JP6791668B2 - Information processing equipment and programs - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an information processing device and a program.

Conventionally, a web content search and display application has been executed in the form of a web browser. Web browsers typically operate on a client-server model and send request messages for web content to a central web server that acts as a data storage and search repository. The web server parses the request message and returns the web content requested in the response message to the web browser.

Special Table 2007-500903

In recent years, communication terminals such as mobile phones and smartphones that can be easily connected to networks such as the Internet have exploded in popularity and have come to be used by a wide range of users. For this reason, not only users who are good at handling information technology but also users who are unfamiliar with handling information technology have an increasing opportunity to search for Web contents.

In general, the display content of a web browser has many character strings, which may give the impression that users who are unfamiliar with the handling of information technology are dry and difficult to handle. In such a situation, it may not always be easy for a user who is unfamiliar with the handling of information technology to obtain desirable search results using a general web browser.

The present invention has been made in view of these points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a new user interface for information retrieval.

The first aspect of the present invention is a program. This program has a function of displaying an input field for the user of the computer to input a character string of a search query on a display unit, and acquires one or more search results based on the character string via a network. The user can select a function, a function of displaying at least one of the one or more search results on the display unit, and an icon for evaluating the search result displayed on the display unit. The function of displaying on the display unit in various modes is realized.

The computer has a function of displaying one or more search results on the display unit in a display mode expressing information transmitted from the virtual operator to the user, and an icon indicating the virtual operator. The function of displaying on the display unit may be further realized.

The computer may further be provided with a function of changing the icon indicating the virtual operator based on the evaluation corresponding to the icon selected by the user.

Corresponds to the function of selecting at least one other user from the storage unit that stores the user and one or more other users associated with the user in the computer, and the icon selected by the user. If the evaluation is negative, the other user is instructed to display a display mode indicating that the virtual operator asks the other selected user a question regarding the character string of the search query. It may be sent to the user's computer.

When the evaluation corresponding to the icon selected by the user is positive on the computer, the search result displayed on the display unit is displayed together with the character string of the search query of one or more of the other users. You may have the computer send instructions to display.

When the evaluation corresponding to the icon selected by the user is negative, the computer further realizes a function of displaying a new search result selected from the one or more search results on the display unit. You may.

A search result database that stores in the computer a character string of a search query entered by each user for each of a plurality of users, one or more search results based on the character string, and each user's evaluation of the search result. The function of selecting the new search result to be displayed on the display unit may be further realized with reference to.

The second aspect of the present invention is an information processing device. This device has an input field display unit for displaying an input field for inputting a character string of a search query by the user of the information processing device on the display unit, and one or more search results based on the character string via a network. A search unit to be acquired, a question display unit for displaying at least one of the search results of one or more of the above search results on the display unit, and an icon for evaluating the search result displayed on the display unit. It includes an evaluation acquisition unit that is displayed on the display unit in a manner that can be selected by the user.

It should be noted that any combination of the above components and the conversion of the expression of the present invention between methods, devices, systems, computer programs, data structures, recording media and the like are also effective as aspects of the present invention.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a new user interface for information retrieval.

It is a figure which shows typically the whole structure of the information processing system which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which shows typically the functional structure of the information processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the chat-like interface displayed on the display part of the information processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which shows typically the data structure of the template database which a storage part stores. It is a figure which shows an example of the effect of character input by an input effect unit. It is a figure which shows the display example of the evaluation icon in the information processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which shows the display example of the display part when there is a negative evaluation result. It is a figure which shows another display example of the display part when there is a negative evaluation result. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen of the information processing apparatus of another user. It is a figure which shows another example of the display screen of the information processing apparatus of another user.

<Outline of the embodiment>
An outline of the embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The information processing device according to the embodiment of the present invention is a device having a function of displaying the result of a web search based on a search query input by a user.

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an overall configuration of an information processing system 1 according to an embodiment. The information processing system 1 includes a first information processing device 100a, a second information processing device 100b, a third information processing device 100c, a server 200, and a storage device 300, which are a network N such as a mobile phone communication network A or the Internet. It is connected so that it can communicate via. Hereinafter, the fact that the first information processing device 100a, the second information processing device 100b, the third information processing device 100c, the server 200, and the storage device 300 communicate with each other via the mobile phone communication network A or the network N is simply referred to as "network". It may be described as "communicate via."

