JP7531466B2 - Information processing device, information processing method, and information processing program - Google Patents

Description

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

An information management system that manages various types of information executes access control based on a specified access control policy. In other words, the information management system executes control to counter the threat of unauthorized operations from outside. The information management system then provides information for access that satisfies the access control policy.

Patent No. 4273869

Conventional information management systems implement access control based on a set access control policy. There is room for improvement in the future in terms of new forms of information sharing between users.

The present application has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide an information processing device, an information processing method, and an information processing program that can provide information in a new form.

The information processing device according to the present application includes an acquisition unit that acquires information about a user who visits a specified area, a storage unit that associates the information acquired by the acquisition unit with the specified area and stores it, an update unit that updates the information stored in the storage unit based on information about the visiting user when the user visits the specified area stored in the storage unit, and a provision unit that provides the updated information updated by the update unit to the user who visits the specified area.

According to one aspect of the embodiment, it is possible to provide new information.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of an information processing method according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an information processing system according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the information processing device according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the user information database. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of the update information database. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the provided information database. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an information processing procedure according to the embodiment. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure of an information update process according to the embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an information processing device.

Below, the information processing device, information processing method, and information processing program according to the present application will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the information processing device, information processing method, and information processing program according to the present application are not limited to these embodiments. In addition, the same components in the following embodiments will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

1-1. Overview of the information processing device
An example of an information processing method performed by an information processing device according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an information processing method according to an embodiment. In FIG. 1, an information processing device 100 according to the present application included in an information processing system 1 acquires information about a user who has visited a specific area, associates the acquired information with the specific area and stores it, and decays the stored information associated with the specific area over time. In addition, the stored information associated with the specific area is updated based on information about a new user. Then, an example will be described in which a process is executed to provide attenuated decay information or updated update information to a user who has visited the specific area.

As shown in FIG. 1, the information processing system 1 includes terminal devices 10 (10A, 10B) and an information processing device 100. The terminal devices 10 and the information processing device 100 are connected to each other via a network N (see FIG. 2) in a wired or wireless manner so as to be able to communicate with each other. In this embodiment, the terminal devices 10 and the information processing device 100 work together.

The terminal device 10 is a smart device such as a smartphone or tablet used by a user U (UA, UB), and is a mobile terminal device capable of communicating with any server device via a wireless communication network such as 4G (Generation) or LTE (Long Term Evolution). The terminal device 10 has a screen such as a liquid crystal display with touch panel functions, and accepts various operations on displayed data such as content, such as tapping, sliding, scrolling, etc., performed by the user U with a finger or a stylus. Note that an operation performed on an area of the screen where the content is displayed may be considered to be an operation on the content. The terminal device 10 may be not only a smart device, but also an information processing device such as a desktop PC (Personal Computer) or a notebook PC.

The information processing device 100 is an information processing device that cooperates with the terminal device 10 of the user U and provides the terminal device 10 of the user U with API (Application Programming Interface) services for various applications (hereinafter, apps), etc., and various data, and is realized by a server device, a cloud system, a beacon, etc.

The information processing device 100 may be an information processing device that provides some kind of web service online to the terminal device 10 of the user U. For example, the information processing device 100 may provide services such as Internet connection, search services, SNS (Social Networking Service), electronic commerce, electronic payment, online games, online banking, online trading, accommodation and ticket reservations, video and music distribution, news, maps, route searches, route guidance, line information, operation information, and weather forecasts as web services. In practice, the information processing device 100 may cooperate with various servers that provide the above-mentioned web services, and may act as an intermediary for the web services or be responsible for processing the web services.

The information processing device 100 can acquire user information about the user U. For example, the information processing device 100 acquires information about the attributes of the user U, such as the gender, age, and area of residence of the user U. The information processing device 100 then stores and manages the information about the attributes of the user U together with identification information (such as a user ID) indicating the user U.

The information processing device 100 acquires various history information (log data) indicating the behavior of the user U from the terminal device 10 of the user U or from various servers based on the user ID, etc. For example, the information processing device 100 acquires a location history, which is a history of the location and date and time of the user U, from the terminal device 10. The information processing device 100 also acquires a search history, which is a history of search queries entered by the user U, from a search server (search engine). The information processing device 100 also acquires a browsing history, which is a history of content viewed by the user U, from a content server. The information processing device 100 also acquires a purchase history (payment history), which is a history of product purchases and payment processing by the user U, from an electronic commerce server or a payment processing server. The information processing device 100 may also acquire a listing history and a sales history, which are a history of listings on the marketplace by the user U, from an electronic commerce server or a payment server. The information processing device 100 also acquires a posting history, which is a history of posts by the user U, from a posting server that provides a word-of-mouth posting service or an SNS server.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the information processing device 100 acquires location information of a specified area visited by the user UA from the terminal device 10A of the user UA using a positioning method such as GPS (Global Positioning System) or RTK (Real Time Kinematic) (step S1). The information processing device 100 acquires provision information related to the acquired location information from the terminal device 10A of the user UA using a similar positioning method (step S2). Note that the specified area is not limited to location information.

Note that the information processing device 100 is not limited to acquiring location information and provided information using the positioning method described above. For example, the user UA may use the terminal device 10A to acquire location information of a specific area visited by the user UA and provided information related to the location information, and the information processing device 100 may acquire the location information of the specific area and the provided information provided by the terminal device 10A of the user UA.

Then, the information processing device 100 associates the location information of the specified area acquired from the terminal device 10A with the provided information and stores it (step S3). That is, the information processing device 100 stores it as provided information for the location information of the specified area. Then, the information processing device 100 attenuates the provided information stored in association with the location information of the specified area over time (step S4). In this case, the information processing device 100 at least reduces the quantity or quality of the provided information.

The information processing device 100 also acquires location information of a specific area visited by a user UB, who is different from the user UA, from the terminal device 10B of the user UB using the positioning method described above (step S11). The information processing device 100 acquires, using a similar positioning method, provided information related to the acquired location information from the terminal device 10B of the user UB (step S12). Note that the specific area is not limited to location information.

The information processing device 100 is not limited to acquiring location information and provided information using the positioning method described above. For example, the user UB may use the terminal device 10B to acquire location information of a specific area visited by the user UB and provided information related to the location information, and the information processing device 100 may acquire the location information of the specific area and the provided information provided by the terminal device 10B of the user UB.

The information processing device 100 then estimates the degree of match between the stored location information of the specified area and the location information of the specified area visited by the new user UB (step S13). In this case, the information processing device 100 determines whether the degree of match is equal to or greater than a preset judgment value. The information processing device 100 determines whether the degree of match between the stored location information of the specified area and the location information of the specified area visited by the new user UB is, for example, 80% or greater.

