JP7660289B2 - INTEREST LEVEL ESTIMATION SYSTEM AND INTEREST LEVEL ESTIMATION METHOD - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an interest level estimation system and an interest level estimation method for estimating a child's interest level.

Various technologies related to childcare have been proposed. Patent Document 1 discloses a desk for small children that helps children develop the habit of sitting at a desk.

JP 2013-287 A

When educating young children, it is important to understand what topics they are interested in.

The present invention provides an interest level estimation system capable of estimating a child's level of interest.

An interest level estimation system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an acquisition unit that acquires schedule information indicating a planned behavior of a young child based on a user's input operation, an estimation unit that estimates a first interest level of the young child in each of a plurality of genres related to the behavior of the young child based on the acquired schedule information, and an output unit that outputs first interest level information indicating the estimated first interest level, wherein the input operation includes a selection operation for selecting multiple candidates for behavior that the young child wishes to perform during a target period, a selection operation for selecting multiple final candidates from the multiple candidates, an operation for specifying the order in which the multiple final candidates will be performed during the target period, and an operation for specifying the time allocation of each of the multiple final candidates during the target period.

An interest level estimation method according to one embodiment of the present invention is an interest level estimation method executed by a computer, and includes an acquisition step of acquiring schedule information indicating a planned behavior of a young child, the schedule information being based on a user's input operation, an estimation step of estimating a first interest level of the young child in each of a plurality of genres related to the behavior of the young child based on the acquired schedule information, and an output step of outputting first interest level information indicating the estimated first interest level, wherein the input operation includes a selection operation for selecting multiple candidates for behavior that the young child wishes to perform during a target period, a selection operation for selecting multiple final candidates from the multiple candidates, an operation for specifying the order in which the multiple final candidates will be performed during the target period, and an operation for specifying the time allocation of each of the multiple final candidates during the target period.

A program according to one aspect of the present invention is a program for causing a computer to execute the interest level estimation method.

The interest level estimation system of the present invention can estimate the interest level of young children.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a level of interest estimating system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the procedure for inputting schedule information and actual result information. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a first input screen for schedule information. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the second input screen for schedule information. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the third input screen for schedule information. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the fourth input screen for schedule information. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the fifth input screen for schedule information. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the sixth input screen for schedule information. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of an input screen for performance information. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the schedule information and the performance information. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a schedule and action comparison screen. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of calendar information. FIG. 13 is a flowchart of an interest level estimation operation. FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of the conversion parameter information. FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining a method for converting second interest level information into first interest level information. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of an image indicating first interest level information.

The following describes the embodiments in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are all comprehensive or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, component placement and connection forms, steps, and order of steps shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not described in an independent claim are described as optional components.

Note that each figure is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily a precise illustration. In addition, in each figure, the same reference numerals are used for substantially the same configurations, and duplicate explanations may be omitted or simplified.

(Embodiment)
[composition]
First, a configuration of a level of interest estimating system according to an embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the level of interest estimating system according to an embodiment.

The interest level estimation system 10 according to the embodiment is a system capable of estimating the interest level of infant A in each of a plurality of genres related to possible behaviors of infant A. The interest level is a parameter indicating how interested infant A is in the genre, or in other words, the degree of interest.

The actions here are actions that Preschooler A can take, such as going to the park, playing with blocks, drawing, studying numbers, and studying letters. Actions can be rephrased as activities or actions. Genres correspond to higher concepts of actions, and can be rephrased as fields, classifications, or types. In the following embodiment, genres are genres related to learning, such as Japanese language, arithmetic, science, etc. (in other words, learning fields).

Specifically, the interest level estimation system 10 estimates the interest level of infant A for each genre based on the planned activities made by infant A or infant A's guardian B and the activities actually performed by infant A. As shown in Fig. 1, the interest level estimation system 10 includes a first information terminal 20, a second information terminal 30, and an interest level estimation device 40. Each of these devices will be described below.

[First information terminal]
First, the first information terminal 20 will be described. The first information terminal 20 is an information terminal used by the child A or the guardian B. The first information terminal 20 is, for example, a portable information terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal, but may also be a stationary information terminal such as a personal computer. Specifically, the first information terminal 20 includes an operation receiving unit 21, a display unit 22, a control unit 23, a storage unit 24, a communication unit 25, and a speaker 26.

The operation reception unit 21 receives operations from Infant A or guardian B. For example, the operation reception unit 21 receives input operations of schedule information indicating the planned behavior of Infant A and performance information indicating the performance of Infant A's behavior from Infant A or guardian B. The operation reception unit 21 is realized, for example, by a touch panel, but may also be realized by a mouse and keyboard, etc.

