Communication promotion system

Abstract

This communication promotion system promotes communication between multiple users. The communication promotion system comprises a first information communication device linked to a first user from among a plurality of users, and a second information communication device linked to a second user from among the plurality of users. The first information communication device includes a first information acquisition unit that acquires first user information about the first user, and a first communication unit that communicates with the second information communication device on the basis of the first user information acquired by the first information acquisition unit. The second information communication device includes a second information acquisition unit that acquires second user information about the second user, and a second communication unit that communicates with the first information communication device on the basis of the second user information acquired by the second information acquisition unit.

Description

Communication promotion system

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a communication promotion system for information communication between a plurality of devices.

[0002] When a plurality of users perform work, it is important to have smooth communication between the users. As a technique for smooth communication between users, Patent Document 1 proposes monitoring the interaction between users, obtaining the emotional state and biorhythm data of each user, and sharing them among the users.

[0003] Japanese Patent Translation of PCT International Publication No. 2022-502219

[0004] In the prior art described in Patent Document 1, although it is possible to know the emotional state and biorhythm data of other users, it was necessary for the users to directly interact with each other for that purpose. However, when the positions of each user are far apart, or when the schedules of each user do not match, it is difficult to directly interact. Also, depending on the user, directly interacting with other users can be a psychological burden. In these cases, smooth communication between users cannot be achieved, and there is a risk that productivity in work will decrease.

[0005] The present disclosure solves the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a communication promotion system that enables smooth communication without direct interaction between people.

[0006] The communication facilitation system relating to this disclosure is a communication facilitation system that facilitates communication between multiple users, comprising: a first information communication device linked to a first user among the multiple users; and a second information communication device linked to a second user among the multiple users, wherein the first information communication device comprises: a first information acquisition unit that acquires first user information relating to the first user; and a first communication unit that communicates with the second information communication device based on the first user information acquired by the first information acquisition unit; and the second information communication device comprises: a second information acquisition unit that acquires second user information relating to the second user; and a second communication unit that communicates with the first information communication device based on the second user information acquired by the second information acquisition unit.

[0007] According to this disclosure, by communicating with a second information and communication device linked to a second user based on first user information relating to a first user, people can communicate smoothly without direct interaction with each other.

[0008] This is a schematic diagram of the communication promotion system according to Embodiment 1. This is a schematic diagram of the first and second information communication devices according to Embodiment 1. This is a hardware configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control device according to Embodiment 1. This is a hardware configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control device according to Embodiment 1. This is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the first information communication device according to Embodiment 1. This is a schematic diagram of the first information communication device according to Embodiment 2. This is a schematic diagram of the communication promotion system according to Embodiment 3. This is a schematic diagram of the first information communication device according to Embodiment 3. This is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the first information communication device according to Embodiment 3.

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the communication promotion system 100 relating to this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each figure, components denoted by the same reference numerals are the same or equivalent components, and this is common throughout the entire specification. Note that the relative dimensions or shapes of the components in each drawing may differ from those of the actual components.

[0010] Embodiment 1. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the communication promotion system 100 according to Embodiment 1. The communication promotion system 100 of this embodiment promotes communication between users by having information communication devices communicate with each other on behalf of the users. The communication promotion system 100 of this embodiment is equipped with multiple information communication devices, each associated with a multiple user. In the example of Figure 1, the communication promotion system 100 is equipped with a first information communication device 1a, a second information communication device 1b, a third information communication device 1c, and a fourth information communication device 1d, each associated with a first user Pa, a second user Pb, a third user Pc, and a fourth user Pd, respectively. The first to fourth information communication devices 1a to 1d are connected to each other via wired or wireless communication. For wired or wireless communication, interfaces compliant with communication standards such as Bluetooth®, Wi-Fi®, ZigBee®, LTE®, and LoRaWAN® are used. In the example shown in Figure 1, the communication facilitation system 100 is equipped with four information and communication devices, each associated with one of the four users. However, the number of information and communication devices is not limited to four; there may be multiple devices. Also, in the example shown in Figure 1, there is a one-to-one correspondence between users and information and communication devices. However, there may be a one-to-many correspondence between users and information and communication devices. In other words, one user may be associated with multiple information and communication devices.

[0011] The first to fourth information communication devices 1a to 1d are personal status support systems linked to the first to fourth users Pa to Pd, respectively. The first to fourth information communication devices 1a to 1d are, for example, autonomous robots as shown in Figure 1. The appearance and shape of the first to fourth information communication devices 1a to 1d can be customized by the first to fourth users Pa to Pd. By configuring the first to fourth information communication devices 1a to 1d in this way, the first to fourth users Pa to 1d can become familiar with the first to fourth information communication devices 1a to 1d, and the first to fourth users Pa to 1d and the first to fourth information communication devices 1a to 1d are more strongly linked.