Here, if the information processing device 100 determines that the degree of agreement is not, for example, 80% or more, it associates and stores the location information of the specified area acquired from the terminal device 10B with the provided information, similar to the processing of user UA (step S3). That is, since the location information of the specified area acquired from the terminal device 10A of user UA differs from the location information of the specified area acquired from the terminal device 10B of user UB, it stores the provided information as associated with the location information of the specified area acquired from the terminal device 10B, separately from the provided information associated with the location information of the specified area acquired from the terminal device 10A. Then, the information processing device 100 causes the provided information stored in association with the location information of the specified area to decay over time (step S4).

On the other hand, when the information processing device 100 determines that the degree of match is, for example, 80% or more, it provides attenuation information associated with the location information of the specific area stored in an attenuated state for the user UB to the terminal device 10B of the user UB (step S14). In this case, the information processing device 100 provides information to be provided to the user UB according to the estimated degree of match. For example, the higher the degree of match, the more information the information processing device 100 provides to the user UB.

In addition, when the information processing device 100 determines that the degree of match is, for example, 80% or more, it updates the provided information associated with the stored location information of the specified area based on the provided information associated with the location information of the specified area acquired from the terminal device 10B of the user UB (step S15).

At this time, when the user UA who obtained the stored provided information matches the user UA who has newly visited the stored specified area, the information processing device 100 replaces and updates the stored provided information with the provided information of the newly visiting user UA.

In addition, when the user UA who obtained the stored provided information does not match the user UB who has newly visited the stored specified area, the information processing device 100 synthesizes and updates the stored provided information by adding the provided information of the newly visiting user UB to the stored provided information.

In addition, when the stored provided information and the provided information of a user UB who has newly visited the stored specified area are in the same field, the information processing device 100 updates the provided information associated with the stored specified area by adding the information of the user UB who has newly visited the specified area.

In this manner, in this embodiment, the information processing device 100 acquires location information and provided information for a specified area, decays the provided information associated with the location information over time, and provides the decayed information to users who visit the specified area.

In addition, in this embodiment, the information processing device 100 acquires location information and provided information for a specified area, associates the provided information with the location information for the specified area, and stores the information. When a user visits the stored specified area, the information processing device 100 updates the stored provided information based on information about the visiting user, and provides the updated information to the user who visited the specified area.

This makes it possible to provide new information.

[1-2. Overview of information processing method]
An example of a service realized by the above-mentioned information processing will be described below. Such a service may be realized by the information processing device 100 alone, or may be realized by cooperation between multiple server devices and terminal devices. The following services may be realized not only by the above-mentioned information processing, but also by the functional configuration described below. The following services may be executed in appropriate combination. In the following example, an example of a service will be described in which information about a user UA is provided to a user UB.

[1-3. Overview of information provision]
For example, when user UA visits a predetermined location such as in front of a ticket gate at a station or halfway up a mountain path, the information processing device 100 acquires information about user UA from the terminal device 10A. For example, when the terminal device 10A estimates that the user UA has visited a predetermined location using technology such as a geofence, the terminal device 10A transmits information about user UA, i.e., the provided information and information indicating the location, to the information processing device 100. For example, the terminal device 10A transmits provided information such as "user UA was here" and location information indicating the location of the ticket gate at Station A (hereinafter referred to as "location A") to the information processing device 100.

In such a case, the information processing device 100 regards the received provided information as a virtual lingering scent (i.e., a virtual odor) of user UA through the information processing described above, and provides the provided information to other users. For example, when user UB visits place A after user UA, that is, when the information processing device 100 receives from terminal device 10B the location information of place A to which user UA's provided information (hereinafter referred to as "provided information A") is linked, the information processing device 100 transmits provided information A to user UB as if user UB were sensing user UA's lingering scent. For example, when user UB visits place A, the information processing device 100 transmits provided information A linked to place A to user UB's terminal device 10B.

Here, the information processing device 100 transmits the provided information A using a smell as a metaphor. For example, the information processing device 100 may compare the location A linked to the provided information A with the current location of the user UB, and provide the provided information A when the user UB is within a predetermined range from the location A. The information processing device 100 may also provide information that is processed from the provided information A in a manner according to the distance from the location A. For example, the information processing device 100 may provide a range of the provided information A according to the distance from the location A. More specifically, the information processing device 100 may distribute half of the provided information A to the user UB when the user UB approaches within 10 meters of the location A, and distribute the entire provided information A when the user UB approaches within 1 meter of the location A.

The information processing device 100 may also adjust the accuracy of the content indicated by the provided information A. For example, if the provided information A is "I had tea at 10 o'clock," when the user UB approaches within 10 meters of the location A, the information processing device 100 generates information with the accuracy (granularity) of the content of the provided information A (for example, information such as "I had a drink in the morning") and distributes this information to the user UB. Then, when the user UB moves within 1 meter of the location A, the information processing device 100 may provide highly accurate information such as "I had tea at 10 o'clock." Note that, in the above example, an example of providing information in two stages has been described, but the information processing device 100 may provide information with the accuracy (granularity) of the information adjusted at any stage.

The information processing device 100 may provide information with the accuracy (granularity) adjusted in an arbitrary manner. For example, when the provided information A includes a store name, the information processing device 100 may specify the country, prefecture, and city in which the store is located, and distribute information that replaces the specified information. For example, the information processing device 100 may distribute information with gradually improved location accuracy, such as "Visited a store in Japan," "Visited a store in Saitama Prefecture," "Visited a store in Kawaguchi City," and "Visited store X," as the user approaches location A. In addition, the information processing device 100 may gradually adjust the accuracy (granularity) of any information other than location, such as time, position, category of transaction object, and user behavior, and provide information with improved accuracy (granularity) as the user UB approaches location A. Note that such information processing can be realized by information processing technology using a dictionary set in advance.

In addition, the information processing device 100 may change the manner in which the provided information A is provided, depending on the time that has elapsed since the user UA visited the location A, the time that has elapsed since the location A was linked to the provided information A, etc. For example, the smell at a certain location diffuses over time and becomes less fragranular. Therefore, the information processing device 100 may reduce the accuracy (granularity) of the information depending on the time that has elapsed since the user UA visited the location A (hereinafter referred to as "elapsed time"). In addition, for example, the information processing device 100 may reduce the accuracy of the provided information A provided while expanding the range in which the provided information A is provided as time elapses. To give a more specific example, the information processing device 100 may reduce the accuracy and granularity of the provided information A provided as time elapses, even if the information processing device 100 is within 1 meter of the location A. Furthermore, the information processing device 100 may distribute the provided information A to the user UB when the user UB approaches within a 10 meter radius of the location A within a predetermined period of time after the user UA visits the location A, and may distribute the provided information A to the user UB when the user UB approaches within a 15 meter radius of the location A after the predetermined period of time has elapsed. In such a case, the provided information A with reduced accuracy may be distributed to the user UB. On the other hand, the information processing device 100 may narrow the range in which the provided information A is provided as time passes.

