Server device, behavior promotion and suppression system, behavior promotion and suppression method, and recording medium

• US 9,241,037 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2011
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Rie, Doi, Shinichi, Itaya, Satoko, Konishi, Taku, Yoshinaga, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dustin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mesa, Joel
• Application Number:
  US13/997,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20130275514A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/205
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

A behavior information acquirer (11) acquires behavior information representing the behavior of a user detected by a behavior detector (21), and stores the behavior information in a behavior information memory (12). How the influence of the behavior of the user indicated by the behavior information acquired by the behavior information acquirer (11) will spread over a network of mutual information is calculated from mutual information, user information, and a behavior list respectively stored in a mutual information memory (13), a user information memory (14), and a behavior information memory (12). A presentation information generator (16) generates presentation information depicting the way in which the influence of the behavior of the user indicated by the behavior information acquired by the behavior information acquirer (11) propagates to other users, and transmits the presentation information to a terminal device (2B).

Claims

1. A server device comprising:

a behavior list memory that stores a behavior list indicating combinations of behaviors and subsequent possible behaviors of a user;

a mutual information memory that stores mutual information representing connections between users;

a user information memory that stores user information representing an influence of a behavior of the users;

a behavior information acquirer that acquires behavior information including information representing a behavior carried out by the user and information identifying the user;

a behavior information memory that stores the behavior information acquired by the behavior information acquirer, an influence calculator that acquires, from the behavior list, a subsequent possible behavior of the user who has carried out the behavior indicated in the behavior information acquired by the behavior information acquirer, and on the basis of the mutual information and the user information, calculates the influence the behavior in question has on another user who has a connection with the user and has seen the behavior in question or the result thereof when the user has carried out the subsequent possible behavior, the influence including a percentage which infers that the another user carries out a similar behavior; and

a presenter that generates, based on information pre-stored corresponding to the behavior and required to generate presentation information, presentation information including the influence the behavior in question has on the another user when the user has carried out the subsequent possible behavior, the influence having been calculated by the influence calculator, and presents the presentation information to the user;

wherein the influence calculator includes a past influence calculator that, with respect to the behavior information stored by the behavior information memory, extracts another user who has carried out a similar behavior after knowing that the person who carried out the behavior indicated by the behavior information is the user.

2. The server device according to claim 1, wherein the influence calculator includes:

an influence range calculator that, on the basis of the mutual information and the user information, calculates a range of influence indicating a range of other users who are inferred to carry out a similar behavior having seen the behavior in question or the result thereof when the user has carried out the subsequent possible behavior; and

an influence degree calculator that, on the basis of the user information, calculates a degree of influence indicating the probability of the other users carrying out a similar behavior having seen the behavior in question or the result thereof when the user has carried out the subsequent possible behavior, and the presenter generates the presentation information including at least either the range of influence or the degree of influence respectively calculated by the influence range calculator and the influence degree calculation means.

3. The server device according to claim 2, wherein

the influence range calculator calculates the range of influence for each predetermined period,

the influence degree calculator calculates the degree of influence for each of the predetermined periods, and

the presenter generates the presentation information including the range of influence and the degree of influence for each of the predetermined periods.

4. The server device according to claim 3, wherein

the user information memory additionally stores interest information indicating a field in which the user has an interest, and

the server device is additionally provided with a presentation information processor that determines whether or not the presentation information includes information of a field corresponding to the interest information, and if included, carries out processing that emphasizes the information in question.

5. The server device according to claim 3, wherein

the server device is additionally provided with a behavior information memory that stores the behavior information acquired by the behavior information acquirer, and

the influence calculator includes a past influence calculator that, with respect to the behavior information stored by the behavior information memory, extracts another user who has carried out a similar behavior after knowing that the person who carried out the behavior indicated by the behavior information is the user.

6. The server device according to claim 3, wherein the server device is additionally provided with an influence learner including at least either one of:

a behavior list updater that updates the behavior list on the basis of the behavior information;

or a user information updater that, on the basis of the behavior information, updates the user information representing the influence of the behaviors of the user and the another user when the another user has carried out a similar behavior after knowing that the person who carried out the behavior indicated by the behavior information is the user.

7. The server device according to claim 3, wherein

the user information memory additionally stores a numerical value for which a number or amount of the subjects for subsequent possible behaviors of the user is assumed,

the influence degree calculator additionally calculates an expected value for which the numerical value is multiplied by a degree of influence, and

the presenter generates the presentation information including at least any of the range of influence, the degree of influence, or the expected value.

8. The server device according to claim 2, wherein

the user information memory additionally stores a numerical value for which a number or amount of the subjects for subsequent possible behaviors of the user is assumed,

the influence degree calculator additionally calculates an expected value for which the numerical value is multiplied by a degree of influence, and

the presenter generates the presentation information including at least any of the range of influence, the degree of influence, or the expected value.

9. The server device according to claim 2, wherein

the user information memory additionally stores interest information indicating a field in which the user has an interest, and

the server device is additionally provided with a presentation information processor that determines whether or not the presentation information includes information of a field corresponding to the interest information, and if included, carries out processing that emphasizes the information in question.

10. The server device according to claim 2, wherein

the server device is additionally provided with a behavior information memory that stores the behavior information acquired by the behavior information acquirer, and

the influence calculator includes a past influence calculator that, with respect to the behavior information stored by the behavior information memory, extracts another user who has carried out a similar behavior after knowing that the person who carried out the behavior indicated by the behavior information is the user.