[0012] The first to fourth information communication devices 1a to 1d are not limited to robots as shown in Figure 1, but may be terminal devices such as smartphones or tablets, or wearable devices such as smartwatches. Alternatively, the first to fourth information communication devices 1a to 1d may be devices realized by embedding or attaching chips having the functions of the first to fourth information communication devices 1a to 1d into or to a device of the user's choice. Each of the first to fourth information communication devices 1a to 1d is a device specific to the first to fourth users Pa to Pd, and starts operating when the first to fourth users Pd are authenticated, such as by inputting an identification number, fingerprint authentication, or facial recognition.

[0013] In the communication facilitation system 100 of this embodiment, the first information communication device 1a communicates on behalf of the first user Pa by interacting with the second information communication devices 1b to the fourth information communication devices 1d based on the user information of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd. In addition, the second information communication devices 1b to the fourth information communication devices 1d may also communicate on behalf of the second user Pb to the fourth user Pd by interacting with other information communication devices based on the user information of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd, similar to the first information communication device 1a.

[0014] The user information for the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd includes at least one of personal information and work information. The user information for the first user Pa is "First User Information," and the user information for the second user Pb is "Second User Information." The personal information included in the user information is information about the physical and mental state of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd, and includes at least one of the following: information about the state of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd, such as their speech, physical and mental state, and behavioral history, and biometric information such as brain waves, heart rate, pulse wave, body temperature, and posture of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd. The speech of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd is speech that indicates the comfort level or psychological state of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd, such as "hot," "cold," or "tired," and the physical and mental state indicates the physical and mental state related to work, such as "unable to concentrate" or "tired." Personal information of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd may be input to the first information communication device 1a to the fourth information communication device 1d by the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd, or it may be measured by a biometric information sensor (not shown) such as a camera, infrared sensor, electroencephalograph, activity tracker, heart rate monitor, thermometer, or accelerometer and input to the first information communication device 1a to the fourth information communication device 1d. If the first information communication device 1a to the fourth information communication device 1d is a wearable device such as a smartwatch, the first information communication device 1a to the fourth information communication device 1d may be equipped with a biometric information sensor for acquiring personal information.

[0015] The work information included in the user information is information about the work performed by the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd, and includes, for example, at least one of the following: schedule, affiliation, position, work content, and work hours for the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd. The schedule is the hourly schedule of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd's work or outings. The work content includes, for example, specific work such as document creation or meetings, the type of work such as intellectual work (desk work) or manual labor, or at least one of the following: light work or heavy labor. Here, "manual labor" includes work inside buildings such as the work of workers on a factory line or nurses in a hospital, but does not include work outdoors such as construction sites. The work information of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd may be input into the first information communication device 1a to the fourth information communication device 1d by the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd, or it may be obtained from an external management device that manages the work information of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd. Furthermore, the work content and work time of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd may be acquired by measurement using biometric information sensors such as cameras, infrared sensors, activity trackers, or acceleration sensors, and input into the first information communication devices 1a to the fourth information communication devices 1d. Note that the personal information and work information of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd are not limited to the examples listed above, but may also be other types of information.

[0016] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the first information communication device 1a and the second information communication device 1b according to Embodiment 1. In Figure 2, the specific configurations of the third information communication device 1c and the fourth information communication device 1d are not shown, but the third information communication device 1c and the fourth information communication device 1d have the same configuration as the first information communication device 1a or the second information communication device 1b. As shown in Figure 2, the first information communication device 1a includes a first control device 11a, a first storage device 12a, a first input device 13a, and a first output device 14a.

[0017] The first control device 11a includes, as functional units, a first information acquisition unit 111a, a first determination unit 112a, and a first communication unit 113a. The first control device 11a is composed of a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), DSP (Digital Signal Processor), or GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) that executes a program stored in dedicated hardware or memory. Figures 3 and 4 are hardware configuration diagrams showing an example of the configuration of the first control device 11a according to Embodiment 1.

[0018] As shown in Figure 3, when the first control device 11a is dedicated hardware, the first control device 11a is composed of a processing circuit 600. The processing circuit 600 may be, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit), an FPGA (field-programmable gate array), or a combination thereof. The first information acquisition unit 111a, the first determination unit 112a, and the first communication unit 113a of the first control device 11a may be implemented with separate hardware or with a single piece of hardware.

[0019] As shown in Figure 4, when the first control device 11a is configured with a processor 601, the first information acquisition unit 111a, the first determination unit 112a, and the first communication unit 113a of the first control device 11a are implemented by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. The software or firmware is written as a program and stored in the memory 602 that constitutes the first storage device 12a. The processor 601 and the memory 602 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate via a bus 603. The processor 601 implements the first information acquisition unit 111a, the first determination unit 112a, and the first communication unit 113a by reading and executing the program stored in the memory 602. The first control device 11a may have multiple processors 601 and multiple memories 602, which work together to implement each function of the first control device 11a. Alternatively, some of the functions of the first control device 11a may be implemented by dedicated hardware, and some may be implemented by software or firmware.

