Information support system, information support device, information support method, program, and recording medium

Abstract

Provided are an information support system, an information support device, an information support method, a program, and a recording medium that enable a wide variety of proposals conforming to a user's intentions to be provided in relation to parameters of an imaging device. In an information support system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, a processor 11 of an information support device 10: accepts input of a user's request relating to imaging; inputs information relating to the request into a first trained model that generates information relating to imaging methods, and acquires information relating to imaging method candidates; inputs the information relating to the imaging method candidates and information relating to a first imaging condition relating to an imaging environment into a second trained model, and acquires information relating to a recommended imaging method; and inputs information relating to a second imaging condition relating to an imaging device 2 for imaging and the information relating to the recommended imaging method into a third trained model, and acquires imaging support information relating to the setting content of the imaging device 2.

Description

Information support system, information support device, information support method, program, and recording medium

[0001] One embodiment of the present invention relates to an information support system, information support device, information support method, program, and recording medium that enable a wide variety of suggestions regarding the parameters of a photographing device that align with the user's intentions.

[0002] With the evolution and widespread adoption of digital cameras, opportunities and needs for photography are increasing not only among professionals but also among general users. On the other hand, such evolution often leads to digital cameras becoming more multi-functional and their settings becoming more complex. In this case, general users without special knowledge tend to encounter functions that are difficult to understand, or functions that they understand but cannot use properly. Therefore, various support technologies that enable photography according to the user's purpose and preferences are already known.

[0003] One example of such technology is the technology described in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for a photography support system that provides photographers with an advanced photographic enjoyment.

[0004] This technology comprises: an image information database that stores image data of existing photographic images and image information thereof in association with each other; a management server connected to the image information database via a network; and an imaging device of a user connectable to the management server via a network. The imaging device comprises: imaging means; creation means for extracting features from provisional imaging data provisionally captured by the imaging means, and creating provisional imaging information including parameters indicating the features; transmission means for transmitting the provisional imaging information to the management server; reception means for receiving control information for controlling imaging conditions suitable for imaging from the management server; and setting means for setting imaging conditions in accordance with the control information. The management server comprises: storage means for storing photographic images pre-registered by each user in association with the user; reception means for receiving the provisional imaging information from the imaging device; estimation means for estimating the features based on the parameters; acquisition means for searching for a photographic image having features close to said features from among the photographic images corresponding to the user that received the provisional imaging information by said reception means, and acquiring the image information of the searched photographic image; extraction means for comparing the received provisional imaging information and the image information and extracting a difference; control information creation means for creating control information for setting imaging conditions in the user's imaging device based on the extracted difference; and transmission means for transmitting the control information to the imaging device. The present invention relates to an imaging support system.

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for reducing the burden required for re-imaging a positioning image in an MRI apparatus.

[0006] This technology relates to an imaging assistance device comprising at least one processor, wherein the processor acquires a first image that includes at least a part of a subject and is acquired prior to acquisition of a diagnostic image by an MRI apparatus, sets imaging conditions for the MRI apparatus when acquiring the diagnostic image based on the first image, acquires the diagnostic image by causing the MRI apparatus to image the subject based on the imaging conditions, and derives a second image including at least a part of the subject imaged under the set imaging conditions from the diagnostic image.

[0007] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-055088 WO2024 / 024179

[0008] According to conventional technologies, it is possible to receive suggestions for camera parameters and other settings that meet user requests. However, in most cases, these user requests are assumed to be in a predetermined format and content, and the suggested camera parameters and other settings corresponding to such requests are fixed.

[0009] On the other hand, accurately specifying such requests in a prescribed format and obtaining the desired proposal content requires a certain level of knowledge and experience regarding the correspondence between the request and the corresponding proposal content. Furthermore, users have diverse shooting purposes, shooting environments, and camera specifications, and there may be cases where it is difficult to make appropriate requests using the prescribed format and content as described above. In such cases, it is difficult to expect to receive accurate proposal content that satisfies the user. In addition, because the proposal content is fixed, even if the user wishes to modify or change it, no corresponding processing is performed.

[0010] One embodiment of the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a technology that enables a wide variety of suggestions regarding the parameters of the imaging device that are in line with the user's intentions.

[0011] The above objective is achieved by an information support system described in any of the following [1] to

[14] . [1] An information support system equipped with a processor, wherein the processor performs the following processes: receiving input of a user's request regarding shooting; obtaining information on candidate shooting methods by inputting the request information into a first trained model that generates information on shooting methods; obtaining information on recommended shooting methods by inputting the information on candidate shooting methods and information on first shooting conditions relating to the shooting environment into a second trained model; and obtaining shooting support information relating to the settings of a shooting device by inputting information on second shooting conditions relating to a shooting device for shooting and information on recommended shooting methods into a third trained model.

[0012] [2] The information support system according to [1], wherein the processor acquires information on at least one of the following in the shooting environment as information on first shooting conditions: season, time of day, weather, light source, lighting, topography, geology, and structures.

[0013] [3] An information support system according to either [1] or [2], wherein the processor acquires information on at least one of the types, conditions, colors, and shapes of the subject to be photographed as information on third shooting conditions, and inputs information on candidate shooting methods and at least the third shooting conditions into a second trained model to acquire information on recommended shooting methods.

[0014] [4] An information support system according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the processor acquires information on at least one of the relative positional relationship between the subject and the photographer, composition, angle of view, and leading line as information on a fourth shooting condition, and inputs information on candidate shooting methods and at least the information on the fourth shooting condition into a second trained model to acquire information on a recommended shooting method.

[0015] [5] An information support system according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the processor accepts input of at least one piece of information as a user request regarding photography, which includes the atmosphere or impression desired in the image obtained from the photography, an image or photographer to be used as a reference, and the purpose of photography.

[0016] [6] An information support system according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the processor inputs information on second shooting conditions and information on recommended shooting methods to a third trained model to acquire shooting support information, including recommended actions for the user during shooting.

[0017] [7] An information support system according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the processor outputs information to support the shooting.

[0018] [8] An information support system according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein the processor accepts input of requests in at least one of the following formats: text, voice, and images.

[0019] [9] The information support system according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein, after outputting the shooting support information, the processor receives a request from the user for modification regarding at least one of the following: requests, information on the first shooting conditions, and information on the second shooting conditions, and the processor again executes the process of acquiring the shooting support information based on the modification content of at least one piece of information indicated by the modification request.