FIG. 1 shows three information processing devices 100, a first information processing device 100a, a second information processing device 100b, and a third information processing device 100c. The information processing device 100 included in the information processing system 1 The number of is not limited to 3, and may be 1, 2, or 4 or more. Hereinafter, the information processing device 100 will be referred to as the information processing device 100 unless the first information processing device 100a, the second information processing device 100b, and the third information processing device 100c are particularly distinguished.

The server 200 acquires the search result based on the search query. The server 200 may connect to a known web server (not shown) to acquire search results based on the search query. The information processing device 100 is, for example, a computer such as a mobile phone, a smartphone, a notebook PC (Personal Computer), or a desktop PC. The information processing device 100 connects to the server 200 via the mobile phone communication network A or the network N, and inputs a character string of a search query (hereinafter, simply referred to as "search query") input to the information processing device 100. Send to server 200. Further, the information processing apparatus 100 further transmits a search result based on a search query acquired from the web server by the server 200 (hereinafter, simply referred to as “search result”) from the server 200 via the mobile phone communication network A or the network N. get.

As for the display of the search results of the Web search, a mode in which the search results are listed in a display unit is generally widely adopted. On the other hand, the information processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment displays the search query and the search result on a chat-like user interface (hereinafter referred to as "UI").

Specifically, when the user of the information processing device 100 inputs a search query, it is displayed on the display unit of the information processing device 100 in a display mode as if the user asked a question to someone. Further, the search result is displayed on the display unit of the information processing apparatus 100 in a display mode as if a person asked by the user answers the question. As a result, the user of the information processing apparatus 100 can obtain information based on the search query as if he / she is talking with another person through the chat-like UI. The information processing device 100 can provide the user with a new user interface for information retrieval.

<Functional configuration of information processing device 100>
FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a functional configuration of the information processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment. The information processing device 100 according to the embodiment includes a control unit 10 and a storage unit 12. The control unit 10 includes an input field display unit 14, a search unit 16, a question display unit 18, an icon display unit 20, a template reading unit 22, a sentence generation unit 24, an answer display unit 26, a result selection unit 28, and an input effect unit 30. The evaluation acquisition unit 38, the user selection unit 40, the inquiry unit 42, and the result transmission unit 44 are included.

FIG. 2 shows a functional configuration for realizing the information processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment, and other configurations are omitted. In FIG. 2, each element described as a functional block that performs various processes can be composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a main memory, and other LSI (Large Scale Integration) in terms of hardware. In terms of software, it is realized by the CPU executing a program loaded in the main memory. Therefore, it is understood by those skilled in the art that these functional blocks can be realized in various forms by hardware only, software only, or a combination thereof, and is not limited to any of them.

The input field display unit 14 causes the display unit of the information processing device 100 to display an input field for the user of the information processing device 100 to input a search query. The search unit 16 acquires one or more search results based on the search query from the server 200 via the network.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a chat-like UI displayed on the display unit 110 of the information processing device 100 according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 shows an example in which the information processing device 100 is a smartphone and the user inputs the search query "today's weather" in the input field 112.

When the user operates the send icon 114, a search query is sent to the server 200 via the network. Further, the question display unit 18 displays information related to the character string of the search query in the question display field 116 in the display unit 110 in a display mode as if expressing information transmitted from the user to the virtual operator. Display it. In FIG. 3, the icon indicated by reference numeral 118 is the operator icon 118 indicating a virtual operator. The icon display unit 20 causes the display unit 110 to display an operator icon 118 indicating a virtual operator.

In the example shown in FIG. 3, the user inputs the search query "today's weather" in the input field 112, but the question display unit 18 is not the search query itself, but a question format generated based on the search query. The text "Tell me about today's weather" is displayed in the question display field 116.

In order to realize this, the storage unit 12 stores a plurality of templates for conversations prepared assuming a conversation between the user and the virtual operator. The template reading unit 22 reads the template from the storage unit 12.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing a data structure of a conversation template database stored in the storage unit 12. The conversation template database stores a template for generating a sentence by embedding one or more search queries entered in the input field 112. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the user inputs two keywords, "today" and "weather", in the input field 112. Therefore, the template reading unit 22 selects a template prepared for when two keywords are input and reads it from the storage unit 12.

