Information processing device and program

Abstract

This information processing device comprises: an acquisition unit that acquires transaction-desired item information relating to a transaction-desired item; and a selection unit that selects a substitute-item candidate for the transaction-desired item from among a plurality of substitute-item candidates, on the basis of, for each of the plurality of substitute-item candidates, the inventory status of the substitute-item candidate and a substitute-item function corresponding to at least one of an item-dependent coefficient corresponding to the difference between the transaction-desired item and the substitute-item candidate and an event-dependent coefficient corresponding to transaction information relating to the transaction-desired item.

Description

Information processing device and program

[0001] The disclosed technology relates to an information processing device and a program.

[0002] In the trading of goods, mismatches can occur between the supplier and the demand side. For example, in the trading of products from the primary industry, mismatches can occur between the quantity, type, and grade of goods on the supplier and demand side due to various factors such as weather and production conditions. In the wholesale distribution of agricultural products, there is supply from each production area and demand from each market, and any given production area and any given market negotiate, manually adjusting the balance between supply and demand as appropriate to conduct trading. In addition, in the case of agricultural product distribution, the supply amount is determined on the shipping date, so there is a surplus or shortage on a market-by-market basis, and in order to resolve this, additional procurement is manually carried out to adjust the surplus or shortage by using alternative items.

[0003] For example, according to the bilateral trading method in Non-Patent Document 1, transactions of agricultural products within the market are determined by taking into consideration the variety, class, harvest volume, desired selling price, etc. of the agricultural products in previous transactions. In addition, Non-Patent Document 2 describes that when there is a surplus or shortage compared to the plan, the burden is passed on to intermediate wholesalers, and additional work is required, such as re-contracting with the production area.

[0004] Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Ensuring fair and efficient buying and selling transactions," p. 3, Flow of bilateral transactions, [online], https: / / www.maff.go.jp / j / shokusan / sijyo / info / pdf / siryo4_05.pdf Masafumi Hosokawa, Takehiro Fujita, Toru Osaki, Shigenori Kobayashi: Study on the possibility of converting reserved bilateral transactions into futures transactions under the development of wholesale market information systems, [online], https: / / www.jcfia.gr.jp / study / ronbun-pdf / no9 / 9.pdf

[0005] The method described in Non-Patent Document 1 cannot cope with cases where the supply and demand of the same item cannot be met. Furthermore, when additional operations are required, as described in Non-Patent Document 2, even if substitute items are manually adjusted, many additional tasks arise, such as collecting information on surpluses and shortages of multiple items, in order to find substitutes, which increases the workload of personnel.

[0006] When negotiating the delivery of goods, if there is a shortage or surplus between the supplier and the consumer, or if the terms of the transaction do not match, the selection of an alternative item is manually adjusted, which makes it difficult to propose the optimal alternative depending on the situation or the need for additional production.Furthermore, if the optimal alternative is not presented, there is a risk that the preparation of the alternative will increase the risk of a shortage or surplus in other items, or result in a mismatch in terms.

[0007] The technology disclosed herein has been made in consideration of the above points, and provides an information processing device and program that can eliminate supply and demand surpluses and shortages for the same item, curb additional procurement, reduce the workload of supply and demand negotiators, and curb the burden of substitute items on the overall transaction.

[0008] The information processing device of the present disclosure includes an acquisition unit that acquires trade-requested item information regarding a trade-requested item, a substitute item function that is based on at least one of an item-dependent coefficient corresponding to the difference between the trade-requested item and the substitute item candidate for each of a plurality of substitute item candidates and an event-dependent coefficient corresponding to the trade information regarding the trade-requested item, and a selection unit that selects a substitute item candidate for the trade-requested item from the plurality of substitute item candidates based on the inventory status of the substitute item candidate.

[0009] In addition, the program disclosed herein causes a computer to function as an acquisition unit that acquires trade-requested item information regarding a trade-requested item, and a selection unit that selects a substitute item candidate for the trade-requested item from a plurality of substitute item candidates based on a substitute item function that is based on at least one of an item-dependent coefficient corresponding to the difference between the trade-requested item and the substitute item candidate and an event-dependent coefficient corresponding to the trade information regarding the trade-requested item, and the inventory status of the substitute item candidate.