Here, when an odor diffuses, the direction of flow changes depending on the wind. Thus, when the information processing device 100 changes (expands) the range in which the provided information A is provided (hereinafter may be referred to as the "provided range") depending on the elapsed time, the information processing device 100 may change it concentrically, but may also change it with directionality in a predetermined direction. For example, the information processing device 100 may expand the range in which the provided information A is provided toward a predetermined direction, such as the west or east of location A, and may not expand the range in other directions, or may expand it slower than in the predetermined direction. Furthermore, the information processing device 100 may provide the provided information A as is in a predetermined direction, and provide the provided information A with reduced accuracy in other directions.

The direction in which the provision range is expanded may be determined manually (e.g., by user UA) in advance, or may be determined automatically according to an arbitrary rule. For example, the information processing device 100 may expand the provision range in the direction of movement of user A when visiting location A. Furthermore, the information processing device 100 may expand the provision range in a direction according to the attributes of user A or the content of the provided information A.

In addition, for example, the information processing device 100 may change the provision range depending on meteorological information such as the temperature and wind direction at point A, the number of people at point A, the direction of people flow, etc. In addition, the information processing device 100 may change the provision range depending on the number or increase/decrease of posted information on the SNS with content corresponding to the provided information A, the number or increase/decrease of posted information corresponding to point A, the number or increase/decrease of similar search queries, etc. In other words, the information processing device 100 may change the provision range depending on various external factors related to point A.

The accuracy (granularity) of the information A provided as described above, the expansion or reduction of the range of information provided, etc., may be combined and executed in any manner. The accuracy (granularity) of the information A provided as described above, the expansion or reduction of the range of information provided, etc. may be changed according to the settings of various users, or may be changed automatically. For example, the information processing device 100 may appropriately change the accuracy (granularity) of the information provided according to the attributes of user A and the type of information provided A. For example, the information processing device 100 may not reduce the accuracy (granularity) the younger the user A is. For example, the information processing device 100 may change the manner in which the accuracy (granularity) is reduced (for example, the speed or amount of reducing the accuracy (granularity) according to the elapsed period or the distance from point A) depending on whether the information provided A is information about user A or other information, when the information is from, etc. In this way, the information processing device 100 may increase or decrease the information.

The terminal device 10A may transmit information preset by the user UA, or may transmit information acquired automatically. Furthermore, when the information processing device 100 determines that the user UA has visited a specific location based on the location information received from the terminal device 10A, it may acquire various information related to the user UA as provided information, such as search history, purchase history, and posted information on SNS, etc. Furthermore, the information processing device 100 may cancel the distribution of the provided information A if a predetermined period (a period set based on a preset period and its contents, the attributes of the user UA, etc.) has elapsed since linking the provided information A to the location A.

[1-4. Information for multiple users]
Here, the information processing device 100 may link information of multiple users who visited location A to location A as provided information. For example, when users UA and UB visit location A, the information processing device 100 may link provided information A of user UA and provided information B of user UB to location A individually, and provide provided information A and provided information B individually to user UC who visited location A. At this time, the information processing device 100 may set the provision mode (for example, accuracy (granularity), scope of provision, various processes according to the elapsed time) of provided information A and provided information B individually.

The information processing device 100 may also combine the provided information A and B of users UA and UB who visited location A and provide the information to user UC. For example, when user UA visits location A, the information processing device 100 links the provided information A to location A. Next, when user UB visits location A, the information processing device 100 generates combined information AB by combining the provided information A linked to location A and the provided information B. During such combination, the information processing device 100 may generate the combined information AB in a state in which a weight (a weight smaller than 1) is set to the provided information A according to the period of time that has elapsed since user A visited location A. Furthermore, the information processing device 100 may combine information whose accuracy (granularity) has been changed with the provided information B according to the period of time that has elapsed since user A visited location A. Then, when user UC visits location A, the information processing device 100 provides the combined information AB to user UC.

The information processing device 100 may enhance or degrade (deteriorate accuracy, etc.) the information depending on the contents of the provided information A and the provided information B. For example, when there is a common part between the contents of the provided information A and the provided information B, the information processing device 100 may set composite information AB that emphasizes the common part. Furthermore, even if a predetermined period of time has passed since the linking of the provided information A and the accuracy of a certain part of the information has deteriorated, the information processing device 100 may restore the accuracy of that part to its original accuracy if there is a common part in the contents of the provided information B.

In addition, the information processing device 100 may simply overwrite provided information A with provided information B when user B visits location A after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since provided information A was linked to location A.

The information processing device 100 may link each of the provided information A and B to the location A individually, and control the provision range in different modes depending on the elapsed time. In such a case, the information processing device 100 determines the weight when combining the provided information A and B depending on the timing when the user UC visited the location A and the positional relationship between the user UC and the location A. For example, the information processing device 100 may determine the provision mode of the provided information A and B depending on whether the user UC is included in each provision range of the provided information A and B, the distance between the location A and the user UC, and the timing when the user UC visited, generate composite information AB by combining the provided information A and B with a weight according to the determined provision mode, and distribute the composite information AB.

[1-5. Metaphor of Sensitivity]
Here, the sensitivity to smell varies from user to user, so the information processing device 100 may vary the manner in which the provided information is provided depending on the attributes of the user to whom the provided information is provided, the contents of the information included in the provided information, and various types of information related to the provided information (hereinafter collectively referred to as "attributes of the provided information").

For example, when providing provided information A to user UB, the information processing device 100 sets the sensitivity of user UB to the provided information A. For example, the information processing device 100 may set the sensitivity according to the attributes of user UB (demographic attributes, psychographic attributes, etc.), or may set the sensitivity according to a combination of the attributes of user UB and the attributes of the provided information A. To give a more specific example, when the provided information A contains information preferred by user UB, the information processing device 100 sets the sensitivity of user UB to the provided information A to "100," and when the provided information A does not contain information preferred by user UB, the information processing device 100 sets the sensitivity of user UB to the provided information A to "50."

The information processing device 100 provides the provided information A with the accuracy (granularity) of the provided information A increased as the user UB's sensitivity to the provided information A increases. For example, the information processing device 100 may provide the provided information A with a lowered accuracy when the user UB's sensitivity to the provided information A is "50" and the distance from the location A is 5 meters, and may provide the provided information A without lowering the accuracy when the user UB's sensitivity to the provided information A is "100" and the distance from the location A is 5 meters. Also, for example, the information processing device 100 may provide the provided information A with a lowered accuracy even if the distance from the location A is 1 meter when the user UB's sensitivity to the provided information A is "50", and may provide the provided information A without lowering the accuracy even if the distance from the location A is 10 meters when the user UB's sensitivity to the provided information A is "100".