The sentence generation unit 24 generates a sentence in which a search query is applied to the read template. The question display unit 18 displays the text generated by the text generation unit 24 by applying the search query to the template in the question display field 116. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the sentence "Tell me about today's weather" is displayed in the question display column 116. In this way, as shown in FIG. 3, the information processing apparatus 100 can realize an effect as if the user asked another person about the search query.

The answer display unit 26 displays the search result acquired by the search unit 16 on the operator icon 118 in the display unit 110 in a display mode expressing information transmitted from the virtual operator to the user. Specifically, first, when the search unit 16 acquires a plurality of search results based on the search query, the result selection unit 28 selects one search result from the plurality of search results.

Here, before the answer display unit 26 displays the search result selected by the result selection unit 28 on the display unit 110, the input effect unit 30 displays a display mode indicating that the virtual operator is inputting a character string. It is displayed on the operator icon 118 in the display unit 110.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a character input effect by the input effect unit 30. In the example shown in FIG. 5, three circular figures 122, the first circular figure 122a, the second circular figure 122b, and the third circular figure 122c, are displayed in the answer input field 117.

The input effect unit 30 first displays the first circular figure 122a in the answer input field 117, and then displays the second circular figure 122b while displaying the first circular figure 122a. The input effect unit 30 further displays the third circular figure 122c while displaying the first circular figure 122a and the second circular figure 122b. Finally, the input effect unit 30 erases the first circular figure 122a, the second circular figure 122b, and the third circular figure 122c from the answer input field 117. By repeating the above processing, the input effect unit 30 can give an impression to the user observing the answer input field 117 as if a virtual operator is inputting characters.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the information processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment displays the search result based on the search query on the conversation-like UI. When there are a plurality of search results based on the search query, the information processing apparatus 100 causes the display unit 110 to display the plurality of search results one by one in order. Therefore, the search result selected by the result selection unit 28 is not always the search result desired by the user. Therefore, the evaluation acquisition unit 38 causes the display unit 110 to display an icon for evaluating the search result displayed on the display unit 110 in a manner selectable by the user.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display example of an evaluation icon in the information processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 shows an example in which the user inputs the character string “HR” as a search query in the input field 112 and operates the transmission icon 114. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the answer display unit 26 displays information on “Human Resource” in the answer display column 120 from among a plurality of search results related to “HR” acquired by the search unit 16.

The evaluation acquisition unit 38 displays the evaluation icon 134 for evaluating the search result on the display unit 110, following the response display unit 26 displaying the search result in the answer display field 120. FIG. 6 shows an example in which the evaluation acquisition unit 38 displays the first evaluation icon 134a showing a positive evaluation and the second evaluation icon 134b showing a negative evaluation in the vicinity of the answer display column 120. There is. When the user is satisfied with the search result displayed in the answer display field 120, the user operates the first evaluation icon 134a. On the contrary, when the user is not satisfied with the search result displayed in the answer display field 120, the user operates the second evaluation icon 134b.

As a result, the user can easily feed back the information regarding the satisfaction level of the search result to the server 200. In addition, the operator of the server 200 that provides the web search service can also have an opportunity to acquire the user's evaluation regarding the search result.

Here, when the user operates the second evaluation icon 134b, that is, when the user is not satisfied with the search result, the information processing device 100 performs another search different from the search result displayed in the answer display field 120. The result is displayed on the display unit 110.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a display example of the display unit 110 when there is a negative evaluation result. As shown in FIG. 7, since the user has selected the second evaluation icon 134b, only the second evaluation icon 134b is displayed on the display unit 110.

The operator icon 119 in FIG. 7 is an icon displayed by the icon display unit 20 when there is a negative evaluation by the user. The operator icon 119 represents a virtual operator sweating and panicking. Further, in the balloon of the operator icon 119, a message indicating that a search result different from the search result being displayed is displayed is described. In this way, by changing the icon indicating the virtual operator or displaying a message based on the evaluation corresponding to the evaluation icon 134 selected by the user, it is possible to enhance the presence of the conversation-like effect. it can.

When the user gives a negative evaluation to the search result, the result selection unit 28 selects another search result from a plurality of search results based on the search query acquired by the search unit 16. In FIG. 7, the answer display unit 26 displays the information related to the “Hard Rock” selected by the result selection unit 28 in the answer display field 120.