[0020] Returning to Figure 2, the first information acquisition unit 111a acquires at least one of the personal information and business information of the first user Pa, which is input via the first input device 13a, and at least one of the personal information and business information of the second user Pb to the fourth user Pd. At least one of the personal information and business information of the second user Pb to the fourth user Pd may be acquired, for example, by the information acquisition units of the second information communication devices 1b to the fourth information communication devices 1d and transmitted to the first information communication device 1a, or it may be acquired from an external management device that manages the business information of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd. The first information acquisition unit 111a may also acquire at least one of the personal information and business information of the first user Pa by performing wired or wireless communication with a biometric information sensor. The acquisition of information by the first information acquisition unit 111a may be performed periodically at predetermined time intervals (for example, every 30 minutes), or it may be performed when at least one of the person information and business information is input from the first user Pa via the first input device 13a.

[0021] The first determination unit 112a determines whether the communication conditions have been met based on at least one of the person information and business information acquired by the first information acquisition unit 111a. The communication conditions include when the first user Pa completes their work, when the first user Pa's work time exceeds a predetermined time, or when the first user Pa's physical and mental state reaches a predetermined state.

[0022] The first communication unit 113a selects an information communication device to communicate with from among the multiple second information communication devices 1b to fourth information communication devices 1d when the first determination unit 112a determines that the communication conditions have been met. The first communication unit 113a selects an information communication device to communicate with based on at least one of the personal information and business information of the first user Pa to fourth user Pd acquired by the first information acquisition unit 111a. For example, based on the business information of the first user Pa to fourth user Pd, the first communication unit 113a selects an information communication device as a communication target that is associated with a user belonging to the same team as the first user Pa, a user who is the first user Pa's superior, or a user who is doing the same work as the first user Pa. Alternatively, the first communication unit 113a selects an information communication device as a communication target based on the personal information of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd, which is associated with a user who has the same or different mental and physical state as the first user Pa, or a user who has the same behavioral history as the first user Pa.

[0023] The first communication unit 113a then generates communication content to be transmitted to at least one of the second information communication devices 1b to the fourth information communication devices 1d, which are the communication targets, based on at least one of the person information and business information acquired by the first information acquisition unit 111a. The communication content may be the person information or business information of the first user Pa, or it may be generated based on the person information or business information of the first user Pa. For example, the first communication unit 113a may select one of a plurality of communication contents pre-stored in the first storage device 12a based on the person information or business information of the first user Pa, or it may generate communication content based on the person information or business information of the first user Pa using a generation AI function.

[0024] Furthermore, the first communication unit 113a receives a reply from at least one of the second to fourth information communication devices 1b to 1d, which are the communication targets, and outputs it from the first output device 14a. Subsequently, the first communication unit 113a interacts with the communication targets on behalf of the first user Pa, such as by transmitting the information input from the first input device 13a to at least one of the second to fourth information communication devices 1b to 1d, which are the communication targets. In addition, if the first communication unit 113a initiates communication with another second to fourth information communication device 1b to 1d on behalf of the first user Pa, it may output a communication report from the first output device 14a reporting that communication has taken place.

[0025] The first storage device 12a is composed of, for example, volatile or non-volatile semiconductor memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), flash memory, EPROM (Erasable and Programmable ROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable ROM), HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), or a combination thereof. The first storage device 12a stores programs used for communication processing of the first control device 11a, various data such as calculation formulas and thresholds used for executing the program, and communication content.

[0026] The first input device 13a is, for example, an operating device such as a keyboard, mouse, or touch panel operated by the first user Pa, or a microphone that acquires the voice of the first user Pa. At least one of the first user Pa's personal information and business information is input to the first input device 13a as first user information. The first input device 13a transmits the input information to the first information acquisition unit 111a of the first control device 11a.

[0027] The first output device 14a is a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display that outputs visual information to the first user Pa, or a speaker that outputs audio information to the first user Pa. The first output device 14a outputs the reply content from at least one of the second information communication devices 1b to the fourth information communication devices 1d, which are the communication targets, and the communication report from the first communication unit 113a.

[0028] The second information communication device 1b comprises a second control device 11b, a second storage device 12b, a second input device 13b, and a second output device 14b. The second control device 11b, the second storage device 12b, the second input device 13b, and the second output device 14b have the same configuration and functions as the first control device 11a, the first storage device 12a, the first input device 13a, and the first output device 14a of the first information communication device 1a, except that they target a second user Pb.