The display unit 22 displays images. For example, the display unit 22 displays an input screen for schedule information and performance information. The display unit 22 is realized by a display panel such as a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) panel.

The control unit 23 performs control such as causing the communication unit 25 to transmit the schedule information and performance information input to the operation reception unit 21 to the interest level estimation device 40. The control unit 23 is realized, for example, by a microcomputer, but may also be realized by a processor. The functions of the control unit 23 are realized, for example, by the microcomputer or processor constituting the control unit 23 executing a computer program stored in the memory unit 24.

The memory unit 24 is a storage device that stores computer programs executed by the control unit 23. The memory unit 24 is realized, for example, by a semiconductor memory.

The communication unit 25 is a communication module (communication circuit) that enables the first information terminal 20 to communicate with the interest level estimation device 40 via a wide area communication network 70 such as the Internet. The communication unit 25 transmits, for example, schedule information and performance information to the interest level estimation device 40. The communication performed by the communication unit 25 is, for example, wireless communication, but may also be wired communication. There is no particular limitation on the communication standard used for the communication.

The speaker 26 outputs sounds such as an alarm sound. The speaker 26 is a speaker built into the first information terminal 20, but may also be a speaker externally attached to the first information terminal 20.

[Second Information Terminal]
Next, the second information terminal 30 will be described. The second information terminal 30 is an information terminal used by a teacher C of an early childhood classroom (a school for preschoolers) attended by an infant A. The second information terminal 30 is, for example, a portable information terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal, but may also be a stationary information terminal such as a personal computer. Specifically, the second information terminal 30 includes an operation receiving unit 31, a display unit 32, a control unit 33, a storage unit 34, and a communication unit 35.

The operation reception unit 31 receives operations from teacher C. The operation reception unit 31 receives, for example, an input operation of conversion parameter information from teacher C. The conversion parameter information will be described later. The multiple operation reception units 31 are realized, for example, by a touch panel, but may also be realized by a mouse and keyboard, etc.

The display unit 32 displays an image. The display unit 32 displays, for example, an input screen for conversion parameter information. The display unit 32 is realized, for example, by a display panel such as a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL panel.

The control unit 33 controls the communication unit 35 to transmit the conversion parameter information input to the operation reception unit 31 to the interest level estimation device 40. The control unit 33 is realized, for example, by a microcomputer, but may also be realized by a processor. The function of the control unit 33 is realized, for example, by the microcomputer or processor constituting the control unit 33 executing a computer program stored in the memory unit 34.

The memory unit 34 is a storage device that stores computer programs executed by the control unit 33. The memory unit 34 is realized, for example, by a semiconductor memory.

The communication unit 35 is a communication module (communication circuit) that enables the second information terminal 30 to communicate with the interest level estimation device 40 via the wide area communication network 70. The communication unit 35 transmits, for example, conversion parameter information to the interest level estimation device 40. The communication performed by the communication unit 35 is, for example, wireless communication, but may also be wired communication. There is no particular limitation on the communication standard used for the communication.

[Interest Level Estimation Device]
Next, a description will be given of the interest level estimation device 40. The interest level estimation device 40 is a cloud server (server device) that performs information processing for estimating the interest level of the child A based on the information received from the first information terminal 20 and the information received from the second information terminal 30. The interest level estimation device 40 includes a communication unit 41, an information processing unit 42, and a storage unit 43.

The communication unit 41 is a communication module (communication circuit) that enables the interest level estimation device 40 to communicate with the first information terminal 20 and the second information terminal 30 via the wide area communication network 70. The communication performed by the communication unit 41 is, for example, wired communication, but may also be wireless communication. There is no particular limitation on the communication standard used for the communication.

The information processing unit 42 performs information processing to estimate the interest level of infant A. The information processing unit 42 is realized, for example, by a microcomputer, but may also be realized by a processor. The information processing unit 42 has, as functional components, an acquisition unit 44, an estimation unit 45, and an output unit 46. The functions of the acquisition unit 44, the estimation unit 45, and the output unit 46 are realized, for example, by a microcomputer or a processor constituting the information processing unit 42 executing a computer program stored in the memory unit 43. The detailed functions of the acquisition unit 44, the estimation unit 45, and the output unit 46 will be described later.

The storage unit 43 is a storage device that stores the computer program executed by the information processing unit 42 and various information used to perform the above information processing. The storage unit 43 is realized, for example, by a hard disk drive (HDD).

