 79 may be configured so that the most recent preparation items for each user are given a higher priority. This allows the association analysis unit 56 to prioritize, as recommended items, items that the user likes or considers to be standard, and in particular items that the user has recently experienced or achieved results in.

[0039] When past preparation items, most recent preparation items, and evaluation information of users who wish to participate are recorded in association with the participation registration information 72, the prediction model 79 may be configured to prioritize at least one of past preparation items, most recent preparation items, and preparation items with high evaluations based on the evaluation information for each user. This allows the association analysis unit 56 to preferentially determine, as recommended items, at least one of past preparation items, most recent preparation items, and preparation items with high evaluations based on the evaluation information. The association analysis unit 56 may determine recommended items based on, for example, the user's most recent physical characteristic information, such that items such as clothing and footwear that do not fit the user's body are given a lower priority. The association analysis unit 56 may determine recommended items based on, for example, information indicating the user's athletic level, such that items that do not match the user's athletic level are given a lower priority. The association analysis unit 56 may determine recommended items based on, for example, information indicating the user's purchase date, such that items whose useful life has expired are given a lower priority.

[0040] The association analysis unit 56 may re-extract preparation items based on the prediction model 79, taking into account weather forecast information for the race day, starting a predetermined period before the race day, for example, one week before. In other words, the association analysis unit 56 may re-extract preparation items based on the prediction model 79, adding weather forecast information to the race information 70, participant information 74, preparation information 76, and evaluation information 78. This makes it possible to determine, as recommended preparation items, preparation items that are appropriate for the situation on the day.

[0041] The association analysis unit 56 determines recommended items based on the preparation information stored at a first time point that is a first period prior to the date of the race, and determines recommended items based on the preparation information stored at a second time point that is a second period prior to the date of the race that is shorter than the first period. For example, since there is a high possibility that more preparation information 76 corresponding to the same race has been collected at the second time point than at the first time point, it is possible to determine the most appropriate preparation items as recommended items from a wider range of information than at the first time point by re-extracting. Furthermore, if the second time point is a predetermined period prior to the race date, for example, within one week, it is possible to take weather forecast information into account and determine recommended items with even greater accuracy.

[0042] The preparation item presentation unit 58 presents the determined recommended items to the user who wishes to participate via the output unit 60. The preparation item presentation unit 58 may include, in the output content to be presented to the user, information on the reason for recommendation and the degree of recommendation for each recommended item, along with the recommended items. The output unit 60 presents the recommended items to the user by transmitting the output content presenting the recommended items generated by the preparation item presentation unit 58 to the user terminal 10 via the communication unit 52 and the network 80.

[0043] 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of race information. The race information 70 includes information about races for which the race preparation presentation server 50 accepts participation registration procedures. A race information table 110, which is an example of the race information 70, lists the race name in a first column 111, the race distance in a second column 112, the race event in a third column 113, the race date in a fourth column 114, the race location in a fifth column 115, the race start time in a sixth column 116, information about the course undulations in a seventh column 117, the weather on the day of the race in an eighth column 118, the temperature on the day of the race in a ninth column 119, and the humidity on the day of the race in a tenth column 120.

[0044] The first row contains information about "A Marathon" as the first item 121. The first column 111 contains the race name "A Marathon." The second column 112 contains three distances: "42K," "21K," and "10K." The third column 113 contains "Road" as the event type. The fourth column 114 contains "2023 / 1 / 29" as the start date. Note that "2023 / 1 / 29" is an example showing the date of a race that has already been held. The fifth column 115 contains "A City" as the location of the race. The sixth column 116 contains three start times: "9:00," "9:30," and "10:00." The seventh column 117 contains "Flat" as the course undulations. The eighth column 118 contains "Light Rain" as the weather on the day of the race. The ninth column 119 contains "14°C" as the temperature on the day of the race. Column 10 120 includes "30%" as the humidity on the day of the race. Columns 8 118, 9 119, and 10 120 are recorded based on the actual weather conditions after the race has taken place.