[0020]

[10] An information support system according to any one of [1] to [9], wherein the processor performs training of first, second, and third trained models based on the user's shooting history information, and uses the first, second, and third trained models that have learned the user's characteristics regarding shooting to perform processes for obtaining information on candidate shooting methods, processes for obtaining information on recommended shooting methods, and processes for obtaining shooting support information.

[0021]

[11] An information support system according to any one of [1] to

[10] , wherein the processor performs training of first, second, and third trained models based on shooting history information of multiple users, and uses the first, second, and third trained models that have learned the characteristics of multiple users regarding shooting to perform processes for obtaining information on candidate shooting methods, processes for obtaining information on recommended shooting methods, and processes for obtaining shooting support information.

[0022]

[12] The information support system according to any one of [1] to

[11] , wherein the first, second, and third trained models are the same trained model.

[0023]

[13] An information support system according to any one of [1] to

[12] , wherein the first, second, and third trained models are each different trained models.

[0024]

[14] The information support system according to any one of [1] to

[13] , wherein the processor uses multiple trained models in at least one of the processes of acquiring information on candidate shooting methods, acquiring information on recommended shooting methods, and acquiring information to support shooting.

[0025] Furthermore, the above objective can also be achieved by the information support device described in

[15] below.

[15] An information support device equipped with a processor, wherein the processor receives input of a user's request regarding shooting and acquires information on candidate shooting methods obtained by inputting the request information to a first trained model that generates information on shooting methods; acquires information on first shooting conditions relating to the shooting environment; acquires information on recommended shooting methods obtained by inputting the information on candidate shooting methods and at least the information on first shooting conditions relating to the shooting environment to a second trained model; and acquires shooting support information relating to the settings of a shooting device obtained by inputting at least the information on second shooting conditions relating to the shooting device for shooting and the information on recommended shooting methods to a third trained model.

[0026] Furthermore, the above objective can also be achieved by the information support method described in

[16] below.

[16] A shooting support method that provides information support using a processor, comprising: a step of receiving input of a user's request regarding shooting using the processor; a step of obtaining information on candidate shooting methods by inputting the request information into a first trained model that generates information on shooting methods using the processor; a step of obtaining information on recommended shooting methods by inputting the information on candidate shooting methods and information on first shooting conditions relating to the shooting environment into a second trained model using the processor; and a step of obtaining shooting support information relating to the settings of a shooting device by inputting information on second shooting conditions relating to a shooting device for shooting and information on recommended shooting methods into a third trained model using the processor.

[0027] Furthermore, the above objectives can also be achieved by the program described in

[17] below.

[17] A program for causing a computer to perform each step included in the information support method described in

[16] .

[0028] Furthermore, the above objectives can also be achieved by the recording medium described in

[18] below.

[18] A computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded causing a computer to perform each step of the information support method described in

[17] .

[0029] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an information support system, information support method, program, and recording medium are provided that enable a wide variety of suggestions regarding the parameters of a shooting device in accordance with the user's intentions.

[0030] This figure shows an example configuration of the information support system according to this embodiment. This figure illustrates the functional configuration of the information support device according to this embodiment. This figure illustrates the hardware configuration of the information support device according to this embodiment. This figure shows an example of a request table according to this embodiment. This figure shows an example of an environment information table according to this embodiment. This figure shows an example of a device information table according to this embodiment. This figure shows an example of a subject information table according to this embodiment. This figure shows an example of a relative position information table according to this embodiment. This figure shows an example of a shooting history table according to this embodiment. This figure shows an example of a flow of the information support method according to this embodiment. This figure shows an example of a screen according to this embodiment. This figure shows an example of a screen according to this embodiment. This figure shows an example of a screen according to this embodiment. This figure shows an example of a screen according to this embodiment. This figure shows an example of a screen according to this embodiment. This figure shows an example of a screen according to this embodiment. This figure shows an example of a screen according to this embodiment. This figure shows an example of a screen according to this embodiment. This figure shows an example of a screen according to this embodiment. This figure shows an example of a screen according to this embodiment. This figure shows an example of a screen according to this embodiment.

[0031] The following describes specific embodiments of the present invention. For convenience of explanation, the following descriptions may sometimes be based on the perspective of a GUI (Graphical User Interface). Furthermore, since the fundamental data processing technologies for realizing the present invention (communication / transmission technologies, data acquisition technologies, data recording technologies, data processing / analysis technologies, machine learning technologies, image processing technologies, and visualization technologies, etc.) are known technologies, their descriptions will be omitted.

[0032] Furthermore, in this specification, the concept of "device" includes not only a single device that performs a specific function, but also a combination of multiple devices that exist independently and in a distributed manner while cooperating (linking) to perform a specific function.

[0033] Furthermore, in this specification, "user" refers to a user of the information support device 10, the shooting device 2, or the user terminal 3 of the present invention. Specifically, for example, a user is a person who wishes to receive a variety of suggestions regarding camera parameters that align with their intentions, based on the functions of the information support device 10 of the present invention, and to perform appropriate shooting based on those suggestions.

[0034] Furthermore, in this specification, "person" means an entity that performs a specific action, and includes individuals, groups, corporations and other legal entities, and organizations, and may also include computers and devices that constitute artificial intelligence (AI). Artificial intelligence (AI) realizes intelligent functions such as reasoning, prediction, and judgment using hardware and software resources. The algorithm of artificial intelligence is arbitrary and includes, for example, expert systems, case-based reasoning (CBR), convolutional neural networks (CNN), deep neural networks (DNN), Bayesian networks, or inclusion architectures.

[0035] <<About one embodiment of the present invention>> [Configuration of the information support system] In one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, this embodiment), the information support system 1 is configured by an information support device 10, a shooting device 2, a user terminal 3, a generation AI server 4, an observation unit 5, and an external information server 6, all connected to the network N shown in Figure 1. The information support device 10 may be composed of at least one of the shooting device 2 or the user terminal 3.

[0036] Of these, the shooting device 2 is a device for the user to take images (hereinafter referred to as reference images Gs) as needed. Reference images Gs are a type of information that indicates the user's requests regarding shooting. Therefore, reference images Gs are images that suggest the user's shooting preferences, shooting purpose, shooting environment, etc. (information about the user's requests).

[0037] Furthermore, if the shooting device 2 is a camera used by the user for actual shooting (shooting performed by the user based on shooting support information), the device information indicating its own specifications (second shooting condition information related to the shooting device) may be distributed to the information support device 10 via the network N or other appropriate communication interface, along with the pre-set user identification information. The above reference image Gs and device information are used when the information support device 10 generates support information.