[0029] The second control device 11b includes, as functional units, a second information acquisition unit 111b, a second determination unit 112b, and a second communication unit 113b. The functions of the second information acquisition unit 111b, the second determination unit 112b, and the second communication unit 113b are the same as those of the first information acquisition unit 111a, the first determination unit 112a, and the first communication unit 113a of the first control device 11a. However, the second information acquisition unit 111b acquires at least one of the person information and business information of the second user Pb, which is input via the second input device 13b, as second user information. The second communication unit 113b receives communication from the first information communication device 1a, which is the communication target, and outputs it from the second output device 14b. The second communication unit 113b may also communicate with the first information communication device 1a, the third information communication device 1c, and the fourth information communication device 1d based on the second user information.

[0030] A specific example of communication processing by the first information communication device 1a will be described. For example, the first determination unit 112a of the first information communication device 1a determines that the communication conditions are met when the mental and physical state of the first user Pa is fatigued. The first communication unit 113a selects the second information communication device 1b and the third information communication device 1c, which are associated with the second user Pb and the third user Pc, who are in a different mental and physical state from the first user Pa (i.e., healthy), as communication targets, generates a communication message requesting advice on the mental and physical state of the first user Pa or for the first user Pa, and transmits it to the second information communication device 1b and the third information communication device 1c. The first communication unit 113a then receives replies from the second information communication device 1b and the third information communication device 1c and outputs them to the first output device 14a.

[0031] As another example, the first determination unit 112a of the first information communication device 1a determines that the communication conditions have been met when the work of the first user Pa is completed. The first communication unit 113a selects the fourth information communication device 1d, which is associated with the fourth user Pd, who is the superior of the first user Pa, as the communication target, generates a report of the completion of the work of the first user Pa as the communication content, and transmits it to the fourth information communication device 1d. The first information communication device 1a then receives a reply from the fourth information communication device 1d and outputs it to the first output device 14a.

[0032] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the first information communication device 1a according to Embodiment 1. First, the first information acquisition unit 111a acquires at least one of the person information and business information of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd as input information (S1). Next, the first determination unit 112a determines whether the communication conditions are met based on at least one of the person information and business information of the first user Pa (S2). If the communication conditions are not met (S2: NO), this process is terminated.

[0033] If the communication conditions are met (S2: YES), the first communication unit 113a selects at least one of the second information communication devices 1b to the fourth information communication device 1d as the communication target based on at least one of the person information and business information of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd (S3). Then, the first communication unit 113a generates communication content based on at least one of the person information and business information of the first user Pa and starts communication with at least one of the second information communication devices 1b to the fourth information communication device 1d that was selected as the communication target (S4). After that, the first information communication device 1a and at least one of the second information communication devices 1b to the fourth information communication device 1d, which is the communication target, continue to communicate on behalf of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd.

[0034] As described above, in this embodiment, the first information communication device 1a, which is linked to the first user Pa, interacts with other information communication devices on behalf of the first user Pa, enabling smooth communication between users without direct interaction. Since there is no need for users to interact or communicate directly with each other, each user can concentrate on other tasks, thereby improving work efficiency. Furthermore, since communication between users can take place regardless of each user's location, state, and emotions, the psychological burden on each user is reduced, and productivity can be improved. In addition, the first information communication device 1a can automatically start communication with other information communication devices based on at least one of the personal information and work information of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd, enabling communication with other users even without the first user Pa's consent or presence.

[0035] Furthermore, the first communication unit 113a may translate the generated communication content into a language different from the original language and transmit it to the communication target. This allows the first information communication device 1a to act as an interpreter in interactions with users who speak different languages, enabling smooth communication between users. For example, when speaking face-to-face with a foreign worker, the first information communication device 1a translates the words spoken by the first user Pa and conveys them to the other party. Alternatively, the first communication unit 113a may take into account the feelings and personality of the first user Pa, who is linked to the device, and add information gleaned from the feelings and personality of the first user Pa to the content of the first user Pa's statements (communication content), transmit it to the communication target, and convey it to the foreign worker. Or, the first communication unit 113a may convert the communication content into a different format and transmit it to the communication target. For example, the first communication unit 113 may convert the audio contained in the communication content into text or images, or convert the text contained in the communication content into audio or images and transmit it to the communication target. Alternatively, the first information and communication device 1a may change the content of the foreign worker's speech, which is included in the communication content received from the communication target, to a form that suits the personality of the first user Pa, and then transmit it to the first user Pa.

[0036] Furthermore, a communication unit to be communicated, such as the second communication unit 113b, may convert and output the communication content received from the first information communication device 1a. In this case, the conversion includes, as described above, translation into a language different from the original language, conversion to a different format, addition of information, or modification of the communication content. This can suppress the occurrence of discrepancies in communication between users.