[0045] The second row includes information about "B Half Marathon" as the second item 122. The first column 111 includes the race name "B Half Marathon." The second column 112 includes the distance "21K." The third column 113 includes "Road" as the event type. The fourth column 114 includes the date "2 / 19 / 2023" as the race date. Note that "2 / 19 / 2023" is an example showing the date of a race that has already been held. The fifth column 115 includes "City B" as the race location. The sixth column 116 includes "8:30" as the start time. The seventh column 117 includes "Flat" as the course undulations. The eighth column 118 includes "Clear" as the weather on the day of the race. The ninth column 119 includes "13°C" as the temperature on the day of the race. The tenth column 120 includes "20%" as the humidity on the day of the race. The eighth column 118, the ninth column 119, and the tenth column 120 are recorded based on the actual weather conditions after the race has been held.

[0046] The third row contains information about "C Trail Race" as the third item 123. The first column 111 contains the race name "C Trail Race." The second column 112 contains two distances, "72K" and "35K." The third column 113 contains "Trail" as the event type. The fourth column 114 contains the date "4 / 23 / 2023" as the event date. Note that "4 / 23 / 2023" is an example of an upcoming event date. The fifth column 115 contains "C Village" as the event location. The sixth column 116 contains two start times, "8:00" and "8:30." The seventh column 117 contains two cumulative elevations, "4900mD+" and "1700mD+," as the course undulations. Because this race has not yet been held, the eighth column 118, the ninth column 119, and the tenth column 120 are blank.

[0047] The fourth row contains information about "D Ultra Marathon" as the fourth item 124. The first column 111 contains the race name "D Ultra Marathon." The second column 112 contains two distances, "100K" and "50K." The third column 113 contains "Road" as the event type. The fourth column 114 contains the date "4 / 30 / 2023" as the start date. Note that "4 / 30 / 2023" is an example of an upcoming date for the race. The fifth column 115 contains "City D" as the event location. The sixth column 116 contains two start times, "5:00" and "5:30." The seventh column 117 contains two cumulative elevations, "1800mD+" and "600mD+," as the course undulations. Because this race has not yet been held, the eighth column 118, the ninth column 119, and the tenth column 120 are blank.

[0048] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates an example of preparation information. The preparation information 76 includes information on preparation items entered by multiple prospective participants (i.e., prospective participants before the race) or past participants (i.e., participants after the race). A preparation information table 130, an example of the preparation information 76, registers information on preparation items for "Marathon A." The preparation information table 130 associates the item names and item names of the preparation items with each other, as well as information on the degree of necessity, reasons for selection, and post-race feedback (not shown). The information on the degree of necessity, reasons for selection, and post-race feedback represents the user's evaluation of the preparation item and can therefore be considered evaluation information 78. Furthermore, if multiple prospective participants or past participants enter "degree of necessity" for the same preparation item, the degrees of necessity may be quantified and the "degree of necessity" may be set based on the average value. Furthermore, each preparation item may be associated with information identifying users who have used or performed that preparation item before.

[0049] The first line contains information about marathon shoes as the first item 131. The item name is "Shoes" and the product name "AAA G2000" is registered as the item name. The necessity level is set to "A" and the reason for selection is set to "for racing."

[0050] The second line contains information about the cap as the second item 132. The item name is "Cap" and the product name "DDD Cap" is registered as the item name. The degree of necessity is set to "A," and the reason for selection is set to "due to the forecast of light rain."

[0051] The third line contains information about outerwear as the third item 133. The item name is "Outerwear" and the product name "BBB Soft Shell" is registered as the item name. The degree of necessity is set to "B" and the reason for selection is set to "For when it rains heavily."

[0052] The fourth line contains information about the wristband as the fourth item 134. The item name is "Wristband" and the product name "BBB Company Wristband" is registered as the item name. The degree of necessity is set to "C" and the reason for selection is set to "It was cheap."

[0053] The fifth line contains information about a waist pouch as the fifth item 135. The item name is "waist pouch" and the product name "AAA Company Pouch" is registered as the item name. The necessity level is set to "C" and the reason for selection is set to "for when there is only a small amount of luggage."

[0054] The sixth line contains information about a cap as a sixth item 136. The item name is "Bag" and the product name "AAA Company Bag 5L" is registered as the item name. The degree of necessity is set to "B," and the reason for selection is set to "For when there is a lot of luggage."

[0055] The seventh line contains information about bottled water as the seventh item 137. The item name is "Bottled Water" and the product name "500ml Water" is registered as the item name. The degree of necessity is set to "C" and the reason for selection is set to "Drink before the start."