[Planned and actual information]
The interest level estimation system 10 estimates the interest level of the infant A in each of a plurality of genres related to the behavior, using schedule information indicating the schedule of the behavior of the infant A and result information indicating the results of the behavior of the infant A. The schedule information and result information will be described below.

First, the schedule information will be explained. In other words, the schedule information is plan information, and is information indicating the schedule (plan) of the behavior of Infant A. The schedule information is generated based on the input operation of at least one of the users, Infant A and Parent B, to the first information terminal 20. The schedule information includes information obtained in relation to the input of the schedule (such as information indicating the time required for a candidate to be selected, and information indicating whether or not it has been selected as a final candidate, as described below).

For example, the control unit 23 of the first information terminal 20 executes a first application program (hereinafter also referred to as the first app) dedicated to the interest level estimation system 10, thereby causing the display unit 22 to display an input screen for schedule information.

The following describes the input operation procedure for inputting plan information and actual information, and examples of input screens. Figure 2 is a flowchart showing the input operation procedure. Figures 3 to 9 are diagrams showing examples of input screens.

In the following explanation, the input operation for inputting the schedule information is described as being performed by parent B, but it may also be performed by child A. The input operation may be performed by at least one of child A and parent B.

First, the display unit 22 of the first information terminal 20 displays a first input screen as shown in FIG. 3. When such a first input screen is displayed, the infant A and the guardian B discuss what kind of behavior the infant A would like to perform during the target period of the next day. The target period is, for example, a period of about one hour, but the length of the target period is not particularly limited. Based on the result of the discussion, the guardian B performs an operation to select a candidate of the behavior that the infant A would like to perform during the target period, and the operation reception unit 21 accepts such a selection operation (S11). Specifically, the guardian B can display a display screen (second input screen) of options as shown in FIG. 4 by tapping the icon labeled "Select" in FIG. 3. The guardian B selects a candidate of the behavior that the infant A would like to perform from the displayed options. For example, several tens to about 50 types of options are prepared. In addition, the guardian B can freely input an action that does not exist in the options.

In step S11, for example, multiple candidates (specifically, a predetermined number or more) are selected. The predetermined number is, for example, three. At this time, the control unit 23 records the time required for each of the multiple candidates to be selected (S12). Note that the time required for the first candidate to be selected is the time from when the first input screen is displayed to when the first candidate is selected, and the time required for the second candidate to be selected is the time from when the first candidate is selected to when the second candidate is selected.

Once the acceptance of the candidate selection operation has been completed, the display unit 22 displays a third input screen as shown in Fig. 5. While such a third input screen is displayed, infant A discusses from among the multiple candidates which activity he or she would particularly like to carry out during the target period the next day. Based on the results of the discussion, parent B performs a selection operation to select a final candidate, and the operation acceptance unit 21 accepts such a selection operation (S13).

In step S13, the final candidates are selected, for example, the predetermined number mentioned above. In the example of Figure 5, three actions are selected as final candidates from the five action candidates "TV", "Study numbers", "Drawing", "Go to the park", and "Building blocks".

Once the acceptance of the selection operation of the final candidates has been completed, the display unit 22 displays a fourth input screen as shown in Fig. 6. While such a fourth input screen is displayed, child A and parent/guardian B discuss the planned order of performance of the final candidates (three actions) during the target period. Based on the results of the discussion, parent/guardian B performs an operation to specify the planned order of performance of the determined multiple final candidates during the target period, and the operation acceptance unit 21 accepts such a specification operation (S14).

Once the acceptance of the operation to specify the planned order of implementation is completed, the display unit 22 displays a fifth input screen as shown in Fig. 7. While this fifth input screen is displayed, child A and guardian B discuss the time allocation of the final candidates (three actions) for the target period. Based on the results of the discussion, guardian B performs an operation to specify the time allocation of the determined multiple final candidates for the target period, and the operation acceptance unit 21 accepts this specification operation (S15). As shown in Fig. 7, the operation to specify the time allocation is, for example, an operation on a triangular icon displayed on the fifth input screen. Note that the time allocation is specified in minimum units of about 5 to 10 minutes.

Once the acceptance of the time allocation designation operation has been completed, the display unit 22 displays a sixth input screen as shown in Figure 8. While such a sixth input screen is displayed, child A and parent/guardian B discuss the start time of the target period. Based on the results of the discussion, parent/guardian B performs an operation to designate the start time of the target period, and the operation acceptance unit 21 accepts such designation operation (S16).