Similarly, even if the elapsed period exceeds a predetermined threshold, if user UB is highly sensitive to the provided information A, the information processing device 100 may provide the provided information A without reducing its accuracy. Furthermore, for example, if user UB is highly sensitive to the provided information A, the information processing device 100 may provide the provided information A (or information with reduced accuracy) even if user UB is 100 meters away from location A. On the other hand, for example, if user UB is low sensitive to the provided information A, the information processing device 100 may provide the provided information A (or information with reduced accuracy) when user UB approaches within a distance of 10 meters from location A.

Furthermore, when provided information A and provided information B are associated with location A, the information processing device 100 sets the user UC's sensitivity to provided information A based on a combination of the attributes of user UC and the attributes of provided information A, and sets the user UC's sensitivity to provided information B based on a combination of the attributes of user UC and the attributes of provided information B. The information processing device 100 may then generate composite information AB by combining the provided information A and B based on the sensitivity set individually for each of the provided information A and B, and provide the generated composite information AB to the user UC.

The information processing device 100 may also set the sensitivity of the user UB to the provided information A based on the relationship between the attributes of the user UA related to the provided information A and the attributes of the user UB who is the delivery destination (or a candidate) of the provided information A. For example, the information processing device 100 may set the sensitivity of the user UB to the provided information A according to a combination of the attributes of the user UA and the attributes of the user UB. For example, the information processing device 100 may set the sensitivity of the user UB to the provided information A higher than a predetermined value when the user UA is a woman in her 20s and the user UB is a woman in her 20s, and may set the sensitivity of the user UB to the provided information A lower than a predetermined value when the user UB is a man in his 50s. For example, the information processing device 100 may set the sensitivity of the user UB to the provided information A lower than a predetermined value when the user UA is a woman in her 50s and the user UB is a man in his 20s, and may set the sensitivity of the user UB to the provided information A higher than a predetermined value when the user UB is a man in his 50s. The information processing device 100 may increase the sensitivity as the commonality of the attributes of users UA and UB increases, but may also increase the sensitivity as the commonality of the attributes of users UA and UB decreases. The information processing device 100 may also set a predetermined sensitivity for each combination of attributes of users UA and UB.

The above-mentioned attributes are not limited to the exemplified age and gender, but are concepts that include, for example, preferences, addresses, web search history, purchasing history tendencies, relationships on SNS, and currently performed activities. Furthermore, the information processing device 100 may set the sensitivity of user UB to the provided information A according to a combination of the attributes of user UA, the attributes of the provided information A, and the attributes of user UB. Furthermore, the information processing device 100 may distribute the provided information A only to users UB who are connected to user UA on SNS, for example.

[1-6. Summary of smell metaphors]
As described above, the information processing device 100 links information about the user to a place visited by the user as provided information. Then, the information processing device 100 determines how to provide the provided information depending on, for example, the distance between the user and the place, the attributes of the user, a combination of the attributes of the user related to the provided information and the attributes of the user to whom the provided information is provided, the attributes of the provided information, the period that has elapsed since the provided information was linked, the degree of match between the attributes of the user and the attributes of the provided information, and the like.

More specifically, the information processing device 100 sets the area in which the provided information A is provided, the manner in which the provided information A is provided depending on the distance from point A, the sensitivity of the user UB to the provided information A, etc., through the various processes described above, and determines the manner in which the provided information A is provided to the user UB (for example, whether to provide it as is or with reduced accuracy, etc.) depending on the setting results. Then, the information processing device 100 provides the provided information A to the user UB in the determined manner.

When performing the above-mentioned processes, the information processing device 100 may perform all of the above-mentioned processes simultaneously in parallel, or may perform only an arbitrarily selected portion of the processes.

The manner in which the above-mentioned provided information A is provided may follow the settings made by user UA or may follow the settings made by user UB. For example, the information processing device 100 may distribute the provided information A only to users with the attributes set by user UA, or may distribute the provided information A to users with the distance or sensitivity set by user UA. The information processing device 100 may gradually expand the range of provision in the direction set by user UA, or may stop distributing the provided information A after the elapse of the period set by user UA. The information processing device 100 may distribute to user UB only the provided information with the attributes set by user UB, or may control the manner in which the provided information is provided to user UB based on the sensitivity set by user UB.

By using such various settings, it is possible to realize a service in which information is provided only from a superior to a subordinate, or from a user to his/her followers, etc. For example, the information processing device 100 may provide information such as "The summit is dangerous" set by a person descending a mountain on the way to the mountain trail to a person climbing a mountain (i.e., a user with the attribute "climbing a mountain"), and the range of such information provided may be gradually expanded in the descending direction of the mountain trail. When such processing is performed, the information processing device 100 does not convey the information that "The summit is dangerous" to a user descending a mountain, but can provide the information that "The summit is dangerous" to a user climbing a mountain.

The information processing device 100 can provide different information to a person heading from a station to a shopping mall and a person heading from a shopping mall to a station. In addition to the above, the information processing device 100 can also distribute information in an appropriate manner where freshness and timeliness are important and the importance of the information decreases over time, such as information about traffic jams, limited-time sales, accidents, suspicious people, crowds, forest fires, bear sightings, hunting prey information, and rockfall information. For example, the information processing device 100 can gradually increase the accuracy or gradually expand the range over time, rather than gradually decreasing the accuracy of the provided information A or gradually narrowing the range. For example, the information processing device 100 can gradually decrease the accuracy or gradually narrow the range at first, but when the remaining time falls below a predetermined threshold, the accuracy can be returned to the original accuracy or the range can be expanded to the maximum.

[1-7. Information transfer]
In addition, the information processing device 100 may transmit provided information associated with a certain location to another location in response to the movement of the user, and may newly associate the information with the other location. That is, the information processing device 100 may realize the transmission of information using the metaphor of a lingering fragrance.

For example, when user UB visits location A to which provided information A is linked, the information processing device 100 links the provided information A to user UB. Here, when user UB visits within a predetermined range of location A, or when the attributes of user UB and the attributes of provided information A or the attributes of user UA (or a combination thereof) satisfy a predetermined condition, the information processing device 100 may appropriately control whether to link the provided information A to user UB and the mode of the provided information A when linking to user UB (for example, the level of accuracy) depending on the sensitivity of user UB to the provided information A, the time that has elapsed since the provided information A was linked to location A, etc. In the following description, the information linked to user UB is referred to as provided information AB.

Next, when user UB visits a specific location B, the information processing device 100 links the provided information AB to location B. At this time, the information processing device 100 may link the provided information AB to location B as it is, or may change the accuracy of the provided information AB and link the changed provided information AB to location B, for example, according to the distance and time traveled by user UB from visiting location A to visiting location B, the attributes of user UB and the attributes of the provided information AB, and the like. Then, the information processing device 100 provides the provided information AB to user UC who approaches location B. Note that the information processing device 100 may link, for example, the composite information ABB obtained by combining the provided information AB and the provided information B of user B to location B. At the time of such composition, the information processing device 100 may control the weight at the time of composition according to the distance and time traveled by user UB from visiting location A to visiting location B, the attributes of user UB and the attributes of the provided information AB, and the like.