[0038] On the other hand, the user terminal 3 is a terminal that acquires reference images Gs from the shooting device 2 and distributes them to the information support device 10. The user terminal 3 also receives the user's requests regarding shooting (information about the user's requests) in, for example, natural language form and acquires them as text information Tx. The text information Tx may include at least one piece of information from the following: the atmosphere or impression the user desires from the image obtained by shooting, reference images or photographers, and the purpose of shooting. Alternatively, the user terminal 3 may acquire the information indicated in the text information Tx from the voice spoken by the user using speech recognition. Alternatively, the user terminal 3 may distribute the voice directly as audio data to the information support device 10. In that case, the information support device 10 will perform speech recognition processing on the audio data and generate and acquire the text information Tx itself.

[0039] The user terminal 3 distributes the above text information Tx (or corresponding audio data; the same applies hereinafter) to the information support device 10. The user terminal 3 also accepts input or selection from the user as needed regarding environmental information (information on the first shooting conditions), device information (information on the second shooting conditions), information on the subject being photographed, i.e., subject information (information on the third shooting conditions), and relative position information (information on the fourth shooting conditions: information on the relative position between the subject and the photographer), and distributes this to the information support device 10. The shooting device 2 may also be equipped with these functions for receiving and distributing various types of information and perform them instead of the user terminal 3.

[0040] Alternatively, the user terminal 3 may use its own camera unit and distance measuring function (e.g., LiDAR) to observe and acquire environmental information, subject information, and relative position information, and distribute this information to the information support device 10. The shooting device 2 may similarly be equipped with these functions for observing, acquiring, and distributing various types of information, and perform these functions instead of the user terminal 3.

[0041] The user terminal 3, which is equipped with the camera unit and distance measuring function described above, for example, analyzes the surrounding images obtained by the camera unit using an analysis tool to acquire environmental information such as weather, time of day, season, terrain, sunlight, and lighting. This analysis tool is a trained model that has learned the correspondence between images and each of the above environmental information phenomena.

[0042] Furthermore, the user terminal 3 analyzes the subject image obtained by the camera unit using an analysis tool to acquire subject information such as the type of subject, movement, shape, and color. This analysis tool is a pre-trained model that has learned the correspondence between the subject image obtained by the camera unit and each of the above subject information.

[0043] Furthermore, the user terminal 3 uses an analysis tool to analyze information such as images of a subject and a photographer (in this case, the user of the user terminal 3) obtained by a camera unit, and the distance and direction between the subject and the photographer obtained by a ranging function or the like, to acquire relative position information including the relative positional relationship between the subject and the photographer, composition, angle of view, and leading line. The analysis tool is a trained model that has learned the correspondence between information such as images obtained by the camera unit, the aforementioned distance and direction obtained by a ranging function or the like, and each event of the relative position information.

[0044] It should be noted that among the information of the first to fourth imaging conditions described above, for information held by the observation unit 5 and the external information server 6 described later, the observation unit 5 or the external information server 6 can distribute the information to the information support apparatus 10 in response to a request from the information support apparatus 10 or the user terminal 3, or in accordance with the processing status of the information support apparatus 10 notified to the information support apparatus 10.

[0045] Furthermore, the user terminal 3 displays imaging support information generated by the information support apparatus 10 to the user. In addition, the user terminal 3 may set camera parameters indicated by the thus-obtained imaging support information in a camera used by the user for imaging (which may be the same as the imaging apparatus 2). In this case, the user terminal 3 and the aforementioned camera are communicably connected via wired or wireless connection, and the user terminal 3 executes communication with a control unit of the camera and an instruction to set the aforementioned camera parameters to the control unit. Furthermore, such setting may be performed by the information support apparatus 10 for the aforementioned camera.

[0046] Furthermore, the observation unit 5 is a sensor system that observes events corresponding to, for example, environmental information, subject information, and relative position information among the information of the first to fourth imaging conditions described above. Therefore, the observation unit 5 includes sensor units such as a camera, a thermo-hygrometer, a barometer, an illuminometer, a distance meter, and an orientation sensor for observing the aforementioned events. The observation unit 5 distributes observation values obtained by such sensor units (e.g., images of the subject, its surroundings, and the photographer, temperature and humidity, atmospheric pressure, and illuminance around the subject, and the distance and orientation between the subject and the photographer) to the information support apparatus 10 via the network N.

[0047] Furthermore, the generative AI server 4 includes, as the generative AI 211 similar to that provided in the information support apparatus 10, a method candidate generation AI 212, a recommended method generation AI 213, and support information generation AI 214 described later, and generates shooting method candidates, recommended shooting methods, and shooting support information in response to a request (prompt) from the information support apparatus 10. When the information support apparatus 10 includes these generative AIs 211, the generative AI server 4 can be omitted.

[0048] Furthermore, the external information server 6 corresponds to, for example, a server that discloses specification information of each camera from a camera manufacturer, a server that discloses weather information such as weather, temperature and humidity, wind power, and sunlight for each region provided by a weather information provider, or a server that discloses information such as topography, roads, and facilities for each region provided by an electronic map provider. Alternatively, the external information server 6 may be a server that collects and stores information from each of these public servers in advance and distributes the information to the information support apparatus 10 as needed.

[0049] On the other hand, the information support apparatus 10 acquires the reference image Gs and text information Tx, which are information on the user's request regarding shooting, from the user terminal 3 or the imaging apparatus 2. This acquisition process is executed by the reception unit 20 in the information support apparatus 10. The reception unit 20 stores the reference image Gs and text information Tx acquired as described above in the request table 201 (FIGS. 2 and 4).

[0050] Furthermore, the information support apparatus 10 acquires information of one or more shooting method candidates by inputting the request information into its own generative AI 211 (FIG. 2) or transmitting it to the generative AI server 4. This acquisition process is executed by the generation unit 21 in the information support apparatus 10. In this case, the generative AI 211 uses the method candidate generation AI 212 (first trained model) that generates information related to shooting methods. Therefore, the method candidate generation AI 212 is a trained model that has already undergone machine learning using pairs of the request information and the method candidate information as training data.

[0051] Here, Figure 2 illustrates the functional configuration of the information support device 10 in this embodiment. The information support device 10 implements the functions of the reception unit 20, generation unit 21, and output unit 22 described above by the processor 11 executing the program 121. The reception unit 20 holds various tables, which will be described later. The generation unit 21 has a generation AI 211, which holds a method candidate generation AI 212, a recommended method generation AI 213, and a support information generation AI 214.