[0010] According to the technology disclosed herein, it is possible to eliminate supply and demand surpluses and shortages for the same item, curb additional procurement, reduce the workload of supply and demand negotiators, and prevent the burden of substitute items on the overall transaction.

[0011] 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing device of an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing device of an embodiment; FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of the correspondence between desired trade item information input to the information processing device of an embodiment and substitute item candidate information output; FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a specific example of desired trade item information input to the information processing device of an embodiment; FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of data stored in an item information storage unit; FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an example of the degree of influence due to differences in packaging conditions; FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of the degree of influence due to differences in delivery conditions; FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining an example of substitution results for each substitute item candidate; FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining an example of an item dependency coefficient; FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a selection process executed in an information processing device; FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an example of output information output from an output unit; FIG. 12 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing device of Modification 1; FIG. 13 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing device of Modification 2;

[0012] An example of an embodiment of the disclosed technology will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the same reference numerals are used to designate identical or equivalent components and parts in each drawing. Also, the dimensional proportions in the drawings are exaggerated for the sake of explanation and may differ from the actual proportions.

[0013] The information processing device of this embodiment is a device that outputs information regarding recommended substitute item candidates for a desired trade item that a user wishes to trade. Note that in this embodiment, primary industry products, specifically agricultural products such as vegetables and fruits, will be described as examples of the desired trade item.

[0014] 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an information processing device 10 according to the present embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the information processing device 10 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 12, a read-only memory (ROM) 14, a random access memory (RAM) 16, a storage 18, an input unit 20, a display unit 22, and a communication interface (I / F) 24. The CPU 12, the ROM 14, the RAM 16, the storage 18, the input unit 20, the display unit 22, and the communication interface 24 are connected to each other via a bus 29 so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0015] The CPU 12 is a central processing unit, and executes various programs such as the program 19 and controls each part. That is, the CPU 12 reads the program from the ROM 14 or the storage 18, and executes the program using the RAM 16 as a work area. The CPU 12 controls each of the above components and performs various arithmetic processing in accordance with the program stored in the ROM 14 or the storage 18. In this embodiment, the program 19, which will be described in detail later, is stored in the storage 18. The program 19 may also be stored in the ROM 14.

[0016] The ROM 14 stores various programs and various data. The RAM 16 temporarily stores programs or data as a working area. The storage 18 is composed of storage devices such as a hard disk drive (HDD) and a solid state drive (SSD), and stores various programs and various data, including the operating system.

[0017] The input unit 20 includes a pointing device such as a mouse, a keyboard, etc., and is used to input various types of information. The display unit 22 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display, etc., and displays various types of information. Note that the input unit 20 and the display unit 22 may be integrated into a so-called touch panel display.

[0018] The communication I / F 24 is an interface for communicating with devices external to the information processing device 10. For this communication, wireless communication standards such as 4G, 5G, and Wi-Fi (registered trademark) are used.

[0019] Next, the functional configuration of the information processing device 10 of this embodiment will be described. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the information processing device 10. As shown in Fig. 2, the information processing device 10 includes an acquisition unit 30, a generation unit 36, a selection unit 38, and an output unit 40. The acquisition unit 30, the generation unit 36, the selection unit 38, and the output unit 40 are realized by the CPU 12 reading out a program 19 stored in the storage 18, expanding it in the RAM 16, and executing it. In addition, an item information storage unit 32 and a transaction information storage unit 34 are stored in a predetermined storage area of ​​the information processing device 10.

[0020] The acquisition unit 30 acquires the desired trade item information regarding the desired trade item input to the information processing device 10. FIG. 3 shows an example of the correspondence between the desired trade item information input to the information processing device 10 and the substitute item candidate information (described in detail below) output from the information processing device 10. FIG. 4 shows a specific example of the desired trade item information input to the information processing device 10. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the desired trade item information input to the information processing device 10 in this embodiment includes at least one of the desired trade item name, desired trade quantity, desired trade category name, and other information, as well as information regarding whether the desired trade item is a single item or multiple items. As shown in FIG. 4, the desired trade item name may include a specific item name such as "cabbage" as well as an item code for identifying the item, such as "VGH-001" or "001-01012." The desired trade quantity may include a package unit quantity such as "500 c / s" or a weight unit quantity such as "1.2 t." The desired trading category name may be a specific category name such as "leafy vegetables" or a classification code for identifying the category such as "VGH-". Other information may be a combination of the desired trading item's name, various codes, and information such as the size and place of origin of the desired trading item.

