Information processing apparatus and case example output method and program

• US 20070162297A1
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi America Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yano, Kojin, Yakabe, Haruko, Uchinomiya, Nozomi
• Application Number:
  US11/540,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20070162297A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/107
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

An information processing apparatus capable of outputting a case example(s) satisfying the needs of customers without inputting keywords is disclosed. The apparatus includes an output device, an action needs storage unit for storing needs information indicating the customer needs in correspondence to action information indicating action contents of the customers at a service providing location, a database for storage of the needs information and case example information representing case examples in past for the needs in a correspondence manner, a needs acquisition unit for receiving the action information and for reading from the action needs storage unit the needs information corresponding to the received action information, a case example acquisitor for reading from the database the case example information corresponding to the needs information thus read, and a case example output unit for outputting to the output device the readout case example information in a list format.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for outputting case examples in past, said apparatus comprising:

an output device;

an action needs storage unit for storing therein needs information indicative of needs of customers to correspond with action information indicating action contents of the customers at a providing location of a service;

a case example database for storage of said needs information and case example information representing case examples in past with respect to said needs to correspond with each other;

a needs acquisition unit for receiving input of said action information and for reading from said action needs storage unit said needs information corresponding to the received action information;

a case example acquisition unit for reading from said case example database said case example information corresponding to said needs information which is read; and

a case example output unit for outputting to said output device said case example information which is read in a list format.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a coping measure information storage unit for storing coping measure information indicative of more than one coping measure being implemented at said providing location to correspond with said needs information, wherein

upon readout of said case example information corresponding to said needs information, said case example acquisition unit determines whether said coping measure information corresponding to said needs information is registered to said coping measure information storage unit and reads said case example information corresponding to said needs information when the corresponding coping measure information is not registered.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said action information contains motion data indicating motions of said customers to be detected at said providing location,

said apparatus includes an action pattern storage unit for storing action patterns which are patterns of said action information, a motion pattern input unit for receipt of input of a motion pattern which is a pattern of said motion data, and an action pattern specifier unit for specifying a detection pattern in which a pattern of said motion data as contained in said action information which is one of said action patterns being stored in said action pattern storage unit matches said motion pattern, and

said needs acquisition unit reads from said needs information storage unit said needs information corresponding to a respective one of said action information making up said detection pattern.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a coping measure information storage unit for storing coping measure information representing a coping measure or measures being implemented at said providing location to correspond with said needs information; and

a coping measure list output unit for specifying from said action needs storage unit said needs information corresponding to said action information with respect to each of said action information making up said detection pattern, for reading from said coping measure information storage unit said coping measure information corresponding to the specified needs information, and for outputting to said output device said action information and said coping measure information to correspond with each other.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said motion data making up said motion pattern is added position information indicating a position at said providing location,

said coping measure information storage unit stores said position information indicating a position at which said coping measure is implemented in addition to said needs information and said coping measure information, and

said coping measure list output unit specifies from said action needs storage unit said needs information corresponding to said action information which matches said motion pattern in relation to each of said motion data making up said motion pattern, and reads from said coping measure information storage unit said coping measure information corresponding to said position information as added to the specified needs information and said motion data.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said action needs storage unit stores said needs information while letting it correspond to industry type information indicating an industry type of said service and said action information,

said action pattern storage unit stores said action pattern in a way corresponding to said industry type information,

said motion pattern input unit receives input of said motion pattern along with said industry type information,

said action pattern specifier unit specifies said detection pattern from said action pattern corresponding to said industry type information, and

said needs acquisition unit reads out of said needs information storage unit said needs information corresponding to each of said action information making up said detection pattern and said industry type information.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is communicably connected to a motion detection device for detecting motions of said customers at said providing location,

said action information contains motion data indicating motions of said customers to be detected at said providing location,