For example, the information processing device 100 may inquire of the user UB as to whether to propagate the provided information A for the location A, and may execute the above-described processing if permission is obtained. The information processing device 100 may also link the provided information A to a location set or permitted by the user UB.

Furthermore, the information processing device 100 may appropriately link the provided information AB linked to the user UB to the route traveled by the user UB. In such a case, the information processing device 100 will transmit the provided information A originally linked to the location A (or the provided information AB based on the provided information A) to the user UC who visited the route information traveled by the user UB. At this time, the information processing device 100 may set the range of provision of the provided information AB to be narrower than the range of provision of the provided information A, and may set the period of provision of the provided information AB to be shorter than the period of provision of the provided information A linked to the location A. Furthermore, the information processing device 100 may further link the provided information AB to the user UC.

Also, for example, when the information processing device 100 links the provided information AB to the user UB, the information processing device 100 may provide the provided information AB to a user UC within a predetermined range of the user UB. In other words, even if the user UC has not visited the location A, the information processing device 100 may provide the provided information A linked to the location A (or the provided information AB based thereon) to the user UC by approaching the user UB who has visited the location A, as if the user UC senses a lingering scent. The information processing device 100 may further link the provided information AB to the user UC.

In addition, when providing the provided information AB to user UC who has approached user UB, the information processing device 100 may control the accuracy of providing the provided information AB to user UC in accordance with the distance between user UB and user UC, the period of time that has elapsed since the provided information AB was linked to user UB, the attributes of user UB, the attributes of user UB, the attributes of the provided information AB, or a combination of these, in the same manner as when providing the provided information A linked to location A to user UB.

The information processing device 100 may change the manner in which the provided information AB is provided depending on whether or not the user UB consciously consents to the provision of the provided information AB. For example, when the user UB consciously consents to the provision of the provided information AB, the information processing device 100 may extend the period during which the accuracy of the provided information AB is deteriorated.

2. Example of information processing system configuration
A configuration of an information processing system 1 including an information processing device 100 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of the information processing system 1 according to an embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, the information processing system 1 according to an embodiment includes a terminal device 10 (10A, 10B, 10C) and an information processing device 100. The terminal device 10 (10A, 10B, 10C) and the information processing device 100 are connected to each other via a network N so as to be able to communicate with each other by wire or wirelessly. The network N is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) or a WAN (Wide Area Network) such as the Internet.

The number of devices included in the information processing system 1 shown in FIG. 2 is not limited to that shown. For example, in FIG. 2, for the sake of simplicity, the terminal device 10 is configured with three terminal devices 10A, 10B, and 10C, but the number may be one or two, or may be four or more.

The terminal device 10 is an information processing device used by a user U. For example, the terminal device 10 is a smart device such as a smartphone or tablet terminal, a feature phone, a PC (Personal Computer), a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a game console or AV device with communication functions, a car navigation system, a wearable device such as a smart watch or a head-mounted display, smart glasses, a smart speaker, a camera, etc. However, in reality, the terminal device 10 is not limited to these examples.

The terminal device 10 can connect to the network N via a wireless communication network such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G (4th Generation), or 5G (5th Generation: 5th generation mobile communication system), or via short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or wireless LAN (Local Area Network), and communicate with the information processing device 100.

The information processing device 100 is, for example, a PC, a server device, a mainframe, a workstation, etc. The information processing device 100 may be realized by cloud computing.

3. Example of configuration of information processing device
The configuration of the information processing device 100 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the information processing device 100 according to the embodiment. As shown in Fig. 3, the information processing device 100 includes a communication unit 110, a storage unit 120, and a control unit 130.

(Communication unit 110)
The communication unit 110 is realized by, for example, a network interface card (NIC), etc. The communication unit 110 is also connected to a network N (see FIG. 2) in a wired or wireless manner.

(Memory unit 120)
The storage unit 120 is realized by, for example, a semiconductor memory element such as a random access memory (RAM) or a flash memory, or a storage device such as a HDD, an SSD, an optical disk, etc. As shown in FIG. 4 , the storage unit 120 has a user information database 121, an update information database 122, and a provided information database 123.

(User Information Database 121)
The user information database 121 stores user information related to the user U. For example, the user information database 121 stores various information such as attributes of the user U. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the user information database 121. In the example shown in Fig. 4, the user information database 121 has items such as "User ID (Identifier)", "Age", "Gender", "Home", "Workplace", and "Interests".

"User ID" indicates identification information for identifying user U. Note that "user ID" may be contact information for user U (telephone number, email address, etc.) or may be identification information for identifying user U's terminal device 10.

Furthermore, "age" indicates the age of user U identified by the user ID. Note that "age" may be information indicating the specific age of user U (e.g., 35 years old) or information indicating the generation of user U (e.g., 30s). Alternatively, "age" may be information indicating user U's date of birth or information indicating user U's generation (e.g., born in the 1980s). Furthermore, "gender" indicates the gender of user U identified by the user ID.

"Home" indicates the location information of the home of user U, which is identified by the user ID. In the example shown in FIG. 4, "Home" is illustrated as an abstract code such as "LC11", but it may also be latitude and longitude information, etc. For example, "Home" may also be the name of a region or an address.

"Workplace" indicates the location information of the workplace (school in the case of a student) of user U identified by the user ID. In the example shown in FIG. 5, "workplace" is illustrated as an abstract code such as "LC12", but it may also be latitude and longitude information, etc. For example, "workplace" may also be the name of a region or an address.

Furthermore, "interests" indicate the interests of user U identified by the user ID. In other words, "interests" indicate subjects in which user U identified by the user ID is highly interested. For example, "interests" may be search queries (keywords) entered by user U into a search engine. Note that, although one "interest" is illustrated for each user U in the example shown in FIG. 5, there may be multiple "interests."

For example, in the example shown in FIG. 4, the age of user U identified by user ID "U1" is "20s" and the gender is "male." Also, for example, user U identified by user ID "U1" indicates that his home address is "LC11." Also, for example, user U identified by user ID "U1" indicates that his workplace is "LC12." Also, for example, user U identified by user ID "U1" indicates that he is interested in "sports."

In the example shown in FIG. 4, abstract values such as "U1", "LC11", and "LC12" are used to illustrate the data, but it is assumed that concrete information such as character strings and numerical values is stored in "U1", "LC11", and "LC12". In the following figures relating to other information, abstract values may also be illustrated.