[0052] It should be noted that the information regarding candidate shooting methods does not take into account information about the camera used for shooting or the environment of the shooting location. Therefore, the above information regarding candidate shooting methods will be a range of several candidate values ​​that can correspond to conditions that can be read from the reference image Gs and text information Tx regarding various items such as the camera's shutter speed, aperture, shooting sensitivity, and focus mode (e.g., whether or not the subject is moving, the amount of illumination depending on the weather and time of day). In other words, it is preferable that the generation unit 21 generates multiple pieces of information regarding candidate shooting methods.

[0053] For example, if the reference image Gs and text information Tx indicate the user's intention to photograph a "moving subject," various values ​​can be used for shutter speed and focus mode to capture the moving subject without blur, depending on the ambient light around the subject, the speed of the subject's movement, its color, size, shape, etc. Therefore, multiple shooting method options can be suggested based on these various values.

[0054] Furthermore, the generation unit 21 in the information support device 10 obtains information on recommended shooting methods by inputting the information on candidate shooting methods generated as described above, along with at least one of the environmental information (environmental information table 202), subject information (subject information table 204), and relative position information (relative position information table 205), into the recommended method generation AI 213 (second trained model) of the generation AI 211. In other words, here, the narrowing down of the information on the multiple candidate shooting methods is performed using at least one of the environmental information, subject information, and relative position information. Therefore, the recommended method generation AI 213 of the generation unit 21 is a trained model that has performed machine learning using the combination of the information on candidate shooting methods and at least one of the environmental information, subject information, and relative position information, along with the recommended shooting method, as training data.

[0055] In the example above, regarding the shooting of a "moving subject," the system narrows down the options from the multiple candidate shooting methods generated to the one that best matches the ambient illumination around the subject (e.g., illumination on a sunny morning outdoors), the subject's speed of movement (e.g., the speed of an animal running at full speed), its color, size, and shape (e.g., whether it is a color and size that makes it easy to distinguish from the background), and the distance and positional relationship between the subject and the photographer (e.g., whether a telephoto lens is needed due to the distance). This narrowing down process may also include narrowing down or resetting camera parameter values.

[0056] Furthermore, the generation unit 21 of the information support device 10 inputs the above-mentioned device information and the information on the recommended shooting method into the support information generation AI 214 (third trained model) to obtain shooting support information related to the camera settings, i.e., camera parameters. The device information is, for example, camera specification information and includes information on each parameter such as the model number, lens (focal length, aperture value), shooting sensitivity, shutter speed, and focus mode. Therefore, for each parameter in the information on the recommended shooting method, the values ​​are determined within the range indicated by the above-mentioned device information, and shooting support information is generated.

[0057] For example, if the recommended shooting method information specifies an aperture of "F1.5 to F5.6" and a shutter speed of "1 / 500 to 1 / 25000 seconds," but the user's camera's device information indicates an aperture range of "F1.8 to F6.0" and a shutter speed of "1 / 500 to 1 / 22000 seconds," then the shooting support information will be revised to use an aperture of "F1.8 to F5.6" and a shutter speed of "1 / 500 to 1 / 2200 seconds."

[0058] Furthermore, the support information generation AI 214 of the generation unit 21 may generate information on recommended user actions during shooting as support information for the above-mentioned shooting. This recommended action information will, for example, indicate what the user should be careful about or consider during shooting, depending on the characteristics of the subject and shooting conditions. Therefore, the support information generation AI 214 will be a trained model that has already performed machine learning using the above-mentioned device information, the information on the recommended shooting method, and the information on recommended user actions during shooting as training data.

[0059] Furthermore, the above support information does not necessarily have to directly address the user's request; for example, it may indirectly address the user's request even if the subject matter is different.

[0060] Furthermore, the output unit 22 of the information support device 10 displays the above-mentioned photography support information on the output device 15 (Figure 3), or on the photography device 2 or user terminal 3. The reception unit 20 of the information support device 10 can also receive user modification requests from the user terminal 3 or photography device 2 regarding at least one of the above-mentioned requests, environmental information, and device information after the output unit 22 has output the photography support information.

[0061] In that case, the generation unit 21 reacquires the support information for shooting based on the modification content of at least one piece of information indicated by the modification request. If the modification content includes a request, this reacquisition restarts the process from generating the candidate method information. If the modification content includes environmental information, the process restarts from generating the recommended method information. If the modification content includes device information, the generation of support information is restarted.

[0062] Furthermore, the generation unit 21 of the information support device 10 may perform machine learning of the generated AI 211 (method candidate generation AI 212, recommended method generation AI 213, support information generation AI 214) based on the user's shooting history information (shooting history table 206) held by the reception unit 20. For this reason, the generation unit 21 is assumed to have a machine learning execution engine in advance.

[0063] The above shooting history indicates the trends in various aspects of the user's past photography, such as the subject, shooting environment, and shooting conditions, that is, the user's shooting preferences and habits. Therefore, when the above machine learning is performed, the generating AI 211 learns the user's characteristics regarding photography as desirable camera parameters and shooting behaviors. The generating AI 211, having performed machine learning based on the above shooting history, will then perform processes to acquire information on candidate shooting methods, information on recommended shooting methods, and information to support shooting, taking into account the user's characteristics.

[0064] If the above machine learning is performed based on information from the shooting history of multiple users, the generated AI 211 will learn the characteristics of those multiple users regarding shooting as desirable camera parameters and shooting behaviors. In other words, a generated AI 211 will be created that has learned the shooting characteristics of multiple users as a whole. This generated AI 211, which has already performed machine learning based on the shooting history of multiple users, will then perform processes to acquire information on candidate shooting methods, information on recommended shooting methods, and information to support shooting, taking into account the characteristics of all those multiple users.

[0065] Up to this point, we have explained that the method candidate generation AI 212, the recommended method generation AI 213, and the support information generation AI 214 are each different generative AIs (trained models). However, they may also be considered to be the same generative AI (trained model). In that case, a single generative AI 211 has already performed the machine learning processes for the method candidate generation AI 212, the recommended method generation AI 213, and the support information generation AI 214, and is in a form capable of performing those functions.