[0037] Embodiment 2. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the first information communication device 1aA according to Embodiment 2. The communication promotion system 100A of Embodiment 2 consists of a plurality of first information communication devices 1aA and second information communication devices 1b to fourth information communication devices 1d. In Figure 6, the specific configurations of the second information communication devices 1b to fourth information communication devices 1d are not shown, but the second information communication devices 1b to fourth information communication devices 1d have the same configuration as the first information communication device 1aA. As shown in Figure 6, the first information communication device 1aA of this embodiment includes a first control device 11aA, a first storage device 12aA, a first input device 13a, and a first output device 14a. The configuration and function of the first input device 13a and the first output device 14a are the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0038] The first control device 11aA has, as functional units, a first information acquisition unit 111a, a first determination unit 112a, a first communication unit 113a, and a dialogue unit 114.

[0039] The dialogue unit 114 conducts voice-based dialogue with the first user Pa. The dialogue unit 114 has a speech recognition function that recognizes speech input via the first input device 13a, a natural language processing function that determines the meaning of the recognized speech, and a speech function that generates dialogue content with user P and outputs it via the first output device 14a. The dialogue unit 114 generates voice data of the dialogue content from the voice data stored in the voice data DB 121 ("DB" is an abbreviation for database) stored in the first storage device 12a, and outputs it from the first output device 14a. The dialogue unit 114 may also have an image recognition function and conduct dialogue with the first user Pa using visual information such as text or images. Alternatively, the dialogue unit 114 may conduct dialogue with the first user Pa using a combination of voice and visual information.

[0040] The dialogue content generated by the dialogue unit 114 is advice or casual conversation for the first user Pa. The advice for the first user Pa is, for example, a message prompting the first user Pa, who is tired, to take a break, or a message prompting the first user Pa to change the environment. The casual conversation is, for example, a message regarding the current weather or news, or a message regarding the hobby of the first user Pa. The dialogue unit 114 randomly selects, for example, the voice data stored in the voice data DB 121 as the dialogue content.

[0041] Also, the dialogue unit 114 generates a response to the speech content of the first user Pa input to the first input device 13a and outputs it. For example, the dialogue unit 114 selects voice data of the response content corresponding to the speech content of the first user Pa from the voice data stored in the voice data DB 121 and outputs it from the first output device 14a.

[0042] The first storage device 12aA of the present embodiment stores the voice data DB 121. The voice data DB 121 stores various voice data used for the dialogue by the dialogue unit 114. The voice data DB 121 includes voice data for advising the first user Pa and voice data for casual conversation with the first user Pa. The voice data DB 121 communicates with an external device via a network such as the Internet and acquires voice data from the external device.

[0043] The first determination unit 112a of the present embodiment determines whether the communication conditions are satisfied based on the dialogue content between the first user Pa and the dialogue unit 114. For example, the first determination unit 112a determines that the communication conditions are satisfied when the first user Pa issues a business-related problem or a question or inquiry during the dialogue with the dialogue unit 114.

[0044] In this embodiment, when the first determination unit 112a determines that the communication conditions are met, the first communication unit 113a selects an information communication device to communicate with based on at least one of the personal information and business information of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd, similar to the first embodiment. The first communication unit 113a then generates communication content based on the content of the conversation between the first user Pa and the dialogue unit 114. For example, if the first user Pa expresses a work-related problem during a conversation with the dialogue unit 114, the first communication unit 113a selects at least one of the second information communication devices 1b to the fourth information communication device 1d, which are associated with the first user Pa's colleague or superior, as the communication target and transmits the work-related problem, which is the content of the conversation, as the communication content to the communication target. The first communication unit 113a also receives a reply to the communication from at least one of the second information communication devices 1b to the fourth information communication device 1d, which is the communication target, and transmits it to the dialogue unit 114. The dialogue unit 114 outputs the content of the reply from at least one of the second information communication device 1b to the fourth information communication device 1d as a response to the dialogue from the first output device 14a.

[0045] As described above, in this embodiment as well, the first information communication device 1aA associated with the first user Pa interacts with other information communication devices on behalf of the first user Pa, enabling smooth communication between users without direct interaction. Furthermore, by interacting with the first user Pa and then interacting with other information communication devices based on the content of that interaction, communication can be conducted in accordance with the intentions of the first user Pa.

[0046] In the above embodiment, the content of the conversation with the first user Pa is used for determining the communication conditions by the first determination unit 112a and for generating the communication content by the first communication unit 113a. However, the conversation with the first user Pa may be used for at least one of the following: determining the communication conditions by the first determination unit 112a, selecting the communication target by the first communication unit 113a, and generating the communication content. For example, the first determination unit 112a may determine whether the communication conditions are met based on the person information and business information of the first user Pa, similar to Embodiment 1, and the first communication unit 113a may select the communication target and generate the communication content from the content of the conversation with the first user Pa.