Next, the control unit 23 generates schedule information for the infant A based on the input operations received in steps S11 to S16, and stores the generated schedule information in the storage unit 24 (S17). FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of schedule information (and actual information). As shown in FIG. 10, the schedule information corresponds to a scheduled implementation date (the date following the day on which the schedule information is input), (a) a candidate for an action selected on the scheduled implementation date, (b) the time required for the candidate to be selected, (c) whether or not it has been selected as a final candidate, (d) the scheduled implementation order of the final candidate, and (e) the scheduled implementation time of the final candidate. The scheduled implementation time is determined by the above-mentioned time allocation designation operation. In addition, actual information is associated with the schedule information, as described below.

Thereafter, when it is a predetermined time (e.g., 10 minutes) before the start time of the target period specified in step S16, the control unit 23 outputs an alarm sound from the speaker (S18). Instead of or in addition to the alarm sound, the control unit 23 may vibrate the first information terminal 20 using a vibration motor (not shown) provided in the first information terminal 20.

In addition, the control unit 23 causes the display unit 22 to display an input screen for inputting performance information, which is the input screen shown in Figure 9.

When Toddler A actually performs one of the three final candidate actions scheduled for the previous day, Parent B performs a selection operation to select one action to be performed through the input screen of FIG. 9 and taps the icon marked "Start Activity." Parent B also taps the icon marked "End Activity" when completing the selected action. The operation reception unit 21 receives these input operations (S19), and the control unit 23 generates performance information based on the received input operations and stores the generated performance information in association with the schedule information (S20). As shown in FIG. 10 above, the performance information is associated with (f) the order in which the final candidate actions were actually performed, and (g) the time when the final candidate actions were actually performed.

As described above, parent B can input schedule information and performance information through the first information terminal 20. The input of schedule information and performance information (the series of processes shown in FIG. 2) is performed daily, and the schedule information and performance information are accumulated in the memory unit 24. As described below, the accumulated schedule information and performance information are transmitted to the interest level estimation device 40 by the communication unit 25.

When a predetermined operation is performed on the first information terminal 20 (operation receiving unit 21) that is executing the first app, the control unit 23 can display on the display unit 22 a comparison screen in which the planned behavior indicated by the schedule information and the actual behavior indicated by the actual behavior information are arranged side by side. Figure 11 is a diagram showing an example of the comparison screen. In Figure 11, the upper row shows the planned behavior, and the lower row shows the actual behavior. This comparison screen allows infant A and guardian B to look back on how the actual behavior was compared to the planned behavior.

In addition, the control unit 23 can display calendar information indicating whether or not schedule information and achievement information have been input for each date when a predetermined operation is performed on the first information terminal 20 (operation receiving unit 21) while the first app is running. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of calendar information. In the example of FIG. 12, a star-shaped stamp is stamped on the days when schedule information and achievement information have been input (corresponding to the dates in FIG. 10), and no stamp is stamped on the days when schedule information and achievement information have not been input. According to such calendar information, the interest level estimation system 10 can increase the motivation of infant A and parent B to input schedule information and achievement information.

Incidentally, it is assumed that the input of the schedule information is carried out by infant A and guardian B in discussion before going to bed on the day before the actual action is to be carried out. Thus, the control unit 23 may automatically transition from normal mode to night mode when the time period before going to bed (for example, the time period after 9 p.m. and before midnight) arrives while the first app is being executed. In the night mode, the control unit 23 reduces the brightness of the display unit 22 below that of the normal mode, and reduces the output volume of the speaker 26 below that of the normal mode. This prevents the input of schedule information and performance information from interfering with sleep.

[Estimated Action]
An operation of estimating the interest level of the child A using the schedule information and performance information input as described above will be described below. Fig. 13 is a flow chart of the operation of estimating the interest level.

First, the communication unit 41 of the interest level estimation device 40 receives schedule information indicating the planned behavior of the infant A and actual result information indicating the actual behavior of the infant A from the first information terminal 20 (S21), and the information processing unit 42 stores the received schedule information and actual result information in the memory unit 43 (S22). The schedule information and actual result information are, for example, periodically transmitted from the first information terminal 20 to the interest level estimation device 40, but may also be transmitted non-periodically. The memory unit 43 stores (accumulates) the schedule information and actual result information for at least a predetermined period, and the interest level of the infant A is estimated based on the schedule information and actual result information for the predetermined period. The predetermined period is, for example, one month, but may also be one week, and is not particularly limited.

After step S22, the communication unit 41 receives the conversion parameter information from the second information terminal 30 (S23), and the information processing unit 42 stores the received conversion parameter information in the storage unit 43 (S24). First, the conversion parameter information will be described. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of the conversion parameter information.