[0021] The acquisition unit 30 outputs the acquired trade desired item information regarding the trade desired item to each of the item information storage unit 32, the trade information storage unit 34, and the selection unit 38.

[0022] The item information storage unit 32 is a database that stores item information related to each item. As an example, the item information storage unit 32 in this embodiment stores the inventory status of each item and item difference information related to the differences between the desired item and the substitute item candidates. FIG. 5 shows an example of item difference information stored in the item information storage unit 32. The item difference information shown in FIG. 5 is a quantified version of the difference between a specific item and each substitute item candidate. In other words, the item difference information is a quantified version of the difference between a desired item and the substitute item candidates. The item difference information shown in FIG. 5 is a quantified version of the difference between bok choy and the substitute item candidates.

[0023] As parameters relating to differences (Param. in FIG. 5), differences in botanical information are used, including differences in classification (Param. A), differences in family (Param. B), and differences in weight (Param. C). In the example shown in FIG. 5, if the items are the same, a "1.0" is assigned, and if they are different, a "0.5" is assigned. Also, if the families are the same, a "1.0" is assigned, and if they are different, a "0.5" is assigned. Furthermore, with regard to weight, if the weight classes are the same, a "1.0" is assigned, and if the classes are different, a value multiplied by 0.7 is assigned for each difference of one class.

[0024] In addition, differences in taste characteristics (Param. D) and differences in appearance characteristics (Param. E) are used as differences related to consumer usage trends. In the example shown in FIG. 5, if the taste characteristics are similar, a score of "0.75" is assigned; if they are close but not so similar, a score of "0.50" is assigned; and if they are different, a score of "0.25" is assigned. The difference in taste may be based on a taste test conducted by a person or the like, or on the results of a component analysis or the like. If the appearance characteristics are similar, a score of "0.75" is assigned; if they are close but not so similar, a score of "0.50" is assigned; and if they are different, a score of "0.25" is assigned. The difference in appearance may be based on a visual test conducted by a person or the like, or on the results of quantifying appearance characteristics such as color, shape, and size.

[0025] The inventory status and item difference information for each item stored in the item information storage unit 32 is updated as appropriate based on information entered by the user into the information processing device 10 and acquired by the acquisition unit 30.

[0026] The item information storage unit 32 outputs to the generation unit 36 ​​the inventory status of the substitute item for the desired trade item according to the desired trade item information acquired by the acquisition unit 30, and item difference information.

[0027] The transaction information storage unit 34 is a database that stores transaction information related to the desired item. As an example, the transaction information storage unit 34 in this embodiment stores, as transaction information related to the desired item, differences in packaging conditions between the desired item and candidate substitute items, differences in delivery conditions between the desired item and candidate substitute items, and the status of substitution of the desired item with the candidate substitute item based on the past experience of substitution of the desired item with the candidate substitute item.

[0028] Figure 6A shows an example of the impact of differences in packaging conditions between the desired item and a potential substitute item. As shown in Figure 6A, the impact of differences in packaging conditions of the potential substitute item relative to the desired item's packaging condition is quantified for three types of packaging conditions: corrugated, packed, and loose. In the example shown in Figure 6A, if the packaging conditions of the desired item and the potential substitute item are similar, a score of "1.0" is assigned, and if they are different, a score of "0.50" is assigned.

[0029] 6B shows an example of the impact of differences in delivery status between the desired item and a potential substitute item. As shown in FIG. 6B, the impact of differences in delivery status of the potential substitute item on the delivery status of the desired item is quantified for three delivery statuses: room temperature, refrigerated, and slightly refrigerated. In the example shown in FIG. 6B, if the delivery status of the desired item and the delivery status of the potential substitute item are similar, a value of "1.0" is assigned; if they are different, a value of "0.50" is assigned.