[0047] Embodiment 3. FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram of a communication promotion system 100B according to Embodiment 3. As shown in FIG. 7, the communication promotion system 100B of the present embodiment includes an environmental information measurement device 2 in addition to a first information communication device 1aB, second information communication devices 1b to 1d. The first information communication device 1aB and the environmental information measurement device 2 are connected so as to enable wired communication or wireless communication.

[0048] The environmental information measurement device 2 is a device that measures environmental information in the indoor space where the first user Pa exists. The environmental information is, for example, at least any one of indoor temperature, humidity, CO ２ concentration, dust concentration, illuminance, odor intensity, noise level, and the number of people present. The environmental information measurement device 2 is, for example, a temperature sensor that measures indoor temperature, a humidity sensor that measures humidity, a CO ２ sensor that measures CO ２ concentration, a dust sensor that measures dust concentration, an illuminance sensor that measures illuminance, an odor sensor that measures odor intensity, a volume sensor that measures noise level, and at least any one of an infrared sensor or a camera that detects the number of people present. The environmental information measured by the environmental information measurement device 2 is transmitted to the first information communication device 1aB. Note that the environmental information measurement device 2 and the environmental information are not limited to the examples listed above, and other devices and information may be used.

[0049] FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram of the first information communication device 1aB according to Embodiment 3. In FIG. 8, although the specific configurations of the second information communication devices 1b to 1d are not shown, the second information communication devices 1b to 1d have the same configuration as the first information communication device 1aB. As shown in FIG. 8, the first information communication device 1aB of the present embodiment includes a first control device 11aB, a first storage device 12aB, a first input device 13a, and a first output device 14a. The configurations and functions of the first input device 13a and the first output device 14a are the same as those in Embodiment 1.

[0050] The first control device 11aB has, as functional units, a first information acquisition unit 111a, a first determination unit 112a, a first communication unit 113a, and an estimation unit 115.

[0051] In this embodiment, the first information acquisition unit 111a acquires environmental information measured by the environmental information measuring device 2, in addition to at least one of the person information and business information of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd. The first information acquisition unit 111a transmits the acquired environmental information and at least one of the person information and business information of the first user Pa to the estimation unit 115.

[0052] The estimation unit 115 estimates the psychological state of the first user Pa using the environmental information acquired by the first information acquisition unit 111a, at least one of the first user Pa's personal information and work information, and the learned estimation model 122 stored in the first storage device 12aB. Specifically, the estimation unit 115 inputs the environmental information acquired by the first information acquisition unit 111a, at least one of the first user Pa's personal information and work information as input data to the estimation model 122, and obtains a psychological value indicating the psychological state of the first user Pa output from the estimation model 122 as the estimation result. The psychological value is the degree of ease of work or well-being of the first user Pa. The degree of ease of work includes the degree to which user Pa can positively engage in work (job satisfaction), motivation (job satisfaction), or the degree of labor economics such as reduced working hours due to increased productivity. For example, these include work efficiency, reduction in working hours, improvement in intellectual productivity index, degree of concentration on work from the perspective of labor productivity, or engagement index from the perspective of motivation. Well-being is the degree to which user P feels comfortable both physically and mentally in that space, and is expressed numerically as, for example, a comfort index, fatigue index, medical expense reduction rate, or sleep index. In addition, a higher numerical value for ease of work and well-being indicates that the space is easier to work in and more comfortable.

[0053] The first storage device 12aB of this embodiment stores the estimation model 122. The estimation model 122 is a trained model that takes environmental information and at least one of the first user Pa's personal information and business information as input data, and outputs a psychological value indicating the first user Pa's psychological state as output data. The estimation model 122 is trained using the first user Pa's unique training data. The estimation model 122 is trained, for example, by supervised learning using a neural network.

[0054] An example of the learning method for the estimation model 122 is described below. The estimation model 122 learns the psychological value of the first user Pa for each type of environmental information, person information, and work information, using past environmental information, at least one of the person information and work information of the first user Pa, and the psychological value of the first user Pa at that time as learning data. The psychological value of the first user Pa in the learning data can be obtained from feedback from the first user Pa in the past. The feedback from the first user Pa may be obtained from at least one of the state information of the first user Pa in the person information, such as the first user Pa's speech and actions, mental and physical state, and behavioral history, and biometric information of the first user Pa, such as the first user Pa's brain waves, heart rate, pulse wave, body temperature, and posture, or it may be input from the first user Pa via the first input device 13a.

[0055] For example, suppose the estimation model 122 is trained using training data where the ease of working is 2 when the noise level is 60 dB and the first user Pa is doing desk work, and training data where the ease of working is 5 when the noise level is 40 dB and the first user Pa is doing desk work. In this case, the trained estimation model 122 will output an ease of working score of 2 as a psychological value when the input data includes environmental information of a noise level of 60 dB and work information of desk work. The above is just one example, and in reality, the estimation model 122 will be trained to output a psychological value based on multiple factors.