said apparatus includes an action pattern storage unit for storage of action patterns which are patterns of said action information, a motion pattern receiver unit for receipt of a motion pattern which is a pattern of said motion data to be sent from said motion detection device, and an action pattern specifier unit for specifying a detection pattern in which one of said action patterns stored in said action pattern storage unit which is contained in said action information matches said motion pattern, and

said needs acquisition unit reads out of said needs information storage unit said needs information corresponding to each of said action information making up the specified detection pattern.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is connected to a camera as installed at said providing location and comprises:

an image data acquisition unit for obtaining image data from said camera;

an image analzing unit for analyzing said image data to thereby generate a motion pattern which is a pattern of motion data indicative of motions of said customers;

an action pattern storage unit for storing an action pattern which is a pattern of said action information; and

an action pattern specifier unit for specifying a detection pattern in which a pattern of said motion data as contained in said action information which is one of said action patterns being stored in said action pattern storage unit matches said motion pattern, and

said needs information acquisition unit reads from said needs information storage unit said needs information corresponding to each of said action information making up the specified detection pattern.

9. A method for output of a case example in past, wherein a computer having a CPU, a memory and an output device performs:

storing, in said memory, needs information indicative of needs of customers to correspond with action information indicating action contents of the customers at a providing location of a service;

storing in said memory said needs information and case example information representing earlier case examples for said needs to correspond with each other;

upon receipt of input of said action information, reading from said memory said needs information corresponding to the received action information;

reading from said memory said case example information corresponding to said needs information thus read; and

outputting said case example information which is read to said output device in a list format.

10. The case example output method according to claim 9, wherein said computer performs:

storing, in said memory, coping measure information representing a coping measure being implemented at said providing location to correspond with said needs information; and

when said coping measure information corresponding to said needs information as read out of said action needs storage unit is not registered to said coping measure information storage unit, reading said case example information corresponding to said needs information.

11. The case example output method according to claim 9, wherein

said action information contains motion data indicating motions of said customers to be detected at said providing location,

said computer performs storing, in said memory, action patterns which are patterns of said action information, receiving input of a motion pattern which is a pattern of said motion data, specifying a detection pattern in which a pattern of said motion data as contained in said action information which is one of said action patterns being stored in said memory matches said motion pattern, and reading from said needs information storage unit said needs information corresponding to a respective one of said action information making up the specified detection pattern.

12. The case example output method according to claim 11, wherein said computer performs:

storing coping measure information representing a coping measure or measures being implemented at said providing location to correspond with said needs information;

specifying from said memory said needs information corresponding to said action information with respect to each of said action information making up said detection pattern;

reading from said memory said coping measure information corresponding to the specified needs information; and

outputting to said output device said action information and said coping measure information in a list format to correspond with each other.

13. A program for output of more than one case example in past, said program causing a computer with a CPU, a memory and an output device to perform an operation including the steps of:

storing, in said memory, needs information indicative of needs of customers to correspond with action information indicating action contents of the customers at a providing location of a service;

storing in said memory said needs information and case example information representing earlier case examples against said needs to correspond with each other;

upon receipt of input of said action information, reading from said memory said needs information corresponding to the received action information;

reading from said memory said case example information corresponding to said needs information thus read; and

outputting said case example information which is read to said output device in a list form.

14. The case example output method according to claim 13, wherein the operation of said computer includes the steps of:

storing, in said memory, coping measure information representing a coping measure being implemented at said providing location to correspond with said needs information; and

when said coping measure information corresponding to said needs information as read out of said action needs storage unit is not registered to said coping measure information storage unit, reading said case example information corresponding to said needs information.

15. The case example output method according to claim 13, wherein

said action information contains motion data indicating motions of said customers to be detected at said providing location, and

the operation of said computer includes the steps of:

storing in said memory action patterns which are patterns of said action information;

receiving input of a motion pattern which is a pattern of said motion data;

specifying a detection pattern in which a pattern of said motion data as contained in said action information which is one of said action patterns being stored in said memory matches said motion pattern; and

reading from said needs information storage unit said needs information corresponding to a respective one of said action information making up the specified detection pattern.