[0066] Furthermore, in at least one of the processes—the process of acquiring information on candidate shooting methods, the process of acquiring information on recommended shooting methods, and the process of acquiring shooting support information—multiple trained models may be used. In this case, multiple generative AIs will be used to perform the above single process, for example, in parallel or in a divided process. The generation unit 21 will ultimately aggregate the results of the parallel processing or divided processing performed by each of these multiple generative AIs (e.g., statistically calculate the sum, average, maximum, minimum values, etc., or merge the text) to obtain the result of the process.

[0067] The user may, for example, scan or read the reference image Gs from their own photo prints, the screen of their smartphone (displaying a photo image), or other data into the UI (User Interface) of the information support device 10, or directly input text information Tx using a keyboard, mouse, touch panel, or other UI elements.

[0068] The reception unit 20 stores reference image Gs and text information Tx in the request table 201 (described later in Figures 2 and 4), and environmental information in the environmental information table 202 (described later in Figures 2 and 5). The reception unit 20 also stores device information in the device information table 203 (Figures 2 and 6), and subject information in the subject information table 204 (Figures 2 and 7). Alternatively, the reception unit 20 stores relative position information in the relative position information table 205 (Figures 2 and 8). The reception unit 20 also stores shooting history information in the shooting history table 206 (Figures 2 and 9). The shooting history information is obtained by the reception unit 20, for example, from the shooting device 2 or the user terminal 3.

[0069] Furthermore, the generation AI server 4 is a server device that provides the functions of generation AI 211 (method candidate generation AI 212, recommended method generation AI 213, and support information generation AI 214) to the information support device 10 via the network N, as described above. Of course, if the information support device 10 is configured not to require the provision of generation AI 211 functions, the generation AI server 4 does not need to be included in the information support system 1.

[0070] In addition to the configuration in which the information support device 10 and other devices (such as the imaging device 2, user terminal 3, generation AI server 4, observation unit 5, and external information server 6) are connected via a network N, the internal bus wiring of the information support device 10 may be directly connected to the interface of the target device.

[0071] Furthermore, the "image" in this invention is composed of multiple pixels, represented by the grayscale values ​​of each of the multiple pixels, and includes an image of at least one subject. Digital image data (hereinafter referred to as "image data") that defines an image at a set resolution is generated by compressing data in which the grayscale values ​​of each pixel are recorded using a predetermined compression method. Examples of image data include lossy compressed image data such as JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) format, and lossless compressed image data such as GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) or PNG (Portable Network Graphics) format.

[0072] [Example Configuration of Information Support Device] Next, an example of the hardware configuration of the information support device 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 3. The information support device 10 consists of a computer used by the user (including the concept of the computer chip of the information support device 10), and specifically consists of a PC (Personal Computer), a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a notebook PC, etc. Note that the information support device 10 is not limited to a computer owned by the user, and may also consist of a terminal that the user does not own but can use when visiting a store or facility, such as a store-installed terminal. In the following, we will explain using the case in which the information support device 10 is configured with a PC owned by the user as an example.

[0073] As shown in Figure 3, the computer comprising the information support device 10 includes a processor 11, an auxiliary storage device 12, a main storage device 13, an input device 14, an output device 15, and a communication device 16.

[0074] The processor 11 is composed of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), an MCU (Micro Controller Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), a TPU (Tensor Processing Unit), or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit).

[0075] The auxiliary storage device 12 is composed of, for example, flash memory, HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), FD (Flexible Disk), MO disk (Magneto-Optical Disk), CD (Compact Disk), DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), SD card (Secure Digital card), or USB memory (Universal Serial Bus memory).

[0076] Such auxiliary storage devices 12 may be built into the computer main body that constitutes the information support device 10, or they may be attached to the computer main body as an external device. Alternatively, the auxiliary storage device 12 may be configured as a NAS (Network Attached Storage) or the like. Furthermore, the auxiliary storage device 12 may be an external device that can communicate with one of the computers that constitutes the information support device 10 via a communication network, such as an online storage or database server.

[0077] Furthermore, the auxiliary storage device 12 holds the operating system (OS) and programs 121 such as applications related to the generation of support information for shooting. When the programs 121 are read and executed by the processor 11, the computer constituting the information support device 10 performs the functions of the receiving unit 20, generation unit 21, and output unit 22 shown in Figure 3. Specifically, it performs a series of processes such as receiving reference images Gs and text information Tx, and generating information on candidate shooting methods, recommended shooting methods, and support information for shooting based on the reference images Gs and text information Tx. In other words, the processor 11 of the information support device 10 has the above-mentioned receiving unit 20, generation unit 21, and output unit 22.

[0078] The main memory 13 is composed of semiconductor memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory). The processor 11 loads the program 121 onto the main memory 13 and executes it there.

[0079] The input device 14 is a device that accepts user input and is composed of, for example, a keyboard, mouse, or touch panel. The input device 14 may also include a digital camera unit and a microphone for sound collection. The output device 15 is composed of, for example, a display or speaker. The digital camera unit in the input device 14 may be used in the same way as the shooting device 2.

[0080] The communication device 16 may be configured, for example, as a network interface card or a communication interface board. The computer constituting the information support device 10 can communicate with other devices connected to a network N, such as the Internet and mobile communication lines, via the communication device 16.

[0081] (Regarding various tables) Figure 4 shows an example of the configuration of the request table 201 in this embodiment. The request table 201 is a collection of records that include an ID that uniquely identifies the request, the user who made the request, a reference image Gs that represents the request, the request content (text information Tx), and the reference photographer. The reference photographer value is identification information of a photographer that the user wants to use as a reference for shooting or whose style is preferred. Each piece of information in the request table 201 is a value that the reception unit 20 receives and stores from the shooting device 2 or the user terminal 3.

[0082] Figure 5 shows an example of the configuration of the environmental information table 202 in this embodiment. The environmental information table 202 is a collection of records that include an ID that uniquely identifies the environmental information, the date and time when the environmental information was observed, the location, and the values ​​of the environmental information. Of these, the environmental information is a value relating to items such as season, time of day, weather (weather, temperature and humidity, wind speed, etc.), light source / illuminance (sunlight or artificial lighting, its illuminance), lighting (presence or absence of lighting, type), topography (city / suburbs, outdoors / indoors, plains, hills, mountainous areas, sea, rivers, etc.), geology, and structures (buildings, facilities, machinery, etc.), and is a value obtained from the observation unit 5, or from the user terminal 3 or an external information server, that was observed at the target "date and time".