[0056] The eighth line contains information about energy gels as the eighth item 138. The item name is "two energy gels" and the product name "Company C gel" is registered as the item name. The degree of necessity is set to "A," and the reason for selection is set to "because there are plenty of aid stations."

[0057] The ninth line contains information about the amount of food supplements as the ninth item 139. The item name is registered as "I took less food supplements." The degree of necessity is set to "A," and the reason for selection is set to "There are plenty of aid stations."

[0058] The tenth line contains information about the previous day's dinner as the tenth item 140. The item name is "Dinner from the previous day" and the product name "Curry rice" is registered as the item name. The necessity level is set to "B" and the reason for selection is set to "Because it is a specialty of City A."

[0059] The eleventh line contains information about the previous night's accommodation as the eleventh item 141. The item name is "previous night stay" and the product name "EEE Hotel" is registered as the item name. The degree of necessity is set to "B," and the reason for selection is set to "close to the venue."

[0060] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a screen displaying recommended items to a user. The recommendation output page 150 is a page generated by the preparation item display unit 58, and is a screen displaying the recommended items determined by the association analysis unit 56 to a user and allowing the user to select from the recommended items as options. The recommendation output page 150 includes a first column 151, a second column 152, and a third column 153. The first column 151 is an area displaying the recommended items determined by the association analysis unit 56 side by side. The second column 152 is an area for inputting an evaluation of the recommended items selected by the user in the form of a "degree of necessity." The third column 153 is an area for inputting a reason for selecting the recommended items selected by the user in free text format. The reason for selection may also be an evaluation of the selected recommended items.

[0061] In the example of recommendation output page 150, preparation items determined by the association analysis unit 56 as recommended items for the race "F Marathon" for which the user has registered to participate are listed in a first column 151. At least some of the recommended item names are displayed in the form of link text 154, which is a link to a website. The link text 154 is a link to the product sales site or travel reservation site for that item. The user can click the link to open the product sales site or travel reservation site, where they can check the details of the preparation item and even make a purchase or reservation. The user can select the recommended item as an item to add to their own preparation item list by checking the checkbox. The user can also add preparation items that are not listed by freely entering them in an additional entry column 155.

[0062] In the second column 152, the "Necessity" column corresponding to the recommendation item selected by the user becomes active, allowing the user to input a rank such as "A" or "B." In the third column 153, the "Reason for Selection" column corresponding to the recommendation item selected by the user becomes active, allowing the user to input the reason for selection and an evaluation. The preparation item selected by the user, information on the necessity, and information on the reason for selection are registered in the preparation information storage unit 68.

[0063] For example, a recommended item name consisting of a preparation item name and a product name, such as "Shoes (AAA Company G2000)," "Shoes (BBB Company T900)," or "Shoes (AAA Company G1000)," is displayed. When the user selects "Shoes (AAA Company G2000)" in the first column 151, the user registers a necessity level of "A" in the corresponding second column 152, and also registers the reason for selection and evaluation in text, such as "Lightweight and has great rebound force," in the third column 153.

[0064] If a preparation item listed as a recommended item is currently on sale at the product sales site or store of the partner server 90, the item is displayed in the form of link text 154. Alternatively, the link text 154 may be displayed only if the item is in stock at the product sales site or store of the partner server 90. Alternatively, a thumbnail image related to each recommended item may be further displayed. The evaluation information 78 stored in the preparation information storage unit 68 may include inventory information for each product obtained from the partner server 90. In this case, the prediction model 79 may be configured to prioritize the selection of products that are in stock at the product sales site or store of the partner server 90 over products that are out of stock. If the participant information includes information indicating the team or organization to which the participant belongs and constraints are set for the team or organization, priority conditions or filter conditions, such as the brand of the product or service, the company providing the product, common accommodations, or common colors, may be added by referring to the constraints.

[0065] Another example of a recommended item may be a preparation item such as "Marathon Accommodation Package (Hotel J)." If this accommodation reservation is currently being accepted on the travel reservation site of the partner server 90, this may be displayed in the form of link text 154. In this case, the prediction model 79 may be configured to select accommodations and tour packages that are currently being accepted for reservation on the travel reservation site of the partner server 90 in preference to accommodations and tour packages that are unavailable for reservation.