As described below, the estimation unit 45 of the interest level estimation system 10 estimates the second interest level of the child A in each of the multiple behaviors (i.e., the interest level for each behavior), and then converts the second interest level into the first interest level of the child A in each of the multiple genres (i.e., the interest level for each genre). The conversion parameter information is information used for this conversion, and is information (e.g., table information) indicating coefficients (parameters) for converting the second interest level into the first interest level for each of the several tens to about 50 types of behavior candidates (multiple behavior candidates prepared as options) described above. The conversion parameter information is, in other words, information indicating the extent to which a certain behavior fits into each of the multiple genres.

The multiple genres here are, for example, four genres: Japanese language, mathematics, science, and social studies, but these genres are just an example. For example, the number of multiple genres may be three or less, or five or more. In addition, the multiple genres may be genres that are approached from different perspectives than the learning field (learning subject), such as right-brain and left-brain genres.

The conversion parameter information is manually input into the second information terminal 30 by teacher C. In other words, the relationship between the behavior and the genre indicated by the conversion parameter information is based on teacher C's subjective evaluation. For example, the control unit 33 of the second information terminal 30 executes a second application program (hereinafter also referred to as the second app) dedicated to the interest level estimation system 10 to cause the display unit 32 to display an input screen for the conversion parameter information. When the input screen is displayed, the operation reception unit 31 receives an input operation for the conversion parameter information (in the example of FIG. 14, the numbers 1 to 5 in the table) from teacher C. The conversion parameter information thus input is transmitted to the interest level estimation device 40 by the communication unit 35.

The conversion parameter information described above is input by teacher C, and reflects the characteristics of the preschool classroom (the school to which teacher C belongs) attended by child A, as well as the content of lessons at that preschool. In other words, the conversion parameter information is different for each preschool classroom.

Next, the acquisition unit 44 acquires the schedule information and performance information of infant A for the above-mentioned predetermined period from the storage unit 43 (S25), and the estimation unit 45 estimates infant A's second interest level (second interest level information) for each of the multiple behaviors based on the acquired schedule information and performance information (S26). For example, infant A's second interest level S for a certain behavior is estimated based on the following formula. The second interest level S is a value equal to or greater than 0, and a larger value indicates a higher interest.

S=wa・Sa+wb・Sb+wc・Sc+wd・Sd
+we・Se+wf・Sf+wg・Sg

In the above formula, Sa to Sg represent the scores corresponding to each item in Figure 10 (a) to (g), and all of them are positive values. The maximum and minimum values of each of Sa to Sg are set to the same value.

For example, the score Sa is based on the cumulative number of times that a certain behavior has been selected as a candidate during a specified period, and the more the cumulative number, the higher the value. In other words, the more likely a behavior is to be selected as a candidate by Infant A, the higher the score Sa will be.

The score Sb is based on the cumulative value of the time it takes to be selected as a candidate, and the smaller the cumulative value, the higher the score Sb. In other words, the more easily the behavior is selected as a candidate by Toddler A, the higher the score Sb.

The score Sc is based on the cumulative number of times that a certain behavior has been selected as a final candidate during a specified period, and the more the cumulative number, the higher the value. In other words, the more likely a behavior is to be selected as a final candidate by Toddler A, the higher the score Sc will be.

The score Sd is based on the average value of the planned execution order, and the smaller the average planned execution order, the higher the score Sd. In other words, the more likely an action is to be scheduled for Infant A first, the higher the score Sd.

The score Se is based on the cumulative value of the scheduled execution time, and the larger the cumulative value, the higher the score Se. In other words, the longer the scheduled time for an action by Infant A, the higher the score Se.

The score Sf is based on the average performance order, and the smaller the average performance order, the higher the score Sf. In other words, the more likely an action is to be performed first by Toddler A, the higher the score Sf.

The score Sg is based on the cumulative time of the behavior, and the larger the cumulative time, the higher the score Sg. In other words, the longer the behavior is performed by Toddler A, the higher the score Sg will be.

Furthermore, wa-wg are weights for the scores Sa-Sg and are basically positive values, but may be 0. In other words, the second interest level S only needs to be calculated using at least a portion of the scores Sa-Sg, and it is not necessary to calculate it using all of the scores Sa-Sg. Furthermore, wa-wg may be negative values. The values of wa-wg may be set empirically or experimentally as appropriate. For example, while the score Sa is based on the cumulative number of times selected as a candidate, the score Sc is based on the cumulative number of times selected as a final candidate, so it is considered that the score Sc has a greater influence on the second interest level S than the score Sa. In such a case, it is set so that wc>wa.