[0083] Figure 6 shows an example of the configuration of the device information table 203 in this embodiment. The device information table 203 is a collection of records containing values ​​for a device ID that uniquely identifies the shooting device, the user of the device, and specifications. Of these, the specifications are values ​​for camera parameters such as the model number of the shooting device, lens (focal length, maximum aperture), shooting sensitivity, shutter speed, and focus mode. These camera parameter values ​​are obtained from the shooting device 2, the user terminal 3, and the external information server 6. Alternatively, the reception unit 20 may extract them from metadata associated with the reference image Gs received from the user.

[0084] Figure 7 shows an example of the configuration of the subject information table 204 in this embodiment. The subject information table 204 is a collection of records that include various values ​​such as an ID that uniquely identifies the subject, its location and date and time, type (person, animal, machine, etc.), state (subject is moving, running, stopped, etc.), color (color of the subject's skin / fur, clothing / exterior), and shape / size (external shape, type of clothing, height, body length, etc.). The values ​​of each record in this subject information table 204 are information obtained from the observation unit 5 or user terminal 3, or calculated values ​​processed by the reception unit 20 from such information.

[0085] Figure 8 shows an example of the configuration of the relative position information table 205 in this embodiment. The relative position information table 205 is a collection of records that include an ID that uniquely identifies the record, the date and time when the relative position information was observed, the target, the position information, the elevation difference, the left-right position, and the front-back distance. The values ​​of each record in this relative position information table 205 are information obtained from the observation unit 5 or the user terminal 3, or calculated values ​​processed by the reception unit 20 from such information.

[0086] Figure 9 shows an example of the configuration of the shooting history table 206 in this embodiment. The shooting history table 206 is a collection of records that include a unique ID, date and time, photographer, captured image, subject, and shooting conditions. The values ​​of each record in this shooting history table 206 are obtained and stored by the reception unit 20 from the shooting device 2 or user terminal 3 at regular intervals, for example.

[0087] [Example Flowchart of Information Support Method] Next, as an example of the operation of the information support device 10 in this embodiment, a flowchart of information processing using the device will be described. The flowchart described below uses the information support method of the present invention. In other words, each step in the flowchart described below corresponds to a component of the information support method of the present invention. Note that the flowchart below is merely an example, and some steps in the flowchart may be deleted, new steps may be added to the flowchart, or the execution order of two steps in the flowchart may be changed, without departing from the spirit of this embodiment.

[0088] Each step in the image processing flow according to this embodiment is performed by the processor 11 of the information support device 10 in the order shown in Figure 10. In other words, in each process in the flow, the processor 11 executes the data processing defined in the application program for information processing, which corresponds to each step in Figure 10.

[0089] To explain in more detail, in the flow according to this embodiment, first, the reception unit 20 receives reference images Gs and text information Tx from the user terminal 3 via the shooting device 2 or the shooting unit of the user terminal 3, or via the communication device 16, and stores them in the request table 201 (S1). When the reception unit 20 receives such reference images Gs and text information Tx, it distributes a screen G10 for receiving them (see Figures 11 and 16) to the user terminal 3, for example.

[0090] As shown in Figures 11 and 16, screen G10 includes a free input field G11, a photographer input field G12, and an image input field G13. The free input field G11 is an interface that accepts the input of text information Tx. The photographer input field G12 is an interface that accepts the input of identification information (such as name) of a photographer that the user wishes to use as a reference. The image input field G13 is an interface that accepts the input of an image that the user wishes to use as a reference (for example, an image taken by a professional photographer).

[0091] When the reception unit 20 receives input of a reference image Gs on the screen G10, it responds to the user terminal 3 with, for example, the screen G15 shown in Figure 12 or Figure 17, prompting the user to confirm the reference image Gs. The reception unit 20 then stores the reference image Gs and text information Tx obtained in this way in the request table 201.

[0092] In addition, the reception unit 20 may, in S1 above, generate the reference image Gs using the generation AI 211 based on user instructions, rather than acquiring the reference image Gs from the user terminal 3. In that case, the reception unit 20 acquires a prompt (which may be text information Tx) entered by the user who wishes to generate the reference image Gs from the keyboard of the input device 14 or from the user terminal 3 via the communication device 16, and inputs this to the generation AI 211 or the generation AI server 4 to obtain the reference image Gs.

[0093] Next, the generation unit 21 inputs the requested information (reference image Gs and text information Tx) obtained in S1 to the method candidate generation AI 212, or transmits it to the generation AI server 4, thereby acquiring information on one or more shooting method candidates (S2). As already mentioned, the shooting method candidate information obtained here does not take into account information about the camera used for shooting or the environment of the shooting location. Therefore, the shooting method candidate information will be a range of several candidate values ​​that can correspond to conditions that can be read from the reference image Gs and text information Tx regarding various items such as the camera's shutter speed, aperture, shooting sensitivity, and focus mode (e.g., whether or not the subject is moving, illuminance depending on the weather and time of day). In other words, it is preferable that the generation unit 21 generates multiple shooting method candidate information.

[0094] Next, the reception unit 20 acquires environmental information of the shooting location and subject information (S3). The reception unit 20 stores the environmental information in the environmental information table 202 and the subject information in the subject information table 204. When acquiring environmental information, the reception unit 20 may, for example, distribute the screen G30 shown in Figure 13 to the user terminal 3 and accept input of environmental information from the user. Alternatively, environmental information may be acquired from the observation unit 5 and stored in the environmental information table 202. As shown in Figures 13 and 18, the screen G30 has an input field G31 for the shooting location and an input field G32 for the shooting time.

[0095] The reception unit 20 may, for example, perform a search in the subject information table 204 based on the shooting location and shooting time entered as environmental information, and obtain subject information (type, state, color, shape / size) from the record where the "Location / Date and Time" column matches. Alternatively, the reception unit 20 may deliver a screen similar to the environmental information to the user terminal 3 and obtain subject information entered by the user.

[0096] Next, the reception unit 20 acquires relative position information between the subject and the photographer from, for example, the user terminal 3 or the observation unit 5 (S4). In this case, the user terminal 3 and the observation unit 5 are assumed to have observed and acquired relative position information such as the positions of the subject and the photographer, elevation difference, left-right position, and front-back distance using a camera unit and distance measuring function, etc. The reception unit 20 acquires this relative position information from the user terminal 3 or the observation unit 5.