The user information database 121 may store various information according to the purpose, not limited to the above. For example, the user information database 121 may store various information related to the terminal device 10 of the user U. The user information database 121 may also store information related to the attributes of the user U, such as demographic attributes, psychographic attributes, geographic attributes, and behavioral attributes. For example, the user information database 121 may store information such as name, family structure, place of origin (hometown), occupation, job title, income, qualifications, type of residence (detached house, apartment, etc.), whether or not the user has a car, commuting time, commuting route, commuter pass section (station, line, etc.), frequently used station (other than the nearest station to home or workplace), extracurricular activities (location, time period, etc.), hobbies, interests, and lifestyle.

(Update information database 122)
The update information database 122 stores various information related to update information (log data) of provided information associated with location information of a specified area acquired from the terminal device 10 of the user U. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the update information database 122. In the example shown in Fig. 5, the update information database 122 has items such as "date", "time", "user ID", and "provided information" for the location information of the specified area "position L11".

"Position L11" is information indicating the position of the specified area obtained from user U's terminal device 10. "Date" is information indicating the date when the position information of the specified area and the provided information obtained from user U's terminal device 10 were stored or updated. "Time" is information indicating the time when the position information of the specified area and the provided information obtained from user U's terminal device 10 were stored or updated. "User ID" indicates identification information for identifying user U. "Provided information" is information associated with the position information of the specified area obtained from user U's terminal device 10.

For example, in the example shown in FIG. 5, the location information "Location L11" of a specific area indicates that it has been updated with information "Traffic Jam 1," "Traffic Jam 2," and "Traffic Jam 3" provided by three users U identified by three different user IDs "U1," "U2," and "U3."

For example, when the specified area is the "Tomei Expressway" and the location information "Location L11" is the "Yamato Tunnel," the provided information is "traffic jam information." The "traffic jam information" indicates that it has been updated over time with the provided information of three users U. Note that the provided information is not limited to "traffic jam information," and may be, for example, "accident information" or "falling rocks information" on roads, "crowding information" or "limited time sale information" at department stores, "suspicious person information" in residential areas, "fire information" in mountainous areas, "bear sighting information" or "prey discovery information" in the area, etc.

(Provided Information Database 123)
The provided information database 123 stores various information related to attenuation information (attenuation degree) of the provided information associated with the position information of a predetermined area acquired from the terminal device 10 of the user U. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the provided information database 123. In the example shown in Fig. 6, the provided information database 123 has items such as "date", "position information", "provided information", and "attenuation degree".

"Date" is information that stores or updates the location information of the specified area and the provided information obtained from the terminal device 10 of user U. "Location information" is information that indicates the location of the specified area obtained from the terminal device 10 of user U. "Provided information" is information associated with the location information of the specified area obtained from the terminal device 10 of user U. "Decay" is information on the degree of decay of the "provided information" that has decayed over time.

For example, in the example shown in Figure 6, the "traffic jam," "accident," "crowded area," and "bear sighting" for the location information of the specified area "location L30," "location L20," "location L15," and "location L12" indicate that the "decay rate" has decreased to "100%, "80%, "50%, and "20%" over time.

For example, when the specified area is "Tomei Expressway" and the location information "Location L30" is "Yamato Tunnel", the provided information is "traffic jam information". Here, since no time has passed since the provided information was stored or updated, the "decay rate" is "100%". When the specified area is "Department Store A" and the location information "Location L15" is "Grocery section", the provided information is "crowding information". Here, since some time has passed since the provided information was stored or updated, the "decay rate" is "50%".

(Control unit 130)
Returning to Fig. 3, the description will be continued. The control unit 130 is a controller, and is realized by, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a micro processing unit (MPU), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or the like, executing various programs (corresponding to an example of an information processing program) stored in a storage device inside the information processing device 100 using a storage area such as a RAM as a working area. In the example shown in Fig. 3, the control unit 130 has an acquisition unit 131, an estimation unit 132, an update unit 133, an attenuation unit 134, and a provision unit 135.

(Acquisition unit 131)
The acquisition unit 131 acquires, via the communication unit 110, from the terminal device 10 of the user U, as context, location information of a specific area visited by the user U and provided information associated with the location information.

The acquisition unit 131 may also acquire user information related to user U via the communication unit 110. For example, the acquisition unit 131 acquires identification information (such as a user ID) indicating user U, location information of user U, attribute information of user U, etc. from the terminal device 10 of user U. The acquisition unit 131 may also acquire identification information indicating user U, attribute information of user U, etc. when user U is registered. Then, the acquisition unit 131 registers the user information in the user information database 121 of the storage unit 120.

The acquisition unit 131 may also acquire various types of history information (log data) indicating the behavior of each user U via the communication unit 110. For example, the acquisition unit 131 acquires various types of history information indicating the behavior of the user U from the terminal device 10 of the user U, or from various servers, etc. based on the user ID, etc. Then, the acquisition unit 131 registers the various types of history information in the user information database 121 of the storage unit 120.

The acquisition unit 131 also associates the location information of the specified area acquired from the terminal device 10 with the provided information, and stores the association in the update information database 122. That is, the acquisition unit 131 stores the association in the update information database 122 as provided information for the location information of the specified area.

(Estimation unit 132)
The estimation unit 132 estimates the degree of coincidence between the location information of the specified area stored in the update information database 122 and the location information of the specified area visited by the new user U. In this case, the estimation unit 132 judges whether the degree of coincidence is equal to or greater than a preset judgment value. For example, if the location information of the specified area stored in the update information database 122 and the location information of the specified area visited by the new user U are exactly in the same position, the degree of coincidence is set to 100%, and the degree of coincidence is reduced according to the distance of deviation.

The estimation unit 132 then determines whether the degree of agreement between the location information of the specified area stored in the update information database 122 and the location information of the specified area visited by the new user U is, for example, a judgment value of 80% or more. The judgment value of 80% may be set appropriately.

When the estimation unit 132 determines that the degree of coincidence estimated is not equal to or greater than a judgment value (e.g., 80%), the acquisition unit 131 associates the location information of the specified area acquired from the terminal device 10 with the provided information, and stores the association in the update information database 122. In other words, the acquisition unit 131 stores the association in the update information database 122 as the provided information for the location information of the specified area.

(Update unit 133)
When the estimation unit 132 determines that the estimated degree of coincidence is equal to or greater than a judgment value (e.g., 80%), the update unit 133 updates the provided information associated with the location information of the specified area stored in the update information database 122 based on the provided information associated with the location information of the specified area acquired from the terminal device 10.

At this time, when a user U who has acquired the provided information stored in the update information database 122 matches a user U who has newly visited a specified area stored in the update information database 122, the update unit 133 replaces and updates the provided information stored in the update information database 122 with the provided information of the newly visiting user U.

In addition, when a user U who has acquired the provided information stored in the update information database 122 does not match a user U who has newly visited a specified area stored in the update information database 122, the update unit 133 performs an update by synthesizing the provided information of the newly visiting user U so as to add it to the provided information stored in the update information database 122.