[0066] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the process of presenting recommended preparation items to a prospective participant. A prospective participant inputs information, such as participant information, required for participation registration (S10). The association analysis unit 56 uses a prediction model 79 to analyze the association between detailed race information included in the race information 70, information about race experience included in the participant information 74, and information indicating competitive level, among other preparation items (S11). The association analysis unit 56 extracts preparation items related to the race for which the prospective participant is registering from the preparation information storage unit 68 based on the analysis results of the prediction model 79 (S12), determines these as recommended items, and generates output content (S13). The preparation item presentation unit 58 presents output content including the determined recommended items to the user (S14). The user selects one of the recommended items to create their own preparation items (S15). When creating their own preparation items, they can also input and register evaluation information and preparation progress status for each preparation item. For example, for "items to prepare," information indicating the progress of whether the item is already owned or purchased may be registered. For "preparation" such as hotel reservations, information indicating the progress of the reservation, i.e., whether the reservation has already been completed, may be registered. For each preparation item, information indicating whether a proposal to replace or change the item is desired in response to changes in circumstances such as the weather may be registered. The created preparation items are stored in the preparation information storage unit 68 as preparation information 76 in association with the participation registration information 72 and the participant information 74 (S16). The stored preparation information 76 is referenced to determine recommended items to present to other prospective participants (S17).

[0067] If the user begins editing the preparation items as the race date approaches (Y in S18), and if the race date is within one week (Y in S19), weather forecast information for the race date is acquired (S20), and the process returns to S11, where the analysis using the prediction model 79 is re-executed, taking the weather forecast information into account (S11). If the race date is more than one week away (N in S19), the process returns to S11, where the analysis using the prediction model is re-executed based on the preparation information stored at that time (S11). The association analysis unit 56 re-extracts the preparation items (S12), determines the preparation items as recommended items, and generates output content (S13). The preparation item presentation unit 58 re-presents the output content, including the determined recommended items, to the user (S14). In response to the re-presentation of recommended items, the user can edit the preparation items by adding new recommended items to the user's already registered preparation items, replacing or deleting existing registered preparation items, or the like (S15). At this time, the user can also edit the evaluation of each already registered preparation item. The preparation items can also be edited by adding a review for each preparation item after the race. If a review for each preparation item is added after the race, the partner server 90 may recommend limited edition products or discounted accommodation as an incentive when participating in a different race at a later date. If the user does not start editing the preparation items (N in S18), the flow ends.

[0068] 7 shows a schematic diagram of the hotel reservation solicitation flow. An accommodation facility 160 transmits reservation availability information 161 to a travel agency or OTA partner server 90, and an accommodation reservation site 162 on the partner server 90 transmits reservation availability information 163 to the race preparation presentation server 50. The race preparation presentation server 50 includes reservation availability information 164 in the rating information 78 and references it to determine recommended items. By presenting accommodation at the accommodation facility 160 as a recommended item 165 on the user terminal 10, reservation availability information for the accommodation facility 160 is essentially presented on the user terminal 10.

[0069] Here, even after the accommodation facility 160 is fully booked or has stopped accepting reservations, availability may again occur due to cancellations. In such cases, the accommodation facility 160 again transmits reservation availability information 161 to the partner server 90, and the accommodation reservation site 162 transmits reservation availability information 163 to the race preparation presentation server 50. As a result, the reservation availability information 164 of the accommodation facility 160 is reflected in determining the recommended items, and when it is presented on the user terminal 10 as recommended items 165, the reservation availability information is essentially presented on the user terminal 10. Note that information indicating the progress of whether or not the accommodation reservation has been completed may be registered as "preparation," and the reservation availability information 164 may be reflected in determining the recommended items for users whose accommodation reservation has not yet been completed as the progress. Alternatively, the reservation availability information 164 may be reflected in determining the recommended items for users who have registered a desire to propose replacement or changes to preparation items.

[0070] As a modified example, the accommodation reservation site 162 on the partner server 90 linked to the race preparation presentation server 50 may conclude a contract with the operator of the race preparation presentation server 50 that allows the accommodation reservation site 162 to inquire about information on race registrants. In this case, the accommodation reservation site 162 can obtain race registration information 166 from the race preparation presentation server 50, and based on that information, present advertisements 167 to those wishing to participate in the race, indicating that there are openings for reservations at the accommodation facilities 160.