[0097] Next, the generation unit 21 inputs the information on candidate shooting methods generated in S2, along with at least one of the environmental information, subject information, and relative position information obtained in S3 and S4, into the recommended method generation AI 213 (second trained model) of the generation AI 211 to obtain information on recommended shooting methods (S5). In this process, the generation unit 21 narrows down the information on candidate shooting methods obtained in S2 using at least one of the environmental information, subject information, and relative position information.

[0098] The above recommended shooting method information indicates candidate values ​​for camera parameters for shooting, taking into account the user's request and at least one of the environmental information, subject information, and relative position information. As for specific recommended method information, for example, in order to meet the user's request "I want to take an emotionally evocative image that captures a sparkling sense of dynamism," the camera parameters for taking a picture with a composition and atmosphere like the reference image Gs "***.jpg" shows, on a park's grassy field in a sunny morning as indicated by the environmental information, with a dark brown animal (dog) as indicated by the subject information, running 15m away from the photographer in front of them, would be an aperture of "F1.5 to F5.6" and a shutter speed of "1 / 500 to 1 / 25000 seconds."

[0099] Next, the generation unit 21 distributes screen G20 (see Figure 14) to the shooting device 2 and the user terminal 3, and obtains the specifications of the camera used by the user for shooting, i.e., device information, via screen G20 or from the external information server 6. Screen G20 includes input fields G21 for product name and model number, and input field G22 for lens used. The device information obtained from screen G20 is stored in the device information table 203 (Figure 6). Furthermore, the generation unit 21 inputs the device information obtained as described above and the information on the recommended shooting method obtained in S5 into the support information generation AI 214 (third trained model) to obtain support information for shooting regarding the camera settings, i.e., camera parameters (S6).

[0100] The device information is the camera's specification information, including the model number, lens (focal length, maximum aperture), ISO sensitivity, shutter speed, and focus mode. Therefore, the parameters in the recommended shooting method information are determined within the range indicated by the device information, and the shooting support information is generated accordingly.

[0101] Therefore, in S6 above, if the information for the recommended shooting method is "F1.5 to F5.6" and the shutter speed is "1 / 500 to 1 / 25000 seconds", but the device information is "F1.8 to F6.0" and the shutter speed is "1 / 500 to 1 / 22000 seconds", the AI ​​214 that generates the support information for shooting will correct the aperture to "F1.8 to F5.6" and the shutter speed to "1 / 500 to 1 / 2200 seconds".

[0102] Furthermore, the generation unit 21 generates information on recommended user actions during shooting as support information for the above-mentioned shooting, using the support information generation AI 214 (S7). This recommended action information is, for example, information indicating what the user should be careful about or consider during shooting, depending on the characteristics of the subject and shooting conditions. The support information generation AI 214 receives the device information obtained in S6 and the information on recommended shooting methods obtained in S5, and outputs information on recommended user actions during shooting.

[0103] Specific examples of the recommended operation information mentioned above are shown in Figures 20 to 24. Figure 20 shows information G50 including recommended operation information G51 for portrait photography, Figure 21 shows information G60 including recommended operation information G61 for landscape photography, Figure 22 shows information G70 including recommended operation information G71 for animal photography, Figure 23 shows information G80 including recommended operation information G81 for nightscape photography, and Figure 24 shows information G90 including recommended operation information G91 for event photography. The support information generation AI 214 of the generation unit 21 selectively uses this recommended operation information according to the subject, shooting purpose, etc., to generate support information.

[0104] Furthermore, the output unit 22 displays the shooting support information generated up to S7 on the output device 15 or user terminal 3 (S8), and this flow ends. Examples of the display screen for shooting support information are shown in Figures 15 and 19. The display screen G40 shown in Figure 15 is a screen that displays shooting support information generated based on the request received in Figure 11, the environmental information received in Figure 13, and the device information received in Figure 15. This display screen G40 includes prerequisite information G41, camera setting information G42, and shooting operation information G43. The prerequisite information G41 includes information on the subject, shooting location, shooting time, and weather. The camera setting information G42 includes values ​​for shutter speed, aperture, ISO sensitivity, and focus mode. The shooting operation information G43 includes the user's recommended operation information obtained in S7. In this case, the subject is an animal (a dog) that is running, so the information in G42 regarding the camera settings and the information in G43 regarding the shooting operation are designed to handle fast-moving subjects.

[0105] Furthermore, the display screen G45 shown in Figure 19 is a screen that displays support information for shooting, generated based on the request received in Figure 16, the environmental information received in Figure 18, and the device information received in Figure 15. This display screen G45 includes prerequisite information G46, camera setting information G47, and information regarding operation during shooting G48. The prerequisite information G41, camera setting information G42, and information regarding operation during shooting G43 show the same items as the display screen G40 in Figure 15, but in this case the subject is a "machine (car)" and is stationary, so the content of the camera setting information G47 and the information regarding operation during shooting G48 corresponds to a stationary subject.

[0106] Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are merely examples given to facilitate understanding of the present invention and do not limit it. That is, the present invention can be modified or improved from the embodiments described below, without departing from its spirit. Furthermore, the present invention includes equivalents thereof. Moreover, embodiments of the present invention may include forms that combine the above embodiments with one or more of the following modifications.

[0107] (Regarding the computer constituting the information support device) In the above embodiment, the information support device 10 of the present invention is configured with a computer used directly by the user, such as a user-owned PC (Personal Computer). However, it is not limited to this, and the information support device of the present invention may be configured with a computer that can be used indirectly by the user, for example, the generation AI server 4. Here, the generation AI server 4 may be, for example, a server computer for cloud services, specifically a server computer for ASP (Application Service Provider), SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), or IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). In this case, when the user inputs the necessary information using their smartphone or camera 2, the generation AI server 4 performs various processes (calculations) based on the input information, and the calculation results are output to the smartphone or camera 2. In other words, the functions of the generation AI server 4, which constitutes the information support system 1 of the present invention, can be used on the smartphone or camera 2.

[0108] (Regarding the processing) In this embodiment, each process is performed on any computer. Furthermore, any computer may perform these processes using a processor, a program, or a combination thereof. Any computer may be a general-purpose computer, a computer designed for a specific purpose, a workstation, or any other hardware element capable of running a program.

[0109] (Regarding the Processor) The processor in this embodiment may be composed of one or more hardware components, and the type of hardware is not limited. For example, the processor may be composed of programmable logic devices such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), MPU (Micro Processing Unit), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), dedicated circuits for executing specific processes such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), GPU (Graphic Processing Unit), or NPU (Neural Processing Unit). The processor also has various parts (Units) or means (Means) that execute the various processes in this embodiment. Furthermore, the type of hardware may be a combination of different types of hardware. When multiple hardware components are configured to execute one or more processes of a processor, these components may reside in physically separate devices or in the same device. Furthermore, in any embodiment, the order of the processes performed by the processor is not limited to the order described above and may be changed as appropriate. The hardware components are composed of electrical circuits (circuits) and the like, which are combinations of circuit elements such as semiconductor elements.