[0030] Furthermore, the substitution record for a desired item to a potential substitute based on past performance is a numerical representation of the substitution record for a desired item over a given period of time when the desired item is changed to item difference information. For example, this numerical value represents the actual volume of the item (potential substitute) traded relative to the desired volume of the desired item over the past two weeks. Figure 7 shows an example of the substitution record for each potential substitute. Note that the numerical values ​​shown in Figure 7 are expressed in percentages. As a specific example, let's consider a case where the desired item is regular Unshu and the desired volume is 6,524 DB. If the volume of regular Unshu traded as desired is 5,515 DB, then the ratio is 5,515 / 6,524 x 100 = 84.53%. If the volume of mandarins traded as a substitute for regular Unshu is 580 DB, then the ratio is 580 / 6,524 x 100 = 8.89%. Also, if the amount of Ponkan traded as a substitute for regular Unshu is "20 DB", then the rate is 20 / 6524 x 100 = 0.30%.

[0031] The degree of impact due to differences in packaging conditions between the desired item and the candidate substitute items stored in the transaction information storage unit 34, the degree of impact due to differences in delivery conditions between the desired item and the candidate substitute items, and the substitution history of the desired item with the candidate substitute items based on past performance are updated at any time based on information entered by the user into the information processing device 10 and acquired by the acquisition unit 30.

[0032] The transaction information storage unit 34 outputs to the generation unit 36 ​​the degree of influence due to differences in packaging conditions, the degree of influence due to differences in delivery conditions, and the record of substitution with candidate substitute items.

[0033] The generating unit 36 ​​generates an item-dependent coefficient according to the difference between the desired trade item and the candidate substitute item based on the information input from the item information storage unit 32 .

[0034] As an example, the generation unit 36 ​​of this embodiment uses the following formula (1) to calculate the item-dependent coefficient P ｆｉｘ． In the formula (1), vege(n) represents the item, and k ｎ represents a correction coefficient for the influence of each parameter (Param.).

[0035] ...(1)

[0036] An example of an item-dependent coefficient generated by the above formula (1) is shown in Fig. 8. The item-dependent coefficient shown in Fig. 8 is for the case where the desired trade item is "Pak Choy."

[0037] Furthermore, the generating unit 36 ​​generates an event-dependent coefficient according to the transaction information relating to the desired transaction item based on the information input from the transaction information storage unit 34 .

[0038] As an example, the transaction information storage unit 34 of this embodiment refers to the information shown in Figure 6A to identify the degree of impact due to differences in packaging conditions, and also refers to the information shown in Figure 6B to identify the degree of impact due to differences in delivery conditions. The transaction information storage unit 34 also refers to Figure 7 to acquire the replacement history. The transaction information storage unit 34 then generates an event-dependent coefficient based on at least one of the degree of impact due to differences in packaging conditions, the degree of impact due to differences in delivery conditions, and the replacement history.

[0039] As an example, the generator 36 of the present embodiment uses the following equation (2) to calculate the event-dependent coefficient P ｖａｒ． Generate.

[0040] ... (2)

[0041] Furthermore, the generating unit 36 ​​generates a substitute item function according to the item-dependent coefficient and the event-dependent coefficient. As an example, the generating unit 36 ​​of this embodiment generates a substitute item function H ｃｈｇ． Generate.

[0042] ...(3)

[0043] The generating unit 36 ​​outputs the generated substitute item function to the selecting unit 38 .

[0044] The selection unit 38 selects a substitute item candidate for the desired trade item based on information about the desired trade item, the substitute item function, and the inventory status of the substitute item candidate. Note that the selection unit 38 of this embodiment is not limited to selecting only one type of substitute item candidate. For example, rather than selecting only the optimal substitute item candidate, the selection unit 38 may select several items as substitute item candidates in addition to the optimal substitute item candidate. The selection unit 38 outputs the selection result to the output unit 40.

[0045] The output unit 40 outputs the selection result as information according to the format of the input desired trade item information to an arbitrary output destination. For example, the selection result may be output to the display unit 22 of the information processing device 10 and displayed on the display unit 22, or may be output to a device external to the information processing device 10.