[0056] Even in the same environment, the degree of ease of work and well-being varies from person to person. Furthermore, the degree of ease of work and well-being also varies from person to person depending on the combination of work content and environment. For example, when doing desk work, some people work better in a quiet environment, while others work better in an environment with music playing. Also, even among people who work better in a quiet environment when doing desk work, some work better with music playing when doing physical labor, while others work better in a quiet environment even when doing physical labor. Estimation model 122 learns past environmental information, at least one of person information and work information, and the psychological value (degree of ease of work or degree of well-being) of the first user Pa at that time as training data, and can output an estimated result of a psychological value unique to the first user Pa, taking into account the physical and psychological state of the first user Pa.

[0057] In this embodiment, the first determination unit 112a determines whether the communication conditions are met based on the psychological state of the first user Pa estimated by the estimation unit 115. Specifically, the first determination unit 112a determines that the communication conditions are met if the psychological value of the first user Pa estimated by the estimation unit 115 is lower than a preset threshold. The threshold is a value below a standard value that the user considers easy or comfortable to work with. In other words, the first information communication device 1aB performs dialogue with other information communication devices on behalf of the first user Pa if it is estimated that the first user Pa is difficult or uncomfortable to work with.

[0058] In this embodiment, when the first determination unit 112a determines that the communication conditions are met, the first communication unit 113a selects the communication target and generates the communication content based on at least one of the person information and business information of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd, similar to the first embodiment.

[0059] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the first information communication device 1aB according to Embodiment 3. First, the first information acquisition unit 111a acquires, as input information, at least one of the person information and business information of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd, and environmental information measured by the environmental information measuring device 2 (S11). Next, the estimation unit 115 estimates the psychological value using the learned estimation model 122 stored in the first storage device 12aB (S12). Here, the estimation unit 115 inputs the environmental information acquired by the first information acquisition unit 111a and at least one of the person information and business information of the first user Pa into the estimation model 122 and obtains the psychological value as output data.

[0060] Next, the first determination unit 112a determines whether the communication conditions are met based on the psychological values ​​estimated by the estimation unit 115 (S13). For example, the first determination unit 112a determines that the communication conditions are met if the degree of ease of work or degree of well-being, which are psychological values ​​estimated by the estimation unit 115, is less than a preset threshold. If the communication conditions are not met (S13: NO), this process is terminated.

[0061] If the communication conditions are met (S13: YES), the first communication unit 113a selects at least one of the second information communication devices 1b to the fourth information communication device 1d as the communication target based on at least one of the person information and business information of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd (S14). Then, the first communication unit 113a generates communication content based on at least one of the person information and business information of the first user Pa and starts communication with at least one of the second information communication devices 1b to the fourth information communication device 1d that was selected as the communication target (S15). After that, the first information communication device 1aB and at least one of the second information communication devices 1b to the fourth information communication device 1d, which is the communication target, continue to communicate on behalf of the first user Pa to the fourth user Pd.

[0062] As described above, in this embodiment as well, the first information communication device 1aB associated with the first user Pa interacts with other information communication devices on behalf of the first user Pa, enabling smooth communication between users without direct interaction. Furthermore, by estimating the psychological state of the first user Pa and interacting with other information communication devices based on that psychological state, the first user Pa can be psychologically supported.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the estimation model 122 is used to estimate psychological values ​​used to determine communication conditions. However, the estimation model 122 may also be used to estimate the communication target and communication content when the communication conditions are met. For example, the first determination unit 112a may determine whether the communication conditions are met based on the person information and business information of the first user Pa, similar to the first embodiment. If the communication conditions are met, the estimation unit 115 may use the estimation model 122 to select the communication target and generate the communication content, which may then be transmitted from the first communication unit 113a.

[0064] The above describes the embodiments, but this disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. Furthermore, this disclosure includes all possible combinations of the configurations shown in the above embodiments. For example, the first information communication device 1a may include both the dialogue unit 114 of Embodiment 2 and the estimation unit 115 of Embodiment 3.

[0065] Furthermore, the affiliation of each functional unit in the first control device 11a of the first information communication device 1a is not limited to the example of the above embodiment. For example, each functional unit of the first control device 11a may be implemented by dividing it among multiple control devices, or a part of the functional unit of the first control device 11a may be implemented by an external device capable of communicating with the first information communication device 1a. In addition, the voice data DB 121 or estimation model 122 stored in the first storage device 12aA or 12aB may be stored in an external storage device such as online storage.