Next, the acquisition unit 44 acquires the conversion parameter information from the storage unit 43 (S27), and the estimation unit 45 converts the second interest level information obtained in step S26 into first interest level information based on the acquired conversion parameter information (S28). That is, the estimation unit 45 estimates the first interest level of the child A in each of the multiple genres based on the estimated second interest level and the acquired conversion parameter information. Figure 15 is a diagram for explaining a method of converting the second interest level information into first interest level information.

The estimation unit 45 multiplies each value (i.e., second interest level) in the second interest level column of the second interest level information in FIG. 15(a) by each value (coefficient) in the "Japanese language" column of the conversion parameter information in FIG. 15(b), and sums the multiplied values to calculate the first interest level in "Japanese language". Similarly, the estimation unit 45 calculates the first interest level in each of "arithmetic", "science", and "social studies", and normalizes the calculated first interest levels. As a result, as shown in FIG. 15(c), first interest level information indicating the first interest level of the child A in each of the multiple genres is obtained. In other words, the estimation unit 45 can convert the second interest level information (second interest level) into first interest level information (first interest level).

The output unit 46 outputs the first interest level information obtained in step S28 (S29), and causes the communication unit 41 to transmit the output first interest level information to the second information terminal 30 (S30). The communication unit 35 of the second information terminal 30 receives the first interest level information, and the control unit 33 causes the display unit 32 to display an image showing the received first interest level information. Figure 16 is a diagram showing an example of an image showing the first interest level information.

In this way, if the interest level of Infant A for each genre (field of study) is displayed on the display unit 32, Teacher C can grasp Infant A's interest level and use it to guide Infant A. In other words, the interest level estimation system 10 can assist Teacher C in grasping Infant A's interest level by providing the interest level for genres. Teacher C who is provided with the interest level for genres that correspond to the higher-level concept of behavior can more easily set educational guidelines for Infant A than when he is provided with the interest level for behavior. For example, comparing the case where Teacher C is provided with information that Infant A is interested in playing with blocks with the case where Teacher C is provided with information that Infant A is interested in arithmetic, it is easier for Teacher C to set educational guidelines (such as what kind of teaching materials to prepare) in the latter case.

In addition, in step S30, the communication unit 41 may transmit the first interest level information to the first information terminal 20 instead of or in addition to the second information terminal 30. In this case, the communication unit 25 of the first information terminal 20 receives the first interest level information, and the control unit 23 causes the display unit 22 to display an image indicating the received first interest level information.

In this way, if the interest level of Infant A for each genre (field of study) is displayed on the display unit 22, parent B of Infant A can understand Infant A's interest level. In other words, the interest level estimation system 10 can assist parent B in understanding Infant A's interest level by providing the interest level for genres. A parent who is provided with the interest level for genres that correspond to the higher-level concept of behavior can more easily set educational guidelines for Infant A than when provided with the interest level for behavior. For example, comparing the case where information is provided that Infant A is interested in playing with blocks with the case where information is provided that Infant A is interested in arithmetic, parent B finds it easier to set educational guidelines (such as what kind of teaching materials to prepare) in the latter case.

In addition, in the above estimation operation, the acquisition unit 44 acquires both the schedule information and the performance information, but it is sufficient for the acquisition unit 44 to acquire at least the schedule information. In other words, in the above embodiment, in a portion where it is described that both the schedule information and the performance information are used, only the schedule information may be used.

Furthermore, the formula used to estimate the second interest level in the above estimation operation is just one example, and the formula for estimating the second interest level may be empirically or experimentally determined as appropriate. A machine learning model may be used to estimate the second interest level. Such a machine learning model takes schedule information and performance information (at least the schedule information) as input and outputs second interest level information. The machine learning model can construct schedule information and performance information (at least the schedule information) as learning data, to which the subjective evaluation result of the interest level for each behavior is assigned as a correct answer label.

[Effects, etc.]
As described above, the interest level estimation system 10 includes an acquisition unit 44 that acquires schedule information indicating a schedule of behavior of infant A based on an input operation of a user, an estimation unit 45 that estimates a first interest level of infant A in each of a plurality of genres related to the behavior of infant A based on the acquired schedule information, and an output unit 46 that outputs first interest level information indicating the estimated first interest level. The input operation includes a selection operation for selecting a plurality of candidates of behavior that infant A wishes to perform during a target period, a selection operation for selecting a plurality of final candidates from the plurality of candidates, an operation for designating the order of performance of the plurality of final candidates during the target period, and an operation for designating the time allocation of each of the plurality of final candidates during the target period.