In addition, when the provided information stored in the update information database 122 and the provided information of a user who has newly visited the specified area stored in the update information database 122 are in the same field, the update unit 133 updates the provided information associated with the specified area stored in the update information database 122 by adding information about the user who has newly visited the specified area.

When updating the provided information stored in the update information database 122, the update unit 133 may change the update format depending on the compatibility between the user U of the provided information stored in the provided information database 123 and the user U who has recently visited the specified area. For example, if the location information of the two is highly similar but the content of the provided information is different, no update is performed or the amount of update is reduced.

(Attenuation section 134)
The attenuation unit 134 attenuates the provided information stored in the update information database 122 in association with the location information of the predetermined area acquired from the terminal device 10 over time. The attenuation unit 134 stores the attenuated provided information in the provided information database 123. In this case, the attenuation unit 134 reduces the amount or quality of the provided information. That is, the attenuation unit 134 may reduce the accuracy of the provided information or randomly drop a part of the provided information. When the provided information is an image, the attenuation unit 134 may reduce the resolution of the image of the provided information. The attenuation unit 134 may change the attenuation mode depending on the type of the provided information. Furthermore, the attenuation unit 134 may set a time until the provided information is attenuated and completely disappears. Furthermore, the attenuation unit 134 may vary the degree of attenuation depending on the attributes of the user U of the terminal device 10.

The attenuation unit 134 attenuates the provided information stored in the update information database 122 over time, but is not limited to this configuration. For example, the attenuation unit may be an increase/decrease unit, which attenuates or amplifies the provided information associated with the location information of a specific area acquired from the terminal device 10 and stored in the update information database 122 over time.

(Providing Unit 135)
The providing unit 135 provides the provided information associated with the position information of the predetermined area to the terminal device 10 of the user U via the communication unit 110. Specifically, when it is determined that the degree of coincidence estimated by the estimation unit 132 is equal to or greater than a determination value (e.g., 80%), the providing unit 135 provides the provided information stored in the provided information database 123 to the terminal device 10 of the user U. In this case, the provided information provided to the terminal device 10 of the user U is attenuated provided information attenuated by the attenuation unit 134.

The providing unit 135 may vary the amount of information provided to the user U according to the degree of coincidence. For example, the judgment value for the degree of coincidence is set to 50%, and when the degree of coincidence is 60%, the providing unit 135 provides 60% of the provided information to the user U. The providing unit 135 may also vary the amount of provided information (attenuation) provided to the terminal device 10 of the new user U according to the compatibility between the user U of the provided information stored in the provided information database 123 and the user U who has newly visited the specified area. For example, the more the degree of coincidence between the attributes of the user U who has newly visited the specified area and the attributes of the user U of the provided information stored in the provided information database 123, the more information is provided to the user U. That is, the attenuation degree of the provided information, that is, the amount of information, differs according to the sensitivity of the user U who has newly visited the specified area. Here, the sensitivity refers to the distance in the attributes between the users, the abilities of the users, the physical distance, the temporal distance, etc.

4. Processing Procedure
An information processing procedure by the information processing device 100 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the information processing procedure according to the embodiment. Note that the information processing procedure shown below is repeatedly executed by the control unit 130 of the information processing device 100.

As shown in FIG. 8, the acquisition unit 131 of the information processing device 100 acquires location information of a specific area visited by the user U from the terminal device 10 of the user U via the communication unit 110 (step S101). The acquisition unit 131 of the information processing device 100 acquires provided information related to the acquired location information from the terminal device 10 of the user U via the communication unit 110 (step S102).

Next, the acquisition unit 131 associates the acquired provided information with the location information of the specified area acquired from the terminal device 10 and stores the associated information (step S103). Then, the attenuation unit 134 of the information processing device 100 attenuates the stored provided information associated with the location information of the specified area over time (step S104).

5. Update Processing Procedure
An information update processing procedure by the information processing device 100 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing the information update processing procedure according to the embodiment. Note that the information processing procedure shown below is repeatedly executed by the control unit 130 of the information processing device 100.

As shown in FIG. 9, the acquisition unit 131 of the information processing device 100 acquires location information of a specific area visited by the user U from the terminal device 10 of the user U via the communication unit 110 (step S111). The acquisition unit 131 of the information processing device 100 acquires provided information related to the acquired location information from the terminal device 10 of the user U via the communication unit 110 (step S112).

The estimation unit 132 of the information processing device 100 estimates the degree of coincidence between the stored location information of the specified area and the location information of the specified area visited by the new user U. Then, the estimation unit 132 judges whether the estimated degree of coincidence is equal to or greater than a preset judgment value (step S113). Here, if the estimation unit 132 judges that the estimated degree of coincidence is not equal to or greater than the judgment value (No), the acquisition unit 131 associates the acquired provided information with the location information of the specified area acquired from the terminal device 10 and stores it (step S114). Then, the attenuation unit 134 of the information processing device 100 attenuates the provided information stored in association with the location information of the specified area over time (step S115).

On the other hand, if the estimation unit 132 determines that the estimated degree of coincidence is equal to or greater than the judgment value (Yes), the attenuation information associated with the location information of the specific area stored in an attenuated state for the user U is provided to the terminal device 10 of the user U (step S116). Then, based on the provided information associated with the location information of the specific area acquired from the terminal device 10 of the user U, the provided information associated with the stored location information of the specific area is updated (step S117).

6. Hardware Configuration
The information processing device 100 according to the embodiment described above is realized, for example, by a computer 1000 having a configuration as shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the information processing device. The computer 1000 is connected to an output device 1010 and an input device 1020, and has a configuration in which a calculation device 1030, a primary storage device 1040, a secondary storage device 1050, an output I/F (Interface) 1060, an input I/F 1070, and a network I/F 1080 are connected by a bus 1090.

The arithmetic device 1030 operates based on programs stored in the primary storage device 1040 and the secondary storage device 1050, programs read from the input device 1020, and the like, and executes various processes. The arithmetic device 1030 is realized, for example, by a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or the like.

The primary storage device 1040 is a memory device such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) that primarily stores data used by the arithmetic device 1030 for various calculations. The secondary storage device 1050 is a storage device in which data used by the arithmetic device 1030 for various calculations and various databases are registered, and is realized by a ROM (Read Only Memory), a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), a SSD (Solid State Drive), a flash memory, or the like. The secondary storage device 1050 may be an internal storage device or an external storage device. The secondary storage device 1050 may be a removable storage medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or a SD (Secure Digital) memory card. The secondary storage device 1050 may be a cloud storage device (online storage device), a NAS (Network Attached Storage), a file server, or the like.