[0066] Furthermore, the determination of communication conditions by the first determination unit 112a and the selection of communication targets by the first communication unit 113a are not limited to the method of the above embodiment. For example, when the first information communication devices 1a to the fourth information communication devices 1d perform short-range wireless communication such as infrared communication, the first determination unit 112a may determine that the communication conditions are met when any of the other second information communication devices 1b to the fourth information communication devices 1d enter the communication range (i.e., short distance) of the first information communication device 1a. In this case, the first communication unit 113a selects any of the other second information communication devices 1b to the fourth information communication devices 1d that have entered the communication range of the first information communication device 1a as the communication target.

[0067] Furthermore, the first control device 11a of the first information communication device 1a may further have a business unit as a functional unit that performs tasks on behalf of the first user Pa. The business unit has a function for automatically creating documents using generation AI, and when the first determination unit 112a determines that the communication conditions are met, it performs simple tasks on behalf of the first user Pa. The type of task to be automatically performed by the business unit may be, for example, predetermined by the first user Pa and stored in the first storage device 12a, or it may be automatically determined by the business unit from the first user Pa's schedule or the content of the conversation with the first user Pa. For example, if the first user Pa says, "I need to send an email to Mr. / Ms. XX...", the business unit will create an email on behalf of the first user Pa and send it to the recipient. This reduces the workload of the first user Pa and improves the productivity of the first user Pa.

[0068] Furthermore, the information acquired by the first information communication device 1a in the above embodiment, the estimation results, and the communication content with the second information communication devices 1b to the fourth information communication devices 1d may be stored in the first storage device 12a or an external storage device as a personalized database for the first user Pa. Based on the stored information, at least one of the following may be performed: the first determination unit 112a may determine the communication conditions, the first communication unit 113a may select the communication target, and the communication content may be generated. This configuration makes the first information communication device 1a linked to the first user Pa personally.

[0069] 1a, 1aA, 1aB First information communication device, 1b Second information communication device, 1c Third information communication device, 1d Fourth information communication device, 2 Environmental information measuring device, 11a, 11aA, 11aB First control device, 11b Second control device, 12a, 12aA, 12aB First storage device, 12b Second storage device, 13a First input device, 13b Second input device, 14a First output device, 14b Second output device, 100, 100A, 100B Communication promotion system, 111a First information acquisition unit, 111b Second information acquisition unit, 112a First determination unit, 112b Second determination unit, 113a First communication unit, 113b Second communication unit, 114 Dialogue unit, 115 Estimation unit, 121 Voice data DB, 122 Estimation model, 600 Processing circuit, 601 Processor, 602 memory, 603 bus.

Claims

1. A communication facilitating system for facilitating communication between multiple users, comprising: a first information communication device associated with a first user among the multiple users; and a second information communication device associated with a second user among the multiple users, wherein the first information communication device comprises: a first information acquisition unit for acquiring first user information relating to the first user; and a first communication unit for communicating with the second information communication device based on the first user information acquired by the first information acquisition unit; and the second information communication device comprises: a second information acquisition unit for acquiring second user information relating to the second user; and a second communication unit for communicating with the first information communication device based on the second user information acquired by the second information acquisition unit.

2. The communication facilitation system according to claim 1, wherein the first user information is at least one of the first user's personal information and business information, and the second user information is at least one of the second user's personal information and business information.

3. The communication facilitation system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a determination unit that determines whether or not to communicate with the second information communication device based on the first user information.

4. The communication facilitation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first communication unit selects the second information communication device from a plurality of information communication devices based on the first user information and performs the communication.

5. The communication facilitation system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first communication unit generates communication content to the second information communication device based on the first user information.

6. The communication facilitation system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first information communication device further comprises a dialogue unit for engaging in dialogue with the first user, and the first communication unit generates communication content for the second information communication device based on the content of the dialogue between the first user and the dialogue unit.

7. The communication facilitation system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the first communication unit transmits the generated communication content to the second information communication device.

8. The communication promotion system according to claim 1, further comprising: an estimation unit that estimates the psychological state of the first user using at least one of the environmental information of the indoor space in which the first user is present and the first user information, and a trained estimation model; and a determination unit that determines whether or not to communicate with the second information communication device based on the psychological state of the first user.

9. The communication facilitation system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the first communication unit converts the communication content and transmits it to the second information communication device, or the second communication unit converts the communication content received from the first information communication device and outputs it, and the conversion includes translation into a different language, conversion into a different format, addition of information, or modification of the communication content.

10. The communication facilitation system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the first information communication device further comprises an output device that outputs a reply from the second information communication device.

11. The communication facilitating system according to claim 2, wherein the personal information of the first user includes at least one of information relating to the first user's state and the first user's biometric information, the information relating to the state includes at least one of the first user's speech and actions, mental and physical state, and behavioral history, the biometric information includes at least one of the first user's brain waves, heart rate, pulse wave, body temperature, and posture, and the work information of the first user includes at least one of the first user's schedule, affiliation, position, work content, and work hours.

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