[0046] Next, the operation of the information processing device 10 of this embodiment will be described. Fig. 9 shows a flowchart illustrating an example of a selection process executed by the information processing device 10 of this embodiment. The selection process shown in Fig. 9 is executed by the CPU 12 executing the program 19 stored in the storage 18.

[0047] 9, the acquisition unit 30 acquires the trade item information input to the information processing device 10, as described above. Here, as a specific example, a case will be described in which the trade item is "Pak Choi" and the trade item information acquired by the acquisition unit 30 is "Pak Choi," "Cardboard," and "Room Temperature," as well as information that "34 c / s" is in short supply.

[0048] In the next step S102, the generation unit 36, as described above, references the item information storage unit 32 and generates an item dependency coefficient using the above formula (1). Furthermore, as described above, the generation unit 36 ​​references the transaction information storage unit 34 and generates an event dependency coefficient using the above formula (2). The generation unit 36 ​​may generate item dependency coefficients for all substitute item candidates for which item information is stored, or, if several substitute item candidates are determined in advance, may generate item dependency coefficients only for the determined substitute item candidates. Below, as a specific example, a case will be described in which substitute item candidates are determined in advance, and "spinach," "cabbage," and "tomato" are determined in advance as substitute item candidates for "bok choy."

[0049] In the next step S104, the generation unit 36 ​​generates a substitute item function using the item-dependent coefficient and the event-dependent coefficient generated in step S102 and the above equation (3).

[0050] In the above specific example, if the supply information for "spinach" is "cardboard box," "room temperature," and "50 c / s," the item dependency coefficient is "0.7625" (see FIG. 8), the event dependency coefficient's influence due to differences in packaging is "1.0" (see FIG. 6A), the influence due to differences in delivery status is "1.0" (see FIG. 6B), and the substitution performance is "0.070" (see FIG. 7). Also, if the supply information for "cabbage" is "cardboard box," "slightly chilled," and "40 c / s," the item dependency coefficient is "0.8000" (see FIG. 8), the event dependency coefficient's influence due to differences in packaging is "1.0" (see FIG. 6A), the influence due to differences in delivery status is "0.5" (see FIG. 6B), and the substitution performance is "0.002" (see FIG. 7). If the supply information for "tomatoes" is "packed," "room temperature," and "80 c / s," the item dependency coefficient is "0.4500" (see Figure 8), the influence of differences in packaging on the event dependency coefficient is "0.5" (see Figure 6A), the influence of differences in delivery status is "1.0" (see Figure 6B), and the substitution record is "0.000" (see Figure 7).

[0051] Therefore, the substitute item functions for "spinach," "cabbage," and "tomato" are as follows:

[0052] Spinach: 0.7625 x 1.0 x 1.0 x 0.070 = 0.053 Cabbage: 0.8000 x 1.0 x 0.5 x 0.002 = 0.001 Tomato: 0.4500 x 0.5 x 1.0 x 0.000 = 0.000

[0053] The generating unit 36 ​​outputs the generated substitute item function to the selecting unit 38 .

[0054] In the next step S106, the selection unit 38 selects a substitute item candidate based on the substitute item function generated in step S104 and the inventory status of the substitute item. As an example, in this embodiment, the item with the largest substitute item function is selected as the substitute item candidate. If the inventory of that substitute item candidate is insufficient, the item with the next largest substitute item function is selected as the substitute item candidate to make up for the shortage. For example, in the above specific example, "spinach" is selected as the substitute item candidate. Note that in the above specific example, the inventory of "spinach" was sufficient to cover the amount required for substitution, but if the inventory of "spinach" is low and the amount required for substitution cannot be covered, the selection unit 38 selects "cabbage," which has the next largest substitute function, to replace the shortage.

[0055] In the next step S108, the output unit 40 outputs the substitute item selection results. When the processing of step S108 is completed, the selection process shown in FIG. 9 ends. Note that the substitute item candidates selected by the selection unit 38 and the information output by the output unit 40 are not limited to the above-described forms. For example, FIG. 10 shows a modified example of the output information output by the output unit 40 in the above specific example. The output information shown in FIG. 10 includes supply information and substitute item functions generated by the generation unit 36 ​​for multiple substitute item candidates.

[0056] The technology of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible.