Such an interest level estimation system 10 can estimate infant A's first interest level in each of multiple genres related to infant A's behavior.

In addition, for example, the schedule information includes information indicating the period required for each of the multiple candidates to be selected, and information indicating whether each of the multiple candidates has been selected as a final candidate.

Such an interest level estimation system 10 can estimate the first interest level of infant A based on information indicating the period required for each of the multiple candidates to be selected and information indicating whether each of the multiple candidates is selected as a final candidate.

For example, the interest level estimation system 10 includes an interest level estimation device 40 including an acquisition unit 44, an estimation unit 45, and an output unit 46, and a first information terminal that communicates with the interest level estimation device 40. The acquisition unit 44 acquires schedule information based on an input operation of the user to the first information terminal 20.

Such an interest level estimation system 10 can estimate the first interest level of infant A based on the schedule information inputted to the first information terminal 20.

For example, the first information terminal 20 also includes a display unit 22 that displays the planned behavior of infant A determined by the schedule information and the actual behavior of infant A side by side.

Such an interest level estimation system 10 can assist a user in reflecting on the actual performance of an action relative to the planned action.

Also, for example, the first information terminal 20 has a display unit 22 that displays calendar information indicating for each date whether or not an input operation has been performed.

Such an interest level estimation system 10 can increase users' motivation to input plan information and performance information.

For example, the user is at least one of infant A and infant A's guardian B.

Such an interest level estimation system 10 can estimate the first interest level of infant A based on schedule information input by at least one of infant A and infant A's guardian B.

For example, the acquisition unit 44 further acquires performance information indicating the performance of the behavior of the infant A, and the estimation unit 45 estimates the first interest level based on the acquired schedule information and the acquired performance information.

Such an interest level estimation system 10 can estimate infant A's first interest level in each of multiple genres related to infant A's behavior by using performance information in addition to schedule information.

For example, the estimation unit 45 estimates the second interest level of the infant A for each of the multiple behaviors based on the acquired scheduled information, the acquisition unit 44 further acquires conversion parameter information for converting the second interest level into the first interest level, and the estimation unit 45 estimates the first interest level based on the estimated second interest level and the acquired conversion information. The conversion parameter information is an example of conversion information.

Such an interest level estimation system 10 can estimate infant A's first interest level in each of a plurality of genres based on infant A's second interest level in each of a plurality of behaviors.

Also, for example, the conversion parameter information is input into the second information terminal 30 by a teacher at the preschool classroom attended by child A, and the acquisition unit 44 acquires conversion information based on the input operation of teacher C into the second information terminal 30.

Such an interest level estimation system 10 can estimate the first interest level of child A based on the conversion parameter information input by teacher C.

The interest level estimation method executed by a computer such as the interest level estimation system 10 includes an acquisition step S25 of acquiring schedule information indicating a schedule of the behavior of the infant A based on an input operation of the user, an estimation step S28 of estimating the first interest level of the infant A in each of a plurality of genres related to the behavior of the infant A based on the acquired schedule information, and an output step S29 of outputting the first interest level information indicating the estimated first interest level. The input operation includes a selection operation for selecting a plurality of candidates of the behavior that the infant A wishes to perform during the target period, a selection operation for selecting a plurality of final candidates from the plurality of candidates, an operation for specifying the order of performance of the plurality of final candidates during the target period, and an operation for specifying the time allocation of each of the plurality of final candidates during the target period.

Such an interest level estimation method can estimate infant A's first level of interest in each of multiple genres related to infant A's behavior.

Other Embodiments
Although the embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

For example, in the above embodiment, the second information terminal is used by a teacher in an early childhood classroom, but it may also be used by a childcare worker (an employee of a nursery school or kindergarten), etc. Also, in the above embodiment, the genre is described as being a learning field, but it may also be an action field or a work field, etc.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the interest level estimation system is realized by multiple devices, but it may also be realized as a single device. For example, the interest level estimation system may be realized as a single device corresponding to the interest level estimation device. When the interest level estimation system is realized by multiple devices, the components of the interest level estimation system may be distributed in any manner among the multiple devices.

In addition, the method of communication between the devices in the above embodiment is not particularly limited. In addition, a relay device (not shown) may be involved in the communication between the devices.

In addition, in the above embodiments, the processing performed by a specific processing unit may be executed by another processing unit. For example, in the above embodiments, some or all of the processing performed by the interest level estimation device may be executed by the first information terminal or the second information terminal. In addition, the order of multiple processing operations may be changed, or multiple processing operations may be executed in parallel.