[0071] Similarly, the accommodation facility 160 may enter into a contract with the operator of the race preparation presentation server 50 that allows it to inquire about information on race registrants without going through the operator of the partner server 90. In this case as well, the accommodation facility 160 can obtain race registration information 168 from the race preparation presentation server 50, and based on that information, present advertisements 169 to those wishing to participate in the race, indicating that there are openings for reservations at the accommodation facility 160.

[0072] Second Embodiment Figure 8 shows the basic configuration of a race preparation presentation system 100 in a second embodiment. The second embodiment differs from the race preparation presentation system 100 of the first embodiment in that the race preparation presentation system 100 further includes a race registration server 92, and the race registration is processed by the race registration server 92. All other points are the same as in the first embodiment. The following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment, and a description of the commonalities will be omitted.

[0073] 9 is a functional block diagram showing the components of the race participation registration server 92. The race participation registration server 92 includes a communication unit 252, an input acquisition unit 254, and a storage unit 262. The communication unit 252 corresponds to the communication unit 52 of the race preparation presentation server 50. The input acquisition unit 254 corresponds to the input acquisition unit 54 of the race preparation presentation server 50. The storage unit 262 corresponds to the storage unit 62 of the race preparation presentation server 50.

[0074] The storage unit 262 includes a race information storage unit 264 that stores race information 270, and a registration storage unit 266 that stores participation registration information 272 and participant information 274. The race information storage unit 264 corresponds to the race information storage unit 64 in the race preparation presentation server 50. The registration storage unit 266 corresponds to the registration storage unit 66 in the race preparation presentation server 50.

[0075] In the second embodiment, the race participation registration server 92 also has at least the functions of the input acquisition unit 54, the race information storage unit 64, and the registration storage unit 66 among the functions of the race preparation presentation server 50 of the first embodiment. The race information 270, the participation registration information 272, and the participant information 274 registered in the storage unit 262 are transmitted from the race participation registration server 92 to the race preparation presentation server 50. As a result, in the second embodiment, the functions of the race preparation presentation server 50 of the first embodiment are distributed or overlapped between the race preparation presentation server 50 and the race participation registration server 92.

[0076] In the second embodiment, many of the characteristic functions included in the "race preparation presentation system" recited in the claims are provided in the race preparation presentation server 50 or the race registration server 92. Therefore, the race preparation presentation server 50 or the combination of the race preparation presentation server 50 and the race registration server 92 essentially corresponds to the "race preparation presentation system." However, the characteristic functions of the "race preparation presentation system" may be distributed or overlapped between the race preparation presentation server 50 and the race registration server 92, or may be realized by having many of the characteristic functions provided in the race preparation presentation server 50. Alternatively, the term may refer to the entire race preparation presentation system 100. Alternatively, the term may refer to only the race preparation presentation server 50. Alternatively, the term may refer to the combination of the race preparation presentation server 50 and at least one of the user terminal 10, the partner server 90, and the race registration server 92. Alternatively, the term may refer to the characteristic functions distributed or overlapped between the race preparation presentation server 50, the race registration server 92, and the user terminal 10.

[0077] The above is a description of an embodiment. This embodiment is merely an example, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible in the combination of each component and each treatment process, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the above-described embodiment can be generalized to provide the following aspects.

[0078] The race preparation presentation system according to the first aspect includes a registration memory unit that stores participation registration information indicating the registration to participate in the race entered by the participant and participant information indicating the participant; a preparation information memory unit that stores the preparation information entered by the participant as preparation items including items to be prepared for use in the race in association with the participation registration information and the participant information; an input acquisition unit that acquires input for registration to participate in the race by a prospective participant; an associated analysis unit that determines, as recommended items, preparation items related to the race for which the prospective participant is registered; and a preparation item presentation unit that presents the determined recommended items to the prospective participant.

[0079] According to this aspect, the system determines and presents recommended preparation items suitable for the race that the user is registering to participate in based on information about preparation items for the race entered by multiple participants, including other participants and past participants. This helps the user prepare for the race by allowing the user to receive suggestions for preparation items that the user has not yet experienced.