[0057] (Variation 1) The item information storage unit 32 and the transaction information storage unit 34 may be configured as a single database. Figure 11 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing device of this variation. The information processing device 10 shown in Figure 11 includes an item information / transaction information storage unit 35 instead of the item information storage unit 32 and the transaction information storage unit 34 of the information processing device 10 (see Figure 2) of the above embodiment. In this way, the item information storage unit 32 and the transaction information storage unit 34 may be integrated. Note that the operation of the information processing device 10 in this case is the same as in the above embodiment, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0058] (Variation 2) In the above embodiment and Variation 1, a configuration using both an item-dependent coefficient and an event-dependent coefficient has been described, but a configuration using only an item-dependent coefficient may also be used. FIG. 12 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing device of this variation. Unlike the information processing device 10 of the above embodiment (see FIG. 2), the information processing device 10 shown in FIG. 12 includes only an item information storage unit 32. In other words, the information processing device 10 of this variation does not include a transaction information storage unit 34.

[0059] In this way, the selection process (see FIG. 9) when using only the item information storage unit 32 is similar to the process described above, except that in step S102, item-dependent coefficients are generated but event-dependent coefficients are not generated. In this modified example, the substitute item functions are the same as the item-dependent coefficients. Alternatively, the substitute item functions (item-dependent coefficients) for all substitute item candidates may be output, allowing the user to decide which item to actually use as a substitute.

[0060] (Variation 2) In the above embodiment and Variation 1, a configuration using both an item-dependent coefficient and an event-dependent coefficient has been described, but a configuration using only an event-dependent coefficient may also be used. FIG. 13 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing device of this variation. Unlike the information processing device 10 of the above embodiment (see FIG. 2), the information processing device 10 shown in FIG. 13 includes only a transaction information storage unit 34. In other words, the information processing device 10 of this variation does not include an item information storage unit 32.

[0061] In this way, the selection process (see FIG. 9) when using only the transaction information storage unit 34 is the same as the selection process in step S102, except that the event-dependent coefficient is generated but the item-dependent coefficient is not generated. In this modified example, the substitute item function is the same as the event-dependent coefficient.

[0062] As described above, the information processing device 10 of the above embodiment includes an acquisition unit 30 and a selection unit 38. The acquisition unit 30 acquires trade item information related to the trade item information. The selection unit 38 selects a substitute item candidate for the trade item based on the inventory status of the substitute item candidate, and a substitute item function based on at least one of an item-dependent coefficient corresponding to the difference between the trade item and the substitute item candidate and an event-dependent coefficient corresponding to the trade information related to the trade item, for each of the multiple substitute item candidates.

[0063] As a result, according to the information processing device 10 of the above embodiment, it is possible to eliminate supply and demand surpluses and shortages for the same item, suppress additional procurement, reduce the workload of supply and demand negotiators, and suppress the burden of substitute items on the overall transaction.

[0064] In the above embodiment and modified example, the case where the desired trade item is an agricultural product has been described, but the desired trade item information is not limited to agricultural products. For example, it may be other primary industry products such as livestock products. Furthermore, the desired trade item may be something other than a primary industry product. For example, it may be a part used in industry.

[0065] In addition, the selection process executed by the CPU by reading the software (program) in each of the above embodiments may be executed by various processors other than the CPU. Examples of processors in this case include PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices) whose circuit configuration can be changed after manufacture, such as FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays), and dedicated electrical circuits, such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), which are processors having a circuit configuration designed specifically to execute specific processes. Furthermore, the selection process may be executed by one of these various processors, or by a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types (e.g., multiple FPGAs, or a combination of a CPU and an FPGA). Furthermore, the hardware structure of these various processors is, more specifically, an electrical circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor elements.

[0066] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, the program 19 is pre-stored (installed) in the storage 18, but this is not limiting. The program 19 may be provided in a form stored in a non-transitory storage medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory), a DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disk Read Only Memory), or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. The program 19 may also be downloaded from an external device via a network. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, the information processing device 10 is configured as a single device, but the information processing device 10 may be configured as a plurality of devices. For example, the functions of the information processing device 10 may be provided by a cloud service.