In this way, when the search unit 16 acquires a plurality of search results based on the search query, the answer display unit 26 causes the display unit 110 to display the plurality of search results one by one. As a result, the evaluation acquisition unit 38 can acquire the user's evaluation for each search result displayed by the answer display unit 26. Since the interaction occurs between the virtual operator and the user, it is possible to further enhance the sense of presence as a conversation.

Here, when the user's evaluation of the search result is negative, it is considered that the search result that the user is satisfied with may not be reached even if the display of the search result is continued. In such a case, it may be possible to solve the problem by asking another person a question instead of having the server 200, which is a machine, search for it.

In order to realize this, the storage unit 12 stores a user database that stores the user of the information processing device 100, one or more other users associated with the user, and their contacts. Here, the "other user associated with the user" is a user associated with the user in some SNS, and may be referred to as a "friend", a "friend", or a "mutual follow-up".

The user selection unit 40 refers to the user database stored in the storage unit 12 and selects at least one other user. When the user's evaluation of the search result is negative, the inquiry unit 42 displays a message indicating that the other user is asked about the search query.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another display example of the display unit 110 when there is a negative evaluation result. FIG. 8 shows an example when the user executes a search with the search query "HR", similar to the examples shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. As shown in FIG. 8, the user selects the second evaluation icon 134b, which indicates that the evaluation is negative with respect to the search result.

Therefore, the inquiry unit 42 displays a message in the other person question notification field 136 indicating that the virtual operator asks another user selected by the user selection unit 40 about the search query. The inquiry unit 42 also transmits an instruction for displaying a display mode indicating that the user selection unit 40 asks another user to ask a question regarding the search query to the information processing device 100 of the other user. As a result, the information processing apparatus 100 of another user displays a message indicating that the user is asking a question about the search query.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of another user's information processing apparatus 100, and is a diagram showing how a question from the user regarding a search query is displayed. As shown in FIG. 9, the operator icon 118 and the question regarding the search query are displayed in the display unit 110 of the information processing apparatus 100 of another user.

When another user writes an answer in the question / answer column 138, the answer is transmitted to the user's information processing device 100. In the thank-you notification column 140, a message is displayed in which the virtual operator displays thanks to other users.

As described above, when the evaluation result of the user with respect to the search result based on the search query is negative, the information processing apparatus 100 attempts to acquire the information by asking an acquaintance of the user instead of searching by the server 200. Even if the search query is not always appropriate, it is considered that an acquaintance of the user may be able to understand the user's intention, and in such a case, an appropriate answer can be expected. Thereby, for example, even if the user is unfamiliar with the web search and cannot enter an appropriate search query in the input field 112, the probability that the user is satisfied with the information can be increased. Further, the information processing device 100 can provide the user with an opportunity to generate communication between the user and his / her acquaintance, starting from the search query.

In the above, the case where the user's evaluation based on the search query is negative has been mainly described. Next, a case where the user's evaluation based on the search query is positive will be described.

If the user's rating based on the search query is positive, it indicates that the user is satisfied with the search result and likes it.
Therefore, when the user's evaluation based on the search query is positive, the result transmission unit 44 processes the search result displayed on the display unit 110 by the answer display unit 26 together with the search query for information processing of one or more other users. An instruction for displaying on the device 100 may be transmitted.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of the display screen of the information processing apparatus 100 of another user, and is a diagram showing how the search results related to the search query searched by the user are displayed. The information processing device 100 of an acquaintance of the user who is different from the user displays the search result regarding the search query highly evaluated by the user. This allows users to share their favorite search results with acquaintances.

The user's evaluation of the search result based on the search query has been described above. By creating a database of user evaluations for search results, it can be used to improve the search accuracy of the server 200.

Therefore, the storage device 300 in FIG. 1 associates the character string of the search query input by each user for each of the plurality of users, one or more search results based on the character string, and the evaluation of each user with respect to the search result. The search result database to be stored is stored.

The result selection unit 28 refers to the search result database stored in the storage device 300 via the network and the server 200. When the search result database stores the search query entered by the user in the input field 112, the result selection unit 28 searches the search results associated with the search query with a large number of positive evaluations. Select a result. The answer display unit 26 causes the display unit 110 to display a new search result selected by the result selection unit 28 with reference to the search database. As a result, the information processing apparatus 100 can present to the user the search result that many users give a positive evaluation to the search result based on the search query.