The output I/F 1060 is an interface for transmitting information to be output to an output device 1010 that outputs various types of information, such as a display, projector, printer, etc., and is realized by a connector conforming to a standard such as USB (Universal Serial Bus), DVI (Digital Visual Interface), or HDMI (registered trademark) (High Definition Multimedia Interface). The input I/F 1070 is an interface for receiving information from various input devices 1020, such as a mouse, keyboard, keypad, button, scanner, etc., and is realized by a USB, etc.

In addition, the output I/F 1060 and the input I/F 1070 may be wirelessly connected to the output device 1010 and the input device 1020, respectively. That is, the output device 1010 and the input device 1020 may be wireless devices.

In addition, the output device 1010 and the input device 1020 may be integrated, such as a touch panel. In this case, the output I/F 1060 and the input I/F 1070 may also be integrated as an input/output I/F.

The input device 1020 may be a device that reads information from, for example, an optical recording medium such as a CD (Compact Disc), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), or a PD (Phase change rewritable Disk), a magneto-optical recording medium such as an MO (Magneto-Optical disk), a tape medium, a magnetic recording medium, or a semiconductor memory.

The network I/F 1080 receives data from other devices via the network N and sends it to the computing device 1030, and also transmits data generated by the computing device 1030 to other devices via the network N.

The arithmetic unit 1030 controls the output device 1010 and the input device 1020 via the output I/F 1060 and the input I/F 1070. For example, the arithmetic unit 1030 loads a program from the input device 1020 or the secondary storage device 1050 onto the primary storage device 1040 and executes the loaded program.

For example, when the computer 1000 functions as the information processing device 100, the arithmetic unit 1030 of the computer 1000 executes a program loaded onto the primary storage device 1040 to realize the functions of the control unit 130. The arithmetic unit 1030 of the computer 1000 may also load a program acquired from another device via the network I/F 1080 onto the primary storage device 1040 and execute the loaded program. The arithmetic unit 1030 of the computer 1000 may also cooperate with other devices via the network I/F 1080 and use the functions and data of a program by calling them from other programs of the other devices.

(7. Effects)
As described above, the information processing device 100 of this embodiment includes an acquisition unit 131, a storage unit 120, an update unit 133, and a provision unit 135. The acquisition unit 131 acquires information about a user who visits a predetermined area, the storage unit 120 associates the information acquired by the acquisition unit 131 with the predetermined area and stores the information, the update unit 133 updates the information stored in the storage unit 120 based on the information about the visiting user when the user visits a predetermined area stored in the storage unit 120, and the provision unit 135 provides the updated information updated by the update unit 133 to the user who visits the predetermined area.

The information processing device 100 of this embodiment also includes an acquisition unit 131, an attenuation unit 134, and a provision unit 135. The acquisition unit 131 acquires information about users who have visited a specific area, the attenuation unit 134 attenuates the information acquired by the acquisition unit 131 for the specific area over time, and the provision unit 135 provides the attenuated information attenuated by the attenuation unit 134 to users who have visited the specific area.

This makes it possible to provide new information.

[8. Other]
Although the embodiments of the present application have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the contents of these embodiments. The above-described components include those that can be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those that are within the so-called equivalent range. Furthermore, the above-described components can be appropriately combined. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the components can be made without departing from the scope of the gist of the above-described embodiments.

Furthermore, among the processes described in the above embodiments, all or part of the processes described as being performed automatically can be performed manually, or all or part of the processes described as being performed manually can be performed automatically using known methods. In addition, the information including the processing procedures, specific names, various data, and parameters shown in the above documents and drawings can be changed as desired unless otherwise specified. For example, the various information shown in each drawing is not limited to the information shown in the drawings.

In addition, each component of each device shown in the figure is a functional concept, and does not necessarily have to be physically configured as shown in the figure. In other words, the specific form of distribution and integration of each device is not limited to that shown in the figure, and all or part of them can be functionally or physically distributed and integrated in any unit depending on various loads, usage conditions, etc.

For example, the information processing device 100 described above may be realized by multiple server computers, and depending on the functions, the configuration can be flexibly changed, such as by calling an external platform using an API (Application Programming Interface) or network computing.

The above-mentioned embodiments can be combined as appropriate to the extent that they do not cause any contradictions in the processing content.

In addition, the above-mentioned "section, module, unit" can be read as "means" or "circuit." For example, an acquisition unit can be read as an acquisition means or an acquisition circuit.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Information processing system 10, 10A, 10B, 10C Terminal device 100 Information processing device 110 Communication unit 120 Storage unit 121 User information database 122 Update information database 123 Provided information database 130 Control unit 131 Acquisition unit 132 Estimation unit 133 Update unit 134 Attenuation unit 135 Provide unit

Claims (6)

An acquisition unit that acquires information about a user who visited a predetermined area;
a storage unit that stores the information acquired by the acquisition unit in association with the predetermined area;
an estimation unit that estimates a degree of coincidence between the predetermined area stored in the storage unit and a predetermined area visited by a user;
an update unit that replaces the information associated with the specified area stored in the storage unit with information of a user who has newly visited the specified area when the user of the information associated with the specified area stored in the storage unit matches a user who has newly visited the specified area when the user visits the specified area stored in the storage unit;
a providing unit that provides updated information updated by the updating unit to a user who visits the predetermined area;
An information processing device comprising: when a user of the information associated with the predetermined area stored in the storage unit does not match a user who has newly visited the predetermined area stored in the storage unit, the update unit combines the information associated with the predetermined area stored in the storage unit with information of the user who has newly visited the predetermined area.
2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , the update unit, when the information associated with the predetermined area stored in the storage unit and the information of the user who has newly visited the predetermined area stored in the storage unit are in the same field, adds the information of the user who has newly visited the predetermined area to the information associated with the predetermined area stored in the storage unit.
3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus is a computer. an attenuation unit that attenuates the information stored in the storage unit and associated with the predetermined region over time;
4. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second inputs are connected to the first and second inputs. 1. A computer-implemented information processing method, comprising:
acquiring information about users who have visited a predetermined area;
storing the acquired information in association with the predetermined area;
estimating a degree of coincidence between the stored predetermined area and a predetermined area visited by a user;
a step of replacing the information associated with the stored predetermined area with information of a user who has newly visited the stored predetermined area when the user of the information associated with the stored predetermined area matches a user who has newly visited the stored predetermined area when the user visits the stored predetermined area;
providing updated information to users who visit the predetermined area;
13. An information processing method comprising: acquiring information about users who have visited a predetermined area;
storing the acquired information in association with the predetermined area;
estimating a degree of coincidence between the stored predetermined area and a predetermined area visited by a user;
a step of replacing the information associated with the stored predetermined area with information of a user who has newly visited the stored predetermined area when the user of the information associated with the stored predetermined area matches a user who has newly visited the stored predetermined area when the user visits the stored predetermined area;
providing updated information to users who visit the predetermined area;
An information processing program for causing a computer to execute the above.

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