[0067] Furthermore, all publications, patent applications, and technical standards mentioned in this specification are incorporated by reference herein to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent application, and technical standard was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

[0068] The following additional clauses are disclosed in relation to the above-described embodiment.

[0069] (Supplementary Item 1) An information processing device comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires trade-requested item information regarding a trade-requested item; and a selection unit that selects a substitute item candidate for the trade-requested item from a plurality of substitute item candidates based on a substitute item function for each of the plurality of substitute item candidates that is based on at least one of an item-dependent coefficient corresponding to a difference between the trade-requested item and the substitute item candidate and an event-dependent coefficient corresponding to trade information regarding the trade-requested item, and the inventory status of the substitute item candidate.

[0070] (Supplementary Item 2) The information processing device according to Supplementary Item 1, wherein the item-dependent coefficient is a coefficient based on at least one of botanical information of the desired trade item and the substitute item candidate, and consumer usage trends.

[0071] (Appendix 3) The information processing device described in appendix 1 or 2, wherein the event-dependent coefficient is a coefficient based on at least one of the past performance of replacing the desired item with the candidate substitute item, the impact of differences in packaging conditions between the desired item and the candidate substitute item, and the impact of differences in delivery conditions between the desired item and the candidate substitute item.

[0072] (Supplementary Item 4) A program for causing a computer to function as an acquisition unit that acquires trade-requested item information regarding a trade-requested item, and a selection unit that selects a substitute item candidate for the trade-requested item from a plurality of substitute item candidates based on a substitute item function that is based on at least one of an item-dependent coefficient corresponding to the difference between the trade-requested item and the substitute item candidate and an event-dependent coefficient corresponding to the trade information regarding the trade-requested item, and the inventory status of the substitute item candidate.

[0073] (Supplementary Item 5) An information processing device comprising at least one processor, which acquires trade-requested item information relating to a trade-requested item, and selects a substitute item candidate for the trade-requested item from a plurality of substitute item candidates based on a substitute item function for each of the plurality of substitute item candidates, the substitute item function being based on at least one of an item-dependent coefficient corresponding to the difference between the trade-requested item and the substitute item candidate and an event-dependent coefficient corresponding to the trade information relating to the trade-requested item, and the inventory status of the substitute item candidate.

[0074] (Supplementary Item 9) A non-transitory storage medium storing a program executable by a computer to execute a selection process, wherein the selection process is configured to select a substitute item candidate for a desired trade item from a plurality of substitute item candidates based on a substitute item function that is dependent on at least one of an item-dependent coefficient corresponding to the difference between the desired trade item and the substitute item candidate and an event-dependent coefficient corresponding to trade information regarding the desired trade item, and on the inventory status of the substitute item candidate.

[0075] 10 Information processing device 19 Program 30 Acquisition unit 32 Item information storage unit 34 Transaction information storage unit 36 ​​Generation unit 38 Selection unit 40 Output unit

Claims

1. An information processing device comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires trade-requested item information regarding a trade-requested item; and a selection unit that selects a substitute item candidate for the trade-requested item from a plurality of substitute item candidates based on a substitute item function for each of the plurality of substitute item candidates that is based on at least one of an item-dependent coefficient corresponding to the difference between the trade-requested item and the substitute item candidate and an event-dependent coefficient corresponding to the trade information regarding the trade-requested item, and the inventory status of the substitute item candidate.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the item-dependent coefficient is a coefficient based on at least one of botanical information of the desired trade item and the candidate substitute item, and consumer usage trends.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the event-dependent coefficient is a coefficient based on at least one of the following: the substitution record of the desired item with the candidate substitute item based on past performance; the degree of influence due to differences in packaging conditions between the desired item and the candidate substitute item; and the degree of influence due to differences in delivery conditions between the desired item and the candidate substitute item.

4. A program for causing a computer to function as an acquisition unit that acquires trade-requested item information regarding a trade-requested item, and a selection unit that selects a substitute item candidate for the trade-requested item from a plurality of substitute item candidates based on a substitute item function that is based on at least one of an item-dependent coefficient corresponding to the difference between the trade-requested item and the substitute item candidate and an event-dependent coefficient corresponding to the trade information regarding the trade-requested item, and the inventory status of the substitute item candidate.

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