In the above embodiment, each component may be realized by executing a software program suitable for each component. Each component may be realized by a program execution unit such as a CPU or processor reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or semiconductor memory.

Each component may also be realized by hardware. For example, each component may be a circuit (or integrated circuit). These circuits may form a single circuit as a whole, or each may be a separate circuit. Each of these circuits may also be a general-purpose circuit, or a dedicated circuit.

In addition, the general or specific aspects of the present invention may be realized as a system, an apparatus, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, or a recording medium such as a computer-readable CD-ROM. Also, the present invention may be realized as any combination of a system, an apparatus, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, and a recording medium.

For example, the present invention may be realized as an interest level estimation method executed by a computer such as an interest level estimation system, or as a program for causing a computer to execute such an interest level estimation method. The present invention may also be realized as an application program (i.e., a first app or a second app) for operating a general-purpose computer as the first information terminal or the second information terminal of the above-mentioned embodiment. The present invention may also be realized as a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium on which these programs are recorded.

In addition, the present invention also includes forms obtained by applying various modifications to each embodiment that may occur to a person skilled in the art, or forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of each embodiment without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Interest level estimation system 20 First information terminal 30 Second information terminal 44 Acquisition unit 45 Estimation unit 46 Output unit A Infant B Parent C Teacher

Claims (10)

an acquisition unit that acquires schedule information indicating a schedule of an infant's behavior based on an input operation of a user;
an estimation unit that estimates a first interest level of the child in each of a plurality of genres related to the behavior of the child based on the acquired schedule information;
an output unit that outputs first interest level information indicating the estimated first interest level,
The input operation includes:
A selection operation for selecting a plurality of candidates of behaviors that the infant wishes to perform during a target period;
a selection operation for selecting a plurality of final candidates from the plurality of candidates;
A designation operation of an implementation order of the plurality of final candidates during the target period; and
A designation operation of a time allocation for each of the plurality of final candidates during the target period is included ;
The estimation unit estimates a second interest level of the child with respect to each of a plurality of behaviors based on the acquired schedule information;
The acquisition unit further acquires conversion information for converting the second interest level into the first interest level,
The estimation unit estimates the first interest level based on the estimated second interest level and the acquired conversion information.
Interest estimation system. The interest level estimating system according to claim 1 , wherein the schedule information includes information indicating a period required for each of the plurality of candidates to be selected, and information indicating whether each of the plurality of candidates has been selected as the final candidate. The interest level estimation system includes:
an interest level estimating device including the acquisition unit, the estimation unit, and the output unit;
a first information terminal that communicates with the interest level estimating device,
The interest level estimating system according to claim 1 , wherein the acquisition unit acquires the schedule information based on the input operation of the user to the first information terminal. The interest level estimating system according to claim 3 , wherein the first information terminal includes a display unit that displays the planned behavior of the infant determined by the schedule information and the actual behavior of the infant side by side. The interest level estimating system according to claim 3 , wherein the first information terminal includes a display unit that displays calendar information indicating, for each date, whether or not the input operation has been performed. The interest level estimating system according to claim 1 , wherein the user is at least one of the child and a guardian of the child. The acquisition unit further acquires performance information indicating a performance of the infant's behavior,
The interest level estimating system according to claim 1 , wherein the estimation unit estimates the first interest level based on the acquired schedule information and the acquired performance information. the conversion information is input into a second information terminal by a teacher of an early childhood classroom attended by the child;
The level of interest estimating system according to claim 1 , wherein the acquisition unit acquires the conversion information based on an input operation of the teacher to the second information terminal. 1. A computer-implemented method for estimating interest, comprising:
an acquisition step of acquiring schedule information indicating a schedule of an infant's behavior based on an input operation of a user;
an estimation step of estimating a first interest level of the child in each of a plurality of genres related to the behavior of the child based on the acquired schedule information;
and outputting first interest level information indicating the estimated first interest level,
The input operation includes:
A selection operation for selecting a plurality of candidates of behaviors that the infant wishes to perform during a target period;
a selection operation for selecting a plurality of final candidates from the plurality of candidates;
A designation operation of an implementation order of the plurality of final candidates during the target period; and
A designation operation of a time allocation for each of the plurality of final candidates during the target period is included;
The estimation step includes:
estimating a second interest level of the child with respect to each of a plurality of behaviors based on the acquired schedule information;
obtaining conversion information for converting the second interest level into the first interest level;
and estimating the first interest level based on the estimated second interest level and the acquired conversion information.
Interest estimation method. A program for causing a computer to execute the interest level estimating method according to claim 9 .

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