[0110] (Regarding the configuration) Furthermore, this embodiment may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, microcode, or a combination thereof. The software, firmware, and microcode are composed of a program. The program may also be, for example, a group of program modules, each of which may be implemented by a processor configured to perform its respective function. The program may be program code or multiple code segments stored on one or more non-temporary computer-readable media (e.g., storage media or other storage). The program may be divided and stored on multiple non-temporary computer-readable media located on devices that are physically separated from each other. The program code or code segment may represent any combination of procedures, functions, subprograms, routines, subroutines, modules, software packages, classes, or instructions, data structures, or program statements. The program code or code segment may be connected to other code segments or hardware circuits by sending and receiving information, data, arguments, parameters, or memory contents.

[0111] N Network 1 Information support system 2 Imaging device 3 User terminal 4 Generation AI server 5 Observation unit 6 External information server 10 Information support device 11 Processor 12 Auxiliary storage device 121 Program 13 Main memory device 14 Input device 15 Output device 16 Communication device 20 Reception unit 201 Request table (information on user requests) 202 Environment information table (information on first shooting conditions) 203 Device information table (information on second shooting conditions) 204 Subject information table (information on third shooting conditions) 205 Relative position information table (information on fourth shooting conditions) 206 Shooting history table 21 Generation unit 211 Generation AI (trained model) 212 Method candidate generation AI (first trained model) 213 Recommended method generation AI (second trained model) 214 Support Information Generation AI (Third Trained Model) 22 Output Section Tx Text Information (Information requested by the user) Gs Reference Image (Information requested by the user) Cx Photographer Information (Information requested by the user)

Claims

1. An information support system equipped with a processor, wherein the processor performs the following processes: receiving input of a user's request regarding photography; acquiring information on candidate photography methods by inputting the request information into a first trained model that generates information on photography methods; acquiring information on recommended photography methods by inputting the information on candidate photography methods and information on first photography conditions relating to the photography environment into a second trained model; and acquiring photography support information relating to the settings of the photography device by inputting information on second photography conditions relating to the photography device and information on recommended photography methods into a third trained model.

2. The information support system according to claim 1, wherein the processor acquires information relating to at least one of the following in the shooting environment as information relating to the first shooting conditions: season, time of day, weather, light source, illumination, topography, geology, and structures.

3. The information support system according to claim 1, wherein the processor acquires information relating to at least one of the type, state, color, and shape of the subject to be photographed as information relating to a third shooting condition, and inputs the information relating to the candidate shooting method and at least the third shooting condition to the second trained model to acquire information relating to a recommended shooting method.

4. The information support system according to claim 1, wherein the processor acquires information regarding at least one of the relative positional relationship between the subject and the photographer, composition, angle of view, and leading line as information regarding a fourth shooting condition, and inputs the information regarding the candidate shooting method and at least the information regarding the fourth shooting condition to the second trained model to acquire information regarding a recommended shooting method.

5. The information support system according to claim 1, wherein the processor receives input of at least one piece of information as a user request regarding the shooting, which includes the atmosphere or impression desired in the image obtained from the shooting, an image or photographer to be used as a reference, and the purpose of the shooting.

6. The information support system according to claim 1, wherein the processor inputs the information on the second shooting conditions and the information on the recommended method of shooting into the third trained model to acquire support information for shooting, including the user's recommended actions during shooting.

7. The information support system according to claim 1, wherein the processor outputs the information supporting the shooting.

8. The information support system according to claim 1, wherein the processor accepts input of the request in at least one of the following formats: text, audio, and images.

9. The information support system according to claim 7, wherein, after outputting the shooting support information, the processor receives a request from the user to modify at least one of the following pieces of information: the request, the first shooting condition information, and the second shooting condition information, and then executes the process of acquiring the shooting support information again based on the modification content of the at least one piece of information indicated by the modification request.

10. The information support system according to claim 1, wherein the processor performs training of the first, second, and third trained models based on the user's shooting history information, and uses the first, second, and third trained models that have learned the user's characteristics regarding shooting to perform the following processes: acquiring information on candidate shooting methods, acquiring information on recommended shooting methods, and acquiring information on support for shooting.

11. The information support system according to claim 1, wherein the processor performs training of the first, second, and third trained models based on shooting history information relating to a plurality of users, and uses the first, second, and third trained models that have learned the characteristics of the plurality of users regarding shooting to perform a process to acquire information on candidate shooting methods, a process to acquire information on recommended shooting methods, and a process to acquire information to support shooting.

12. The information support system according to claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third trained models are the same trained model.

13. The information support system according to claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third trained models are each different trained models.

14. The information support system according to claim 1, wherein the processor uses multiple trained models in at least one of the following processes: the process of acquiring information on candidate shooting methods, the process of acquiring information on recommended shooting methods, and the process of acquiring information to support shooting.

15. An information support device equipped with a processor, wherein the processor receives input of a user's request regarding shooting, acquires information on candidate shooting methods obtained by inputting the request information to a first trained model that generates information on the shooting method, acquires information on first shooting conditions relating to the shooting environment, acquires information on recommended shooting methods obtained by inputting the information on candidate shooting methods and at least the information on first shooting conditions relating to the shooting environment to a second trained model, and acquires shooting support information relating to the settings of the shooting device obtained by inputting at least the information on second shooting conditions relating to the shooting device for the shooting and the information on recommended shooting methods to a third trained model.

16. An information support method comprising: a step of receiving input of a user's request regarding shooting using a processor; a step of obtaining information on candidate shooting methods by inputting the request information into a first trained model that generates information on the shooting method using a processor; a step of obtaining information on a recommended shooting method by inputting the information on candidate shooting methods and information on first shooting conditions relating to the shooting environment into a second trained model using a processor; and a step of obtaining support information for shooting relating to the settings of the shooting device by inputting information on second shooting conditions relating to the shooting device for shooting and information on the recommended shooting method into a third trained model using a processor.

17. A program for causing a computer to perform each step included in the information support method described in claim 16.

18. A computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded causing a computer to perform each step included in the information support method described in claim 16.

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