11. The server device according to claim 2, wherein the server device is additionally provided with an influence learner including at least either one of:

a behavior list updater that updates the behavior list on the basis of the behavior information;

or a user information updater that, on the basis of the behavior information, updates the user information representing the influence of the behaviors of the user and the another user when the another user has carried out a similar behavior after knowing that the person who carried out the behavior indicated by the behavior information is the user.

12. The server device according to claim 1, wherein

the user information memory additionally stores interest information indicating a field in which the user has an interest, and

the server device is additionally provided with a presentation information processor that determines whether or not the presentation information includes information of a field corresponding to the interest information, and if included, carries out processing that emphasizes the information in question.

13. The server device according to claim 1, wherein the server device is additionally provided with an influence learner including at least either one of:

a behavior list updater that updates the behavior list on the basis of the behavior information;

or a user information updater that, on the basis of the behavior information, updates the user information representing the influence of the behaviors of the user and the another user when the another user has carried out a similar behavior after knowing that the person who carried out the behavior indicated by the behavior information is the user.

14. A behavior promotion and suppression system comprising:

a terminal device provided with a behavior detector that detects a behavior carried out by a user, generates behavior information including information representing the behavior carried out by the user and information identifying the user, and transmits the behavior information to a server device; and

the server device including a behavior list memory that stores a behavior list indicating combinations of behaviors and subsequent possible behaviors of the user, a mutual information memory that stores mutual information representing connections between users, a user information memory that stores user information representing an influence of a behavior of the users, a behavior information acquirer that acquires the behavior information from the terminal device, a behavior information memory that stores the behavior information acquired by the behavior information acquirer an influence calculator that acquires, from the behavior list, a subsequent possible behavior of the user who has carried out the behavior indicated in the behavior information acquired by the behavior information acquirer, and on the basis of the mutual information and the user information, calculates the influence the behavior in question has on another user who has a connection with the user and has seen the behavior in question or the result thereof when the user has carried out the subsequent possible behavior, the influence including a percentage which infers that the another user carries out a similar behavior, and a presenter that generates, based on information pre-stored corresponding to the behavior and required to generate presentation information, presentation information including the influence the behavior in question has on the another user when the user has carried out the subsequent possible behavior, the influence having been calculated by the influence calculator, and presents the presentation information to the user;

wherein the influence calculator includes a past influence calculator that, with respect to the behavior information stored by the behavior information memory, extracts another user who has carried out a similar behavior after knowing that the person who carried out the behavior indicated by the behavior information is the user.

15. A behavior promotion and suppression method comprising the following step to be executed by a terminal device:

a behavior detection step in which a behavior carried out by a user is detected, behavior information including information representing the behavior carried out by the user and information identifying the user is generated and transmitted to a server device; and

the following steps to be executed by the server device;

a behavior information acquisition step in which the behavior information is acquired from the terminal device;

a behavior information storage step in which the acquired behavior information is stored;

an influence calculation step in which a subsequent possible behavior of the user who has carried out the behavior indicated in the behavior information acquired in the behavior information acquisition step is acquired from a behavior list indicating combinations of behaviors and subsequent possible behaviors of the user and stored by a behavior list memory, and in which the influence the behavior in question has on another user who has a connection with the user and has seen the behavior in question or the result thereof the user has carried out the subsequent possible behavior is calculated on the basis of mutual information that is stored by a mutual information memory and represents a connection between the users and user information that is stored by a user information memory and represents an influence of a behavior of the users, the influence including a percentage which infers that the another user carries out a similar behavior; and

a presentation step in which, based on information pre-stored corresponding to the behavior and required to generate presentation information, the presentation information including the influence the behavior in question has on the another user when the user has carried out the subsequent possible behavior is generated, the influence having been calculated in the influence calculation step, and the presentation information is presented to the user;

wherein the influence calculation step includes a past influence calculation step that, with respect to the behavior information stored, extracts another user who has carried out a similar behavior after knowing that the person who carried out the behavior indicated by the behavior information is the user.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program causing a computer to function as:

a behavior list memory that stores a behavior list indicating combinations of behaviors and subsequent possible behaviors of a user;

a mutual information memory that stores mutual information representing connections between users;

a user information memory that stores user information representing an influence of a behavior of the users;

a behavior information acquirer that acquires behavior information including information representing a behavior carried out by the user and information identifying the user;

a behavior information memory that stores the behavior information acquired by the behavior information acquirer;

an influence calculator that acquires, from the behavior list, a subsequent possible behavior of the user who has carried out the behavior indicated in the behavior information acquired by the behavior information acquirer, and on the basis of the mutual information and the user information, calculates the influence the behavior in question has on another user who has a connection with the user and has seen the behavior in question or the result thereof when the user has carried out the subsequent possible behavior, the influence including a percentage which infers that the another user carries out a similar behavior; and

a presenter that generates, based on information pre-stored corresponding to the behavior and required to generate presentation information, the presentation information including the influence the behavior in question has on the another user when the user has carried out the subsequent possible behavior, the influence having been calculated by the influence calculator, and presents the presentation information to the user;

wherein the influence calculator includes a past influence calculator that, with respect to the behavior information stored by the behavior information memory, extracts another user who has carried out a similar behavior after knowing that the person who carried out the behavior indicated by the behavior information is the user.