[0080] The race preparation presentation system according to the second aspect may further include a race information storage unit that stores race information including details of the race. The association analysis unit may determine the recommended items by analyzing the association between the preparation items and the race for which the prospective participant registers, based on the race details included in the race information.

[0081] According to this embodiment, it is possible to determine, with greater accuracy, the preparation items suited to the race as recommended items based on the details of the specific race, thereby more effectively supporting the user's race preparations.

[0082] A third aspect of the race preparation presentation system is the race preparation presentation system of the first or second aspect, wherein the participant information may include information about the participant's racing experience. The association analysis unit may determine recommended items by analyzing associations between the preparation items and the racing experience of the prospective participant based on the racing experience information included in the participant information of the participant who input the preparation information.

[0083] According to this embodiment, it is possible to determine, as recommended preparation items, preparation items that are more suitable for the user based on the user's racing experience with greater accuracy, and to more effectively support the user's race preparation.

[0084] A fourth aspect of the race preparation presentation system is a race preparation presentation system according to any one of the first to third aspects, in which the preparation information is stored in a preparation information storage unit together with evaluation information for each preparation item input by the participants, and the related analysis unit may determine recommended items based on priorities according to the evaluation information for each preparation item included in the preparation information.

[0085] According to this embodiment, highly rated preparation items can be given priority in determining recommended items, so that preparation items suitable for the user can be determined more accurately as recommended items based on the actual evaluation of the preparation items, thereby more effectively supporting the user's race preparations.

[0086] A fifth aspect of the race preparation presentation system is a race preparation presentation system according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, in which the related analysis unit may determine, as recommended items, preparation items that were entered when the prospective participant previously participated in the same race as the race for which the participant is registering to participate.

[0087] According to this embodiment, the recommended items can be determined with priority on items that the user likes, items that are standard items, and items that the user has experience with or has a proven track record in. Therefore, the recommended preparation items can be determined to be more accurately suited to the user's preferences, and the user's race preparation can be more effectively supported.

[0088] In a sixth aspect of the race preparation presentation system, in the race preparation presentation system of any of the first to fifth aspects, the related analysis unit may determine as recommended items at least any of the preparation items entered when the prospective participant previously participated in the same race as the race for which the participant is registering, the preparation items entered for other races in which the prospective participant has recently participated, and the preparation items that have been highly rated according to the evaluation information associated with each preparation item.

[0089] According to this aspect, at least one of past preparation items, most recent preparation items, and preparation items with high ratings based on evaluation information can be prioritized as recommended items, thereby more effectively supporting the user's race preparations.

[0090] A seventh aspect of the race preparation presentation system is a race preparation presentation system according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the related analysis unit determines recommended items at a first point in time that is a first period prior to the date of the race based on preparation information stored at the first point in time, and determines recommended items at a second point in time that is a second period prior to the date of the race that is shorter than the first period based on preparation information stored at the second point in time.

[0091] According to this aspect, since there is a high possibility that more preparation information corresponding to the same race will be collected at the second time point than at the first time point, the most appropriate preparation items can be determined as recommended items from a wider range of information than at the first time point by re-extraction.

[0092] The race preparation presentation system of an eighth aspect is a race preparation presentation system of any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the related analysis unit determines recommended items at a first point in time that is a first period prior to the date of the race based on preparation information stored at the first point in time, and determines recommended items at a second point in time that is a second period prior to the date of the race that is shorter than the first period based on preparation information stored at the second point in time and weather forecast information at the second point in time.

[0093] According to this aspect, since there is a high possibility that more preparation information corresponding to the same race will be collected at the second time point than at the first time point, it is possible to determine the most appropriate preparation items as recommended items by re-extracting more information than at the first time point. Furthermore, if the second time point is a predetermined period before the race date, for example, within one week, weather forecast information can be taken into account to determine the recommended items with even greater accuracy.

[0094] The race preparation presentation method of the ninth aspect comprises the steps of: acquiring, via a network, input by a prospective participant for registration to participate in a race; reading information from an area storing preparation information entered by participants in past races as preparation items including items to be prepared for use in the race; determining, as recommended items, preparation items related to the race for which the prospective participant is registering; and presenting, via the network, the determined recommended items to the prospective participant.

[0095] According to this aspect, the system determines and presents recommended preparation items suitable for the race that the user is registering to participate in based on information about preparation items for the race entered by multiple participants, including other participants and past participants. This helps the user prepare for the race by allowing the user to receive suggestions for preparation items that the user has not yet experienced.