As described above, according to the information processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment, it is possible to provide a new search interface including an interface for evaluating the result of the information retrieval.
In particular, by changing the character string of the search query entered by the user in a conversational style and displaying it, or by displaying the icon of a virtual operator that conveys the search results, it is as if you are talking to another person. It is possible to provide a place for users to search for information.

Further, when the user's evaluation of the search result based on the search query is negative, the information processing device 100 asks the user's acquaintance for information about the search query. As a result, the information processing apparatus 100 can realize not only mechanical search but also information collection using the friendship of the user. When the user's evaluation of the search result based on the search query is affirmative, the information processing device 100 shares the search result with the user's acquaintance. As a result, the user can share the topic of interest with the acquaintance and can obtain an opportunity for communication with the acquaintance.

Further, the information processing apparatus 100 feeds back the user's evaluation of the search result based on Q to the server 200, which is a web search server. The server 200 can improve the search accuracy by creating a database of evaluation results from a plurality of users.

Although the present invention has been described above using the embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It is clear from the description of the claims that such modified or modified forms may also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

For example, in the above description, the case where the information processing apparatus 100 displays the search result based on the search query on the display unit 110 with the conversational UI has been described. However, from the viewpoint of acquiring the user's evaluation for the search result, the display destination of the evaluation icon 134 is not limited to the conversational UI. For example, the evaluation icon 134 may be displayed on the browser in a general web search using a browser.

In this case, the evaluation icon 134 may be displayed in a manner that can be selected by the user for each search result listed on the browser. As a result, the search server including the server 200 feeds back the user's evaluation of the search result. This evaluation result can be used to improve the search algorithm and the like executed by the search server.

1 ... Information processing system 10 ... Control unit 12 ... Storage unit 14 ... Input field display unit 16 ... Search unit 18 ... Question display unit 20 ... Icon display unit 22 ... -Template reading unit 24 ... Sentence generation unit 26 ... Answer display unit 28 ... Result selection unit 30 ... Input production unit 38 ... Evaluation acquisition unit 40 ... User selection unit 42 ... Inquiry unit 44 ... Result transmission unit 100 ... Information processing device 110 ... Display unit 200 ... Server 300 ... Storage device

Claims (7)

On the computer
The icon for evaluating one or more search results based on the search query entered by the user of the computer, a function of displaying the table radical 113 by the user-selectable manner,
A function of displaying the one or more search results on the display unit in a display mode expressing information transmitted from a virtual operator to the user.
When the evaluation corresponding to the icon selected by the user is a negative evaluation, a display mode indicating that the virtual operator asks another user associated with the user about the search query is displayed. The function to send the instruction to send to the computer of the other user, and
A program that realizes. On the computer
The program according to claim 1 , further realizing a function of changing an icon indicating the virtual operator based on an evaluation corresponding to the icon selected by the user. On the computer
A function of selecting at least one other user from a storage unit that stores the user and one or more other users associated with the user.
The program according to claim 1 or 2 , further realizing the above. On the computer
When the evaluation corresponding to the icon selected by the user is a positive evaluation, the search result displayed on the display unit is displayed on one or more computers of the other user together with the character string of the search query. The program according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further realizing a function of transmitting an instruction for. On the computer
When the evaluation corresponding to the icon selected by the user is a negative evaluation, claim 1 further realizes a function of displaying a new search result selected from the one or more search results on the display unit. The program according to any one of 4 . On the computer
Refer to the search result database that stores the character string of the search query entered by each user for each of the plurality of users, one or more search results based on the character string, and each user's evaluation for the search result. The program according to claim 5 , further realizing the function of selecting the new search result to be displayed on the display unit. It is an information processing device
An evaluation obtaining unit for displaying in Table radical 113 in the icon for the user of the information processing apparatus to evaluate one or more search results based on the search query entered, the user-selectable manner,
An answer display unit that displays the one or more search results on the display unit in a display mode that expresses information transmitted from the virtual operator to the user.
When the evaluation corresponding to the icon selected by the user is a negative evaluation, a display mode indicating that the virtual operator asks another user associated with the user about the search query is displayed. An inquiry unit for transmitting an instruction to be transmitted to the information processing device of the other user,
Information processing device equipped with.

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