[0096] The race preparation presentation program of the tenth aspect causes a computer to perform the following functions: acquiring input for registration to participate in a race from an applicant; reading information from an area storing preparation information entered by participants of past races as preparation items including items to be prepared for use in the race; determining, as recommended items, preparation items related to the race for which the applicant is registering to participate; and presenting the determined recommended items to the applicant.

[0097] According to this aspect, the system determines and presents recommended preparation items suitable for the race that the user is registering to participate in based on information about preparation items for the race entered by multiple participants, including other participants and past participants. This helps the user prepare for the race by allowing the user to receive suggestions for preparation items that the user has not yet experienced.

[0098] The present disclosure relates to a race preparation presentation system and a race preparation presentation method.

[0099] 50 Race preparation presentation server, 54 Input acquisition unit, 56 Related analysis unit, 58 Preparation item presentation unit, 62 Memory unit, 64 Race information memory unit, 66 Registration memory unit, 68 Preparation information memory unit, 70 Race information, 72 Participation registration information, 74 Participant information, 76 Preparation information, 78 Evaluation information, 90 Partner server, 100 Race preparation presentation system, 165 Recommended items.

Claims

1. A race preparation presentation system comprising: a registration memory unit that stores participation registration information input by a participant indicating their registration to participate in a race and participant information indicating the participant; a preparation information memory unit that stores preparation information input by the participant as preparation items including items to be prepared for use in the race, in correspondence with the participation registration information and the participant information; an input acquisition unit that acquires input for registration to participate in the race by an aspiring participant; an association analysis unit that determines, as recommended items, preparation items related to the race in which the aspiring participant registers; and a preparation item presentation unit that presents the determined recommended items to the aspiring participant.

2. The race preparation presentation system described in claim 1, further comprising a race information memory unit that stores race information including race details, and the association analysis unit determines the recommended items by analyzing the association between the preparation items and the race for which the prospective participant registers based on the race details included in the race information.

3. The race preparation presentation system of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the participant information includes information on the participant's racing experience, and the association analysis unit determines the recommended items by analyzing the association between the preparation items and the racing experience of the person wishing to participate based on the racing experience information included in the participant information of the participant who entered the preparation information.

4. A race preparation presentation system as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the preparation information is stored in the preparation information storage unit together with evaluation information for each preparation item input by the participant, and the related analysis unit determines the recommended items based on a priority according to the evaluation information for each preparation item included in the preparation information.

5. A race preparation presentation system as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the related analysis unit determines, as the recommended items, the preparation items entered when the participant previously participated in the same race as the race for which the participant is registering.

6. A race preparation presentation system as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the related analysis unit determines as the recommended items at least one of the preparation items entered when the participant previously participated in the same race as the race that the participant is registering to participate in, the preparation items entered for another race in which the participant has recently participated, and the preparation items that have been highly rated based on evaluation information associated with each preparation item.

7. A race preparation presentation system as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at a first point in time that is a first period prior to the date of the race, the related analysis unit determines the recommended items based on the preparation information stored at the first point in time, and at a second point in time that is a second period prior to the date of the race that is shorter than the first period, the recommended items are determined based on the preparation information stored at the second point in time.

8. A race preparation presentation system as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at a first point in time that is a first period prior to the date of the race, the related analysis unit determines the recommended items based on the preparation information stored at the first point in time, and at a second point in time that is a second period prior to the date of the race that is shorter than the first period, the recommended items are determined based on the preparation information stored at the second point in time and weather forecast information at the second point in time.

9. A race preparation presentation method comprising the steps of: acquiring, via a network, input by an applicant to register to participate in a race; reading information from an area storing preparation information entered by participants of past races as preparation items including items to be prepared for use in the race; determining, as recommended items, preparation items related to the race for which the applicant is registering to participate; and presenting, via the network, the recommended items so determined, to the applicant.

10. A race preparation presentation program that causes a computer to execute the following functions: acquiring input for registration to participate in a race from an applicant; reading information from an area storing preparation information entered by participants of past races as preparation items including items to be prepared for use in the race; determining preparation items related to the race for which the applicant is registering as recommended items; and presenting the determined recommended items to the applicant.

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